Watson Outdoor

Hi family and friends,

We are home. Ash and Wren are doing well. Its been a long... week.

Interesting note. Since coming home Marsie stays wherever Wren is at if she has access. She does not leave the baby unattended and will even lay outside the door if your in a room.

She follows whoever has Wren like a magnet. So happy to have her as a big sister and guardian to watch over Wren. She's one hell of a pup. You can see in the photos her in action.

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3 months ago | [YT] | 2

Watson Outdoor

Folks... Wren may arrive early next week. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

I'll be out for the next couple of months learning how to be a dad.

😁

3 months ago | [YT] | 2

Watson Outdoor

Last night Jason and I tried something new. We got together and tried our first attempt at a pod cast going over this season.

Looking forward to seeing how it turned out and learning from it. This was a practice run intended for learning.

We plan to start working together on Tuesdays at 7. I'm hoping this becomes another form of content I can share with you all.

4 months ago | [YT] | 2

Watson Outdoor

Folks I know I've not been super present lately. Thats because I have a daughter coming in January and my focus has shifted to preparing for her arrival.

Jason and I are discussing doing a 1 hour podcast breaking down our season thus far. Maybe we find a way to bring some of that in and share some tips and tricks.

Either way I have not forgotten about you all.

Wren is due early January. 😁

4 months ago | [YT] | 1

Watson Outdoor

Hey everyone,

I wanted to give you a quick update on our recent rutcation—it's wrapped up, and we've got a ton of footage to sift through from what turned out to be a challenging but rewarding hunt. While I didn't connect on a deer myself, the trip was full of lessons, close calls, and a big win for my hunting partner Jacob. Here's a rundown of how it all played out.

We kicked things off on Wednesday at Broad River, joining Jason to test a new spot he had dialed in. I slipped in under cover of darkness and set up on a ridge he recommended, but the entry was tough—several deer winded me right away. At first light, one even blew at me while I was zipping up my jacket, its white tail flashing as it bolted back up the ridge. Things quieted down until around 9:30, when a doe wandered in to feed on acorns at 40 yards. I glassed her for about 30 minutes before she melted back into the cover.

From there, we shifted to Redlands to deploy some decoys and settle in for an evening sit. Temps hit 75 degrees, and it stayed slow—no sightings at all. We opted to leave the setup overnight and returned the next morning, hunkered down in ghillie suits on some historic concrete steps amid the power lines. Still nothing moved, though we spotted fresh doe sign off to the side.

For the evening, we relocated closer to the river and hung a pop-up blind in a spot loaded with promise: concentrated rubs and scrapes around two creek crossings just 50 yards out. It took me right back to hunting as a kid—thick, wild, and full of potential. But with another 75-degree afternoon under a full moon, it stayed quiet.

Friday brought me back to the property I've been dissecting all season, climbing into my most trusted stand. The heat lingered at 75 degrees, and Jason had to head back for work, leaving me solo. No action that day, but it fueled my determination.

Saturday felt off from the start—my go-to area, usually a ghost town, was buzzing with rifle hunters cruising the roads. The morning passed uneventfully, so I committed to an all-day vigil. It paid off around 4:30 when a doe slipped through, hotly pursued by a young buck. That glimpse restored some faith in the spot.

By Sunday, the full moon had waned, and temps finally dipped to 65 degrees—a welcome shift. I scouted a new pocket I'd been holding back, dropping to the ground since early-season foliage had made it impenetrable for a stand. Leaves were shedding fast now, so I poked around, picking out a tree for the coming days. The morning delivered: I caught a buck fight up close, followed by a doe chase, and what I pegged as a hot doe cruised by at 10 yards while I leaned against a trunk. I figured the sparring bucks would push through next, but instead, another tussle broke out 60-75 yards off in some private lolly pine bedding. We called it around noon, but not before I selected a prime white oak on the main trail for Jacob's morning gun hunt—complete with a raining acorn flat nearby.

Come Monday, Jacob made it count, dropping a solid doe with one shot. It's his second deer from this piece of ground I've mapped out all fall, and I couldn't be prouder of how he executed.

We had lined up a Friday rifle hunt with Granddad's trusty .30-30, but work pulled me back in, forcing me to scrap the PTO. I'll be out again this Saturday to keep the momentum going.

A new video is in the works—tying together the highs, the hunts, and how it all connects once I seal the deal on one. Stay tuned; it'll drop as soon as the edit's locked.

Tight lines (or should I say, tight shots) until next time.

Watson Outdoor

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5 months ago | [YT] | 0

Watson Outdoor

What a solid hunt to kick things off this weekend, crew—full of those edge-of-your-seat moments that keep us coming back. If you're just tuning in, we've got some real-deal woods time to unpack.

Jacob swung by with his rifle—one of our longtime subscribers from last season who's been tagging along for a few outings and putting in the time with me out on public. We've been fine-tuning scouting spots and the basics together, and it's cool seeing how it's all clicking for him. Today, I set him up next to the ground blind from my last doe stalk—showed him the ropes on a quick homemade raccoon rig we threw together, walked through saddle hangs, and loaned him my old platform. He's steady and soaking it all in, building those skills one step at a time. (Like and comment below if you want a full video on whipping up your own raccoon rig—we might just make it happen.)

Light hits, and things heat up quick. A big 10-pointer blasts through chasing a doe, but Jacob couldn't line up in the scramble. Close one. Then, not long after, a 5-point buck tails in behind another doe—he holds steady, makes the call, and connects clean. Solid work on your first deer of the season, Jacob. Bringing it home to fill the freezer feels good every time, especially when you're piecing it together out there.

Over on my end, I eased back into yesterday's spot, leaving the Judas buck decoy out overnight. Settled into the tree with some coffee from the Thermas, and right at twilight—after I tucked the mug away—the action kicked off. Two bucks squared up in the low light, tussling hard for maybe 20 seconds before one strolls over to the decoy like nothing happened. Hoping the camera grabbed it; that dim stuff can be tricky, but it was one of those scenes you don't forget.

We kept eyes on the ridges the rest of the day—bucks and does moving steady in the rut, but nothing bow-range for me (I believe we saw 7 or 8 deer this morning total) Holding off shots, aiming to notch my first self-filmed bow kill before I take Granddad's .3030 out for what I think is its first real hunt. That rifle means a lot; want to earn the bow story first.

Wrapped up with a surprise—a heavy buck slipped in silent on the ridge, caught our wind, and let one rip. Didn't even know he was there till the leaves shook. Bows down in a hurry, but we laughed it off and doubled back to help Jacob pack out his buck. Good times, start to finish.

Looking ahead, we're carving out Wednesday through Friday—no weekends this go-around—to lean into the rut. First crack at a decoy date setup, plus some ground ghillie runs with Jason. The Judas and his "girlfriend" decoy are ready for their team-up hunt; should be interesting.

If you're riding along in the comments like Jacob did as a subscriber last year, who knows—keep showing up, and maybe next season it's you grinding trails with us out there. Hit subscribe in the meantime. What's your go-to rut play? More clips incoming—stay tuned.

Hunt safe, keep it real.

5 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 6

Watson Outdoor

Today we passed a little 6ixer, had a fox squirrel check our backpack, and another buck right at last light at 30 yards. I didn't feel comfortable with the shot.

Judas buck did slow both bucks down. Pretty cool. I left him in the woods. We'll be back out tomorrow. Maybe he'll have his head knocked off in the am. 🤣

5 months ago | [YT] | 2

Watson Outdoor

Today's hunt. 3 bucks and a hot doe. No shots were fired. They blazed right by. I may or may not have caught some footage of the spike chasing. It was pretty damn funny.

We've dialed in. Now if we can just get them to pause long enough to stick em.

5 months ago | [YT] | 2

Watson Outdoor

Opening day of rifle season. I've got a raining white acorns tree. Can only shoot antlered. And chose to hunt with a bow. Ive seen so many deer i cant keep up with them on camera and I've lost count. The best part? Its only 12. What an insane hunt.

5 months ago | [YT] | 2

Watson Outdoor

Deeeeeeer subscribers. Last year I started this youtube journey. I remember just how hard it was getting started and how hard it still is to stay motivated and focused on producing videos. I ask that you visit @BricensCountry a young just starting youtuber. Show him some love and cheer him on as he starts his hunting and now filming journey. He is our next generation of young hunter!

5 months ago | [YT] | 2