Land & Legacy - Habitat + Hunting

It's hard not to be romantic about managing and improving a farm. After all this land could be apart of your legacy. Imagine the idea that one day your kids or grandkids could benefit from the work you've done on your farm. Sounds exciting right?! Bad news though, silver bullets are often "gone like the wind." They have no lasting impact on the land, so if you're focusing on food plots, feeders, trapping, mineral, your work will only have short term gain. We base our management off of using God's template for land management and ensure we use natural disturbances to promote healthy ecosystems. Imagine your kids hearing the sound of Bobwhite Quail Whistling in a restored pine savanna that you completed with a plan of attack and the grit to complete? It's an amazing thought to have. Now, stop thinking about it and go do it!

During this week's podcast, we hit a subject that some landowners are all too familiar with, poor hunting. No one wants to have to endure a season of poor success, spooking deer, and observations from afar. After a consulting visit to Virginia, Matt worked on a farm that had executed a previous plan and had begun to offer some quality habitat that was diverse. They were managing a farm intentionally, but the previous plan didn't involve any hunting strategy. This was a missing element that was key for the landowner's objectives. So this week, we discuss how critical it is to plan out a hunting strategy prior to executing habitat management. Without access and wind direction in mind, quality habitat becomes less useful. We have to keep in mind and make room for secure areas to hold deer, transition areas to encourage daylight movement, but also destination food plots that are huntable. The movement of wildlife and the spatial arrangement of certain habitat features in a property design is the difference between having wildlife and successfully being able to hunt them. Execution is key, but prior to executing, a proper planning session is always necessary!

We're breaking down all the latest work completed at the Keith farm, better known as "The Whistling Woodlands!" Over the last few months we've completed more Glade restoration, brush management, riparian tree planting with over 1300 trees, and some screening with evergreens, switchgrass, and shrubs. A lot is changing on the farm in a short amount of time. Now here's your chance, we're only taking a select number of hunters but we're offering two turkey hunts and four deer hunts in 2022. This will be a consult as well as a hunt, hunting in the mornings and viewing the property and learning techniques during the afternoons! Nothing has ever been offered like this before so don't miss it! Come and hunt with us!

This week we are joined by Travis Sumner of NWTF. Travis among many other jobs at NWTF manages the NWTF property at their headquarters in Edge Field, SC. This property has been transformed and is really taking shape with the strict management techniques that they deploy across the property. In recent years, the property has entered into a new phase of land management. The heavy lifting or implementation phase has transitioned into more maintenance of the quality habitat that exists. The property is now diverse, time to keep it that way! Travis shares his stories about how they got here and the joy that comes with arriving at the maintenance phase of a project like this! We hope you enjoy this podcast and share it with your hunting buddies!

For several years the talk of the town is about wild turkeys and the decline many people are experiencing across the country. The reasons and factors influencing this are long. However, predators seem to be the easy button for a lot of folks! With this, people try to defend their position and end up using old and poorly executed research to make their claims seem more relevant and influential. However, today, we call their bluff. If we care about wild turkeys, we need real information that will create change! At Land & Legacy, we take the practical, impactful, and functional way to solve natural resource-related issues! Let's take the steps moving forward, not ones that just make us feel good.

During this podcast, you will hear from two die-hard hunters! They reside in Arkansas and they know a thing or two about managing the land. At the foundation, however, they are passionate users of the wild turkey resource. The most important thing to consider is them as hunters on a mission, just like Adam, Matt, Frank, Kyle, and Chainsaw Chad. We all wear many different hats, no matter who you work for or what your role is in land management, private or public! We hope you enjoy this REAL conversation about turkey hunting and the future of turkey management.

It's all the craze, everyone wants to learn how to use prescribed fire. It's the most underutilized but effective tool a land manager can use. This week we sit down at the NWTF Show with Lake Pickle from Primos to discuss ways they intend to up their management game when it comes to land they hunt in the central Mississippi. Many others are in the same boat ask Lake Pickle and the Primos Team, they want to learn but are afraid to take the leap of putting flame on the ground. It's time that we all rally around solid information about using the technique. Link arms with neighbors, friends and form a wildlife co-op to use this prescribed fire as your disturbance regime on your recreational property.

Ever wondered how to utilize EQIP or other cost-share programs to improve your land? This we sit down with the folks from National Forestry Initiative. This is a collaborative effort of NWTF and the NRCS to bring more trained foresters into the area to assist landowners in completing forestry management plans and cost-share practices. Wise forestry practice and forestry health are critical for wild turkeys. As NWTF has seen forest health decline as the average timber ages on the stump, they took action and decided to increase the opportunity for landowners seeking help in property management. We hope you enjoy this step-by-step process of getting cost-share dollars to work for you on your own property and increase the quality of habitat that you can offer on your property!

This podcast is upfront and honest about the ways we all can be UNITED in the management of the wild turkey and its resources. For years now researchers like Dr. Mike Chamberlain and his colleagues have been doing their best to pinpoint reasons for the decline many folks have been seeing of the wild turkey. We know more now than we did 5 years ago, so we are we still seeing declines, why aren't we collaboratively joining in the fight and making the necessary changes. There are a lot of factors that are contributing to the wild turkey decline, which means that are many different ways we can all contribute, so in this podcast, we break down the role that State Game agencies play, public land managers, hunters or conservationists, and landowners. Most everybody will fall into one of these categories and we clearly define what each group can do. With a united front and action taken, we can reverse the direction of the wild turkey. We hope you enjoy the podcast, please share with those who are ready to take action!

During this podcast, we chat with Garret Armstrong of Whitetail Properties. Garret serves the western Iowa region within the state. In addition to being a productive real estate agent selling land, he is a passionate hunter and landowner. His insight into the state is extremely valuable as he discloses the secrets to hunting whitetails in Iowa as a nonresident. The most sought-after locations within the state have often been narrowed down to zones 4 and 5. These are great regions, but they do not favor the nonresident as it takes 4-5 years to hunt them with a bow. However, Zone 3 offers hunting opportunities every other year. So, a nonresident can hunt their farm twice as much if that farm resides in Zone 3. It just so happens, that collectively, we can offer that exact opportunity. Garrett is now offering a Land & Legacy managed farm near Castana, IA which lies in Zone 3. If you are interested, please contact Garret Armstrong!

This week, we lay the groundwork for some great content coming soon to the Land & Legacy Podcast. Chainsaw Chad is co-hosting this Wild Turkey series with Matt as they interview many folks from different land management perspectives across the country. We encourage everyone to stay open-minded as they listen to this series. If we are all going to learn and do the best for our natural resources, we are going to have to work together to accomplish it and do so, unitedly. We also need call on all private landowners, it's our shoulders where the bulk of this load is being carried. The wild turkey is our resource to manage, so let's do it with pride and passion as we walk in step with one another. Be ready for some great interviews with many different professionals! We hope you enjoy the content and education. --

Do you ever wonder how to create a more diverse property or even question what that actually means? During this podcast, we create a road map of how to layer diversity into your property. This will give you a strong foundation on how to identify ways that you can improve your own property. Or, this can be used as a buyer's guide to making sure they buy the best farm possible. The most productive hunting properties are the most diverse in any given area. We first start out by identifying the biotic and abiotic features of a property. This is the start or foundation that the rest of the podcast is built upon. The other factors of layering diversity into a property include topography, soils, terrain features, elevation, plant communities, and then disturbance regimes. Don't worry, although this is a heavy podcast, we spend time on each subject to explain in detail how it impacts your success and the frequency of game animals using your property. Don't miss this podcast, we drop some knowledge bombs that will take your understanding of the land and natural resources to a much deeper understanding. Enjoy, Learn, Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this episode of the Land & Legacy podcast, we break down the connection between our business and Whitetail Properties. It's pretty easy to see that we both serve landowners across the country, but there is a deeper connection and it starts with humble beginnings. You will hear two different interviews during this podcast. We speak with one of the owners of Whitetail Properties Paul Sawyer to discuss why and how the company got started. This interview may surprise you, this company has grinded from the start to position itself at the top of the recreational real estate business. In addition, we speak with the marketing Director Alex Gyllstrom to hear about the future of the company and how it relates to Land & Legacy. This combination takes two companies that have a clear vision of their future and aims to maximize the landownership experience for hunters across the country. This goal is big, however, with our strengths together it is achievable. #ForLoveoftheLand

From the swamps of Georgia to the mountains of Virginia to the salt rivers of western Oklahoma, we've put the miles on lately. Each property has a whole new set of obstacles to improve the land and habitat for wildlife but we're always happy to find the tools and techniques to help the landowner reach their goals. What do you do with an 11 month growing season in the south? How do you control the over growth and maintain a landscape thats diverse and manageable? How do you utilize a property with shear cliffs around the farm making navigation almost impossible? We cover all these challenges and more this week!

Almost every farm has one, it's that place you planted in a food plot years back that you stopped planting for many reasons. It sits along the road to your favorite stand but you stopped planting because it wouldn't grow well. It's that little opening in the timber that you never gave much attention too and it's mostly grass. These areas spread across the United States and could offer huge potential to landowners if they managed them correctly. We're going to discuss the management of these areas, the concept behind them and why they should be on your farm! Remember, turkeys and quail need more disturbance than deer and it's important that we offer areas like that on our farm. Check out this podcast to hear us unpack the concept of wildlife openings.

Which weather forecast is better for trapping raccoons and possums and which is better for trapping coyotes, bobcats, and foxes? Don't know? you'll want to tune into this podcast! Which brand of dog proof trap is best for catching raccoons, and possums? Don't know? Be sure to listen to this podcast. Kyle is sharing his techniques for successful trap lines that he's used for years to try and remove predators on the landscape. From favorite traps, to lures, to coyote sets he shares it all! We also cover the new trapping changes possibly coming to Missouri and we discuss other states with similar seasons and if it yielded higher turkey numbers.

This will likely be one of our best podcasts in awhile! No offense to the previous and the future podcasts but Dr. Bronson Strickland covers one of our favorite research projects we've ever read about. Isn't the dream for all whitetail deer managers that you could take your small deer and small antlered deer and turn them into bigger deer? We cover it here this week. It's not as easy as it may seem but through this research it gave hope to guys like us managing in an overlooked part of the world due to the sheer small sizes of the deer. This is generational not yearly changes, this isn't just culling inferior bucks, this is complex but more simple than you might think! Now, even with all this management and changes in the habitat we still have to worry about dispersal and we're ultimately giving our deer everything they can have to send the yearling bucks packing to our neighbors right?! Not so fast! We have an idea! https://extension.msstate.edu/sites/default/files/publications/publications/p3013.pdf

What if we told you that the way you're managing your farm is better for predators and not for prey? What if we said your timber looks like you're trying to increase raccoon numbers? What if we said your fields are better for egg eaters and not successful egg hatches? There are many ways to manage for predators on your farm! The most common technique landowners use to manage for predators is through trapping, but there are other ways to do it!This week Adam, Frank, and Kyle discuss ways to manage your habitat that can help decrease the usability of predators. This could be grazing with livestock, to burning, to removing large snag trees, these practices all have an impact on animals you may not want on your farm. Stay tuned to hear what techniques you should be using.

In this week's episode, we catch up with Kyle Hedge, Land & Legacy consultant, who spends a day working in Southeast Kansas. This consultation like many provided some unique opportunities to improve the habitat. There were plenty of surprises along the way that Kyle discovers on the site visit that alter the future plans of the farm.Like many recreational farms, this property has some great pinch points and funnels that dissect the farm, as well as a great river corridor. Hunting the property is not difficult, however, these landowners wanted to make the property and natural resources more attractive to wildlife. Success is great, but being a land steward on top of hunting success is a goal we should all strive for.Kyle reviews with us in detail the plans he has to make this happen for the client. He is going to develop a road map or blue-prints for them to follow and execute. These new landowners will have plenty of work to keep them busy, but many memories to create along the way.

After a week of consulting in Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kansas the Land & Legacy team has some great insights to share from these farms. In addition, we discuss one of the principles of land management that Land & Legacy applies to every property, that is ecosystem mindset. To explain further, we aren't here to only apply half of the habitat management techniques that any given property should have. Each technique builds upon itself so that once the plan is in place the results should grow exponentially. Old field management has a different role than a wood lot that has been thinned and burned or a food plot edge that has been edge feathered. With all of these techniques in place, they support one another like an ecosystem. They all improve the property and not one is the sole reason for more success. When you start the improve the land, go ALL in! Think bigger and treat your property like an ecosystem for the most success!

It's January and traps are in the field during this time of the year. There is no doubt that many people are considering the idea of trapping predators to assist prey species such as quail, wild turkeys, and whitetail deer. During this podcast, we break down the biggest predator threats to these game species. We go into detail about who is consuming the prey and if trapping is a viable option to make a difference in the prey species. Kyle Hedges a Land & Legacy consultant brings his extensive knowledge of trapping and biology to the table. We use documented and peer-reviewed research to highlight the key points throughout the discussion. Our goal with this podcast is to discuss the relationship between predators and prey. There is nothing direct in this relationship. It is complicated and complex, we do our best to highlight this through unbiased discussion. Stay tuned for more on predators and the habitat they utilize during next week's podcast. We will discuss ways to make your property less inviting to predator species!

Sit back and enjoy another fantastic guest discussing a new food plot management technique that requires low inputs. There is a method to the madness that you will discover when we speak with agronomist and crop consultant Mitt Wardlaw. Mitt shares his thoughts on the ways to fight high inflation food plots that we discussed last week on the podcast. His insight and knowledge on costs and planning for expenses to get the most out of the soil are impressive. In addition, we go into detail regarding his time and expense-saving food plot regime. Despite planting grain crops, Mitt is able to have great yields, low weed pressure by only planting the right seed at the appropriate times. He uses plant growth characteristics to make the most out of his plot. For every crop of corn he plants, he will follow up with three legume crops to feed the soil. Balansa clover is an annual variety that helps fight weed control and rejuvenate the soil. To learn more, be sure to download this podcast and share it with your friends. We will be watching who shares the podcast, we got some giveaways for you!

As the calendar turns to 2022, it is a great time to set new goals, expectations, and refuel to make the most out of your recreational land during 2022. The best is yet to come if you plan accordingly and devote your extra time to learning about natural resource management. During this podcast, we take a scroll back through the archives. We relive some of the best or most downloaded podcasts from Land & Legacy. These podcasts were toe-crunching truths regarding land management. They set a tone for landowners. They encourage new thoughts or paradigm shifts to previous ideas regarding how to manage a recreational property. This podcast is going to give you the best of hits to download again so that you can set yourself up for success during 2022. Be intentional and decisive when making decisions about how to improve your property.

Ready or not the high-priced food plots are coming. The price of herbicide, fertilizer, freight, and seed is here. Food plot planting during 2022 is going to look different and expensive, so necessary precautions should be taken. Prior planning is essential so you don't break the bank. We cover four main ways to not fall victim to paying the high price for inputs this year. First, we discuss the ways to cut herbicide usage. Secondly, we explain the role that perennial plots like the Revival blend from Stratton Seed is an eleven-month crop for many portions of the country. It also does not need to be planted annually, this crop should last 6-7 years. The third option is to consider allowing some food plots to go fallow for a year. Lastly, we discuss how producing food for wildlife doesn't have to be in the form of food plots. Native vegetation should play an even larger role moving forward on your recreational property. Please share this message with other landowners so they can plan food plots properly for 2022 and beyond.

2022 has started out with a big surprise for those who follow along with Land & Legacy. We have started a new podcast feed and what to invite everyone to subscribe and follow along. In addition, we have a new partner to unveil! Throughout the years of Land & Legacy, real estate has always been a part of what we do and how we present information. Therefore it only makes sense to have a strong relationship with Whitetail Properties Real Estate. This partnership is going to be a big opportunity for those who enjoy video content as well. You will see Land & Legacy hosting many of the videos on LandBeat. Check out the content on social media and Youtube. We are excited for what the future holds and how each of you can be more of a part of it. We ask that you assist us helping share the new podcast feed with your friends and family.

Looking back over the year it's easy to think the work list did not get completed as hoped but when you put it all on paper you might feel very accomplished! Chainsaw Chad and Adam are working through the previous year at the Whistling Woodlands. We started the year with the initial purchase of the property and immediately hit the ground running with projects. Over the course of 11 months we were able to restore a glade, improve some old fields, create more food plots, add water holes and many other projects. This is a product of having a plan and sticking to it! Prioritizing your projects is one of the biggest ways to cut time and make things happen! #Forloveoftheland Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We hear about property goals every day. Most folks want to harvest mature deer or the biggest deer the neighborhood produces. This goal has a flaw and we address that flaw in this week's podcast. To shoot mature deer, you have to produce them. Ask yourself, does your property produces mature deer on a regular basis? Most folks who answer this honestly would say, no or not as many as I would like. Imagine if you could take your same property and increase the ability to produce 2-4 mature deer every year as opposed to one occasionally. The secret sauce here beyond trigger control is to create a secure environment. A secure environment is based on the density of cover offered at ground level. If you don't have it, then the chances of producing mature deer annually drastically decrease. There is no substitute here! If you want to shoot older deer, keep it simple, make more of them! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

For years the hunting industry has developed strategies and products for hunters to be more effective. There has been some great information shared along the journey. This information has really been a more defensive approach detailing the ways to intercept the movement of specific animals at precise times. This podcast reveals how many recreational owners have only been playing with half a strategy. A defense-only approach is like operating a farm at 50% productivity. We are here to share how to play offense with land management. Knowing how to manipulate the wildlife within certain areas is a huge advantage. However, the real advantage comes when the defense knows the plays the offense is going to run ahead of time. There is not a game you cannot win when you know the playbook or have created the playbook yourself. We want to stress the importance of how to win and reach your goals. The strategy lies in designing and knowing both the offense and defense of your specific property. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This trip has been one that has been developing for several years. We have built a great relationship with very generous and passionate landowners in Western Iowa. After the invite was made Matt drew the lucky straw to hunt Iowa during the second shotgun season. In October the group worked together to close on a 137-acre farm that had some serious deer already on the farm. We've been in the process of developing a plan on this farm through the fall but now was the time to see how the deer moved for ourselves. During the second shotgun season, the weather was warm, but the deer were moving well at last light. The right buck stepped out into the field with one minute to spare. This buck was a great representative of what western Iowa is capable of producing. But, we expect more and will see this farm develop even more in the coming months and years. It is a true dream to work on a farm with this foundation of habitat. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Have you been plagued by poor planning and execution of land management practices? Do you regret your decision to add a food plot in that location? These are all common but avoidable situations. We see many land improvement practices fall victim to poor planning or haphazard reactionary land management. When considering your impact on the land, you need to have serious forethought. Ask yourself, how will this impact deer now and in the future? To learn how to avoid costly mistakes and become more efficient, give this podcast a listen. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Timber management is a huge part of wildlife management. However it seems there is a common disconnect with the purpose or intent of managing the timbered acres on your hunting property. Thinning around mast trees and removing weed trees is great, but it doesn’t stop there. You should be more concerned with the response from the understory. That’s where the wildlife make a living. Manage for the mast to be a bonus and the understory to feed. That will be the most productive timber you can create and manage. This podcast is great for those who are about to embark on timber management this winter!! Time to crank of the chainsaws. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Imagine owning 160 acres but still living two and a half hours away! How would you go about making an impact on the landscape with limited time? Now imagine owning that farm, finding the time to do the work, and now it's hunting season, how do you come up with a game plan and have success at filling tags? Does this sound like your farm? Make sure you tune in to hear how our very own Kyle Hedges makes this happen? Making the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time possible is a big problem many landowners face, including Kyle. WIth a game plan in place and utilizing natural disturbance and chainsaws it's easy to make it all come together! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

When you own the secure cover in the neighborhood, you own deer during daylight hours. This creates more opportunities for hunting and encountering mature deer on a more regular basis. There are not any huge secrets here. In order to get dense cover you have to cut trees!In this podcast, we discuss with Brady Bradley the best ways to cut in bedding units. Brady works with us on clients. farms to implement bedding cuts. Brady has cut in many acres! Trees tremble when he arrives. During this podcast, you will learn the finer points on how to implement this strategy. To top it all off, Brady killed a great buck this season by hunting in close proximity to a bedding thicket. These success stories just keep coming, so we are going to continue sharing ways that you can also be successful. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Grab your pens and paper, because you are getting ready to learn on this podcast with Dr. Marcus Lashley. We take a deep dive into the production, selection preferences of red versus white oaks, and forage habitats of whitetail deer regarding mast production. Just like most things in life, once you learn a little, you are left with more questions versus answers. For years hunters have placed more significance on the white oak acorn over the red acorn. This isn't often debated, more accepted, however, that is nonsense. There is more to learn about these little nuggets of fat than we thought. Acorn viability is there determining factor in the timing of foraging. What about fall burning, how does that impact selection of mast species? Well, we discuss this as well during the podcast. Come to this podcast with an open mind! The foraging behavior of whitetail deer is just incredible, so land managers and deer hunters need to pay attention and learn how to make the most of this quality information. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

After enjoying the conversation on the other podcast this week with Dr. Marcus Lashley so much, we felt it was best to further unpack why this information is significant and how it can be applied to your land. With every guest and topic, we do, this is the question we want to address and answer as plainly as possible. So Matt and Adam spend an hour discussing with you the ways we can be more productive and set up farms in relation to acorn mast-producing trees. How do we hunt based on this information is another question we answer during this podcast recap. Of course, we do address the question of which acorn is more impactful to deer, red or white? We hope you enjoy this podcast and take the information to heart! Time to make our land the best it can be! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

It's always time to get to work improving habitat, even during the rut! On this week's podcast Matt and Adam discuss all the work they've been working on during October and November and also lay out the work for the coming weeks. From Food plot creation, timber thinning, invasive species control, and old field management we cover it all! Remember the work has to be done, and it can get done, but knowing when to do it is crucial! If the cool season grasses aren't sprayed this fall, then they'll need to be sprayed next spring when it's time to burn. Don't Underestimate the power of good planning and the ability to get work done now, and not waiting till this winter. We also discuss the herd management and recent hunts that have occurred at the Woodlands and Elim Ridge. #Forloveoftheland Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

One of our goals is to try and simplify the learning curve and process for landowners who are interested in getting the most out of their recreational land. Not everyone has the time or devote hours to learning about natural resource management. One simple phrase that we've put together is cut, burn, repeat! This is as simple as it gets and still will yield results, and Mike Hinkle joins us this week to testify. Mike has been managing a farm in North Missouri intensely for about 5 years now. Over the course of this time, he has seen some drastic changes in his farm. He has cut the timber and burned! Mike put in temporary forest openings, edge feathered, and completed several TSI projects, then he followed up with prescribed fire. Mike has done this all the while being a nonresident over 10 hours away. This is not easy! In addition, Mike has harvested three mature bucks, two over 160 inches off this farm in the last two seasons. To say this is working is an understatement. We hope you will join us for this great testimonial. Working the land and being intentional when you do it is important if you want results. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Are there really secrets left in deer management? The answer is no, but we still have lots left to figure out. One aspect of deer management that seems to be forgotten is the idea of overall herd management. Hunters seem to divide the deer population into two segments and treat them separately despite them being the same animal. We can’t expect to consistently grow above average bucks in a given sea in stressful conditions. Nothing and no one does well under stress, yet many hunters allow deer herds to become stressed in relation to population dynamics and the carrying capacity. We’ve got to manage the natural resource and find the balance or harmony with the land to reach an optimal state that produces giant deer annually. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We all start out with the best of intentions when it comes to the work we want to accomplish on a property. We create our own to - do lists while hunting but then sit an wonder where the time went and why only half the work got done. There are tons of tools available to help manage work, however we recommend using OnX Hunt! This tool now allows you to create layers and folders to store information, waypoints, shape file, etc. So our pro-tip is to take the to-do list you’ve created and block out each unit you want to work but then sort them in folders based on each month. Only focus on the work you’ve added to the folder for the month you are in. So in March you should only be working on March projects. Stay on track and on task! That will get you more improved land quickly! Use the code Land&Legacy20 to save yourself on a yearly subscription! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simpleast

Even in great neighborhoods with a history of giant bucks can use a little work, and in many cases a lot of work! Aaron Woodward, a Land & Legacy client, with a farm in southeastern Kansas has been working to improve his farm for several years now. Back in 2019 Adam and Kyle visited his farm to help advise a plan to improve the habitat for deer, turkeys and quail, and the farm has been getting better and better!Between bedding thickets, timber stand improvement, invasive species control, and crp establishment, the farm is setting up to be an incredible farm. On this particular hunt Aaron utilizes the habitat work he's done to place himself in the hot seat for an incredible November hunt! #Forloveoftheland Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

How's your rutcation going? Do you look forward to the rut on your property or despise it? What does that say about your property and the management of the natural resources? We are here this week to break it down in detail as we compare and contrast two different farms and two different rut hunting experiences. Farms with highly managed habitat can be incredible places to hunt during any time of the year, but those with a proper layout and distribution of dense cover are exciting to say the least! In comparison, those farms with no definition of the habitat or very few pinch points can spell disaster for a deer hunter during the rut. In other words, the rut is your litmus test for your recreational property. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This week we share with you a story from a client named Patrick Stewart. His family owns property in Kentucky that they have been hunting and managing for years. With mild success over the course of ownership they new they wanted more and should be experiencing it. So, they called us and we got to work developing a plan. This podcast confirms the need for clear direction and plans for moving forward. Dabbling in habitat management only gets your back sore. Cranking up the dial of intensity gets results. That is what Patrick Stewart did during the of season. Now we get to hear how it paid off on his third sit of the archery season! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this weeks podcast we re-tell the story of a buck named Goofy. Adam was fortunate to harvest this buck with a bow on his second sit for Goofy. That was not by accident! The story takes some twists and turns, but follow along with us to learn about the game plan that was developed to intercept this unique mature buck. There is no surprise why he was using the area of the farm like he was, but the hunt setup and grunting used to seal the deal was special! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Bowhunting can be difficult, it's all about minimizing the risk of failure. However, even after a fatal shot is made, this does not mean you will recover the deer. Have you ever bumped a deer? What about lost blood along the trail? In this podcast, we discuss the ways we approach recovering an animal that ensures a calculated, slow, and, steady pace. This is the best way to avoid common but costly mistakes. A good way to describe a safe approach to recovering a deer is to be cautiously pessimistic. When you are on the blood trail, you need to stay calm, move slow, and be on the hunt for any clue left behind. Many times, the trail is taken up too quickly. This alerts the deer and causes the trail of clues to diminish when if simply left alone, the deer would have expired in their first bed. Don't rush into the track job. Rewind the shot in your mind, ask youself the following questions and answer honestly, Was the deer broadside? Was the deer on edge? Was the shot wise? What was the reaction? Was it a pass-through? Was the angle too extreme? Where did the arrow exit? Did you hear the deer fall? The answers here will guide you to know when and how to take up the blood trail. If you've ever lost a deer, this podcast requires your ear. Learn about our guidelines for tracking deer. This podcast is packed with lots of great tidbits on finding your wounded deer, give it a listen and share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This is a loaded question! We do our best to unpack it this week during the podcast of where to buy hunting property. As with any big decision in life, there are certain pros and cons that should be weighed out. This decision to look for recreational property in a proven big buck-killing neighborhood or to buy in an unknown area is a highly debated one. During this podcast, we discuss several different scenarios that a land buyer would find themselves in. But we also discuss how important it is to understand the neighborhood or surrounding area before you buy a property for hunting. A proven neighborhood means deer got big there once, but does it mean that the success is sustainable? Another question we address is, how many nonresident landowners make up the neighborhood, is there enough to do total herd management? In the case of starting your own co-op or neighborhood, it is important to start larger than smaller. The road may be longer, but it could have a few more speed bumps along the way as relationships and expectations develop within an area. To find out what scenario is best, download and give this podcast a share! Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Sure we all know and accept that deer like acorns, tender leaves, and "food plots". But, that is an elementary understanding of what deer actually eat. When you dive deeper into the annual foraging needs, the metabolic process, and availability of resources, you take your understanding of deer and their requirements to a new level. Everyone always wants to talk about the protein content of the latest and greatest feed they put down on the ground, but protein isn't all that deer seek. Other elements like calcium, phosphorus, boron, etc... all play a role in the deer's diet. They don't receive these various micronutrients by eating the same plant, food plot blend, or feed you put on the ground every day. When you begin to explore this deeper, you find that the foraging behavior and nutrient needs follow what is naturally produced on the landscape. So to meet these needs let's first understand on a deeper level, how nature works. This week we discuss the role of forbs, woody browse, browse, hard mast, soft mast, grasses, and fungi. Do not miss this podcast! This is critical to understand if you want to grow healthier, bigger, or more deer. Give this podcast a listen and a share! Land & Legacy is powered by Simple Cast.

Big deer only grow where crops are grown! Wrong! That's been the commonly accepted answer after a quick evaluation of the Boone and Crocket entries map. That is a very surface-level takeaway from that map. When you study that map and begin to think, I don't live in crop country, you may say to yourself, can I really expect to shoot big deer? The answer is yes, and the route to achieve that is not to bring the crops to your less productive soils. The answer is to not conform to the overall landscape management practices that your area is conducting. If you live in pasture country, don't manage pastures in the commonly accepted way. If you live in timber country, manage your timber differently. The B&C map shows us that the areas with fewer entries is not the way to grow big deer, it suggests different management approaches must be taken in those areas. Don't settle for less when you can change your management style to meet the needs of deer to reach optimization for your hunting property. Land & Legacy is powered by Simple Cast.

Have you harvested a buck yet? Are you waiting for the rut to hunt or the cooler days in the forecast? If so, this podcast was designed for you to learn how you can get ahead of everyone else and the upcoming growing season. What you do now, has the ability to set you apart! Cool-season grasses when they are out of place can be the enemy of quality habitat. However, we are entering a great time to tackle that grass head-on. A timely herbicide application will terminate the grass ahead of winter. This give you plenty of time to have the area burned off and prepared ahead of the growing season in 2022. In addition, we share some great insight from a recent consulting trip comparing bottomland acres to upland sites. Don't miss out on the information to turn your property into a wildife paradise. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

After a successful podcast last week, we need to complete the comparison podcast to build upon the importance of having your priorities in order for your property. Last week we discussed a timber-dominated 320-acre property. This week, we discuss a 35-acre property that is roughly 50% open and 50% timber. Various habitat techniques will be used, but not as important as the order in which techniques get accomplished. One of the biggest resources we can give to a property is not financial, it's time. Therefore, how you spend your time really matters. This resource is often thought of as secondary, but it's not. Quality habitat work can be accomplished when you have time to implement it. So listen up on how to properly tackle an intensive approach to maximize wildlife habitat on 35 acres. Be sure to give this a listen and a share! #ForLoveoftheLand Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, Matt and Adam discuss a successful archery hunt Adam had recently over a plot of Heritage Blend. Although this hunt was a great success and we share the details, it is a reminder to be successful in overall property management, you cannot drop the ball on herd management. We see it time and time again, great farms that do some of the best habitat work fall victims to focusing ONLY on the top 1% of the deer herd. If this is what you've done as well, then you are missing out on optimizing your deer herd and property. You cannot manage a herd well by only focusing on one or two older age-class bucks, it's not management, it's neglect. Those are strong words, but truthful ones. Bucks will get bigger anywhere in the country when does numbers are balanced. To learn more about the crazy details of this doe hunt and to better understand antlerless deer numbers, give this podcast a listen. Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast