140. Deer Are Like Pigeons (and Other Things I Learned About Hunting)

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! “Deer for city people are like pigeons.” My neighbor’s wife told me that at her house, without apologizing, and I didn’t know what to do with it. Until then, my whole view of hunting was “guns bad, hunting weird.” This episode, Cidiot speaks to Jeffrey Kiplinger. He hosts The Claverack Podcast, has been a conservationist all his life, and yes, he’s a bowhunter. We talk about invasive honeysuckle choking our forests, and about Columbia County having up to 150 deer per square mile on land that can support about five. We talk about a new generation of hunters who are more interested in forest health and food than trophy bucks. And we get to the question I was honestly too scared to ask: what happens after you take the shot? Nine seasons and more than 130 episodes in, it’s time Cidiot finally talked about hunting. (Plus Jeffrey has simultaneously released an episode of The Claverack Podcast with me, so tune in there as well). Chapters 00:00 – Cold open: “Deer for city people are like pigeons” 02:00 – Meet Jeffrey: from 3 homes to full-time in Claverack 04:20 – How The Claverack Podcast started (hint: a 140-page comprehensive plan) 05:55 – Conservation close to home: Loomis Creek, old orchards and 250 new trees 09:15 – The bigger picture: too many deer, more bears, fewer birds and pollinators 09:55 – Trail cams, coyotes and the night shift 10:45 – OK, let’s talk about hunting 11:45 – Why the deer are the problem: invasive plants and the Taconic Community Forest 15:00 – By the numbers: 5 deer per square mile vs. 150, and a new kind of hunter 17:00 – A day in the woods: crossbows, blinds, camo, and when to wear orange 19:00 – What happens after the shot: field dressing, gut piles and bald eagles 22:20 – Beavers: the good and the bad 23:35 – Venison as a fix for food insecurity (and how to cook it) 25:45 – Old laws, food banks, and why you can’t buy local venison 27:30 – The new hunting community: Hudson Fish and Game Club, Forest Defense, Queers in Camo, Hunters of Color 29:35 – “The icky part,” and a class in seam butchery 32:30 – Wrap-up: will Mat actually go hunting? Mentioned in this episode: The Claverack Podcast (There's a new episode with Mat Zucker!) Taconic Community Forest (Columbia Land Conservancy) Hudson Fish and Game Club Forest Defense Queers in Camo Hunters of Color Columbia Kitchen Thanks to editor Brett Barry of Silver Hollow Audio and the Kaatscast podcast. ©2026 MCZ Media LLC. Cidiot® is a registered trademark.