Killing Giant Bucks Without Trail Cameras w/ Cody D'Acquisto | HUNTR Podcast
In this episode of HUNTR Podcast, we bring on special guest Cody D'Acquisto, who knows a thing or two about killing giant bucks. Being the son of Andrea D'Acqusto, whitetail hunting has been rooted in him from a young age. Working for Lone Wolf Custom Gear, Cody is the type of guy that lives and breathes whitetail hunting. The passion and pursuit of chasing mature bucks is something we can relate on. Cody, unlike many hunters today, focuses more on the experience and the observation of the hunt, rather than relying on new technology for whitetail success. We talk about it all the time, how new hunting technology, whether that be trail cams, hunting apps, or new weapons, makes you more efficient at killing deer. What isn't talked about as often, is the negative effect it has on the hunting experience. How often are trail cameras making the decision for you whether or not to hunt a spot? It's easy to get caught up in, but what keeps us going is the struggle. Sometimes you have to take a step back and think "what got me to where I'm at today?" Spending time in the woods, reading sign, learning how deer live day-to-day, and ultimately being a mobile hunter. That's what we're here to talk about today with Cody...
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Cody is the most honest , grounded and relatable hunter...Great podcast guys
Thanks man! Cody was phenomenal
I love hearing these podcast. Last season was the first season in 5 years I had not ran trail cameras. I was too busy at work. Opening night of bow I scouted and had a 140 coming in, but the thermals caught me. Second night scouted again. And arrowed a 8 year old buck that I had a shed from in 2014. We had never seen the deer in person, nor had we hunted where I did. November comes around and I shot a 5+ year old buck that came on a hot doe. Best season I’ve ever had. Now with lessons learned I have cameras back out. I am not going to hunt the cameras location, but instead use that intel to go find them.
Very cool man!
Love the show guys. Listen to your videos everyday at work even if it’s one I have already heard. Learn lots from you guys and your guests. Gets me through the days just being able to listen to hunting talk all day !!!
Appreciate the support man…season is sneaking up fast!
Tuning in from up north in Ontario, this year is gonna be my first season ever. Learning a lot from you guys, thanks for all the work you do!
Thanks man and good luck this season
Y'all are slowly becoming my favorite podcast. Great show guys 💪
Slowly??? 😂
Top 2 for sure 🤣
Thanks dude
Talk about a breath of fresh air. Cody spits the truth and doesn’t hold back. So many people these days will talk ONLY to the points that the masses WANT to hear. Not to mention the regurgitation of the same info, over and over and over again. Great episode fella’s! 👊🐺
Thanks dude! We love Cody just shooting it straight
Whoa made it into the first 10 views. Big fan from the beginning. Best whitetail podcast out.
Appreciate it dude!
Don't need cameras, go enjoy the woods, the temp drops, the air, the nature, and when you get excited when you see that deer, make a good shot. Get rid of your social media that's ruining your life in even many other aspects other than hunting, and actually enjoy the decisions you make. Never regret the deer you shoot. I've sat around feeling down about shooting the deer I've shot, and it's wrong. It's terrible
Sounds pure
Thanks for this one fellas, breath of fresh air
Man y’all are fucking killing it with the level of guests and I enjoy the hell out of the conversations!!!!
Thanks bro!
I use a 340 Mag Excalibur crossbow and i do not shoot past 30 yards. I also scout over 150 miles every late winter and spring. I'm 54 and have killed many deer over the years. It is about the hunt, scouting, getting a shot on a mature buck, not the kill. I hunt public land in the eastern area of PA, and it is very crowded.
Sounds like you truly enjoy everything about the hunt! Love to hear it!
GREAT podcast guys!!! Thanks!! Good luck this fall! 🦌
Appreciate it!
I'm a public land hunter and had been my whole life. If I've hunted private it was for the day. I'm poor folk. But I manage to score a small buck or two every season in Missouri. I also haven't adapted the camera way of hunting as it's illegal on Missouri public ground. But I can see how it would help not to waste too much time in one area. But that's what I call hunting. It all relies on what I know about whitetail and the area I'm in and knowing I can trust myself to be in the right spot. The family packs up for a whole week and we camp public in same areas we have for 35 years and it's my favorite time of the year with the best times of my life.
Very cool man keep it up
Great pod guys this is so true I myself hunt public land in Massachusetts and there is camera's everywhere I stopped using them few years ago. I started hunting the land on the outside of where I find these camera's I started seeing more deer then ever and shot with bow a 14 point buck 2022. Funny thing is 3 different people had him on camera and they never saw him while on stand. I truly believe that flash or not they know its there and during light avoid those areas all together
Hell yea man that’s awesome. True hunters will succeed in tougher situations, maybe even find more success if bans are thrown down than with tools and tactics legalized
Great guest & super job! Getting closer & closer boys & girls.
Helll yes
Stoked for this one!!
Thanks Paul
I love my cell cams, but theres definitely a fine line in terms of allowing pics to determine when and where I hunt! Its definitely a real struggle I faced last year
The struggle is real man!
I got rid of my cameras 5 years ago or so. No one believes me but its made me a better hunter and made the hunts more exciting.
I believe it
What’s not to believe? I’ve been saying for years that I’m a more successful deer killer now, while I was a better deer hunter 30 years ago.
Best podcast from you guys yet.
Keep it up guys. Really enjoying these. Podcast have listened to every one. Still eating on the one from the local guys to me seek one
Thanks man! Working on getting Lee on
You guys rock listen everyday while working
💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻
Great stuff Cody! All the gadgets in the world do not contribute to being a better hunter. We dont always have the best plans or reach our goals but we always get our standards. Set realistic standards then set goals, then plans, and then execute. You cant buy standards, you live them and become better at making plans and reaching goals as a result. Poor quick-fix artificial standards = poor plans and poor results. It takes years to become a great hunter (the standard) and a single moment to kill a big buck. Stick to the standards, adjust the plans, and you will reach the goal.
Love it Paul 💪🏻
Well said.
Great show as always boys. Your talk with Cody has totally reshaped my plan for hunting out of state in the future. As it relates to crossbows look at NYS regs. Crossbows are only allowed the last 2 weeks of archery season. This takes care of some of the problem. Better than PA, OH and other states that allow hunters to use a crossbow all season long. Good luck finding some big bucks as season approaches. Curt WhiteTALES Deer Hunting
Love that approach…one thing NYS is doing right 😂
@@HUNTRPOD Tons of public land in NYS. If you are willing to put miles on your boots you can find unpressurized areas and some big deer. I was super fortunate to harvest a 147” buck on NYS public last year.
Great pod as per usual! Never listen to Cody before, just knew of him and wow I was really interested in his approach to trail cameras and the fact that him and his old man hunt the same properties and I guess compete against each other I love it haha. You guys see that old Seek One boys are shooting Mathews now? When’s HUNTR going to switch over?
Hoyt 4 Life
The add for trail cam right after bashing trail cams is hilarious
Timing is everything 😂
Great show great guests
Thanks Denny!
Finally someone said the 'C' word- crutch. Dump the cameras and learn how to hunt or get back to hunting. Great discussion.
Thanks Wade
Bought about 400 acres this past year in 2 states. Even with that amount of acreage I still hate the boundaries. It just feels limiting or like it’s not going to be that hard. Sadly I’m not even that excited. There’s something about those hard hunts that are special. I smashed a 160 in pike co out of a blind last year and I smashed a 125 velvet on the ground while sitting in the water. That 125 means way more to me. Glad you guys had this conversation. Keep it up guys
Haha very cool man! I can remember my first buck with a bow in Pennsylvania. I broke my arm in a student section incident at the Penn State/Ohio State game…so I was sitting on the ground in a half arm cast. Still pulled it off … and it was under 70” 😂
@@HUNTRPOD “Make basket racks cool again” 😂
Cody said it like it needed to be said highest of highs and lowest of lows
Best video ever, solid gold guys!
Much appreciated 💪🏻
Saskatchewan is great for how they put most things together. Archery opens September 1st. Compound and traditional. Muzzleloader opens October 1st. Crossbows are put into use during our muzzleloader season. I think that’s equal and fair.
Love it! Sask is on our bucket list
Cody & y'all both know there's a huge difference in hunting all public vs the land he has access to. It may be an excuse for some guys who say, I just hunt all public, but don't act like for one minute it's remotely close to what he has access to.
I don’t think anyone is saying that at all
I use a compound, crossbow, and trad bow throughout the season up here in canada. It all depends on the situation and the spot I'm in and what is going to most effectively and cleanly take down that animal. I prefer a compound but some situations call for the crossbow. I used a crossbow after having heart valve issues and multiple open heart surgeries while recovering and letting my sternum fuse. I have a few crossbows, my fastest one would be a desert stryker which I think is about 350fps, no scope magnification I also have some really old barnett demons I'll use sometimes that are about 250fps with pin sights. Theres a time and a place. But I do agree crossbows and compounds are not the same and killing something with a compound does give me a much greater sense of accomplishment
Cranking them out boys! Good work!
Thanks Brandon!
If you want to use traditional equipment, a compound bow, or crossbow during archery season sure why not but I do believe each category should have separate record books for sure.
Anyone know if there is a video on community scrapes? Just got back into hunting after a 10 year hiatus and this is something I’m not too familiar with.
Just made me hungry for some Pizza seeing that Miguel’s water bottle! Great listen!
Ahhhh yea the best man! Nothing better than hanging at Miguel’s
My wife and I had our rehearsal dinner there 😂 Enjoying your guys content!
Been in Columbus, my whole life. I don’t know man we have some nice deer here, but I think a 200 answer is probably still a pretty rare deal. I usually will see one 150 or above per year. But maybe I’m just not on the right pieces of small property.
It’s the attainable but just out of reach goal…
The public land experience in WI has suffered since crossbows became legal. Look at the number of gun hunters who picked it up and the shift in harvest numbers away from gun season and over to crossbows.
I know people that have 50 to 100 cameras and won’t hunt a spot until The buck shows up on that camera!
What’d you think of Bowmars broadhead?
Really think it will be great. Hopefully will use it this fall
Big fan of Cody and his dad there definitely the real deal
Straight killers
Feel like if I hunted the places they hunt you'd think I was also "the real deal"
lol...not taking the opportunity...sooooo True...good job boys
Why the hate on the climbing stand lol
Dang, Bownar and now Cody! Would love to see you guys have Spook Spann on
We will see what we can do
I've never agreed more with a pod cast or hunter!
Great podcast
Switching to trad gets me back into that mindset that Cody is talking about
Absolutely
Great podcast. Way off base on the seek one guys but it is what it is.
To each his own but nothing like the element of surprise not knowing is more gratifying. How bout no cameras during season just inventory .next we just use a drone wth it’s not supposed to be easy .gen x
I get it man, the element of surprise is greatly missed in many seasons
I can’t stand the cell cameras. It takes the fair chase out of hunting. It’s just above high fence or baiting as far as I’m concerned. All that stuff is just stunting the growth of your hunting skills
Also, different states that’s why I use cell cams
Bingo that’s our #1 reason
Minnesota just legalized crossbows to be used all season. Absolutely crazy. This state has no concept of hunting. The gun season is smack dab in the middle of the rut and now crossbows all season long. Ridiculous
Yea that’s going to hurt the states quality a lot…again opportunity affects quality. Wait until public land bowhunter feel that this fall…ouch
The one year I did not run cameras on a property I’ve hunted for 13 years now, neighbor shot a 193”. Bought cell cams the following year😂
Lol yea I can’t stop using them
Big fan of the podcast, keep killing it
Thanks man
10/29/21 I got a pic of a nice buck at 10 pm dogging a doe, killed him that next morning at 9am. 10/31/22 Got a pic of a nice buck dogging a doe coming down a trail 15 yards from where I have a stand hour or so before dark. Went in there the next day and killed him that afternoon dogging a doe down the exact same trail. Both of these spots are deep in and I’m 100% guilty of not even hunting them until I see that action I’m looking for on the camera. In my mind I’m saying so confidently that if the spot is hot my cameras are in the right spot that I’ll know about it. Honestly, that buck I killed this past season really got me changing my mindset. I was jacked up excited for killing him but then after the excitement went down I was like damn without the camera I wouldn’t have hunted there that day, because I was seeing good action at another stand. You guys got me thinking, great podcast.
There are definitely some slammers here in NEPA.
There is here just gotta work for them. I chased a 170+ in the SW Pennsylvania mountains for 2 years
Love the content fellas cool how Cody matured through the years much respect but gotta lose the nose ring .born in 65 I still got my white tail 2 bear bow bro no let off lol
Haha that’s like his signature look
Speaking of hunting public ….when u guys gonna have them on???!!!
Haha soon! Been talking with Warb on schedules
Agree that each deer has a different level of tendency, and susceptible to different pressure. However his take is completely bogus when comparing highly pressured deer vs non pressured deer (or even lightly pressured deer for that matter) as which is “easier” to kill.
Compound and crossbow is like natural and steroids. You don't have to try as hard you have and extra 40 yards and better stability. YOU HAVE A BIGGER ADVANTAGE.
Pretty solid analogy right there 😂
To the comment about kids shooting booner deer and not wanting to stick with it later on. I’d say good chance. I also think there are the same number of kids that are seeing that and going through the grind wanting wanting that who will continue the growth of the sport.
Bingo…it’s just common sense
Not exactly true. I see bucks every year I never get on camera. Actually my biggest deer to date didn’t have one picture, he just showed up.
I like Cody, he’s very knowledgeable. But he’s wrong about how that Garmin sight works. It only lets you shoot as far as you sighted in. If you only sighted it in to 40 yards, it won’t give you a pin past 40 yards. If a deer comes out to 45 and you range it, it will not give you a pin for that yardage. It doesn’t do anything magical like people assume. It’s a rangefinder and a sight. If you have a rangefinder and a sight, you have the same technology.
Good clarification, thanks!
One might argue having lots of available public is an advantage and makes hunting easier. In areas where all the land is private you are at the mercy of the owners most of which already hunt. Not everyone has land in the family. Public is very limited here and can require molding your entire life around paying for land just to hunt without a 2hr drive. At 4ish k an acre for no income or limited income brush acquiring land requires even more ambition than learning to be proficient with an upright bow lol. Most guys aren't willing to commit and go all in like that and each one is one less guy to bid against ;o. Once you commit to it what kind of fool isn't gonna improve the property?? Then there's the guy or family that will only buy tillable then they sit in the only tree on fence line:/
Haha good stuff
And a lot of ppl embrace the challenge of highly pressured land. It's not for everyone.
For sure is not
Sherken good time.. bow feet
I did not think i would like this guy but just the opposite, great episode!
Thanks!
It's hard not to judge a book by its cover. I'm guilty.
Easy to not use cams when you damn well KNOW there are big ones around.
Haha right?
Some food for thought. Mature deer, especially on land with any type of pressure are adapting to avoid game cameras, as they associate them with humans (danger). Heard a few reputable guys mention it and I’m noticing it myself. Cody is right, cameras are as much a handicap as they are a tool if you don’t know how to use them. They capture brief moments of time in a tiny radius. Now that being said, setting a boat load of cell cams on travel corridors, scrapes, bedding exits, bait, etc. on a property/properties you can access within 24 hours isn’t hunting; it’s assassination upon arrival. So to me at least, seeing “hunters” and “hunting shows/podcasts” talk about deploying dozens or even hundreds of cell cameras turns me off. It’s a lazy way of shooting bigger deer, and ultimately robs you of hard earned woodsmanship skills and experiences, which HUNTING is really about.
There’s a happy medium. I love cameras, just knowing what’s out there. It definitely takes away some of the surprise I used to feel, but running cameras has become a new year round passion. That said, I admittedly overhunt (actually underhunt since it keeps me out of the woods) my cameras. It’s great to know he’s alive and you aren’t hunting a ghost, but to pattern to “assassinate” (which I love that) is too much. I’ve been guilty of that in the past and guys like Cody have set me on a new path
I understood bith sides of the camera debate. But i am on thebpro camera side. I ise them year around. It allows me to feel like im there when im not. It my eyes in the woods when im at home. I also believe the cameras save alot of deer lives. Guys will now pass up bucks they otherwise would have shot cause they know bigger buck is out there. Lets relate deer cam to another sport....fishing. if you are anti deer cam you should be anti fish finder or aqua veiw. Same thing isnt it? Allows you information you otherwise couldnt obtain with out technology. Is it fair, ethical, pure...to allow an electronic device to tell you where the fish are?
Yea we still are in favor of cameras absolutely! I do think Cody has helped us realize the line of using them to benefit us in all the reasons you stated, and using them to cut corners on the hunt and pursuit during season
I think some of the setting up a stand to hunt over and again is a territorial mentality.
Cody: "You are actually hunting".
It isn’t all the same. Hunting has a definition. There’s people who get out and hunt down game and there’s people who sit over corn piles until it’s time to shoot the deer they watched on camera from their couch, while eating the bag of fudge rounds. It’s not the same. Hunting and shooting are two different activities
Not me boys, if you put a camera in my hand I wouldn't know how to even turn it on
I have never used trail camera's I just read the sign I've been hunting Public land in Tn for 42yrs and learned to hunt the thickets the mature bucks won't come through open woods and usually only have 20yd shots so when you see them they are in bow range but you better not get caught with your dick in your hand so to speak ha ha in other words you better be hunting
Probably better for it. So many don’t rely on woodsmanship at all anymore
I think the cameras should be outlawed due to poachers are using them toward their advantage. A few bad apples are going to wind up getting then off the market , I’d hope.
Man I don't know about if you build it they will come thing. I'm in iowa and I put in a brassica food plot and they ALL left. And aint came back all season. Craziest crap I ever seen. I have turnip the size of softballs and bigger and not one deer
TBH its weird when guys get bent out of shape because public guys might say their buck is "better". Taking a buck off of public land is obviously harder and a bigger achievement than private. Otherwise nobody would buy land to hunt on they'd just hunt public. Its lame to be trying to one up someone's buck in general, but there's no shame ststing the obvious fact that public in any given situation is harder to hunt.
Dude I think you are mis hearing this. No one is saying that it’s not a bigger accomplishment. I shot a 157 with my bow on public and it’s high on the list of my greatest hunts. What we are saying is that some (not all) public land hunters feel express it’s not hunting unless your on public land, or that they are more skilled than those hunting private. Not always the case
I disagree with the notion at 2:01. Basically you guys are saying people say how does it effect you I use a crossbow, your argument to that is well deer are a shared resource. So it does effect me :(. But are the same guys who say well I am gonna bait in Ohio because it’s legal and gives me an advantage most people in the state utilize. Just seems silly and although very different things they end up in the same spot. More deer get killed, and your for one and bash the other.
Actually we are against baiting, yes it sounds hypocritical but if we don’t bait they walk onto the 3 acres next to us and they kill them. So we bait to try and hold deer on properties we put a ton of money into. Also not against crossbows, we think for handicap, senior, kids, and new hunters it’s great. And it should be used in Gun seasons or muzzleloader. Just not archery
Against baiting but use it lol 😂!
He said your doin the ahit and deer are dyin
In reality we hunt to feed a family ,monster bucks A PLUS,but it's all about feeding your family, iknow in thiss age of big bucks get the clicks is cool but think about hunting
The reality is hunting for necessity is a rarity in society today
Ture you are ,but if your not feeding way do it,
Grocery stores are just around the corner, lol. Most people hunt for enjoyment not feeding a family .
I've saw waayyyy bigger bucks on public in pa than ohio
Cody just waits to see where his dad is hunting. Then he knows where the big ones are. No cameras needed. Thats why the always end up in same area. lol
Hahaha
Not a bad strategy!! You follow the alpha wolf the leader of the pack!!🐺🦌
Jared lost a finger due to his ring getting caught on something. It would be hilarious if this kid lost his nose in the same manner. Lol.
In 20 years Before you know it these guys will be bitching about compound bows saying we need to pick up spears🤣
Tim Wells agrees!!
Put crossbows in short muzzleloader season and youth season.
Love the podcast the Matthew's racism hurts a little lol jk shoot what you like
Hahaha all in good fun
What's wrong with climbers??
Not necessarily anything wrong, that how I hunted for 20 years. But they are louder and bulkier usually
Loud, bulky, dangerous, can't hide in em, can't get in most trees🤷♂️😜
Thanks for the reply. Wanted to get your thoughts.
Indeed, I've killed my 2 biggest out an ol man.
My buddy and I kill big deer out of our lone wolf hand climbers every year 👍🏼
Killing deer with out trail Cameras looking forward to the day they are Ileagal to leave on Public Ground it's just as bad if not worse than seeing trash at least trash doesn't spy on you
Whitetail adrenaline all public
Chancy is on the docket
@@HUNTRPOD hell yeah I love chancy he's a stone cold killer
All Magnums All the Time
Im an older guy .....this was great.
Thanks Richard!
How did you get so far off track bashing crossbows, you talk about the camp, well, we're all just trying to enjoy the outdoors, why do you care so much what the other guy uses. Hypocritical.
Crossbows have their place but it’s not for everyone during archery season
Youth season in Texas should be outlawed as well. Most of the dads are shooting the deer , Rediculous! I have kids but man now days our kids are spoiled without the feeling compared to guys like me that grew up hunting the 1980’s as an equal to all hunters . We didn’t have crossbows, cameras , etc , and became much better hunters than what is coming up now days .
Look at all giants bowmar kills in a box stand. This video is makes no since. I've killed 170s 180s in stands
I work in pa lots of small bucks but if yoy know where to go look you see some gaintsssssss
Cody looking rough for 32.
Haha what?! Dude is fit as fuck
@@HUNTRPOD looks 42 in the face
He looks healthy to me. He is jacked his skin is crystal clear. Probably the nose ring and caveman look. Shit doesn't really matter I'm here because He's just got a lot of experience. Deer hunting and looks at it From a common sense point of view . Relatable.
lol heres a pod where we talk about how you dont need trail cams. then at 54:35 comes an add for trail cams and the host says.....id be divorced without it. you guys are a joke
Haha we absolutely support Cody but we are trail camera guys. That said Cody and others have really opened our eyes to when using them is taking away from the hunt. Cameras are an amazing tool
@HUNTRTUBE ya, you let him talk but you still just say what youre told to say by the corporation that's cutting your checks
Keep telling yourself that
@@HUNTRPOD You told me. Loud and clear.