Some of the best hunting knowledge doesn’t come from a solo sit in the stand. Often, it sinks in with swapped stories among those who’ve logged as many hours chasing whitetails as you. Put four committed hunters in a room, and the conversation naturally turns into a masterclass: what works, what doesn’t, and how the tools of the trade have changed the way they hunt.
That’s exactly what happened when we sat down with Kelby Hawkins, Aaron Olsen, and brothers David and Dean Giarrizzo — hunters from South Dakota, Ohio, and beyond — for a candid roundtable discussion on preparation, scouting, and what a “successful” season really means. Watch the full conversation and read our favorite nuggets of wisdom gleaned from the gathering.
Maximizing Time
For hunters balancing family life with limited time afield, information is everything. “It’s allowed me to be more efficient,” said Olsen, a father of two young kids who leans on trail-camera intel to both maximize time and make the gametime call, “to know there’s a buck worth going after if I’m going to be away from family.”
David Giarrizzo agreed, noting that “the cams are telling you what they need to be telling you.” And when they go quiet, it’s a signal to adjust rather than force the issue. Whether that’s shifting your cameras or your target locations, that information helps control valuable time away.
Scouting Shifts
Modern tools haven’t replaced boots on the ground; they’ve sharpened it. “Deer are creatures of habit,” David Giarrizzo explained. Consistent camera data, paired with time spent in the field, is “a huge tool” for building a real picture of a property’s deer population over time.
And for hunters newer to the sport, that intel only speeds up the whole process. “They can help you learn a lot faster,” Olsen said, “instead of going, hoping, praying.” Scouting, deploying a camera, and getting feedback quickly can accelerate a hunter’s learning curve in ways that pure first-hand experience alone can’t match.
That doesn’t mean advanced tools do the legwork for you, though. “It’s not like we have an advantage over anyone else,” Giarrizzo added. “It’s part of the game — it’s how hunting has evolved.”
And speaking of the scouting on the ground, Dean Giarrizzo noted how the cameras allow hunters to canvas field edges without pushing deeper into the woods (and unnecessarily pressuring the deer out), changing where and how hunters can gather those pieces of the puzzle.
Redefining Success
Perhaps the most honest theme of the gathering of minds: Success isn’t just about inches of antler or total tags punched.
“Sometimes an unsuccessful hunt is where you learn the most and grow the most,” Olsen said. After a season studying and getting to know (and name) a single buck he dubbed Mr. Thick (only to miss the perfect shot), Hawkins has redefined success as simply putting himself in a position to have the right opportunity, regardless of kill: “I’m going to kill [the deer], or learn from it and be a better hunter.”
Beyond personal progress, David Giarrizzo added that the greatest hunting rewards are often shared: “Being able to document and show people why we love it so much” is how he measures success now.
Want to gear up before the season starts? Check out our guides on how to properly use a trail camera, why trail cameras and deer feeders belong at the top of your gear list, and tips for buying budget hunting gear.
For deeper scouting strategy, see how to utilize Moultrie’s platform with its HuntPlan upgrade, plus added tips on how to place your trail camera for every season.
This article is sponsored by Moultrie.
