Winter Deadsticking, Sporterized Military Hunting Rifles, Campfire Chat with Mr. Whitetail, & Filming Your Own Hunts!

Show Notes: Catfish Radio with Luke Clayton
Date: December 27, 2025 Hosts: Luke Clayton & Larry Weishuhn

Episode Summary In this final show of 2025, Luke and Larry Weishuhn (“Mr. Whitetail”) gather around the radio campfire to discuss late-season deer movement and high-tech optics. The show also features deep dives into vintage military rifles for modern hunting, winter fishing techniques on Lake Tawakoni, and the challenges of filming hunts through digital scopes.

Segment 1: Campfire Talk with Larry Weishuhn
Topic: Late-season deer hunting and optics.

Discussion: Larry Weishuhn joins Luke to discuss the effectiveness of Stealth Vision optics and the growing popularity of thermal scopes for hog and predator hunting.

Field Notes: Larry shares observations from recent hunts, noting that while acorn crops were heavy early in the season, deer are now returning to feeders and food plots as natural forage depletes. They also discuss the upcoming DSC Convention in Atlanta in February.

Segment 2: Vintage Firepower with Dustin Warncke
Topic: Hunting with sporterized military rifles.

Discussion: Dustin Warncke discusses the history and value of “sporterized” military surplus rifles.

Featured Firearm: Dustin highlights his recent acquisition of a 1916 Spanish Mauser in 7mm, explaining how these affordable, historic rifles can still be highly effective and accurate hunting tools when paired with modern optics.

Segment 3: Winter Fishing on Lake Tawakoni with Brett Kilmer
Topic: "Deadsticking" for sand bass and hybrids.

Discussion: Guide Brett Kilmer explains the winter technique of deadsticking—holding a lure completely still in the water column to mimic stunned shad in cold water.

Technique: Brett details using heavy 1-ounce jigs (often white or chartreuse) and "thumping" the bottom of the boat to attract schools of fish under the boat in 25–40 feet of water.

Segment 4: Filming the Hunt with Jeff Rice
Topic: Videography and late-season buck behavior.

Discussion: Videographer and producer Jeff Rice talks about using digital scopes like the ATN X-Sight to film hunts directly from the rifle.

Field Notes: Jeff recounts a recent encounter with a massive, old buck that managed to evade the camera despite being within 40 yards, highlighting the challenges of capturing the perfect shot on film versus just harvesting the animal.

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