Hunt The Land: Recent Episodes
huntingtheland
Focused on habitat management, bowhunting, public land hunting and more. This is a podcast for those who love learning more about deer, habitat management, and hunting! Music: http://www.purple-planet.com
This week we are talking about our recent deer hunting roadtrips to Ohio and Arizona on OTC tags!
Mark and Luke join us from southern Arizona to talk about there over-the-counter mule deer archery hunt in progress. They have been seeing lots of mule deer, coues deer, hunter, javelina, and cacti!
This week Moriah is telling the story of his recent successful deer hunt on public land. Last week's episode we discussed red oak hunting strategies and they produced a big Indiana buck this week!
This week we are talking about recent hunt over one of the most overlooked late season food sources, red oak acorns! We have stories to tell of encounters with bucks and shots fired!
Moriah drew a rare Gila National Forest rifle elk tag for unit 16A. In this episode we tell the day by day story of the hunt and how we killed a good bull in three days!
This week on the show Mark shares how his TN deer season turned around in the blink of an eye. Mature buck down in TN!
It has been an eventful last few weeks and on this episode Mark shares stories from his 2020 NC buck and doe, as well as his first TN doe!
We are finally back with weekly podcast posting! This episode is all about opening day in Indiana and a successful bow hunt off the ground!
Joining us today is fellow Mississippi hunter John Zimmerman to discuss ghillie suits for bowhunting. John tells us how to build a custom low-cost ghillie suit at home along with some tips for customizing it to your needs. We then discuss the success John has had using his ghillie suit to get within bow range of deer on the ground!
The Untamed video on building a ghillie suit
When you kill a deer far from the truck it can be a daunting task to get it out. Over the last few years of public land deer hunting the South and hunting the West we have developed a quick clean system for quartering deer in the field and packing them out. In this podcast we discuss the gear you need and walk you through the process!
We are answering listener questions on this show about various subjects around hunting like clover food plot establishment, deer sexual segregation, and of course...how we approach emergencies of the fecal kind while hunting.
This week we are discussing fall food plot plantings. Specifically we cover what you should plant, how tow plant it, and when to plant it.
How old is he? A common question after killing a buck or when deciding whether to shoot him. Today we are discussing the three most commonly used methods for aging deer: tooth wear and replacement, cementum annuli, and aging on the hoof. We share how these methods were developed and what the current body of scientific literature says about their accuracy. See cited papers below.
-Tooth Development and Wear as Criteria of Age in White-Tailed Deer
-Aging White-Tailed Deer by Tooth Replacement and Wear: A Critical Evaluation of a Time-Honored Technique
-Physical Characteristics for Age Estimation of Male White-tailed Deer in Southern Texas
-Accuracy and implications of visually estimating age of male white‐tailed deer using physical characteristics from photographs
We are unpacking the top points Dr. Haus made during our interview last week and applying them to our current hunting situations. If you haven't yet, listen to episode 108 prior, as we interview Dr. Jacob Haus about research he did on collared mature bucks on public hunting land!
Dr. Jacob Haus of Bemidji State University joins us to share findings from his graduate research on collared mature bucks on a public hunting area in Maryland. Jacob shares a wealth of knowledge through his observations of real world public land deer movement and answers such questions as why are some bucks so hard to kill? Do bucks choose travel routes based on wind direction? Do bucks bed in the same place repeatedly? Are some bucks unkillable?
This week we are catching up after several weeks away from our normal updates. Moriah shares the stories of his recent fishing trip to northern Michigan and Mark discusses his family farm hunting setups and recent work trip to the farm!
Our deer hunting 101 short course was designed for the first time deer hunter or someone interested in the sport. This is the second part of the two part series and we cover topics such as finding a place to hunt, picking a hunting spot, where to shoot a deer, recovering a deer after the shot, and processing venison.
This is an introductory course on the basics of deer hunting. Today we describe how state agencies manage hunting seasons, how you can become licensed to hunt, and what equipment you will need. Part two covers how you can find hunting spots, shot placement, and meat care.
As habitat managers we frequently make recommendations and choices based on providing habitat characteristics similar to "natural conditions." Today we discuss exactly what is natural across the East and whether this should change the way you approach management decisions on your property.
This week we are discussing our favorite types of fishing and fishing trips we would like to take in the future. We also discuss past memories from research and discuss Moriah's recent move to the midwest.
Andrew Maxwell from the Southern Outdoorsmen shares with us his background in GIS technology. Andrew takes us through an in depth discussion on how common map data are generated and which free internet apps can take your map scouting to the next level! Recording this podcast with Andrew was a game changer as some of the information he shared will allow next level digital scouting like you never thought possible!
onX Hunt
CalTopo
Sentinel Hub
Graduate student Jacob Dykes from Texas A&M University is joining us today to discuss his fascinating research from past and present. Jacob discusses research on deer selection of thermal refuge and how he is studying their relationship with cattle on the landscape. During his masters research, Jacob studied food plot plantings and the effects of fertilization. He has some very interesting results to share that will make you a better land manager and likely more successful hunter!
We are celebrating 100 episodes so this week's episode is special. We are reintroducing ourselves and telling the story of how we the genesis of the podcast came about. We finish out the episode with a series of questions about our outdoors experiences and tell some of our most embarrassing stories.
We are planning several hunting trips to the West this year and have each been developing a list of gear that we need to purchase before we go hunting out west again. On this episode we discuss these planned purchases and how we prioritize which pieces of gear we need to buy.
This week on the podcast we are discussing Moriah's thesis research. First we talk about Arizona deer and sheep tag applications and what you can do to start planning an Arizona hunting trip. We then talk about Moriah's experiments concerning acorn production and how deer respond to acorns!
Ever dreamed of finding elk sheds out west? We just returned from a four day shed hunting trip to New Mexico where we found lots of elk and mule deer sheds. On this episode we discuss what we learned on the trip and how we found sheds.
With both of us moving into new states this fall and tackling completely new public ground today we are discussing what we look for when selecting public land hunting properties. We cover the search for hunting properties, evaluating them at the computer, and eventually selecting areas to focus on within them.
Today we are discussing hardwood forest management. We first take a look at different forest regeneration techniques for hardwoods and then discuss mid-rotation management that can be used to improve these forests for deer and turkey!
There are many free taxidermy options if you are willing to do a little at home work. Today we discuss easy European skull mounts you can do in your kitchen, turkey pelt mounts, and a DIY pedestal for shoulder or European mounts!
This week we are discussing pine rotations in the south. We break down the common rotation of loblolly plantation pines and discuss each stand entry and how it accomplishes timber management goals. We further discuss this rotation from beginning to end in the context of improving habitat for deer and turkey and specifically how it can be tweaked to meet wildlife management goals.
Over the years we have tried a lot of different products and types of gear. Today we are discussing the ones that have not worked well for us and what may be better alternatives. Gear included ranges from archery accessories and treestands to land management products.
We are re-capping Mark's weekend turkey camping trip where he tagged two Alabama public land longbeards on consecutive days!
This week we are catching up on our recent exploits in the woods. We are talking about Moriah's shed hunting trip to Tennessee where he was looking for elk sheds. We then wrap up with Alabama turkey hunting updates and the story of Mark's first bird of the year!
Mark shares with us the results of his thesis research on forest stand improvement (FSI) and prescribed fire as habitat management tools for deer and turkey. Specifically he shares how forest thinning affected the plant community, if fire damaged trees, whether non-target trees were killed by herbicide, and the ideal herbicide mixture for forest stand improvement projects.
There are many similarities between the novel COVID-19 virus which has recently turned the world upside down and Chronic Wasting Disease in deer. In this podcast we discuss the changes in our lives COVID-19 has caused and discuss how it is spreading through the human population similar to CWD in deer.
We are always talking about habitat improvement on the podcast, so today we are defining exactly what habitat is for deer, ruffed grouse, and bobwhite quail. There is a lot of confusion in the world of wildlife about habitat and habitat improvement; today we are clearing the air.
This week's podcast is all about deer research! We both recently attended and spoke at the Southeast Deer Study Group meeting in Auburn Alabama. Today we are talking about some of the coolest research from the conference as well as answering the question, "where is Mark going?"
This week we are discussing a habitat improvement technique that anyone can do with a chainsaw or a hatchet and herbicide! First we talk about a recent shed hunting roadtrip to Arkansas with lots of excitement from finding sheds, wading water, and a wild pig charge. We then discuss cover edges on the landscape and why edge feathering is an easy and time efficient habitat improvement technique. Finally we discuss how to feather edges and considerations that should be made before edge feathering.
To close out the Alabama deer season we are talking about a hunter's first deer ever! Also, Moriah talks about a recent shed hunting roadtrip to Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana!
Defining objectives for your property is the most important step to developing a management plan that will fit your property and situation. This week we discuss the pros/cons and main differences between micro-managing and landscape management approaches to property improvement.
To test our map scouting skills we both swapped hunting areas with each other to map scout. Mark is looking at a bottomland hardwood property in Mississippi and Moriah is looking at an upland pine plantation in Alabama. Each of us share six map scouted spots with the other and hear what kind of experience the other has with it and whether it is good or not.
Both of our deer seasons have come to an end so we are reflecting on lessons we learned this year and general trends we have noticed over the last 5 seasons of combined public land hunting experience in Alabama and Mississippi. Also discussed: recent Alabama rut action and an Arkansas shed hunting roadtrip!
Mark has tagged out in southeast Alabama with the bow! Here's the story of how historical trail camera photos led to the harvest of a 5.5 year old Alabama stud with the bow!
Wherever you hunt inconsistent winds can make any hunt a bust when they blow your scent to the deer. We have found that most days in the south have widely inconsistent winds and that there are several land features that magnify this problem. In this podcast we discuss land features that cause inconsistent winds and those that help you predict winds, thermals, and consistency.
It has been another exciting week of rut hunting in the south, and this week's story is about Moriah's recent buck harvest. After a week of hunting hard with very few sightings Moriah's luck turned around when a yearling buck and this 4.5 year old stud walked into 20 yards!
This week we are sharing the story of Mark's public land double! What started out as a typical day in the Alabama public woods turned into a successful hunt with a doe and mature buck on the ground!
The pre-rut is heating up in central Mississippi and today we are talking about a successful hunt from early December. Moriah shares his story of last minute hunt where he shot a nice buck with his muzzleloader after watching him displaying rutting behavior!
It's December and the rut is fast approaching in many parts of the Deep South. Today we are discussing rut hunting mistakes that we struggle with and how you can avoid these.
This is a quick mid-week update from the woods in North Carolina where Moriah is hunting the rut in the mountains and Mark is hunting post-rut in the piedmont. It's been a rough week, and although we have had opportunities things have not worked out in our favor.
Another week of deer season has passed and Mark managed to get another doe with his bow. We talk over his public land setup for this doe, the Mississippi struggle, and our upcoming NC rut plans this week.
We just wrapped up an exciting weekend of hunting. Mark had the opportunity to get a young hunter is first buck ever and did some rut hunting at home. We cover these stories as well as our plans to mentor new hunters over the coming weeks!
It's been a rough start to deer season. This week we are talking about our season updates and how Moriah used acorn hunting tips we had discussed last week to get within range of a mature public land buck. We also discuss the shot, the tracking job, and what factors likely lead to the outcome.
Being successful hunting over acorns requires much more than finding a white oak and hunting it. In this episode we cover some of the recent trends we have observed in Alabama and Mississippi hunting over acorns. We also break down our process of hunting acorns beginning to end.
It's time to talk whitetails, Mark has some exciting updates from NC concerning potential shooter bucks and a doe harvest with his bow. We discuss our plans and strategy changes for this season as well as updates from Mississippi and Alabama. Did Moriah really miss a fawn?
Here it is, the story of the successful Utah general season OTC elk hunt. This episode features a daily in field interview describing the days events as well as an infield recollection of Moriah's cow and elk harvest minutes after he shoots them. The episode then wraps up with an in car review of the guy's favorite memories, biggest takeaways, and advice for next time!
Moriah, Beau, and Luke are in the truck on the way to northeast Utah for a general season rifle elk hunt. In this podcast they are talking about the logistics of making this trip work as well as gear. Sleeping systems, clothing, rifles, water filtration, food, and backpacks are all discussed as well as the excitement of hunting elk for the first time ever!
Mark, Nick, and Jamie are returning from more than a week of elk hunting in Colorado. This trip was full of laughs, first times, and a great deal of hunting excitement. Here is the full story of the 2019 Colorado elk trip and how a bull ended up on the ground!
Mark, Nick, and Jamie are on their way to Colorado anticipation is at an all time high and they are talking all about their plans and expectations for the coming week. They cover archery setups, backpacking gear, basic hunting strategies, and more!
The potential effects of soil quality on the potential of deer in a given area is a topic that receives lots of attention by land managers and hunters. This podcast we are reviewing the scientific literature available on this topic and bringing you the facts as presented by science. To access the publications we site please visit http://www.huntingtheland.com/podcast-64/ for a comprehensive list!
Deer seasons are opening across the country and it's time to hit the woods in pursuit of early season deer. So, today we are discussing our tactics for September and October archery seasons. We discuss early season strategies in North Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi breaking down these months in half and talking specifically on what features we will be seeking out which weeks!
This week we are talking hunting gear and specifically purchases we've made over the last couple years that we would do over again because the products worked well. We talk about everything from treestands to socks so give this a listen!
Starting out as a first time hunter is not easy as there can be a steep learning curve to becoming a hunter. That's why hunter mentorship is so important and something we are committing to taking an active role in. This year we are challenging YOU to mentor someone new to hunting, then share a photo with your first time hunter on Instagram with the hashtag #mentor2hunt for giveaway items! Checkout this link for more details! http://www.huntingtheland.com/mentor2hunt/
What do deer eat? It's a simple question but one that rarely gets addressed in any amount of depth. In this podcast we discuss deer herbivory, seasonality of food types, specific deer forbs, and acorns as deer food.
With food plot season right around the corner we know there will be tons of questions on management options concerning planting, weed control, and maintenance. This podcast addresses the most asked food plot questions that we see including: annuals vs. perennials, no-till plots, shady area food plots, weed control, seed mixtures, and more!
We all have bucket list hunts we hope to experience someday. Here is a podcast devoted to our's and how we plan to make them reality.
Before you can begin making habitat improvements you must first identify what your property is lacking. This episode is all about the habitat requirements needed for deer and lays out a process to evaluate the quality of your property and identify what you need to improve.
We believe herbicides can be a very important tool for managers wishing to improve deer habitat quality on their properties. This podcast we are cutting through the fat on podcast terminology and pointing you in the right direction to get started using these to improve deer habitat!
This week we are catching you all up on our work as wildlife graduate students! We talk about research we are doing on prescribed fire, lone star ticks, upland hardwood forests, and deer. For those new to the podcast we also do quick introductions of ourselves to catch you up.
How thick is too thick for deer? What is thermal cover? How tall should cover be? How do you create security cover? These are all excellent questions that receive excellent answers on this podcast.
Prescribed fire is a wonderful tool for making great deer and turkey habitat. However, it is not a fix all method to be applied everywhere. Join us on this episode as we discuss 4 basic management scenarios that fit almost any landowner in the southeast. We discuss how to identify these different scenarios, what to expect as a result of fire, and finally whether or not prescribed fire is the answer!
This is what science has to say about mineral supplements for deer. If you've ever wondered what minerals do for deer and whether you should be using them, this podcast is the most thorough podcast on the subject. We are not sponsored by mineral companies nor do we have any other motives for making this podcast other than we are passionate about deer management and science! We discuss research on the effects of mineral licks for deer, why deer seek out salt, concerns about mineral licks, and a discussion on land improvements for healthier deer. Go to http://www.huntingtheland.com/podcast-52/ to access the research we reference in this podcast.
Want to experience new country and hunt new areas? Taking shed hunting roadtrips can be a very cost effective way to learn new country and learn about new species! Kyle and Moriah discuss two shed hunting roadtrips they took, what they learned, and how you can take shed hunting roadtrips like this yourself!
We are talking ELK this week! Both of us are planning elk hunts for the fall so we are deep into the planning process choosing gear and evaluating our current weapon set ups. So today's podcast is for eastern guys preparing to elk hunt! We also touch on our hopes and dreams for future elk hunts and how we are currently planning tag applications and bonus points to make them a reality!
The biggest benefit of being a deer hunter is the venison you are able to enjoy year round. On this podcast we share our favorite ways to prepare venison, challenge each other to try new recipes, and discuss the best strategy for introducing venison to new people!
We are already so excited for fall and our dreams for what the season may hold. This week we are talking about our plans for the coming season hunting in North Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi. We then discuss our potential western hunting trips including Colorado elk, Indiana deer, and Arizona deer! Of course we also discuss the potential for anyone to take such trips and how realistic they can be!
Joining us today is Wade GeFellers, a graduate student at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Wade talks to us about the management of early successional plant communities for white-tailed deer and other wildlife species. We talk about conversion of cool-season and warm-season pastures into high quality plant communities and compare the draw backs and benefits of planting old-fields versus allowing the seed bank to respond naturally.
Turkey season is over and we are talking over our season's, but first we need to talk about Mark's recent harvest in NC. This episode concludes our turkey hunting talks with a summary of our biggest mistakes and what we learned from them.
We are riding back from our western shed hunting roadtrip and talking all about our adventures. From finding deer sheds, to seeing elk, Merriam's turkey, pronghorn antelope, to new states for exploration this episode covers everything that happened on our 5 day western shed hunting roadtrip. We are shed hunting Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas!
We are traveling west to Colorado for a 5 day shed hunting roadtrip. We are talking about our preparation and expectations for the trip. This is part one and will be followed by part two in five days when we are returning from our trip!
Today we are interviewing Brady Bradley, a habitat biologist for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Brady is in charge of making habitat management decision on wildlife management areas in southeast Arkansas and has a background in forestry. Brady tells us how he developed his career in the wildlife field, where he worked as a college student, and his current duties as a habitat biologist. We also discuss the importance and basic concepts of forest management for waterfowl.
This week we are talking about habitat management for turkeys. We will break down the year from a turkey's perspective and what different habitat components are necessary to provide high quality habitat for turkeys. Specifically we break down the difference between nesting and brooding cover and how managers can promote both of these cover types.
The last two days have been super exciting in the Mississippi and North Carolina turkey woods! On this episode we cover the story of Mark's North Carolina longbeard and Moriah's Mississippi double with his buddy Hearne. If you like turkey hunting this will be a good episode full of stories and insight!
This week we are explaining the basics of turkey hunting. Whether a first time hunter or young turkey hunter this podcast is made just for you. We go through all the details including basic equipment, calls, basic strategy, and a few classic turkey scenarios. But before we get started we need to talk about Moriah's recent turkey harvest!
We are wrapping up the Whitetail Shed Report series for the spring of 2019. For this last special episode we are talking to Evan Lawler in Missouri, Brady Bradley in Arkansas, and Kyle Sutton in Georgia. These guys have all had exceptional shed seasons and have a lot of strategy and wisdom to share!
This week we are talking prescribed fire again but this time we are going into even more depth. We cover lighting techniques and specific scenarios for them, burning food plots, burning in hills, firebreaks, how often to burn, and burn strategies for specific species. We hope this podcast improves your knowledge of prescribed fire and encourages you to use it to improve habitat quality on your property!
Prescribed fire is the most efficient and effective tool that land managers can use to improve habitat for wildlife species. On today's episode we are talking about fire and how specifically you can begin using it on your property! We start out talking about necessary equipment, site planning, fire weather, and eventually igniting a fire. This is a podcast you definitely will enjoy!
On this Whitetail Shed Report we here from Patrick Pederson in Minnesota, Doody Cook in West Virginia, and Seth Williams in Florida. We hear all about these guy's recent shed hunting experiences and their tips on shed hunting in their respectable areas. We wrap it all up with a Mississippi report and an outlook on the next month.
Mark just got back from a public land Osceola turkey hunting roadtrip in South Florida. This week we are talking about his roadtrip, how he planned it, what he learned from it, and why you may want to try a similar trip someday! We also discuss the upcoming QDMA Whitetail Weekend where we will both be speaking on habitat management topics!
Moriah and Kyle are heading home after a shed hunting road trip in Mississippi and Arkansas. This podcast is all about our most recent shed hunting trip and is full of stories, both successes and failures. Sit back, relax and enjoy an hour of shed hunting stories!
March is here and so is shed rally. On this whitetail shed report we check in with Evan Lawler from Missouri, Chris Walker in Illinois, Andrew Maxwell in Alabama, and I finish off with a Mississippi shed report. Sit back relax and listen to the show!
This podcast is devoted to shed hunting. We are joined by Kyle Sutton of Georgia and we are discussing our personal shed hunting bests and goals. We all break down our shed hunting tactics and focus on the process of approaching a new property and finding sheds on it!
This week we are talking about timber stand improvement (TSI). We start out with the reasons we would use TSI. Then we discuss the TSI process and how you can implement timber stand improvements with a chainsaw or hatchet and herbicide. Included is also a discussion on common misconceptions about TSI and hinge-cutting.
This week we are hearing shed reports from Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, and North Carolina. We start with Brady Bradley of the Quest Hunt Co. in SE Arkansas, Dustin Lucas in northern Kentucky, and Chance Curnette with American Timber and Wildlife in central North Carolina.
This week in our next installment of Wildlife Professionals we are interviewing Brian Grossman, communications manager for the QDMA and owner of Georgia Afield. We hear all about Brian's journey through the wildlife field, from his undergraduate education to WMA management in Kentucky and Georgia to his most recent jobs. Brian is an interesting guy with a lot of great information and input on social media and the wildlife field. You don't want to miss this one!
Today we are discussing the story of Moriah's late season public land buck kill in Mississippi. It's not your typical deer harvest and things did not go as planned, but we have some takeaways from the experience. Deer season is also over so we are wrapping up our seasons and putting a bow on them.
The whitetail shed report is a biweekly episode where we interview shed hunters from across the country. We will cover current shed drop, season trends, tips, and updates from every region. This week we are joined by Brody Vorderstrasse from Whitetail Instinct in Nebraska, Brad Bever from Whitetail in Iowa, David and Dean Giarrizzo from Tag 'N Brag in Ohio, Chip Watkins from Monquin Creek Outfitters in Virginia, and Kyle Sutton from Georgia who all share recent info from the shed hunting woods!
Joining us on the show is Jordan Nanney, a wildlife forester for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Jordan is a trained wildlife biologist, forester, fisherman, and hunter who has worked hard to develop his career in the wildlife field. During the interview we discuss his early years as a hunter and how he was inspired to purse a career in wildlife management. We also discuss the results from his research on the effects of timber harvest, fire, and herbicide on elk and deer forage on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, as well as bobwhite quail management strategies Jordan has adopted.
Deer season has been exciting, but we've made several mistakes that have cost us deer. Just this week a careless mistake with muzzleloader maintenance cost Moriah a big buck! We are talking over these learning moments, how we will avoid these stupid mistakes in the future, and anticipation for turkey season on this week's podcast!
Today we are talking predator management. Our discussion includes the effects predators have on game species, basic ecology of coyotes, and management efforts that can alleviate stresses from high predator numbers. First we are talking our recent deer hunts, duck hunting, and public land food plot hunting strategy!
We are both back and catching up on the last 3 weeks of deer hunting action, but first we have a few points to discuss. First, is new gear unveiled from ATA that caught our eyes and secondly a discussion on shed antler counts. The rut is finally her in Alabama so things are getting exciting in Mark's neck of the woods!