2026 Red Deer Rut Recap - The trifecta with Matty Turner

About this episode

Matty Turner recaps the 2026 red deer rut, sharing insights from three distinct hunts and the challenges faced during each.

This one’s a full recap of the 2026 rut and for once, it’s not just close calls. Across three separate hunts, Matty breaks down what actually played out in the field… the wins, the stuff-ups, and the moments that could’ve gone either way. The episode moves through three key hunts: A March trip focused on getting the drop on a red deer, gone a little differently. Easter weekend on family ground, including a camel hunt and pig encounters A return to the family red deer block during peak rut, putting everything together There’s a bit of everything in this one… calling sequences that worked (and didn’t), pressure getting the better of moments, wild dog encounters, and what happens when things don’t go to plan but still come together over time. It’s not polished. It’s just how it happened. Podcast topics: Breaking the rut into three separate hunts and what changed across each Early mistakes under pressure: rushing shots and missing opportunities Lessons from hunting with experienced hunters and adjusting setup decisions Drawing early vs drawing late, and why it matters more than you think Calling strategies: when to use hind calls vs roars How stags actually respond when pressured by…

People in this episode

Guest: Matty Turner

Topics covered

• Red deer hunting
• Hunting strategies
• Pressure in hunting
• Wild dog encounters
• Camel hunting
• Lessons from experienced hunters

Keywords

• red deer rut
• hunting strategies
• pressure in hunting
• wild dog encounter
• camel hunting
• calling sequences

Mentioned in this episode

Places: family ground, family red deer block, red deer, camel, wild dog

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