There’s a difference between going hunting and living the hunt.
This season, our Nature Tracks team was determined to do the latter.
For our annual deer camp, we secured a perfect piece of private land in Saint-Félix-de-Kingsey — a quiet soy farm tucked into a corner of countryside that felt untouched. The property held promise the moment we stepped onto it: wide open fields framed by dense treelines, and six blind locations with natural cover that allowed visibility without sacrificing concealment. The kind of spot every hunter hopes to find once in a lifetime.
Preparation
Long before opening morning, the work began.
In early August, we started scouting and patterning deer movement. We mapped every blind meticulously, marking yardage for likely shot windows and documenting the best entry paths to avoid blowing scent into bedding areas. We identified natural scrapes, established a few mock ones, and placed doe urine in strategic positions to direct travel patterns. Every sign pointed in the right direction: heavy tracks, active trails, rubs, clean droppings — a healthy and promising deer population.
This also gave us the perfect chance to field-test our Nature Tracks scented shoe covers. For this trip, we ran Anise scent, aiming to mask human odor without contaminating the hunt zone. Whether luck or design, the signs increased every week — more prints, more fresh scrape activity, more confidence.
By late October, anticipation was boiling over.
And like every good deer camp, the blind selection debate took on a life of its own. Everybody had a favorite spot they’d claimed long before the season started, leading to good-natured banter, borderline courtroom arguments, and a final settlement that felt as political as a national election.
Opening Day
Day one didn’t waste any time delivering.
Moments after parking the truck and heading toward the blind, I (Harry Avrith, Co-Founder & Head of Product Development) spotted movement. A mature six-point buck stepped out of the treeline at roughly 200 yards. Heart pounding, but steady — patience and stillness paid off. When he paused broadside, I settled the crosshairs and squeezed. He dropped instantly.
What made it work?
A combination of preparation and timing:
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Doe urine placed the nights before
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Anise scented shoe covers controlling scent
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A slow walk to my blind making sure I'm hidden within forest cover
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And maybe, a bit of right-place-right-time luck
Day Two
Day two proved just as rewarding.
Our longtime friend Will filled his tag with another strong six-pointer, sealing an electric start to the season. Spirits were high, but after that, the woods went silent. Over the next stretch of hunting, deer movement slowed to a crawl — proof that even with the best prep, the woods always have the final say.
Returning Weekend
We regrouped the following weekend, and patience paid off.
Julian, our other co-founder, dropped a buck — a massive relief and a celebration at camp. With three mature bucks for six hunters, we knew we had enough for family freezers and sausage-making season.
Week Three
One week later, the woods gave us one more gift.
Sergey, our longtime hunting partner — a man who somehow manages to tag a buck every single year — closed the deal with a clean shot on another mature buck, bringing our total to four for the season. Maybe it was experience. Maybe it was instinct. Or maybe his years serving in the Russian army and sniper training really did come into play. Whatever the reason, we weren’t surprised to see him walk out smiling.
Four bucks for the group — enough meat to feed multiple families and the perfect ending to an already unforgettable season.
More Than Deer
This season was about more than the harvest.
It was long hours in the cold, early mornings under red-light headlamps, shared meals, tracking through mud, and laughter echoing through soybean fields. It was teamwork, respect for the animals we hunt, and the knowledge that the meat we bring home feeds our families — the way hunting is supposed to be.
Gratitude
We feel incredibly fortunate. Four bucks harvested with care and respect, on healthy land, surrounded by good people.
To the landowner who trusted us — thank you.
To our families who support time away — thank you.
To the team — the work was worth it.
Until next season —
Hunt hard, hunt ethically, and cherish the memories.
