Archery seasons are opening soon across the country, and early-season success comes down to one thing: acorns. Ben Davis of central Alabama joins us to break down his complete early-season feed tree blueprint — how to find the oaks that are actually hot, the overlooked sign that tells you a tree is about to fire before the deer even pattern it, and how to hunt it without blowing it out. It's a wide-open early-season how-to for every deer hunter, then a deep, technical dive into traditional bow hunting for those who want to take it all the way.In this episode:How deer feeding on green acorns tells you a tree is 1–2 weeks from getting hotThe oak-drop calendar — chestnut/mountain oaks, then white oaks, then red and water oaks late seasonReading feed sign — busted hulls, fresh droppings, and ground disturbance under a hot treeWhy your first sit on a fresh tree is almost always your best oneScouting before rain to erase your intrusion and get a free passLate-morning feed tree kills — and why wind gets deer on their feetCreek crossings, entry and exit, and the water-scent problem that wrecks slam-dunk setupsIsolated oaks vs. stands of oaks, and getting tight to bedding coverGetting into traditional archery without getting over-bowed — form and instinctive shootingBare-shaft tuning, arrow spine, weight-forward setups, and picking a broadheadSharpening fixed-blade heads and getting a true burrThe story of a mature Alabama buck taken with a recurve — and the recovery that almost didn't happenPlus mentors, hard-earned lessons, and why he'd rather hunt sign than stare at a trail cameraCheck out Ben's latest video here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRl90uaCoo0Looking for land in Alabama's Black Belt region? Contact Ben here - https://www.whitetailproperties.com/agents/ben-davis-1Join our Circle Community here - ⁠https://linkly.link/2o0SnGrab some Southern Outdoorsmen merch here - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1u4aKJoin Woodsman Wire - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1u4aRUse code “SOUTHERN” for a discount on Whitetail Hill food plot seed & trees - https://linkly.link/2myBPUse the promo code “southern” for a discount on your OnX Hunt membership here - https://l.linklyhq.com/l/1tyfmCheck out Latitude Outdoors for your mobile hunting gear - https://2ly.link/1zVDIUse code TSOP15 for a discount on Mossy Oak - https://linkly.link/2ERb8Use code SOUTHERN20 for a discount on all Vortex apparel, including eyewearHave you tagged a deer using something you heard on the show? Submit your listener success story here - Share Your Story HereNOTE: Not all advertisements run on this show are endorsed by The Southern Outdoorsmen Podcast unless an ad is read by one of the hosts. Our Sponsors:* Check out Omaha Steaks and use my code BEEF for a great deal: https://www.omahasteaks.com* Check out Outdoorsy and use my code OUTDOORSMEN for a great deal: https://www.outdoorsy.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related