In this episode of the Butchers Bow Podcast, I talk about the challenges of hunting blacktail deer in California and what this season has looked like so far.

The hunt hasn’t gone the way I hoped. Legal deer have been difficult to find, and putting together the right opportunity has meant covering a lot of ground, glassing for hours, and dealing with tough conditions. There have been plenty of miles, heat, wind, and long sits without the success I’m after.

But that’s hunting.

Sometimes the hardest part isn’t pulling the trigger—it’s staying motivated when you’re putting in the work and the results just aren’t coming. I talk about the highs and lows of the season, the deer I’ve seen, the opportunities that haven’t worked out, and why I’m still confident that eventually everything will come together.

I also t ...