Thanks brother, jordan, ethan , takes guts to put yourself out here for the world...starting over from zero, documenting the transformation, im with jordan, i also love the habitat management as much as the hunts nowdays, makin changes, seeing what effects they have, seeing the wildlife make use of what we build for them , yea i huntem, i also love them, we dont take more than we eat here, and the rest are spoiled rotten in return. Sorry it was a struggle, but its gonna make it feel so much more gratifying when you claim success..and i will be here to congratulate your accomplishment. Enjoy the struggle everyone, cause once its gone ya just gonna wanta do it again.
Dont sell. This project is the pinnacle of your hunting career and will bring you much pride in what you were able to accomplish through this journey. Wait worth the reward.
Bill, thanks for having us along on your Outdoor adventures. Spending time with your daughter in a hunting blind is time well spent. For me, this is the first year my daughter did not spend any time with me in the blind since she could walk. Along with her fiancé, she was in a major accident that nearly took both their lies September 13th. And today they are both well enough to go back to college. Do not take for granted the time spent with friends and family, especially in the outdoors. We’ll get the big buck this next coming season.
Bill- Ok, I’ve been saving this genius idea for awhile. I think the optimal solution for entering your deer stands is to drop in via parachute. They would never hear you coming and you would leave no scent. Not likely to see you either bc we all know deer never look higher than 20 feet. You could even film on the way down. Of course, another sponsor would be the Realtree Parachute Co.! Now the only part I haven’t figured is how to get you back out at the end of the hunt. I’m working on that- possibly a jet air pack or hot air balloon?! Thanks again for a terrific season and enjoy a little down time if possible! Milo
Thanks for taking us along with you this season! You have a lot to be grateful for. You’ve been blessed with a lot of hunting land, time with Jordan and the excitement of building a world class deer herd. Many of us would call all the does you harvested a great success this season.
Bill you have to just be ecstatic that your daughter loves to hunt with you like this. I had one of my sons bow hunt here in IL with me on Public this year, and though we did not have any luck, the time and memories are priceless to me. I really enjoy watching you guys and will look for your videos every year. Take Care out there!
Really enjoyed the season with y’all. We learn each season. Never ends. It was tough here in western Il. So many nocturnal mature bucks. Harvested one hitlist buck and filled 5 antlerless tags. Regardless though just having the ability to enjoy Gods creation is a blessing! I always appreciate your Humility and that you are Christian my friend. Thanks for a wonderful season of videos!
Always love your videos bill.thanks for sharing.i must say that is the way to tough out your season.pure will and determination.thanks for everything bill and all of you.
My hunting partner and I always close out our season with "Next year will be the year"! Hope prevails, and doing the work off season is always a new adventure. Hunting is a year round activity in preparation for the next year. We appreciate you sharing your farm with us. Love the banter between you both. Thanks for what you do and next year will be the year!
I must have done everything wrong this year....tried to do what i learned from you tube gurus and came up empty. Next year I'll try again. I love hunting and enjoy your hunts! Thanks
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Thanks for the content, Bill! I've enjoyed the interplay with your transformation of your new farm and then the hunting strategies/stand locations you choose along the way. Its interesting to observe you learning more about it as you go. I dont see the dedication and the stick toitiveness of an all day sit in the pouring, icy rain like you and your cameraman did on the ridge near the tail end of the rut, on other hunting content. All too relatable to me.Your dream big motto and the, "cant kill them if your not in the woods", are the same things I think about to keep me motivated and in the woods 43 archery days in and my buck tag with 2 weeks to go. Still not ready to punctuate this season. The best to you and Jordan!
Thanks for sharing your season. I really enjoyed it. Jordan must have an old soul - seems like the youngsters like the hunting more than habitat improvement.
This is probably wrong to say to you Bill and Jordan but watching your struggles this year makes me in south central Alabama feel a lot better about myself. I hunt deer that are weirdos. They don’t move when they should. They move when they shouldn’t. All pictures are at night until they rut whenever that is. The good thing for you guys is you know there is much better hunting to come. Thanks for sharing your tough season and always remember besides dreaming big that deer hunting sucks. (But we do it anyway)
@leecrawford6393, I hunt south central Alabama also and I agree with you, this season has been a bit weird. The deer on one of my places move predominately at night much like Bill and Jordan have been dealing with. If you wish to see any deer during legal shooting time here you have to hunt the very edges of the bedding areas. This place has no hunting pressure around it and I have only hunted there 3 times this season. In short, the deer on this parcel are basically nocturnal in behavior. On another spot where I hunt, the deer move practically all day long and you can hunt them more casually there. Neither of the places have any deer that are push overs, but I guess that is part of what makes deer hunting so much fun!
Now that the season is over Bill, you will have time to go running with Jordan. LOL. I really enjoyed the content of the season. Hunting is not always about killing, that is just a bonus. I love spending anytime in the deer woods.
Bill what a season and thanks for taking us along with you and Jordan. Its funny for those who own dirt. Was in a very similar situation 2 years ago and i truly believe se properties are just not built for deer hunting and some are. Access is key and you obviously know that, but I had to learn that and no matter what i did i just plain did not work. I even followed your tips, Drurys, and many other podcasts to dial things in.. nope wasnt gonna work, so we sold and i can honestly say our new farm in Northern Missouri is already light years ahead of my old North Missouri farm. We look forward to following along on your journey. As every pases with age and time we all ask our selves do we.sit idle or make big decisions and move on before we can no longer do what we love to do and that is hunt, fish trap etc. Happy new year Winke family and god bless.
Ryan, that makes great sense. I think I keep this farm for better or worse - assuming I can, Lord willing. I love the bluff country and even if it is hard to hunt, I will enjoy at least some success there. I know how to do it, but it is really hard to hunt this country right with a camera man along. You need to sleep near your stands. If you do that, it is much easier to hunt. I may do some of that next season. Good luck.
Thanks for all your efforts and entertainment!I am an old school hunter approaching maybe the end of my hunting years .after all the tenderloins and brush Buck racks hanging on the walls that my wife hates the true meaning of hunting to me can not be explained.The life it has given me has been spectacular and disappointing at many moments.If I had one wish left it would be to just give me a few more of those moments!If there is a heaven I expect to be chasing them forever,,
I apologize for this being so lengthy. I work for the Lord , so I get long winded sometimes. Hunting to me isn’t always about harvesting something. It’s about learning something every time I’m in a stand or hanging from a tree. I truly do enjoy the outdoors. And I appreciate it when it works out. Disclaimer: My next statement isn’t meant to be negative. I really mean it in the most positive way. I did not/do not subscribe to this channel because Mr. Winke and co-host , harvest deer every time he/she puts on the camo. I’ve seen you and your kiddos harvest giants for years upon years. I subscribed to this channel because I believe you are , who you proclaim to be. I’ve never heard you say one word that’s unwholesome. I can watch people harvest deer all day everyday on social media. But it’s all about the harvest. It’s not about teaching their daughter about life and cutting up in the deer woods. It’s not focused on what they have discovered. It’s always about the harvest. The content you bring to us is knowledge/morals. What works. What doesn’t. In life we can teach our kids to shoot bows , throw a ball and play sports and be outstanding athletes. But if we neglect to teach them how to get to Heaven… I’d say someone has harvested a deer by listening to something you have taught them. And I’d say you have taught children to play sports and to be athletes. But most importantly, by someone being bold for the Lord and “PRAYING BIG” and reading the Bible…. Someone has listened to you read about the birth of Jesus. Someone has given their life to Him. If just one? Your “DREAM BIG ” is going to be bigger than you think. Watching this channel is just like going hunting. Sometimes I harvest…. sometimes I don’t. But , I ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING!! Thanks you. Luke 9:62
Really enjoyed following along again this year! We had a tough season here in Missouri as well. Still hard to believe it’s over. Already looking forward to next season and seeing what you’re doing in the off season.
So really it’s second year of hunting vs the work you did. I still believe it’s a minimum 4 - 5 year to see results. You wipe the cedars out, they differently bed there And that going to be new growth. Also you’re still learning the farm, you may feel you know it inside and out. But it’s always changing. Remember that 1acr staging food plot “your favorite tree stand” you should have keep it in the sale lol. Well there a new one there somewhere, Dream BIG
Thanks Bill, obviously a tough it out season for you guys. I hunted approx 30-40 minutes west of your current farm back in 2014 and that neighborhood seemed to be more like your southern Iowa deer density/mature buck population.
The deer around here look at atvs like farm equipment as long as you ride past them. They help old crippled hunters get up those hills. Thanks for another entertaining year .
Tom, good point. They don't seem to react them much if they are used to ATVs being around there. If not, it might be a bad idea to drive too close. Have a great day and thanks for all the support.
Bill thanks for filling a void and really enjoyed your videos and looking forward to hopefully habitat improvements, scouting videos, etc. sure you have hundreds of comments and don’t remember I was the guy who harvested a mature buck my second hunt of the season. I had five mature bucks within 25 yards of me and messed up on a huge 20 inch spread ten when I panicked about wind,thermals so I tried to stand up to shoot instead of just relaxing and let things play out. 40 minutes later a heavy 8 came down the hill and I harvested it. But I want to thank you because I stole an idea that I got from you on my first hunt! There’s bear in my area so I didn’t have enough guts to sleep in the woods but I started a hunt in my underwear inside my blind because it was so hot even tho there was a 20 degree drop in outside temp, had a great hunt like 20 deer, 7 bucks passed on a nice 3 year old. Woke up at 1:30am and was freezing my butt off! Didn’t think 40 degrees would be that bad but when we were used to 80’s the sleeping bag wasn’t cutting it! So at 2:00 am after failed attempts to warm up I started doing push ups. 64 year old kid doing pushups I’m the middle of the night! Next morning didn’t see a deer but it accomplished my goal of not educating deer and went back to the cabin around 9am. Fond memory especially with what happened that afternoon! Thanks again and wishing you the best!
I have tried your thoughts and wisdom on whitetails this season. Here in north western NC some work and some don’t. The one thing the deer here and there have in common is that the bigger bucks will avoid stands that are hunted frequently. Thanks for the videos and for sharing your knowledge. I look forward to future content.
Thanks for taking us along this year, Bill. I have no doubt all of your plans will come together next season. I’m betting the Jordan buck adds 15-20 inches and has his biggest rack yet.
He is still here. That was him at the end of the video. Some of them make big jumps and others don't. I have stopped trying to guess which ones! Have a great day and thanks for the comment.
Very nice, Bill. Lot of fun watching y’all enjoying the time together. I love hunting with my daughter who is getting married in October. That is gonna be a change.
Only answer is a zipline! Lol. In all seriousness, we reviewed some Greenworks electric mini bikes on my channel and after the project we used them to get to and from the stand. They sit low so the brush conceals a lot of movement, they are quick, silent and have no scent. Lay it over at the ladder and it never happened. For a thousand bucks, there is no comparison of a hunting companion. Now, if someone would make a legit electric atv, they wouldn't be able to make them fast enough. Great video and great season Bill. Nice seeing you spend some quality time with your daughter. God Bless!
That's what I have said too, Joe. A legit electric ATV. It has to be priced competitively with the gas models and it will sell like crazy. I appreciate the support and the input. Have a great day.
im setting here now watching this on what will likely be last hunt of the season goes out next weekend, missed twice last night w bear kodiak magnum recurve, could hunt next weekend but forecast is 47 and rain here in ky , been pleasure hunting along w you guys
Thanks for sharing. You have a beautiful property and enjoy great time with your daughter, which is the most important imho. Difficult to make sense of the lack of opportunities though, beyond access & stand location maybe. I don't want to be disrespectul given your experience and kindness but it could make sense to bring an outsider, someone like Jeff Sturgis perhaps? Could be a good video too to learn on different approaches. No opinion on him but his approach to conceal blinds, define access routes makes sense to me and when we see you access your blinds in the wide open like that, you would expect it to be noticed by the deers. No doubt next season will be better. Thanks to sharing with us!
Bill, I ordered a Doubleback Extreme, gonna give it a try. My Eberlestock X2 has been great but I think it's too full of scent and I might wash it up this off season some how. What do you think about all the rest of our gear in the tree with us, self-fillmers especially, as far as scent control? All the random things anyone has in the pack or on them. No one talks about this. Makes me consider getting into cover scents more and more. Thanks for sharing another wonderful season on the Dream Farm with us. It's a bittersweet time of year.
Sad moment indeed. Not just that we have no more Winke hunting vids for the 24 season to watch but that I’m out of the tree myself . BUT as a public land hunter there is always scouting, which I love, to do. Seasons are coming and going faster and faster now. Time to reflect on the past season and the wisdom we gain from others including Mr. Winke. Thanks for sharing as always. See you at the classic 👍. p.s. Was that the Jordan buck behind the blind in the field? He was a tank.
Steven, yes it was him. I didn't realize it until later when watching the video back in the office. Had I known, I would have done a better job of filming him. I was just hand-holding the camera out the back window. I could have gotten much better footage had I swung the tripod around. Also, for the record, I had a muzzleloader in the blind and a muzzleloader either sex tag. Would have been pretty easy to crawl out the back and sneak within 100 yards of him. But, even if I had known it was him, I wouldn't have done that. Will be fun to see what he looks like this coming year and just as importantly, how his behavior changes. Have a great day.
Thanks. Yes, it will be fun to see how much he changes and if I can finally figure out a way to hunt him! We will consider the turkey hunting. There are a lot of them here, but hunting them interferes with all the work we need to do that time of year. A day off would be good though! Thanks for the support and the comment. Have a great day.
I absolutely love your channel Bill. I left you a comment about permaculture orchards , as far as getting your apples to taste sweeter. My property lays out very similar to yours and I'm thinking about using a zipline to get out and I'm wondering if you've ever done that? 😅
Sad the season is over indeed. Tag soup for me this year. Thanks for sharing your season with us. Jordan, what are you running from or to? Fitness? Collegiate sport? The woods recover within minutes after a quad goes through. It's not a deal buster. Private land deer get accustomed to farm equipment. Looking forward to watching your land management videos! See you soon!
Bill, it's always somewhat sad when the season ends , seems like it just hot started . My take on the new farm is this , if the maturr bucks aren't there especially in numbers the tactics , techniques, and the ability of the hunter doesn't make a huge difference in the outcome. I remember reading articles as a young hunter about it being less about the spot and more about hunting correctly. I think it's the opposite, without a good spot success is much less likely. Looking forward to the off season episodes ! Chris
I would bet on an average hunter in a great area above a great hunter in an average spot. The tactics matter, but not as much as the sheer number of killable targets. If they aren't there, it doesn't matter how carefully you hunt. Next year should bring a few more targets on this farm. Looking forward to it already. Have a great day.
Ps. Last year mild winter. Deer didn’t hit the beans or corn hard. Are you finding with a harder winter they are crushing them this year ? Mines all gone damn near. As last year in wi, I had acres of leftover corn.
Isn’t that the Jordan buck in the corn behind the blind at the end? Looking forward to seeing all your winter projects on the farm this winter! I’m excited to do some on my own too, got 6.5 acres of invasive multi flora rose and honeysuckle cost share removal to do and I’m going to thin some trees and do some edge feathering on the field edges I’d my 80 acres. Planning to transplant some cedars along the fence line of the road to to get a privacy screen going
Yes, that is him. He made it through. I have a few photos of him from Friday evening after the season ended so if he sticks around, we can see how much he changes in antler, body and behavior by this coming fall. Those sound like good projects, Sam. That bush honeysuckle is really hard to get rid of. Good luck.
@ thanks bill. You should do some turkey hunts the spring on your farm. Seems like you got plenty on your farm. Your coubty usually leads the state in harvest. Super fun to call one in. And hear them goblin in the morning.
Bill first of all I love your channel and watch every episode. That being said I have one thought and opinion to share as well as a question. First I want to say that I sustained a shoulder injury that prevented me from using my compound bow. Instead of giving up hunting I switched to a crossbow. Does that make me less of a hunter? I believe in a lethal kill first and foremost. My question is why continue to push your daughter to use a tool that has a very low lethal ability? I say enjoy the hunt and use the available lethal tool. Thanks for the season of content.
Here in Michigan I hunt very similar farm land in the deep winter we sometimes park trucks under the tower... In yarding season the deer don't even care.
My friend shot a giant north of you on the 8th. Huge thing cant believe it was not all broke up, and can’t believe he didn’t pull antlers off dragging it out.
Yes, it was. Will be interesting to see what he looks like and acts like next year. I got photos of him again on the evening of the 10th so I am sure he made it through the season. If he sticks around, it should be interesting to learn from him. Have a great day and thanks for the support and comment.
Great season, Bill. Love watching the transformation of a farm and can't wait to see what the future holds. Did you recognize the bucks at the end of the episode behind the blind? Was that the jordan buck? Best of luck next season and looking forward to the offseason content.
Thoroughly enjoyed watching your season. You don’t have to kill monsters to be entertaining, just a pleasure to watch. Do you think one of the reasons you don’t have much daylight activity is because of the constant ATV traffic? I know they can get use to it, but maybe moving later is their adaptation? I bought a Polaris Ranger EV electric and I really do think it makes a difference moving around quietly, just not alerting deer all the time when they hear the traffic.
I pulled my last 2 cameras today in Iowa 1- 12 - 25. Was surprised to see that most of my daylight pictures were in the mornings. Think I'll be doing more morning sits next late season. If the good Lord decides to let this old guy have another season.
I found that too. Very surprising. Not sure if it was the weather or if it is common to have that much daylight movement in the mornings this time of year. I think this year was different for some reason.
Mostly habitat work. Make the cover and browse as good as possible. TSI and burning. Planting some browse in open areas. The bucks keep getting older and we should have some really good ones here in a couple years. Mix older bucks with exceptional habitat and it should work out well.
Having only 85 acre's in SW Wisconsin to hunt, I never ride to a stand. All my neighbors ride in and they blow every deer onto my property. I don't return that favour. I am thinking about an electric bike for next season however, I'll give that a try and see how it goes.
Hey Bill,thanks for all the great content this season,just wondering if the Jordan buck made it through the season, i didn't hear you talk about him lately so i was just curious
I wonder if you have a few neighbors that shoot anything that moves. I have 1 thats like that on a 10 acre parcel. Gallon or 2 of corn a day and for a 4 mth hunting season and unlimited doe tags. 1 bad apple ruins things.
Yes, that was him. He made it through the season so it will be interesting to see how much he changes this coming year, in body, antler and behavior. Have a great day.
No, that is the Jordan Buck. I did hear from the neighbor that he is getting photos of old Fatso now so he made it through too. Neighbor said he lost him for two months too. If we are going to kill that buck we will need to do it right away this coming fall because I guess he leaves in early October. Good luck.
Can't help but ask yourself, "was hunting 'safe' worth it?" Seems activity is slow regardless. Should have hunted more aggressively... hindsight is 20/20 but several of us viewers have been saying that. Oh well, in 4-5 years when you have better developed your herd your style will be more effective.
It depends on where they are coming from, how much wind there is to cover the sound and how used to ATVs the deer are. For example, near a farm site they pay less attention to it than in backcountry areas where they rarely hear them.
Why does it seem like you so much don’t want her to shoot a buck? I have a feeling your thinking is it’s already late season those bucks will probably make it and you be able to video yourself killing one of those bucks next year on film?
What should have I have done differently? We tried. Jordan doesn't really care. I suspect I care way more than she does whether she shoots a buck - or any deer for that matter.
I agree, walking feels better and is healthier, but it is not that simple. There are times when it just makes more sense to drive as you actually create less intrusion driving in certain situations. Walking on this farm would be really tough with all the bluffs. We would be soaked in sweat on every hunt.
Thanks brother, jordan, ethan , takes guts to put yourself out here for the world...starting over from zero, documenting the transformation, im with jordan, i also love the habitat management as much as the hunts nowdays, makin changes, seeing what effects they have, seeing the wildlife make use of what we build for them , yea i huntem, i also love them, we dont take more than we eat here, and the rest are spoiled rotten in return. Sorry it was a struggle, but its gonna make it feel so much more gratifying when you claim success..and i will be here to congratulate your accomplishment. Enjoy the struggle everyone, cause once its gone ya just gonna wanta do it again.
Dont sell. This project is the pinnacle of your hunting career and will bring you much pride in what you were able to accomplish through this journey. Wait worth the reward.
Bill, thanks for having us along on your Outdoor adventures. Spending time with your daughter in a hunting blind is time well spent. For me, this is the first year my daughter did not spend any time with me in the blind since she could walk. Along with her fiancé, she was in a major accident that nearly took both their lies September 13th. And today they are both well enough to go back to college. Do not take for granted the time spent with friends and family, especially in the outdoors. We’ll get the big buck this next coming season.
Bill-
Ok, I’ve been saving this genius idea for awhile. I think the optimal solution for entering your deer stands is to drop in via parachute. They would never hear you coming and you would leave no scent. Not likely to see you either bc we all know deer never look higher than 20 feet. You could even film on the way down. Of course, another sponsor would be the Realtree Parachute Co.!
Now the only part I haven’t figured is how to get you back out at the end of the hunt. I’m working on that- possibly a jet air pack or hot air balloon?!
Thanks again for a terrific season and enjoy a little down time if possible!
Milo
Thanks for taking us along with you this season! You have a lot to be grateful for. You’ve been blessed with a lot of hunting land, time with Jordan and the excitement of building a world class deer herd. Many of us would call all the does you harvested a great success this season.
Very thankful I got to meet you and Jordan at the ATA I appreciate you taking the time to talk and taking a picture with me.
Every season is unique unto itself - but you guys have a bright future on this farm!
Bill you have to just be ecstatic that your daughter loves to hunt with you like this. I had one of my sons bow hunt here in IL with me on Public this year, and though we did not have any luck, the time and memories are priceless to me. I really enjoy watching you guys and will look for your videos every year. Take Care out there!
Enjoyed watching your season!!!!! Thanks for showing us !!!!!! Maybe next year, thats what I say !!!!!!!
Been a pleasure following your content this season! Well done and thanks for making me smile, often! Till we see you again, be well and stay safe!
Thanks for the support, David. We appreciate it.
Wait, oh no! There are no pretzels in the vid. Great vid you two. Thank you again. Keep them coming.
Really enjoyed the season with y’all. We learn each season. Never ends.
It was tough here in western Il. So many nocturnal mature bucks.
Harvested one hitlist buck and filled 5 antlerless tags.
Regardless though just having the ability to enjoy Gods creation is a blessing!
I always appreciate your Humility and that you are Christian my friend.
Thanks for a wonderful season of videos!
Thank you for always bringing us with on this journey.
Really enjoyed following along this season Bill and Jordan.
Always love your videos bill.thanks for sharing.i must say that is the way to tough out your season.pure will and determination.thanks for everything bill and all of you.
My hunting partner and I always close out our season with "Next year will be the year"! Hope prevails, and doing the work off season is always a new adventure. Hunting is a year round activity in preparation for the next year. We appreciate you sharing your farm with us. Love the banter between you both. Thanks for what you do and next year will be the year!
I must have done everything wrong this year....tried to do what i learned from you tube gurus and came up empty. Next year I'll try again. I love hunting and enjoy your hunts! Thanks
Thanks for the content, Bill! I've enjoyed the interplay with your transformation of your new farm and then the hunting strategies/stand locations you choose along the way. Its interesting to observe you learning more about it as you go.
I dont see the dedication and the stick toitiveness of an all day sit in the pouring, icy rain like you and your cameraman did on the ridge near the tail end of the rut, on other hunting content. All too relatable to me.Your dream big motto and the, "cant kill them if your not in the woods", are the same things I think about to keep me motivated and in the woods 43 archery days in and my buck tag with 2 weeks to go. Still not ready to punctuate this season.
The best to you and Jordan!
Thanks for sharing your season. I really enjoyed it. Jordan must have an old soul - seems like the youngsters like the hunting more than habitat improvement.
Always dream big! Love your channel.
Thanks for the season was fun to follow along
This is probably wrong to say to you Bill and Jordan but watching your struggles this year makes me in south central Alabama feel a lot better about myself. I hunt deer that are weirdos. They don’t move when they should. They move when they shouldn’t. All pictures are at night until they rut whenever that is. The good thing for you guys is you know there is much better hunting to come. Thanks for sharing your tough season and always remember besides dreaming big that deer hunting sucks. (But we do it anyway)
@leecrawford6393, I hunt south central Alabama also and I agree with you, this season has been a bit weird. The deer on one of my places move predominately at night much like Bill and Jordan have been dealing with. If you wish to see any deer during legal shooting time here you have to hunt the very edges of the bedding areas. This place has no hunting pressure around it and I have only hunted there 3 times this season. In short, the deer on this parcel are basically nocturnal in behavior. On another spot where I hunt, the deer move practically all day long and you can hunt them more casually there. Neither of the places have any deer that are push overs, but I guess that is part of what makes deer hunting so much fun!
Thanks you all! I so enjoy watching and following your life. God bless you in 2025, and big bucks in the future.
Joking about listing the farm is funny. I tell my son the same thing every time I get frustrated with my farm.
Jordan is awesome 👏
Now that the season is over Bill, you will have time to go running with Jordan. LOL. I really enjoyed the content of the season. Hunting is not always about killing, that is just a bonus. I love spending anytime in the deer woods.
Bill what a season and thanks for taking us along with you and Jordan. Its funny for those who own dirt. Was in a very similar situation 2 years ago and i truly believe se properties are just not built for deer hunting and some are. Access is key and you obviously know that, but I had to learn that and no matter what i did i just plain did not work. I even followed your tips, Drurys, and many other podcasts to dial things in.. nope wasnt gonna work, so we sold and i can honestly say our new farm in Northern Missouri is already light years ahead of my old North Missouri farm. We look forward to following along on your journey. As every pases with age and time we all ask our selves do we.sit idle or make big decisions and move on before we can no longer do what we love to do and that is hunt, fish trap etc.
Happy new year Winke family and god bless.
Ryan, that makes great sense. I think I keep this farm for better or worse - assuming I can, Lord willing. I love the bluff country and even if it is hard to hunt, I will enjoy at least some success there. I know how to do it, but it is really hard to hunt this country right with a camera man along. You need to sleep near your stands. If you do that, it is much easier to hunt. I may do some of that next season. Good luck.
Thanks for all your efforts and entertainment!I am an old school hunter approaching maybe the end of my hunting years .after all the tenderloins and brush Buck racks hanging on the walls that my wife hates the true meaning of hunting to me can not be explained.The life it has given me has been spectacular and disappointing at many moments.If I had one wish left it would be to just give me a few more of those moments!If there is a heaven I expect to be chasing them forever,,
I enjoyed following along this season. Thanks for sharing, and good luck going forward.
I apologize for this being so lengthy.
I work for the Lord , so I get long winded sometimes.
Hunting to me isn’t always about harvesting something. It’s about learning something every time I’m in a stand or hanging from a tree. I truly do enjoy the outdoors. And I appreciate it when it works out.
Disclaimer: My next statement isn’t meant to be negative. I really mean it in the most positive way.
I did not/do not subscribe to this channel because Mr. Winke and co-host , harvest deer every time he/she puts on the camo.
I’ve seen you and your kiddos harvest giants for years upon years.
I subscribed to this channel because I believe you are , who you proclaim to be. I’ve never heard you say one word that’s unwholesome.
I can watch people harvest deer all day everyday on social media. But it’s all about the harvest. It’s not about teaching their daughter about life and cutting up in the deer woods. It’s not focused on what they have discovered. It’s always about the harvest.
The content you bring to us is knowledge/morals. What works. What doesn’t.
In life we can teach our kids to shoot bows , throw a ball and play sports and be outstanding athletes. But if we neglect to teach them how to get to Heaven…
I’d say someone has harvested a deer by listening to something you have taught them. And I’d say you have taught children to play sports and to be athletes.
But most importantly, by someone being bold for the Lord and “PRAYING BIG” and reading the Bible….
Someone has listened to you read about the birth of Jesus. Someone has given their life to Him. If just one? Your “DREAM BIG ” is going to be bigger than you think.
Watching this channel is just like going hunting. Sometimes I harvest…. sometimes I don’t.
But , I ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING!! Thanks you.
Luke 9:62
Always enjoy the content that you and Jordan put out. Boy that's a frustrating farm, you've got it all except cooperative deer.
Really enjoyed following along again this year! We had a tough season here in Missouri as well. Still hard to believe it’s over. Already looking forward to next season and seeing what you’re doing in the off season.
I know. Me too. Can't believe it is over and already looking forward to next year. Thanks for the comment.
Thank you for sharing your season. Great content 😀
So really it’s second year of hunting vs the work you did. I still believe it’s a minimum 4 - 5 year to see results. You wipe the cedars out, they differently bed there And that going to be new growth. Also you’re still learning the farm, you may feel you know it inside and out. But it’s always changing.
Remember that 1acr staging food plot “your favorite tree stand” you should have keep it in the sale lol. Well there a new one there somewhere,
Dream BIG
Thanks Bill, obviously a tough it out season for you guys. I hunted approx 30-40 minutes west of your current farm back in 2014 and that neighborhood seemed to be more like your southern Iowa deer density/mature buck population.
The deer around here look at atvs like farm equipment as long as you ride past them. They help old crippled hunters get up those hills. Thanks for another entertaining year .
Tom, good point. They don't seem to react them much if they are used to ATVs being around there. If not, it might be a bad idea to drive too close. Have a great day and thanks for all the support.
Bill thanks for filling a void and really enjoyed your videos and looking forward to hopefully habitat improvements, scouting videos, etc. sure you have hundreds of comments and don’t remember I was the guy who harvested a mature buck my second hunt of the season. I had five mature bucks within 25 yards of me and messed up on a huge 20 inch spread ten when I panicked about wind,thermals so I tried to stand up to shoot instead of just relaxing and let things play out. 40 minutes later a heavy 8 came down the hill and I harvested it.
But I want to thank you because I stole an idea that I got from you on my first hunt! There’s bear in my area so I didn’t have enough guts to sleep in the woods but I started a hunt in my underwear inside my blind because it was so hot even tho there was a 20 degree drop in outside temp, had a great hunt like 20 deer, 7 bucks passed on a nice 3 year old. Woke up at 1:30am and was freezing my butt off! Didn’t think 40 degrees would be that bad but when we were used to 80’s the sleeping bag wasn’t cutting it! So at 2:00 am after failed attempts to warm up I started doing push ups. 64 year old kid doing pushups I’m the middle of the night! Next morning didn’t see a deer but it accomplished my goal of not educating deer and went back to the cabin around 9am. Fond memory especially with what happened that afternoon! Thanks again and wishing you the best!
I have tried your thoughts and wisdom on whitetails this season. Here in north western NC some work and some don’t. The one thing the deer here and there have in common is that the bigger bucks will avoid stands that are hunted frequently. Thanks for the videos and for sharing your knowledge. I look forward to future content.
Thanks for taking us along this year, Bill. I have no doubt all of your plans will come together next season. I’m betting the Jordan buck adds 15-20 inches and has his biggest rack yet.
He is still here. That was him at the end of the video. Some of them make big jumps and others don't. I have stopped trying to guess which ones! Have a great day and thanks for the comment.
I’ve had a small come in and smell my four wheeler parked near my stand lol
Very nice, Bill. Lot of fun watching y’all enjoying the time together. I love hunting with my daughter who is getting married in October. That is gonna be a change.
Hopefully that doesn't change. We appreciate the comment and the support Tommy. Have a great day.
@ thanks Bill. Tell Jordan I’m with her. I enjoy growing them more than killing them. Nothing wrong with that! 😁
You make a good honest show enjoy it.
Thanks Robert. We appreciate the support. I believe next year will produce a much different outcome. Have a great day.
Only answer is a zipline! Lol. In all seriousness, we reviewed some Greenworks electric mini bikes on my channel and after the project we used them to get to and from the stand. They sit low so the brush conceals a lot of movement, they are quick, silent and have no scent. Lay it over at the ladder and it never happened. For a thousand bucks, there is no comparison of a hunting companion. Now, if someone would make a legit electric atv, they wouldn't be able to make them fast enough. Great video and great season Bill. Nice seeing you spend some quality time with your daughter. God Bless!
That's what I have said too, Joe. A legit electric ATV. It has to be priced competitively with the gas models and it will sell like crazy. I appreciate the support and the input. Have a great day.
im setting here now watching this on what will likely be last hunt of the season goes out next weekend, missed twice last night w bear kodiak magnum recurve, could hunt next weekend but forecast is 47 and rain here in ky , been pleasure hunting along w you guys
Thanks for sharing. You have a beautiful property and enjoy great time with your daughter, which is the most important imho. Difficult to make sense of the lack of opportunities though, beyond access & stand location maybe. I don't want to be disrespectul given your experience and kindness but it could make sense to bring an outsider, someone like Jeff Sturgis perhaps?
Could be a good video too to learn on different approaches.
No opinion on him but his approach to conceal blinds, define access routes makes sense to me and when we see you access your blinds in the wide open like that, you would expect it to be noticed by the deers.
No doubt next season will be better. Thanks to sharing with us!
Thank you enjoy your show very much and looking forward to seeing what 2025 brings. Dreamin big!
Bill, I ordered a Doubleback Extreme, gonna give it a try. My Eberlestock X2 has been great but I think it's too full of scent and I might wash it up this off season some how. What do you think about all the rest of our gear in the tree with us, self-fillmers especially, as far as scent control? All the random things anyone has in the pack or on them. No one talks about this. Makes me consider getting into cover scents more and more. Thanks for sharing another wonderful season on the Dream Farm with us. It's a bittersweet time of year.
Nice high pressure bluebird day!
The Optimism and Sarcasm thick as mud all the way to the end! Here’s to the 25/26 season ahead.
Sad moment indeed. Not just that we have no more Winke hunting vids for the 24 season to watch but that I’m out of the tree myself . BUT as a public land hunter there is always scouting, which I love, to do. Seasons are coming and going faster and faster now. Time to reflect on the past season and the wisdom we gain from others including Mr. Winke. Thanks for sharing as always. See you at the classic 👍. p.s. Was that the Jordan buck behind the blind in the field? He was a tank.
Steven, yes it was him. I didn't realize it until later when watching the video back in the office. Had I known, I would have done a better job of filming him. I was just hand-holding the camera out the back window. I could have gotten much better footage had I swung the tripod around. Also, for the record, I had a muzzleloader in the blind and a muzzleloader either sex tag. Would have been pretty easy to crawl out the back and sneak within 100 yards of him. But, even if I had known it was him, I wouldn't have done that. Will be fun to see what he looks like this coming year and just as importantly, how his behavior changes. Have a great day.
Good to see the Jordan Buck still out there. You two should do some turkey hunting videos along with your off season work.
Thanks. Yes, it will be fun to see how much he changes and if I can finally figure out a way to hunt him! We will consider the turkey hunting. There are a lot of them here, but hunting them interferes with all the work we need to do that time of year. A day off would be good though! Thanks for the support and the comment. Have a great day.
I absolutely love your channel Bill. I left you a comment about permaculture orchards , as far as getting your apples to taste sweeter. My property lays out very similar to yours and I'm thinking about using a zipline to get out and I'm wondering if you've ever done that? 😅
Sad the season is over indeed. Tag soup for me this year. Thanks for sharing your season with us. Jordan, what are you running from or to? Fitness? Collegiate sport? The woods recover within minutes after a quad goes through. It's not a deal buster. Private land deer get accustomed to farm equipment. Looking forward to watching your land management videos! See you soon!
Bill, it's always somewhat sad when the season ends , seems like it just hot started .
My take on the new farm is this , if the maturr bucks aren't there especially in numbers the tactics , techniques, and the ability of the hunter doesn't make a huge difference in the outcome.
I remember reading articles as a young hunter about it being less about the spot and more about hunting correctly. I think it's the opposite, without a good spot success is much less likely.
Looking forward to the off season episodes !
Chris
I would bet on an average hunter in a great area above a great hunter in an average spot. The tactics matter, but not as much as the sheer number of killable targets. If they aren't there, it doesn't matter how carefully you hunt. Next year should bring a few more targets on this farm. Looking forward to it already. Have a great day.
You too ! Looking forward to the evolution of the farm !
Ps. Last year mild winter. Deer didn’t hit the beans or corn hard. Are you finding with a harder winter they are crushing them this year ? Mines all gone damn near. As last year in wi, I had acres of leftover corn.
Isn’t that the Jordan buck in the corn behind the blind at the end?
Looking forward to seeing all your winter projects on the farm this winter! I’m excited to do some on my own too, got 6.5 acres of invasive multi flora rose and honeysuckle cost share removal to do and I’m going to thin some trees and do some edge feathering on the field edges I’d my 80 acres. Planning to transplant some cedars along the fence line of the road to to get a privacy screen going
Yes, that is him. He made it through. I have a few photos of him from Friday evening after the season ended so if he sticks around, we can see how much he changes in antler, body and behavior by this coming fall. Those sound like good projects, Sam. That bush honeysuckle is really hard to get rid of. Good luck.
@ thanks bill. You should do some turkey hunts the spring on your farm. Seems like you got plenty on your farm. Your coubty usually leads the state in harvest. Super fun to call one in. And hear them goblin in the morning.
Bill first of all I love your channel and watch every episode. That being said I have one thought and opinion to share as well as a question.
First I want to say that I sustained a shoulder injury that prevented me from using my compound bow. Instead of giving up hunting I switched to a crossbow. Does that make me less of a hunter? I believe in a lethal kill first and foremost. My question is why continue to push your daughter to use a tool that has a very low lethal ability? I say enjoy the hunt and use the available lethal tool.
Thanks for the season of content.
Here in Michigan I hunt very similar farm land in the deep winter we sometimes park trucks under the tower... In yarding season the deer don't even care.
My friend shot a giant north of you on the 8th. Huge thing cant believe it was not all broke up, and can’t believe he didn’t pull antlers off dragging it out.
We are definitely seeing a lot of bucks (probably 5 to 10%) that have lost at least one antler now. Have a great day and thanks for the comment.
Bill are the deer hitting the sorghum? Contemplating as a late season planting
That looked like the Jordan buck!!! 😮
Yes, it was. Will be interesting to see what he looks like and acts like next year. I got photos of him again on the evening of the 10th so I am sure he made it through the season. If he sticks around, it should be interesting to learn from him. Have a great day and thanks for the support and comment.
@@bill-winke oh I bet he’ll be bigger. And he’ll be six right? Maybe that will be the age where he starts being less reclusive!
Great season, Bill. Love watching the transformation of a farm and can't wait to see what the future holds. Did you recognize the bucks at the end of the episode behind the blind? Was that the jordan buck?
Best of luck next season and looking forward to the offseason content.
Thanks. I appreciate it. Yes that was the Jordan Buck. Will be interesting to see what he looks like this fall and how his behavior changes.
Thoroughly enjoyed watching your season. You don’t have to kill monsters to be entertaining, just a pleasure to watch. Do you think one of the reasons you don’t have much daylight activity is because of the constant ATV traffic? I know they can get use to it, but maybe moving later is their adaptation? I bought a Polaris Ranger EV electric and I really do think it makes a difference moving around quietly, just not alerting deer all the time when they hear the traffic.
Love the content. Best of luck in 2025 🙏
I pulled my last 2 cameras today in Iowa 1- 12 - 25. Was surprised to see that most of my daylight pictures were in the mornings. Think I'll be doing more morning sits next late season. If the good Lord decides to let this old guy have another season.
I found that too. Very surprising. Not sure if it was the weather or if it is common to have that much daylight movement in the mornings this time of year. I think this year was different for some reason.
@bill-winke definitely was.
Bill, what do you think you have left to do on the farm to bring it up to its peak?
Mostly habitat work. Make the cover and browse as good as possible. TSI and burning. Planting some browse in open areas. The bucks keep getting older and we should have some really good ones here in a couple years. Mix older bucks with exceptional habitat and it should work out well.
Having only 85 acre's in SW Wisconsin to hunt, I never ride to a stand. All my neighbors ride in and they blow every deer onto my property. I don't return that favour. I am thinking about an electric bike for next season however, I'll give that a try and see how it goes.
Too bad you didn't get the Jordan buck or Fatso. Thanks for ALL the great content and replies.
Both of them made it so maybe next year!! How many times have I said that - "Maybe next year."? Have a great day.
Hey Bill,thanks for all the great content this season,just wondering if the Jordan buck made it through the season, i didn't hear you talk about him lately so i was just curious
I wonder if you have a few neighbors that shoot anything that moves. I have 1 thats like that on a 10 acre parcel. Gallon or 2 of corn a day and for a 4 mth hunting season and unlimited doe tags. 1 bad apple ruins things.
Unsuccessful in southern Ontario. So many acorns on the ground the deer just went wherever. Maybe next year
Was that the 'Jordan' buck out in the corn field,
Yes, that was him. He made it through the season so it will be interesting to see how much he changes this coming year, in body, antler and behavior. Have a great day.
Why didn’t you use the XIDAR Spyder? Much more quieter than your ATV. That’s why they were made. To sneak into your stand.
I park my mule on the porch of my hunting shack and always see lots of deer and I kill good bucks every year
What is the little electric cart that Bill rides sometimes?
Those are called Xidar Spyders. Have a great day.
Dream Big brother 🙏
“All the ways not to hunt deer” lmao. Sometimes you just gotta go with breaking the rules . 👍🏼hunting wrong is better then not hunting
Yea!!! Fatty made it! I've been worried he would catch scent of all the food Jordan was taking and come up to the blind begging for a nibble.
No, that is the Jordan Buck. I did hear from the neighbor that he is getting photos of old Fatso now so he made it through too. Neighbor said he lost him for two months too. If we are going to kill that buck we will need to do it right away this coming fall because I guess he leaves in early October. Good luck.
Can't help but ask yourself, "was hunting 'safe' worth it?"
Seems activity is slow regardless. Should have hunted more aggressively... hindsight is 20/20 but several of us viewers have been saying that. Oh well, in 4-5 years when you have better developed your herd your style will be more effective.
E bike and lay it flat ? That works well for me
Also much quieter. Especially when you’re coming up through the cover. Atv is loud enough. I feel like it ruins your hunt before it starts.
They nay bot react to the atv but i bet it changes when and where they go when they get up
I can’t imagine trying to be quite then driving a 4 wheeler where you hunt maybe with a rifle but a bow that’s just suicidal
It depends on where they are coming from, how much wind there is to cover the sound and how used to ATVs the deer are. For example, near a farm site they pay less attention to it than in backcountry areas where they rarely hear them.
Honestly I see a lot more on my over pressured permission ground so you definitely must not have that many deer
Why does it seem like you so much don’t want her to shoot a buck? I have a feeling your thinking is it’s already late season those bucks will probably make it and you be able to video yourself killing one of those bucks next year on film?
What should have I have done differently? We tried. Jordan doesn't really care. I suspect I care way more than she does whether she shoots a buck - or any deer for that matter.
It's called hunting not killing.. LOL
That's for sure. I can definitely relate to that statement! Thanks for the comment and the support.
It depends on how fat and lazy you are. Out of shape people love their ATVs. If you're in decent shape (or want to be lol), you should walk.
I agree, walking feels better and is healthier, but it is not that simple. There are times when it just makes more sense to drive as you actually create less intrusion driving in certain situations. Walking on this farm would be really tough with all the bluffs. We would be soaked in sweat on every hunt.
Your access road scares them off so why not try to get in there at odark 30 4am or 5 am cause you drive thru the woods
Emphasis on Dreaming big and a LOT!!!
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