Land & Legacy - Habitat + Hunting

What an unreal first week of the spring turkey season for the Land & Legacy team in southern Missouri. Opening day was a huge success for Matt and Seth Harker. Two birds were down just as we planned in Part 1 of this podcast series. On the other hand, Adam and Chad Keith struggled during the first day, but made a strong showing on the second day of the season when they tagged two mid-day gobblers. Each turkey hunt was unique in its own way and we share the breakdown of those hunts on this episode. From strong gobbling turkeys, decoy shy birds, and bully jakes interfering with several hunts. To learn how we still remain successful under these conditions you will want to tune in! These hunts will be on the Youtube Channel and social media channels soon, so be sure to subscribe. You will hear our different techniques in hunting these early season scenarios. We hope you have a great successful turkey season. Be sure to share your harvest photos with us online! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Here we go! This podcast topic has been brewing for several weeks. In essence, the podcast is simply produced to get people thinking about pulling the trigger. We have spent several years discussing all the things it takes to fall into place for turkeys, quail, and deer to be produced. This is not just a simple phenomenon that we have huntable populations. When habitat in most of the country is rapidly declining, we have to recruit more producers than we currently have. This podcast is heavy, but we need to consider the actions we take in the off-season seriously. With rising recreational land prices, cattle and crop prices dropping, it is more difficult more than ever to become a producer. Farmers are needing to squeeze more "juice from the lemon" off their land to simply make a living these days. This means all the potential ground that can make an income becomes a void of habitat. If you take this scenario and extrapolate it across the landscape, many farms are going in the opposite direction of being suitable for game populations. This is not a doom and gloom podcast, however one that will get people thinking that the goal doesn't need to be #limits or #taggedout to have a successful season. If you have been pondering this or know a person who needs to hear this message, please share this podcast with them! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Anticipation is at an all-time high this week. Here in Missouri, the spring turkey season has now opened. This week's podcast is special as you will hear from two different groups of Land & Legacy hunters hitting the turkey woods. This Part 1 podcast is focused around the scouting, land management, and hunting strategy leading into the opener of turkey season. One team will consist of Seth Harker, Trace Harker and Matt Dye, while in an adjoining county, Adam Keith and Chad Keith will be joining forces. This is no competition, however, just two farms that require two different strategies to not only scout effectively, but to also hunt. First, you will hear from Seth and Matt and how they plan to capitalize on consistent images from the Cuddelink system. However, despite several years of success from this location, a massive habitat management project just went underway. So this will surely plan into the setup and hunt. In contrast, Chad and Adam are hunting a cattle farm with tillable acres and large pastures. The turkey numbers are high, but the consistent changes of cattle, farmers harvesting, spraying, etc, may play into the strategy of the hunt. Be sure to follow along with the social pages to see how both crews of hunters do during the opening days of turkey season 2020 here in Missouri. Next week, you will catch part 2, which will be the hopeful successful hunts! Stay tuned as we bring you the turkey hunting action. Enjoy. Learn. Share #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

It might be every dad's dream who grew up hunting to think of the day that he gets to introduce his kids to hunting. A passing of the torch, or a deep rooted heritage belief that this is what our family does. But, as many Dads will likely tell you, that's not always how it happens. During this recent Missouri Youth Turkey season, our good friend Seth Harker got the experience of the fun differences of taking a son and taking a daughter. With patience and humor Seth was able to have an exciting weekend with the kids chasing turkeys and learning life lessons. How do you get your kids into the outdoors? It's a crucial part of teaching and raising our children to understand the importance of time outside but if you're planning on teaching them about hunting it may take multiple approaches to ensure your kids are hunters. Listen in as Seth discusses the differences he experienced with his kids and how he used food as a technique to teach his daughter the importance of hunting. We also discuss the declining turkey numbers and how habitat improvement on his farm has allowed numbers to increase while surrounding farms continue to see declines. Why having tags doesn't always mean trying to fill all those tags. It's a great conversation about hunting tradition and ways to promote the future of hunting. #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

As this crazy world we live in continues to evolve, so does conservation. With the continual increase of land values across the country, it is becoming more difficult for landowners to hold larger tracts of land devoted to wildlife and conservation. More and more we are seeing recreational focused properties decrease in size. With the decrease in the average size of land parcels, it is more difficult to have larger blocks or areas where habitat is very segmented. It is common to have pockets or good habitat and other areas where habitat is incredibly poor. This week we talk with Hunter Pruitt who has recently completed his graduate studies on wildlife management CO-OPS and their impacts on habitat and wildlife. A CO-OP is simply a congregation of several landowners agreeing to work together for a common goal to support a wide range of conservation efforts. These can be formal or informal, however, the impact that these CO-OPS can have is substantial. Some CO-OPS are comprised of hundreds of acres while others are 30,000+ acres. We are talking about the potential of influencing counties and then regions as CO-OPS grow in size and popularity over time. We forecast CO-OPS to become a large part of the way we all will be managing wildlife for the coming years. The potential to positively impact declining species such as the bobwhite quail or wild turkey or influence a region to produce a better age structure in the whitetail herd is huge! Please follow along and consider starting or joining a wildlife CO-OP in your area. Enjoy.Learn.Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

It's that time again when the food plot planting questions start all over. Food plot planting is just around the corner and we are ready for it, are you? This week, we discuss the common food plot questions we receive as well as the most popular misunderstandings when it comes to planting food plot varieties. It seems as if people only want to plant a monoculture of soybeans for food during the summer and winter, however often times, that cannot occur due to over browsing, but year after year they repeat this same technique. In addition, we often see people from different regions trying to adopt techniques from regions to the north and make it apply to southern zones. This thought process is flawed and we discuss why and what the remedy is to this problem. If you live in the south, don't try to make it the north by the way you plant your food plots.Be sure to take time to understand the forages you are planting. Make sure they make sense for your area, climate, and region! Checkout the different food plot blends on the store offered by Stratton Seed. Enjoy.Learn.Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's podcast, Matt and Frank discuss the recent trends in bobwhite quail numbers. This podcast should wake you up! Not with excitement, but with a cause to care. Although quail are still found in decent numbers across some portions of their historic ranges, vast amounts of the range are quite each summer. There are no more whistles occurring. Pennsylvania has even considered the bobwhite quail extirpated from the state. Why is no one doing anything about this? Land & Legacy is not going to sit back and watch a beloved icon of North America's game species dwindle into oblivion. Such little quail habitat remains across the landscape currently that if you do routinely see quail, you are most likely encountering an isolated population, dependent solely upon the habitat they persist within. Outside of these areas, the population you witness would cease to exist. It is time that hunters and conservationist step up to the plate and take a swing at bringing back bobwhite quail numbers. Please, once you have listened to this podcast, hit share! Spread the awareness of the quickly declining quail habitat. Improving habitat is a must if we want these incredible and fragile critters to exist for our future generations. Enjoy.Learn.Share #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

What does CRP mean to you? Do you think of dense tree plantings or a mix of warm-season grasses among a vast number of tillable acres? Did you know this program was initiated to reduce erosion and improve water quality? You can learn this and much more about the ways to improve CRP land for various wildlife species during this week's podcast. The role that CRP has played over the years has drastically improved the number of acres available for upland bird species to reproduce. The wide variety of wildlife species that have benefited from this conservation program is long. However, despite all of these positives, we know that it can be improved. This week, we spend an hour discussing the details of CRP and how it can be greatly improved to offer more forage and cover. Areas dominated in grasses only provide cover, but no forage. There are a number of techniques that can be used like, dormant season discing, herbicide application, pollinator plantings, surrogate shrub placements, and even legume plantings to provide a remedy for this problem. These techniques will improve the reproduction rates of quail, pheasants, rabbits, and whitetail deer. If you want to see CRP come alive, check out this podcast! Be sure to share with someone who is looking to enroll in CRP this year. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Well, sit back and get ready for a debate. This week is full of science, hard data, and truth about managing for a bigger impact. Our goal here is to provide information that will allow landowners to accomplish their goals the quickest and to educate them along the way. So why not debate two hot topics and see which one science will reveal as the most impactful. For years, hunters or deer managers have been trying to better understand the coyote and how they impact deer populations. Without a doubt, their presence impacts the species as some are certainly killed, but also pressure and alertness are impacted as well. What isn't often discussed is the pressure that too many antlerless deer within a herd will do, or a herd that is over the areas carrying capacity. Bucks and does are in direct competition for those resources, they both eat the same plants, they both choose the same or best cover to hide in. So they are in direct competition for the same resources. But when we look at the home ranges and effectiveness to impact populations, our time will be best served on managing the deer herd versus killing coyotes. This discussion is sure to stir the pot, but take time to listen with an open mind. Share with those land managers who need to hear this news! Enjoy.Learn.Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this week's podcast, we are self- quarantined in separate offices as we record but we keep bringing the heat on land management information. This spring has been a blur and we have many new and exciting projects that we have been working on across the country. We review a few quick highlights from recent consultations in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. In addition, we discuss why things such as age class, antler size, and quantity of deer may not be the best gauge for habitat improvements. Deer are generalist species, meaning they can persist in so many different habitats, climates, regions, and elevations. What if instead why used species richness of an area, like the number of different songbirds using the area after a timber harvest or perhaps the number of different plants growing in an area that was once a pasture. Deer are bi-products of quality habitat! If you create and increase usable space for deer, they will thrive, whereas other species may now simply have a chance to live. Don't let deer bum you out, look around when managing the land to see what else is benefiting from your work. We hope you enjoyed this week's podcast, take time to get outside among the crazy world to improve some acres! Take a chainsaw, herbicide, or a drip torch, and use it wisely! Be safe and be sure to share your habitat improvement projects with us! Enjoy.Learn.Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Recently we sat down with some of the top Wild Turkey Biologists in the country who are studying the decline of turkey populations through the South and Southeast. We're taking another look into some of the biggest factors causing unsuccessful nests when we chat with our very own Kyle Hedges. You may have heard that Turkey and Quail can have multiple nests a year if the first one fails, but have you ever considered why it's important to try and create a landscape where the first nest is successful? What's the impact of snakes, raptors, and raccoons as the summer progresses? Once you understand the movement patterns of some of these predators you can then begin to manage accordingly. Kyle and Adam will discuss a variety of topics and management techniques that you should be using to combat the all famous nest predators. Some techniques are very cost effective, very easy labor and can greatly increase your nest success. If you're managing for all wildlife don't miss this podcast! #FORLOVEOTHELAND Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Over the course of building Land & Legacy, Nathaniel Maddux has seemed to stay in the shadows, despite his immense support in the mission. Nathaniel is the owner of Slate & Glass Productions which creates documentaries and films for brands and individuals looking to share their stories. Nathaniel and his wife also own Niangua Coffee, which is based out of SW Missouri. To share this new adventure for Nathaniel and his wife, we invited him to join us on the podcast to discuss his life as a Christian, film-maker, and coffee connoisseur. Niangua Coffee is a brand built around the outdoor lifestyle with seasonal flavors such as Fly-Down Roast, Deer Camp, Blue Spring, and Black Water. There is a coffee flavor for every season, lights, dark, and medium. Please take time to support our dear friend Nathaniel and Niangua Coffee! You will be seeing more with Nathaniel as the year goes on, as the video production increases for Land & Legacy! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

If you missed the QDMA Whitetail Weekend, we give you a taste of what the seminars and educational opportunities are present at the event. Every year, we speak at this event to help educate people on how to increase the value of their property for whitetail deer. This year, we presented on the reasons and value of managing the natural resources for whitetail deer. First, we define what usable space is for whitetail deer. What is required to keep deer on a property throughout the entire year? Then, we discuss how to create those resources from what the property and its vegetation have to offer. From here, we can then determine how big of an impact all of this work with give us! For our example in the podcast, we increased the value and forage production on the property by nine times and nothing was planted at all! We simply used what the property offered and drastically improved the offerings of this property. Take a listen and let us know what you think. How will you be increasing the usable space on your property this year for whitetail deer or other species? Enjoy.Learn.Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

There is no room for non-native invasive species on the landscape. These species vary from region to region, but the presence of them is not welcome. Non-native species do not have their natural predators therefore, landowners have to become the predator of choice. It falls on your shoulders to eradicate or at the very least, keep them from spreading. These species are rapidly invading the swamps, prairies, woodlots, forests, and fields across the country. The direction and speed at which they are invading is alarming. It is important to envision what the landscape will look like 20 years from now when no one addresses these species. We've seen fields being overtaken in a matter of few years by species like autumn olive, bush honeysuckle, multi-flora rose, Japanese honeysuckle and bradford pears. Please take this podcast seriously and share with others who need to hear about the importance of managing non-native invasive species. If you are the owner of recreational land, you are responsible, stop playing the blame game and address the issue! Take that responsibility seriously! Enjoy. Learn. Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Timber management is not a question of if you should implement it, but when. However, there are serious misconceptions as well as misunderstandings of techniques. This podcast is devoted to fuel the need and educate the audience on how to implement proper timber management techniques on your hunting property. Landowners are plagued by analysis paralysis! They have often researched information too much and hear so many contradicting recommendations that they can not begin working on managing their property. We want this podcast to provide clarity to your situation. We want to clearly communicate the pros and cons of each timber management technique. Flush cutting, hinge-cutting, and hack-n-squirt are all tools in the tool-box, but we answer when they should be used and how they shouldn't be!If you want to learn more about how to manage the timber on your property, listen and share with a friend who struggles from the same issue. Closed canopy timber is not helping the wildlife to the degree most people think, we need active management of this incredible natural resource. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplcast

By now you know we are kinda nerdy when it comes to wildlife and facts about how they work and function. Well this week we take science and the function of how birds such as wild turkeys and waterfowl see! The light spectrum changes when you see through there eyes. Since this is the case, it begs the question, how do they see you? This week, we sit down with Adam Winkleman, the owner of RLVNT. Adam's knowledge and experience lies within the optics industry, but his hunting passion lead him to address issue of concealment for hunters, especially bird hunters! Checkout how RLVNT is providing solutions for hunters based on the UV light spectrum. This technology is incredible! Elevate your game with RLVNT. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

While in Nashville at the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention, we caught up with Pure Air Native’s Justin Adams. He took time to sit down and review the power of native plants on the landscape. The last few weeks we’ve have talked with biologists about the requirements for wild turkeys across the country. Some of the key components consist of early successional habitat, insects, and hard mast. To have each of these components on your property at the right time of the year both turkeys to persist, you need to have native plants and then be managing these native plant communities. There are no substitutes or short cuts for top of the line habitat. By managing for diverse Native plant communities on both public and private land the land, soil, water, air, and wildlife quality will improve! Take time to learn about native plants, the role they play and how to best eradicate non native plants! It’s like picking up trash, nonnative plants are liter compared to the plant world! Enjoy. Learn. Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This week, we sit down with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commissioner to discuss the direction of wildlife and landscape management in the state. We were encourage to hear of the direction this new commissioner was taking the department. Arkansas is an extremely diverse state offering flooded bottomland, prairies, agriculture land, woodlands and savanna’s. This present both challenges and opportunities when managing the state and its wildlife. In our discussion, we really hit on prescribed fire and what the state will be doing to incorporate it more as well as educate landowners on how to use this wonderful tool! We hope you sit back and enjoy learning about the state of Arkansas and it’s usage of prescribed fire! Enjoy. Learn. Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Last week we spoke with the man who was in charge of the restocking efforts of the the wild turkey across North America. This week, we sit down with two biologists Mike Chamberlin and Brett Collier to discuss wild turkey numbers and why they are plateauing or even dropping. Wild turkey reproduction is a complicated matter, but as we find out today, habitat and landscape usage is incredible important to annual reproductive success. Wild turkeys need specific habitat requires to nest and rear broods successfully. As both Mike and Brett confirm, diversity on the landscape is the necessary and driving factor for continued success of the wild turkey. Take this information to heart and share with your fellow turkey hunters! We have to keep sharing solid information regarding true habitat management. Please share and enjoy a successful turkey hunt this spring. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Ever wondered how wild turkey populations became available in your neck of the woods? You may need to take a moment and thank this week's guest, James Earl Kennamar. This gentleman was at the helm of conservation and re-stocking efforts with his long term position at NWTF. James Earl was the spearhead of re-stocking and expanding the turkey population beyond the native range. During the podcast, we discuss the process and challenges James Earl faced throughout his career. Much of this can be boiled down to the lack of solid research as well as common misunderstandings of wild turkey ecology among the general public. Sit back and listen to the wonderful stories of growth and expansion of the wild turkey. James Earl is a conservationist and land manager at heart. He is welcome on this podcast anytime to discuss the usage and benefits of prescribed fire, logging, TSI, and early successional habitat. We hope you enjoy this spring turkey season, but be sure to thank James Earl as that gobbler closes the distance. Enjoy.Learn.Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we sit down with Steve Barlow of NWTF and associate Travis Rogers of Corteva. These two gentlemen represent large groups actively working to increase the conservation footprint around the country, but specifically within power line and gas right of ways. These clearings transect large blocks of timber and offer great opportunities for diversity. In the country, over 14 million acres of right of ways exist. That is a huge resource that offers an incredible amount of land to positively impact game and nongame species. Currently, large land management companies are using mechanical means to keep the right of ways cleared. However, experience tells us that woody regeneration will come back in quickly. So Steve with NWTF and partners like Corteva are demonstrating that appropriate herbicide applications to control the woody resprouts will increase biodiversity on these 14 million acres. In essence, NWTF is putting early successional plant communities back on the landscape in a big way! The group is doing big things for game populations such as wild turkeys, bobwhite quail, golden wing warblers, and cottontail rabbits. If you are not apart of the NWTF at this time, please take time to join this group that is putting serious habitat on the landscape. Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt by becoming a member of NWTF. Enjoy.Learn.Share! Sportsmen's Nation is Powered by Simplecast

We want to officially welcome you to our latest project, Burr Oaks Bluff! This farm is about to get a major facelift. This week, we discuss this 288-acre farm in the Loess Hills of Western Iowa with the new owner Brenton Feucthenberger and his team. Burr Oaks Bluff is a dynamic property with tillable acres, burr oak savanna to be restored, barren hillsides, native grasses, forbs, and shrubs. The property also has a beautiful pond situated among the Loess Hills. The plan for this property will be to take it from its current state and do a total rehabilitation of the landscape. Once that is done, the property will be offered again to a new owner to enjoy and create lasting memories with. This project will be full of updates as we see the transition unfold over the next few years. The Burr Oaks Bluff property is utilizing the full gamut of Land & Legacy services. So we are thrilled to bring this to your attention. If you have any questions, please go to www.landandlegacy.tv and send us an email! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Sit back and prepare yourself to be challenged, encouraged, spiritually awakened, and educated. This week, we sit down with the renowned Dr. Sanchez who is a hunter, outdoorsmen, father, and a powerful man of God. For many years now, we have discussed the deep connection between our time in Creation and how that helps to repair us and lower stress. Finally, our guest has the science to prove it all! We discuss in full detail how and why time in the outdoors is necessary to manage stress levels. Consistent exposure to nature can lower stress levels and heal our minds. However, this all comes with a balance of family time. This isn't an excuse to not be present at home or in the office. Dr. Sanchez discusses how a proper balance in your life of time outdoors will improve relationships and focus. We hope that this podcast fuels you to look critically inside. There is no doubt that we all have a passion for the outdoors, but we must ask ourselves, do we have this in balance with the rest of our lives? If we are honest with ourselves, we likely don't. We encourage you to listen and then re-listen to this podcast. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

The excuse of I don't live in Iowa or Kansas anymore doesn't work. Big deer can be produced anywhere across the country! No matter the state, the resources are present on the landscape, they just need to be managed in a way to produce the results you are looking for. A developed age structure in a whitetail herd is difficult to come by in many portions of the country. The number of older bucks in the herd is simply less in states like West Virginia or North Carolina, but that does not mean that buck cannot get big in North Carolina or West Virginia. We are simply scratching the surface on how big deer can get and what states can produce superior caliber deer. If you have any doubting friends, be sure to share this podcast with them. If you know anyone who feels limited by their area or state, share this podcast and start a co-op! Change the game and change the habitat in the process! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This week we find ourselves in the great state of Iowa! the hunting heritage is strong here in the state. But to make the hunting better and to improve the land, it is important to understand the basic principle that you must subtract to add value. Most farms we work do not have the existing habitat in place that you can simply begin to manipulate disturbances to improve habitat. First off, in most cases, things must be removed. This could be closed-canopy timber, cool-season non-native grasses, or even invasive species. Once these are removed or subtracted, then the fun of adding species can begin! Land management does not always make sense when it comes to math, but when adding value to the landscape, it is often necessary to remove species before adding any! Thanks for listening, be sure to share this with a new follower this week! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

When it comes to land and wildlife management there should be very little cookie cutter techniques. That's due to the ever changing landscape that we get to call home. There should be a change in your management from what ecosystem to the next or from one state to the next. The principles of replicating nature and using nature as our model are the same but our focus of plant communities and layout may change to support the local wildlife and their needs. That's why we don't follow any ratio or stats that claim each property should have Blank% of cover and blank% of food plots. Those ratios create a landscape with less diversity and less diversity is a loss for everyone. Have you ever heard the claim that a certain amount of your food plots should be clover or 50% of your timber needs to be converted to young forest? We break those down and why you should be focused more on what the stressful period of the year is for the wildlife and how you can help the wildlife during that period of time. Because if you're in the south it's completely different than in the north and so our management must change. During this podcast we also discuss the different types of thermal cover and how it varies from wildlife to location. We often forget about the use of thermal cover in the south and how we should manage for it just as much as land managers use thermal cover in the north. This podcast is loaded with deep thoughts on land management and what we often forget with habitat improvements. Next time you're considering the traditional method of land management consider looking at the landscape first and working to improve the land wants to be, rather than what you want it to be. #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This week is all about chicks, as in how to increase brood survivability on your property. Quail and wild turkeys can nest in many different locations and in varying types of vegetation with adequate success. So if they are nesting successfully to sustain a population why are numbers dropping? In this podcast we address the most crucial timeframe for both quail and wild turkeys and what they need on the landscape. Once a turkey poult or a quail chick has hatched the average rate of survival is roughly 25%. This is a result in many cases of poor brood rearing habitat. Everyone forgets about how important weeds and flowering forbs are in the life cycle of young game birds. Upwards of 70% of their diet in the first weeks of life are protein rich insects. Without insects and the right habitat to support insects, they will not be recruited into the adult population. We also address the reasons behind wet springs and how that impacts nest success and brood rearing capabilities. If you love to hunt birds and improve your land, this podcast is for you. Please share with the hunter or landowner in your life who is looking to improve wild game numbers on their property. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Every state has the potential to grow top-caliber deer. In most areas, the natural resources are already present on the landscape to produce great habitat. However, it’s just in the wrong form. That is how we help assist landowners to shape the landscape on a way that improves the land but also produces results. This podcast walks you through that exact situation as Jason from Western Michigan tags a 163” whitetail on his home turf. Despite the many challenges in getting deer to older age classes based on hunter densities across the state and liberal bag limits, it can be done! Adequate cover and security is the key to making this happen. During the podcast we discuss how a logging operation, invasive species removal, prescribed fire, edge feathering, and patience paid off. If you are interested in learning how to manage the landscape and hold big deer on your property, this is the podcast for you! Enjoy. Learn. Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Being our on the road a lot during this time of the year, we begin to see many different habitat types that are struggling and begging to be managed in a better way. During this weeks podcast, we discuss the recent observations from the field. We cover states like Illinois, Indiana, West Virginia, and Ohio. In addition, we pose the question, what if we only managed for big bucks. What would the landscape look like, what would be the priorities of our time when on the property? How would this affect the overall health of the property? Would the land increase in diversity or would it diminish as we begin to fear working the land? We answer all these questions and continue to support why managing for diversity and managing for plant communities rather than for specific plants is far more rewarding and healthier for the land. We hope you enjoy and share with someone new this week! Enjoy. Learn. Share! Land & Legacy is Powered b y Simplecast

On this week's podcast, we discuss our recent observations traveling from Kansas to West Virginia. We saw farming landscapes, bottomland, CRP, and thousands of timbered acres. These observations will help you to look critically at your property so you can influence it greater making it more attractive for wildlife. First and foremost, improving and restoring the landscape is important. Wildlife need a home, not an insufficient place to simply survive. We are looking for all wildlife to thrive, this can only happen when each acre is addressed! Despite the landscape changing in appearance and land use from the recent states we visited, deer still were present, but just because a species is present, does not mean it is thriving. Thriving habitat and wildlife means diversity of species that occupy the 3 to 6 ft. range is present. As we cover more properties in the next few weeks, be sure to follow along and learn through the eyes of Land & Legacy. We will teach you how to examine, critique, and improve the land. Enjoy.Share.Learn. #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Trying to keep a mature deer on your farm for as many days as possible is a goal many hunters try to obtain. Others wish to lower the amount of deer they find dead from "winter kill" or from predators. Landowners also find themselves in a stand still and what else to do to improve their farm. All these scenarios or problems can be solved with the technique we call "fragmenting the farm."We we start out looking over an aerial image we try to coordinate different habitat features or plant communities and look at their arrangement on the land. So many times we will find vast acres of one habitat feature. That could be large amounts of mature timber or overgrazed pasture with no shrubs around. There are many types of food resources and types of cover that deer and many other game species use in a year that it's easy to overlook some of them. We take a look at a simple technique to add diversity to your farm. Fragmenting your farm will add more year round benefits to create a property that provides benefits from January to December for not just deer but small game too! Our goal at Land & Legacy is to make your farm better than you found it and by fragmenting the habitat features you will create a landscape conducive of growing plenty of game and a healthy ecosystem. #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Have you ever heard a deer hunter speak about needing to kill more coyotes and a few months later complain about having too many deer? Or better yet a self proclaimed conservationists complain about native weeds taking over his non-native food plot? One that hurts the most is the process of taking a highly diverse, highly beneficial grassland or old field and plant it in a monoculture food plot. SO many problems here that can be solved with a little deep thinking. Must Kill Management is a huge problem arising in deer management across the country. A hunter loses focus on drastic complexity of the land and focuses solely on deer. When a single species becomes the focus many other will suffer, and some animals have suffered long enough. We discuss some of the worst practices we find with "Must Kill Management" with this podcast. Remember, just because it's management doesn't make it good! This podcast is meant to open our minds and create positive thinking to look at the land in a new light that lowers stress and creates a more enjoyable time spent afield. #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's podcast, Matt, Kyle, and Frank breakdown the steps it is going to take to convert an under-utilized farm in Kansas into a dynamic wildlife rich property. Currently, these parcels have several key elements to attract, hold and harvest various wildlife game species.On the podcast, we cover topics such as CRP buffers, managing nesting/brood rearing cover for quail, creating corridors for wildlife, timber stand improvements, cattle and grazing contract management, cover crops, soil improvements, water quality, covey headquarter establishment, cedar removal, prescribed fire, and much more. All of these elements with the appropriate layout will turn what appears to be game rich lands into actual dynamic, functional, and income-producing properties. Not every property in Kansas can produce giant deer, however, executing this habitat plan will get them well on their way!Be sure to share this podcast with those who can benefit from maximizing and managing the resources on their lands. Thanks for listening! Enjoy.Learn.Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Edge Feathering has been lost in the weeds for sometime now but it's time you should bring it back. When we look for habitat or land management tools we usually go with the new fad or silver bullet. Hinge cutting has been on the scene for a couple of years now with major publicity, but what if we told you that edge feathering can provide more benefits to more species of animals? You might now believe that statement but let us break down all the benefits of edge feathering for you in the podcast to make you a believer. When we discuss the drastic difference between a person managing for quail and a person managing for deer it comes to no shock that edge feathering is a big part of quail management. Quail management requires a much more intense management plan. A good deer hunting farm doesn't mean great quail hunting, but a great quail hunting farm likely means a great deer hunting farm. We can learn a lot from quail management and if they have a tool to use that's beneficial deer hunters should listen up! We break down how we edge feather, when we do it, and the year round benefits it provides during this podcast. Be careful after listening you will likely want to fire up the chainsaw and get to work! The lost art of feathering the edge is coming back and you don't want to miss out on this awesome habitat management tool! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

One of the goals we have for the podcast is to help land managers prioritize their time. There are so many different ways that land managers can get side-tracked with gimmicks and time-consuming techniques that yield little to poor results. Time is too precious and habitat is too poor for mistakes or idol years in management to occur. Disturbances on the landscape create and manage diversity. For optimization of each acre, follow along with this timely podcast as we layout each technique month by month to keep everyone on track throughout the year. Get out your calendar or pen and paper to follow along with our yearly plan for the land manager. This podcast has been a long time coming, but as we begin to turn over a new year on the calendar, get the most out of your time and property. Prioritizing your tasks and completing them on time will make the impact desire on the landscape. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Late-Season does not at all mean the best part of season has come and went. Some fantastic hunting opportunities are still out there for the taking. This week, we recap an incredible hunt Matt had recently. Two great looking bucks almost squared off at 20 yards in a food plot. This hunt was a great example of the power of quality forage at this time of the year, but also the better harvest opportunities with the aggressive edge feathering completed around this food plot. All the action took place within 20 yards, easy chip shot range if the bucks had another year of age on them. In addition, we review the near gear we tested throughout the hunting season. We provide our honest take, likes and dislikes, on the various gear such as, tree saddles, wool-based clothing system, new rifle cartridges, leather boots, bows and more! The best gear is the kind that doesn't break the bank, but provides reliability. We hope this gives you insight on where and how to spend your resources. Thank you for listening and we wish you a Merry Christmas! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This week's podcast Kyle and Frank go deep into the history of trapping and the complex dynamics of predator-prey relationships. Both Kyle and Frank are experienced trappers and actively trap predators each season, from coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, all the way to beavers and muskrats. With their biological research and extensive landscape management experiences, Kyle and Frank settle the argument of the implications of reducing predator numbers to improve game species such as turkey, whitetail deer, and bobwhite quail. There is not a direct correlation to reducing predator numbers and having prey responded with higher reproduction rates as this relationship is super complex. So with these research results, what does a land manager do to improve reproductive rates? The answer is simple, actively manage the habitat! If you want to evaluate your impact and make the largest positive impact on the property you manage, then devote time to habitat restoration practices. Trapping is fun and a recreational opportunity, but to raise more turkeys and fawns each year, WORK THE HABITAT! Enjoy.Learn.Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Prescribed fire is discussed throughout our podcasts. From the launch of Land & Legacy we always try to discuss the importance of native species and practices that replicate nature's natural cycle. Fire is a huge part of what shaped our environment and prescribed fire is an important management technique that should be implemented if you're in a landscape that historically had fire.Kyle Hedges and Frank Loncarich discuss their views on using this wonderful land management tool and how to implement this on your farm. There are many things about prescribed fire discussed in this podcast, so if you're considering the idea of using fire on your farm you won't want to miss this podcast! What should you expect to see following a dormant season fire versus a growing season fire? How will the wildlife react to the use of prescribed fire? How can you implement this effectively? These are all questions we get asked about the use of prescribed fire and they'll be answered during this podcast! Don't miss it! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, Matt is joined by Kyle and Frank to discuss an important common misunderstanding among hunters. There is a disconnect between hunters and land managers. Often times the amount of hours spent hunting can easily skew the observations and importance of certain habitat features of the critters you are chasing. The factors that influence deer during the fall do not make them persist the months outside of season. Without those vegetation types or components of the habitat, whitetails would not be as present on the landscape or as healthy. This too can be said for the wild turkey and bobwhite quail. Throughout this podcast, we discuss various scenarios in our hunting adventures where our hunting observations could have lead to poor management practices being implemented on the property. This podcast will save you time and serious frustration when managing your land. If we want to make serious change we have to look at the life cycles of each critter and use facts to guide our management practices, not simple hunting observations. If you want to make improvements, you have to know the species inside and out to increase population numbers or increase the health of an existing herd. Enjoy.Learn.Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Yes, you guessed it, late-season deer hunting success with Seth Harker. No this was not over cut corn, a field full of soybeans, or a lush clover field. This hunt started two weeks ago when a familiar buck showed back up to the farm. A large winter flock of turkeys, lead Seth away from the destination food plot and back into the red oaks. Years ago a TSI project was completed in this area that released the black oaks and red oaks in this particular portion of the farm. With a strong crop of red oak acorns this yield, this area was going to be feeding a lot of game species. The flock of turkeys confirmed this and Seth moved in and had one of the most memorable hunts he has had to date just a few days ago during the first week of December. This bully of a buck was sporting 8-inch bases, as it offered Seth a shot after pushing every buck out of the area. This hunt would have been missed by most hunters as early December hunting times falls to the wayside. Yet, December for the prepared and conscious hunter can mean success each and every year. We hope you enjoy this podcast and take the tips to heart. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Land & Legacy Consultants Frank Loncarich and Kyle Hedges headed west this September to chase upland birds in Wyoming and Nebraska. Turn back to the podcast on October 8th to hear about the first part of their hunt with their pursuit of Sage Grouse. On this week's podcast they're discussing their hunt for Sharp Tailed Grouse and Prairie Chickens and what tools they used to make it a successful hunt! When you're hunting on a vast landscape like that of our western states, it can be challenging to find birds close enough to hunt. That's why keying in a specific sights like Prairie Dog towns can help lead to success. ONX hunt app played a huge part in helping them find these Prairie Dog towns that the Prairie Chickens were using as leks. If you're considering a western bird hunt this a podcast you'll want to listen to!Love the idea of heading west to hunt but the cost for an Elk or Mule Deer tag is too expensive? Maybe it's time to plan a western bird, the views are incredible, the hunting is world class, and it's a fraction of the cost! Frank and Kyle are serious hunters of both big game and small game but their scientific approach to hunting and using their knowledge in biology is what leads to freezers filled with wildgame every season. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this week's podcast, we sit down with a client form Southern Missouri to discuss the transformation his property is going through. In February 2018, we toured the 147 acres in South Central Missouri. This father/son duo were eager to begin working on improving the habitat after four years of slow, random, and sparse wildlife encounters. Right out of the gate, we knew the property would present unique access issues as the land lays long and narrow. However, after getting onsite and evaluating the landscape we quickly learned that the features present on the property were extremely versatile. The open acres were situated well with an immense amount of native grasses poking through the abandoned fescue fields. A cedar glade also occupied one hillside, where diversity was waiting to be unveiled with the proper land management practices. Since we developed the plan, this property has flourished. Bedding thickets are now in place offering consistent secure bedding opportunities as well as ample woody browse. The fescue has since been removed and native grasses took its place. As a result, the wildlife sightings and frequency of encounters are through the roof. All this work and opportunity without a single food plot! We hope this podcast puts the value of native habitat restoration into perspective for you. Enjoy.Learn.Share #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Finally, it is here! We have been hinting at this for some time and after many months of development, we are releasing a new service to landowners. This podcast unveils and describes in full detail a new way we are able to assist landowners in managing their property. For many years we have been putting boots on the ground with clients across 27 states by completing in the field consultations. This has been the backbone of our services, but this has also allowed us to survey the country and learn the typical plant communities that occur in each region. This long term research has allowed us to confidently offer Virtual Property Evaluations as a service to those who may not be able to commit to a full consultation. This service will be conducted via online video conferencing software, so we will be able to share screens and accurately guide you to your property goals. This service will assist those looking to get more out of there property, maximize the landscape, improve habitat, develop hunting strategies, and guide people to the right real estate transactions. For more information on this service please visit our website at www.landandlegacy.tv, click the consultation tab, the necessary details are listed there. Be sure to send an email through the website! We are very excited to work with landowners in a new fashion. Everyone is hungry for land management information, so we want to reach as many people as possible sharing valuable information that will produce real results. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Kyle Hedges and Frank Loncarich joined the Land & Legacy team to extend the knowledge and information our company can provide. Both with a long history in land management, they've brought lots of information to this platform, but they're also passionate deer hunters. Kyle Hedges joins us this week to discuss his long history of managing his family farm in southeast Kansas. We're going back to the early 90's when Kyle began the process of land management. Similar to Adam and Matt, Kyle focuses on what's best for the landscape knowing it will improve his hunting also. Unlike the Ozark Mountains of southern Missouri, this part of Kansas is mixed grassland and woodlands. From CRP, prescribed fire, to managing woodlands with timber stand improvement and bedding thickets, Kyle has worked to improve the land and his work is proving successful. Over the years the game populations have risen and fallen but through habitat management, Kyle has been able to increase his carrying capacity and experience more successful hunts. Kyle isn't just a quail biologist, he's a habitat consultant who's ready to help you with your property! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This past week, we stepped out into a different realm most would not picture us in. We took advantage of the 1000's of acres of public land in southwest Missouri open to hunting. These acres are held and managed by the US Forest Service. There are two separate units in this area, one being a Wilderness and the other units being actively managed using prescribed fire and intense TSI. This was the perfect way for us to examine and explore both units to accurately compare preservation versus conservation mindset.It became very clear just a few steps into the wilderness that we chose to hunt during the morning that the habitat was declining rapidly. Without the regular disturbances like fire or grazing, these 13,000 acres should be experiencing, the native grasses and diverse forbs are fading fast. Red cedar is encroaching quickly across the glades and the disappearing woodlands. The understory was full of these diversity robbing trees. In comparison, just across the road, crews have been hired to cut the cedars and follow up with routine prescribed fire. Cedars were few and far between, but the grass components of the glades were healthy, full, and expanding. Shrubs and young forests were regenerating around every turn.During this podcast, you will hear us provide strong evidence to actively manage the property in which you have access too. Without active disturbances to the habitat, you lose the productiveness quickly. Get out with a chainsaw and create something! Don't overthink it, use this podcast as fuel to improve the ground you are responsible for! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

If you have listened and followed along for very long, you know that we often recommend full-scale land management and habitat improvements on each property we visit. This workload can often-times be overwhelming as the projects seem to stack up quickly. Very few times, does the landowner take the wheel, roll up the sleeves, and begin to knock out projects one by one based on time being a limited resource. However, Land & Legacy client, Heath Sutton of Bowling Green, KY has been hard at work and is seeing a complete property transformation in just a few short months. In this podcast, you will hear the recommendations and the follow-up work completed thus far. We visited Heath's property in February of 2019, since then, the land management updates have been nonstop. A complete harvest of the cedar understory has been completed. The cedar harvest was completed by a logging crew and Heath got paid twice for cedar! Be sure to listen to learn how this happened! What remains is a mixed open canopy timber as well as large opening where solid cedar stands once dominated the property. In addition, firebreaks around the boundary of the property have been created. Now the understory is waiting to pop during the spring of 2020. The soon to be flush of native herbaceous cover and forage in the understory will drastically increase the carrying capacity of game animals such as wild turkey and deer. Down the road prescribed fire will be easily implemented on the property as well as access treestand locations. In addition, Heath has been hard at work at addressing the invasive species such as Japanese Stilt Grass. We hope this example of a client getting to work right away will increase your desire to improve the habitat and landscape where you hunt! Enjoy.Learn.Share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Trying to manage a property to maximize your hunting success sounds like an easy thing to do! To anyone who's ever owned or managed a farm knows it's way more complicated than that. This week we're joined by three Land & Legacy clients who we've worked with to improve the habitat on their farm not only for deer but many other animals as well. It's a podcast you don't want to miss as you hear some results they've had in only a short time. What do you think a deer would prefer more during the winter, woody browse from a recently fallen tree or a pile of whole corn? The answer may surprise you! What do you believe is more beneficial to game birds like Northern Bobwhite Quail or Pheasants? Mike in Northern Missouri had a major project recently that lead to him watching his first pheasant using his farm. Lastly Adam asks the questions he's been using a lot lately about the power of young forest and quality cover. Would you spend more time creating food plots or cutting in quality cover in your timber? We cover a range of topics this week but as any of our guests can share, habitat improvement is the best way to reach the goals you're hoping to reach! Timber Stand Improvement, Grassland restoration, Temporary Forest Openings, can all prove to be dynamite on your farm. #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Every deer season is a learning experience and for Adam and Chad it's a great reminder of just how far it has come. Not many people are blessed with the ability to have a family farm and a long-term lease next to each other, but it's given them the ability to watch the deer herd change as well as the size of the bucks calling their farm home. Unfortunately it took much longer than expected! Over the years people preached food plots were key, but they found that to be inaccurate. With recent large scale changes to their management they've seen changes happen fast! Managing and hunting a home farm does require different tactics than you may see used on outdoor television. Patience is key, playing it safe and reminding yourself it's a marathon not a sprint. Frustrations and slow hunts could tempt a hunter to want to dive into a spot where they know deer frequent but it could lead to slow hunts the remainder of the season. This is a mindset that will allow your farm to hunt fresh from September to January. One thing is for certain through this podcast. If you're entire property is close canopy forest with little diversity and you're looking for better hunting, it's time to make a change. Food plots are an awesome tool in your hunting arsenal but changing the direction of your deer herd starts with habitat management. #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, we chat with Land & Legacy contributor Seth Harker. Seth is a life-long resident of Southern Missouri and has taken his fair share of mature whitetails in the area. The story and hunt for a buck named Whiplash is one that starts several years ago. On a recent rut hunt, Seth completed the story by arrowing this 157 2/8th inch bruiser. During the podcast, we will chat about the years of development and details that lead to the recent harvest of Whiplash. You will hear how critical it is to record and catalog trail camera images once a solid deer has been noted. Watch the range and patterns develop over the years to make the strategic game plan. Habitat improvements like clear-cutting can decrease the range of an individual buck of interest just like it did for Whiplash. Even during the rut, deer can be patterned! It is important to take notice of these patterns that develop so you can replicate the success that Seth just experienced. Being patient and diligent will kill target deer. Don't glaze over the details during this time of the year. Now is when you take notice of patterns to fill tags for next season. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

With each passing week, the rut closes in. We've been studying hard the daily updates from the Cuddelink System. We aren't just looking for where deer are located, but more importantly, what are they doing. Behavior and wind are two of the biggest predictors of stand selection for us at this time of the year. We closely monitor the intensity of movement by the trail camera images as well as our in the field observations. At this point of the season, we have located two main pockets of antlerless deer, these does are still very grouped up and devouring a destination food resource. So at this point, the preliminary chasing has begun, but the full chase and seeking phase is quickly approaching. As this timeframe closes in, we are expecting more time in the stand in hopes of encountering one of our top deer. We encourage you to monitor the deer and their behavior on the places you hunt closely as well. Don't let the good information be missed. Use this to your advantage as you choose stands to hunt or begin to get aggressive in your hunting locations. Make those calculated decisions by monitoring the rut accurately. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast