Steven Rinella talks with Jim Baichtal of The Blacktail Foundation, Janis Putelis, Ryan Callaghan, Phil Taylor, and Corinne Schneider.  Topics discussed: When you only shoot with a muzzleloader; all the records; the old ass deer bone; the conservation of blacktail deer; the "shirker buck" theory; moon phases; an animal at the edge; timber management and harvest; long days on the hunt for blacktail; how half of the blacktail fawns are eaten by black bears; licking branches; and more.  This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. ---------------- Check out the gear the MeatEater Crew uses in the field here: https://store.themeateater.com Follow us: Web: https://www.themeateater.com Instagram: https://instagram.com/meateater Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StevenRinellaMeatEater Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:10 Muzzleloader Hunting and Personal Stories 03:02 Geology and Its Connection to Hunting 09:54 Cave Exploration and Archaeological Discoveries 15:05 Black-Tailed Deer Conservation Efforts 21:06 Understanding Black-Tailed Deer Taxonomy 27:09 The Impact of Climate on Black-Tailed Deer 36:02 Predation and Population Dynamics of Black-Tailed Deer 45:45 Historical Deer Populations and Habitat Changes 48:52 Timber Management and Its Impact on Deer Forage 49:51 The Lifecycle of Clear Cuts and Deer Populations 56:16 Current Deer Populations and Habitat Management Challenges 01:00:16 Population Estimation Techniques for Blacktail Deer 01:04:32 Optimal Habitat Density and Deer Movement Patterns 01:09:07 Conservation Efforts for Blacktail Deer 01:23:11 Future of Timber Management and Deer Habitat 01:30:21 Ongoing Projects and Future Directions for Conservation 01:31:11 Impact of Habitat Management on Deer Populations 01:34:10 Predation vs. Habitat: Finding the Balance 01:37:01 Understanding Fawn Predation and Bear Behavior 01:40:25 The Decline of Deer Populations: Habitat Loss 01:43:21 The Importance of Blacktail Deer Research 01:46:53 The Role of the Blacktail Deer Foundation 02:11:32 Advocacy and Habitat Restoration for Blacktail Deer