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Justin Hollandsworth

@masonsdad1975

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2001

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Husband-Dad-Bowhunter-Construction Dude @lonewolfcustomgear @whitetail_addictions_official @asio_gear @vortexoptics

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Tip segment! Early season is about staying patient, using your @vortexoptics and letting your eyes tell the story, to be able to capalize on ambushing your target buck with your @lonewolfcustomgear ! #scout #observe #hangandhunt #huntlikeawolf🐺 by @masonsdad1975

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10 days ago

Won’t be long! It would be more exciting if I had one like Lucky to chase again! #bowhunting #whitetail #mobilehunting #midwestwhitetails #hangandhunt by @masonsdad1975

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a month ago

The 26 Colorado elk hunt will be one to remember! Hunted hard and laughed even harder! Cheers my friends to a great trip🍻 by @masonsdad1975

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a month ago

We snapped this photo this morning before heading into the mountains to chase bulls. While sitting in the aspens, listening for bulls and trying to stay patient, I looked back at this photo.

My first thought was, “Man, there are probably 200 Pope and Young whitetails and around 25 Boone and Crockett bucks taken with a bow among this group!”

The best part, though, is that we’re all back at ground zero, starting from scratch when it comes to elk hunting. For two of these guys, it’s their first elk hunt ever!

For seasoned whitetail bowhunters, elk hunting brings back the excitement we felt when we first started chasing big, mature whitetails. One thing I know for certain: As long as the good Lord keeps me healthy and able, I won’t miss a September in these mountains! by @masonsdad1975

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a month ago

It won’t be long! #soakitin #enjoytheride #itsaboutthechase #chessmatch #calculatedmoves by @masonsdad1975

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2 months ago

Around 5 or 6 seasons ago, this giant 6x7 showed up on a permission property I hunt. I have no idea where he came from, but I definitely wasn’t complaining.

I watched him all summer and had countless velvet sightings, trail camera videos, and trail camera photos of him. I had several encounters with him—including one time when he stood just 15 yards away—but it was after legal shooting hours.

I made several moves on him throughout the season, but I was always just a step behind. Then, in late October, he disappeared, and we never saw him again. I was actually in the tree on the other side of that farm with Steve glassed him when he stepped out for him to take this video that’s in my story.

Another old giant that taught me a few lessons. I still find myself wondering what ever happened to him.

Check out my story for a video clip my buddy @steve.pinkston captured of him the last time we ever saw him. by @masonsdad1975

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2 months ago

A deer mount isn’t for bragging rights—it’s for the memory.

The memory created through the journey of the chase. From the first time you laid eyes on him through binoculars, a trail camera, or an encounter. All the times he beat you, because let’s face it—he is the master of survival.

For a buck to live to five years old or older is truly special. Everything that can take them out between birth and maturity makes reaching that age almost like catching lightning in a bottle.

The memory is also about the journey you bring your friends and family on throughout the chase. All the conversations with your buddies about what happened, what went wrong, and what you should do next. The times you tell your wife about the chase, and she listens even though she may not understand exactly what you’re talking about—or she’s just being kind and pretending to be interested. Lol.

The memory is about who you called or texted from that tree after you finally connected with the one you were after. It’s about the people who helped blood trail him, drag him out after the recovery or take pictures of you and the buck you just wrapped your tag around.

That’s what I think about when I look up at the mounts hanging on my wall. I don’t see antlers—I see memories. Memories I was fortunate enough to create.

That’s what a mount is for me. And that’s what I’ll think about when I glance up at Wingman on the wall. by @masonsdad1975

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4 months ago

Water is about as powerful of an attraction as anything I’ve come across. The biggest risk, especially these days, is EHD. Trust me, I felt the impact of it firsthand last season on my personal farm.

My thought process when building this water source was simple: make it deep, make three sides steep, and leave a ramp on one side so that as deer approach, they naturally expose their vitals based on my stand location with my @lonewolfcustomgear Patriot Series stand.

I used a lot of bentonite on the bottom, along with two heavy-duty swimming pool liners. The liners extend well beyond the edges, roughly 3–4 feet past the perimeter. I also picked up @ehdfense so I can keep the water treated and hopefully help prevent EHD from breaking out at this location.

The water source sits just outside a really good bedding area that transitions into a large clover plot. Time will tell if it works, but I’m excited to see how the deer respond. #habitat #conservation #farmprojects #waterhole #ehddefense by @masonsdad1975

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4 months ago

Won’t be long before the boys of summer are in full effect. Locating a big buck is a tall task, especially these days. Just like everything else, things change, and there’s no doubt that has happened.

Regardless, all of us whitetail addicts are going to do our thing and put in the work to grow or locate a big deer to hunt. If you don’t already have access to one, that means you have to find one, and the biggest challenge is gaining access to hunt that particular piece of ground.

Now, let’s say you’ve secured access. It’s time to put the work in yet again. If you’re in a situation where you can glass the animal, it’s time to get to know him. Learning the personality of your target buck is huge. I say that because it will absolutely factor into how you hunt that deer.

It’s also important to spend time behind the glass understanding how he operates—where he enters and exits an area, and how he uses the wind while doing so. In flat farmland, I’ve noticed some bucks won’t use the wind when coming out. When I see them enter a field with the wind at their back, I know they likely bed close to the field and are relying heavily on their line of sight.

I could go on and on about learning a particular buck’s behavior, but nothing will ever teach you more about whitetails than hunting one specific buck and studying him through observation. Making calculated moves is everything in these situations.

All I can say is enjoy the process because you’re going to lose most of the time, and he’s going to win most of the time. All you have to do is win once.

This is a clip of the buck I took last year. As you can see in the video, he liked being the boss. Trust me, I saw that and knew I was going to try to use it against him! #velvetbucks #vortexoptics #scouting #doyourhomework #huntlikeawolf🐺 by @masonsdad1975

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4 months ago

Never thought I could enjoy something more than chasing big, old, cagey bucks with a bow. I was 100% wrong!

Working on your own piece of ground and watching your hard work over time turn into something special is, in my opinion, even better.

Now, the cherry on top would be knocking down a good one on your own ground! 🍎🍐🌰☘️🌽🦌🦌🦌 by @masonsdad1975

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4 months ago

Did you miss @masonsdad1975 knock down his number one target buck? Go check it out the link is in the story. #huntlikeawolf🐺 by @masonsdad1975

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5 months ago

5 Times at Full Draw

In September, Justin (@masonsdad1975) sent me a text that would’ve made most guys just pack it in. Farm wiped out by EHD, season in limbo. He didn’t even know what his move was gonna be.

Fast forward to November and he’s in a dead-sprint chess match with one survivor. He had this deer inside 25 yards six separate times. Six.

He dealt with a bad hit in October, a point-blank 5-yard setup mistake two days before Thanksgiving, and basically every reason to give up.

We sat down to unpack how he pivoted, how he found new ground mid-season, and the difference between a rough season that ends well and a rough season that just… ends.

If you’re dealing with EHD on your place or a season that just feels sideways—you need to hear this one.

Link in bio 👆to watch/listen taken in Lake Murray, Chapin, South Carolina by @masonsdad1975

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6 months ago