Land & Legacy - Habitat + Hunting: Recent Episodes

Land & Legacy

The Land & Legacy podcast brings expert advice each week on everything from habitat management, hunting, and recreational land investments. We unpack real world scenarios that we experience through consulting across the country to help you become a more productive landowner and hunter. If you own land, this is the podcast for you!

When time is limited, make wise food plot decisions. Don't worry about what others are planting or chasing a trend. Plant a crop that gives you the best chance at high quality food over the course of many months. When you begin to allow in a diverse fall mixture for the annual clovers such a balansa, bereseem, and crimson clover to fully grow and cycle you realize that this food plot blend is more than a fall crop... its a 10 month+ crop. If you plant a blend with the right annual clovers added at the right density, you can achieve an extended life of food plot varieties, increased nitrogen fixation, and some quality weed suppression without needing to plant a summer crop. Just terminate the field and plant the same crop again. Food plotting is that easy.

During this podcast we chat with Land & Legacy consultant Alan Summerford about the management of his properties. We discuss distinct management strategies that produce results, simplify maintenance, and ensure success despite unknown variables that any growing season can throw your way. Some of the topics we cover include pre-emergents, herbicides, mowing food plots, amending food plots, herbicide proficiency, and producing high quality forage during the hunting season. Additionally, we discuss common themes observed during recent consulting trips. Similar trends appear in successes. Its not uncommon to see some folks who excel in food plots, but struggle with native habitat as well as the inverse: those who do great with a chainsaw and a drip torch but struggle with food plots. Both are necessary skills to hone and really take your property to the next level.

On the Whitetail Properties Youtube page, weve dropped two recent videos discussing the age old problem of nocturnal bucks. We discuss in depth why this is the common thought and also solutions to fix it. There is some great interaction regarding these videos on Youtube. So, we decided to take it a step further and dive deep into the why and how of this common problem for whitetail hunters. Cover is key, not food. In these two videos, we discuss not only how to place bedding thickets on a property but also how to create them. It is key to identify the problem, diagnose it properly, and then provide the correct remedy. Bedding thickets in proper locations is key. This solution requires elbow grease, but it is long term and incredibly impactful when executed properly. Take the right steps before the season to make a long lasting impact.

During this podcast, you will hear the ins and outs of God's design in Creation and how it speaks to those who listen closely and observe carefully. Many of the parables from the Gospels reference common themes in nature or tools in a land manager's toolbox, such as fire, sowing seeds, pruning, etc.. We hope this podcast illuminates the deeper connection between the natural world and your spiritual connection with God, the Creator. Don't just perform the tasks associated with working the land, there is more to grasp and yield from it. Take time to really consider what draws you to the natural world, the lessons it holds, and God himself. If you have questions please reach out, we'd be happy to pray for you! Enjoy.Learn.Share!

What if everything you thought you knew about your deer herd was wrong?

This week on the Land & Legacy Podcast, Adam sits down with Jack Huston, founder of Midwest Deer Surveys, to discuss what thousands of thermal drone flights across hundreds of hunting properties have revealed about whitetail management. Jack has surveyed more than 500 farms covering hundreds of thousands of acres, using thermal drone technology to provide landowners with accurate deer density estimates, buck-to-doe ratios, property mapping, and herd health analysis.

Together, Adam and Jack dive into why so many properties are carrying far more deer than they should, how excessive deer densities suppress habitat quality and antler potential, and why proper doe harvest remains one of the most overlooked tools in wildlife management. The conversation explores the relationship between habitat improvement and herd management, emphasizing that neither can reach its full potential without the other.

The discussion also covers the advantages of thermal drone surveys over traditional trail camera inventories, common mistakes landowners make when estimating deer numbers, and how objective data can remove emotion from management decisions. Whether you're managing 40 acres or 4,000, understanding what's truly living on your property is the first step toward creating healthier habitat, producing older age-class bucks, and building a sustainable deer herd.

If you're serious about improving your property and making informed management decisions instead of educated guesses, this episode is packed with practical insights backed by real-world observations from hundreds of farms across the Midwest.

On this week's podcast we discuss many of the variations of state hunting regulations that hunters face across the country. Many hunters don't factor in the state regulations into decisions they make before buying land, however you need too! Topics covered include season open dates, CWD regulations, buck harvest limits, doe harvest opportunities, hunter density, and many more influential factors. Hunters need to evaluate these factors, as they will dramatically influence the average deer herd that you may be trying to grow mature bucks in. So plan accordingly! Enjoy.Share.Learn!

Herbicides are one of the most powerful tools available to landowners, but they can also be one of the most confusing. In this episode, Adam and Matt sit down with Travis and Dan from Orion Solutions to discuss the launch of the new Land & Legacy Guide to Herbicide Use and why understanding herbicides is critical for anyone looking to improve wildlife habitat, increase native plant diversity, establish successful food plots, or control invasive species.

Drawing from years of consulting experience across the country, they break down common herbicide mistakes, explain how to select the right products for specific management goals, and discuss the importance of application timing, rates, and techniques. Whether you're battling invasive brush, restoring native grasslands, managing timber stands, or simply trying to grow a cleaner food plot, this guide was created to simplify the process and give landowners a practical resource they can use in the field.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by herbicide labels or unsure about what product to use and when, this episode—and this guide—will help take the guesswork out of habitat management and put you on a path toward healthier landscapes and better wildlife populations.

Turkey season may be behind us, but the real habitat work is just getting started. In this week's Land & Legacy podcast, Adam and Chad discuss what they've observed since the season closed and how those observations continue to reinforce the importance of active habitat management.

One of the most noticeable changes has been the return of turkeys to the farm after neighboring properties stopped illegally baiting birds during the season. It's another reminder that turkey movements and behavior can be heavily influenced by concentrated food sources. Once those artificial attractants disappeared, birds quickly shifted back to utilizing quality habitat—areas providing natural forage, nesting cover, brood habitat, and security.

The discussion also centers around the growing need for additional prescribed fire across the landscape. While many properties have seen improvements from previous burns, the reality is that much of the habitat has already begun to lose the open ground conditions, diverse plant communities, and insect-rich environments that turkeys depend on. Fire remains one of the most effective tools available for resetting succession, stimulating native plant growth, increasing bug production, and maintaining quality nesting and brood-rearing habitat.

A major topic of conversation is the growing popularity of "No Mow May" and "No Mow June" campaigns. While well-intentioned, Adam and Chad explain why simply not mowing is often being promoted as a habitat solution when it does little to address the real limitations facing wild turkeys. Allowing cool-season grasses and weedy lawns to grow taller for a few weeks does not create quality nesting cover, brood habitat, or the diverse native plant communities needed for long-term turkey recovery. The focus should instead be on active habitat management practices such as prescribed fire, timber management, native vegetation establishment, grazing strategies, and invasive species control.

Throughout the episode, Adam and Chad share field observations from their own farm, discuss current turkey use across the property, and outline practical habitat improvements landowners can implement right now to benefit turkeys throughout the year. If turkey populations are going to rebound across much of their range, the conversation must shift from passive management ideas to proven practices that create the habitat conditions wild turkeys truly need.

Every landowner has a vision for what their property can become, but turning that vision into reality takes planning, persistence, and a willingness to adapt. On this episode of Land & Legacy, Chad and Adam sit down to discuss some of the most successful habitat projects completed on their farm, Whistling Woodlands, and the lessons learned along the way.

From establishing diverse native grass plantings that provide critical bedding, nesting cover, and year-round wildlife habitat to developing productive annual forage pastures that benefit both livestock and wildlife, this episode highlights how intentional land management can create multiple returns from the same acres. Chad and Adam break down the planning process, site preparation, species selection, and management techniques that have led to successful outcomes on their property.

The conversation also explores how these projects have improved soil health, increased carrying capacity, enhanced wildlife use, and created a more resilient landscape. Whether you're managing a small hunting property or a large working farm, the principles discussed can help you maximize the potential of your land while balancing conservation and production goals.

During this episode, we review the Wealth Strategy service with Alan Summerford, who recently completed the program. This podcast aims to clarify the process and value this service brings to clients similar to Alan. This multi-step process offers clients substantial analysis, a financial eco-system review, and land evaluation. Our end goal and objective is to educate clients on the best way to structure their wealth revolving around land ownership.We hope this podcast reveals that a multi-facated team working together offers real benefits.

In this episode, we break down several simple, practical habitat projects that can make a major impact on your property without requiring huge budgets or complicated equipment. Too often, landowners chase advanced strategies while overlooking the foundational improvements that consistently produce better wildlife habitat year after year. These are the kinds of projects that should be at the top of your habitat management list this season.

We discuss low-cost, high-impact improvements like edge feathering, timber stand improvement, native grass management, small water sources, travel corridor enhancements, and strategic food plot placement — all designed to improve cover, bedding, nesting habitat, and overall wildlife movement. Whether you manage for deer, turkeys, or overall ecosystem health, these simple projects can dramatically increase the usability and carrying capacity of your farm.

If you’ve been overwhelmed by habitat management or unsure where to start, this episode focuses on realistic, achievable work that almost any landowner can implement immediately. Sometimes the smallest changes on the landscape create the biggest long-term results.

Rethink your farm with us this week as we wipe the slate clean and re-evaluate how your farm works. This interactive podcast will guide you through starting cleanly, helping you understand how deer move on your property. This 7-step exercise will make areas on your farm stand out using OnX mapping. Future bedding thickets will be revealed, travel corridors and areas where deer are vulnerable to harvest will appear when you start over. New stand locations await you on the other side of the exercise. Mentally these are exercises that we perform whenever we walk a new farm. We see the farm with fresh eyes, no expectations, and with no previous observations of how deer use a farm—just the straight basics. Sometimes the path forward isn't straight; it may require you to take a few steps back, before moving forward.

Spring plots don’t have to be complicated. Adam and Matt break down a simple, proven system for building food plots that actually work—without chasing trends. Back to the basics, back to results.

In this episode, we’re diving headfirst into what we call “Fantasy Land Management”—the world where habitat strategies sound great on paper, circulate heavily online, and get repeated often… but fall apart when applied on real ground.

Too many landowners are making decisions based on secondhand opinions, outdated practices, or “highlight reel” results without ever questioning if those approaches actually fit their property, region, or goals. The result? Wasted time, wasted money, and in some cases, habitat that’s worse than where they started.

We break down some of the most common false ideas in land management—things like over-prioritizing food plots, misunderstanding cover, blindly copying what works in other states, or assuming more work always equals better results. Just because something is popular doesn’t mean it’s effective.

This episode is about cutting through the noise and getting back to principles that actually matter: observation, context, and outcomes. Good management isn’t built on trends—it’s built on understanding your land, your limitations, and the wildlife you’re trying to support.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re chasing results that never quite show up, this conversation will help reset your approach and refocus your efforts where they actually count.

In this episode from the Land & Legacy podcast, the conversation zeroes in on how timber management directly impacts turkey populations—and why most properties fall short simply because the woods are too closed and stagnant.A major takeaway is that turkeys thrive in open, diverse timber—not mature, shaded forests. The guys emphasize that many landowners mistakenly believe “big timber” equals good habitat, when in reality, closed-canopy woods limit sunlight, suppress understory growth, and ultimately reduce the insects and ground cover that poults depend on for survival.The episode breaks down how to correct that through intentional disturbance:Timber stand improvement (TSI) to remove low-value trees and release desirable speciesHinge cutting and thinning to create structure at ground levelPrescribed fire to reset the forest floor and stimulate native vegetationThese practices aren’t just about trees—they’re about creating usable space at a turkey’s level. As sunlight hits the ground, it drives the growth of grasses, forbs, and bugging habitat, which are critical for brood rearing. Without that, even properties with plenty of acreage can feel like a “biological desert” for turkeys.Another key point is structure and visibility. Turkeys need to be able to move, see, and avoid predators. Thick, tangled woods without intentional design can actually hurt turkey use, while properly managed timber creates a balance of:Open travel corridorsNesting coverBrood-rearing areasThe conversation also highlights that timber work benefits more than just turkeys. The same practices improve habitat for deer, quail, and a wide range of species—making it one of the highest ROI projects a landowner can implement.At its core, the episode reinforces a bigger philosophy:If you want more turkeys, you have to manage the woods—not just the fields.Consistent disturbance, strategic tree removal, and a focus on ground-level diversity are what transform timber from unused space into high-quality turkey habitat.

Does Burning Create More Turkeys? It is widely known the value that prescribed fire can play in habitat management for wild turkeys. However, we commonly see folks burning during improper timing, frequencies, and/or in areas that are not ready for fire, meaning unthinned timber. Fire in closed canopies may actually in some cases make turkey habitat worse. During this podcast, we discuss the proper steps and directions for those looking to improve the habitat with fire for turkeys. Brooding cover, nesting cover, and overall better foraging opportunities for adult birds are all topics of discussion. We hope this podcast encourages you to take the next steps in your knowledge and application of your knowledge so that you can make a larger positive impact for the wild turkey!

Most landowners overlook a simple yet powerful strategy—you can dramatically improve deer habitat and hunting success by strategically logging and creating early successional growth. In this episode, Adam Keith reveals the surprisingly straightforward approach that transformed one two-acre oak-hickory stand into a deer magnet in just four years.
Amid hectic farm life, Adam shares behind-the-scenes details of a fascinating logging experiment—leaving mid-story trees to optimize deer bedding and forage while minimizing habitat disturbance. You’ll discover how a gentle, targeted clear-cut, followed by prescribed burns and native grass establishment, can boost wildlife movement, increase browse, and turn your property into a thriving wildlife corridor.
We break down concrete tactics: how to collaborate with loggers for small acreage, the best timing for dormant and growing season burns, and the native species that flourish when disturbance is done right. Adam discusses a native grass planting project involving big bluestem, Indian grass, and little bluestem—an effort to convert invasive-infested fields into resilient, multi-use native habitat that supports both hunting and ecology.
Why does all this matter? Because in a landscape full of common misconceptions, strategic logging and habitat tweaks can unlock hidden potential—leading to healthier deer populations, better hunting, and more vibrant ecosystems. Whether you own 10 acres or 100, these insights will help you make smarter land management decisions—and see results faster.
Ideal for hunters, landowners, and conservation enthusiasts looking to improve habitat and wildlife diversity, this episode reveals the proven steps to turn disturbance into growth. Discover the power of thoughtful forestry, prescribed fire, and native plantings—tools that transform your land into a wildlife sanctuary, no matter the size.
Ready to learn how a few strategic cuts and burns can reshape your property’s future? Tune in now and start turning your land into the habitat of your dreams.

The NWTF is doubling down on science-led conservation strategy

A dedicated research leadership role signals a new era of coordinated, national-scale research

Investments in research and partnerships are driving data-backed wildlife management decisions

Conservation is not just about wildlife—it’s about preserving outdoor traditions and ecosystems for future generations

During this week's podcast consultants Matt Dye and Brady Bradley discuss a wide range of habitat topics. They are playing 'Where's Waldo?' in the realm of where all the Land & Legacy Team has been during the last few weeks of consulting. The team covered a wide range of states, topographies, and ecosystems from sandy soils to rocky ridges. Habitat is going in the ground across the country. We also review some common mis-conceptions about deer herd dynamics, heavy equipment, food plot techniques, and habitat enhancement features that many landowners face yearly. This podcast will make you think and consider next steps on your farm! Every mistake costs you time and key windows of opportunity.

In this weeks episode Kyle and Frank discuss prescribed fire. They cover the basics of how fire timing, techniques, and weather conditions affect the outcome of the prescribed burn.

We’re coming to you from the NWTF National Convention with Dr. Brett Collier to break down the latest in wild turkey research. We dive into the hot-button issues surrounding turkey declines, tackle some of the more confrontational opinions in the conversation, and take a hard look at what the research actually says about predators.

It’s an honest, science-driven discussion about where turkey management stands today — and where it may be headed.

We’re discussing the highly debated topic of duck migrations and why places in the south have seen drastic changes in duck numbers.,, or are they? We’re talking with Scott Hicks of Whitetail Properties who’s been a long time duck hunter and what he’s seen in the world of waterfowl. Is it the weather, the flooded corn, or too many hunters?

Lets compare the structure of four commonly found habitat features on the landscape and see how they measure up in hiding a bedded deer. We're diving into the timber to look at cedar thickets, a bedding thicket, a thinned forest, and a closed canopy forest.

During this podcast we review the dramatic transformations that TSI can provide to a recreational property. This often is the missing piece to many farms. They have drastically underperforming timber stands with regard to wildlife value. Yet, the goals of the farm are to enhanced it for wildlife. We bring in and sight multiple research projects discussing the value of TSI for improved forage production, then transition to discuss at length our anecdotal experiences. We cover some of the topics below in this podcast: -develops desirable layers of forest -understory, mid story, and over story- slow progression of a forest- Natural degradation- No disturbance means slow change We hope you enjoy this podcast and find value in the education of TSI!

Have you ever wondered if the neighbors are baiting? Isn't that illegal? What are you supposed to look for if you aren't allowed to bait? Adam and Matt sit down with Alan this week to discuss the problems both legal baiting and illegal baiting offer. Ask yourself if given the power to outlaw baiting nation wide or keep it which would you do?

Our first ever Wealth Strategy Service Workshop held in Sioux City, Iowa August 7-8th. This event will teach you how to develop a strategy and detailed plan that transforms land into a living business that generates income, reduces taxes, and creates a legacy you can pass down for generations to come. This offering is an extremely undervalued event considering the price! You will learn about our step by step process and plan development phases that we walk clients through to set them up for success and create a legacy for your family. We have several highly professional guest speakers joining us for the event to educate you on business strategy, tax strategy, and wealth building! If you want to take your land ownership responsibility to the next level, join us August 7-8th 2026!

Spend an entire weekend with Mike & Shawn from Heartland Bowhunter, along with Matt & Adam from Land & Legacy discussing all things whitetail from a land management perspective while also implementing hunting strategy. Our Whitetail Workshop is designed to equip land managers with the skills and knowledge to create and maintain thriving habitats for whitetails and turkeys. Through in class study and hands-on lesson, participants will learn to enhance their land with strategic food plots, prescribed fire, water holes, timber stand improvement, diverse plantings and much more. We’ll cover how to plan and execute a habitat management strategy that attracts and sustains wildlife, creating a balanced ecosystem while lining this up with a hunt strategy. Techniques for increasing biodiversity and promoting healthy populations are central to our approach, ensuring each farm reaches its full potential. Whether you're new to land management or looking to improve your techniques, this workshop will provide actionable insights for success. This class will be similar to last years with the addition of MORE hands on lessons of properly executing land management tools.

Ever wonder why southern Iowa is considered the big buck capital of the world? Here’s your chance to go behind the curtain and see what Adam and Matt consider the best farm in the country! This farm doesn’t just grow them, they are successfully harvesting 190” and bigger year after year!This could be a one time only opportunity to see inside the giant buck factory of southern Iowa! Only 20 spots available! Sign up today before it’s booked!Join us for Hands-on demonstrations with Adam, Matt, Greg and Kasey from HuntWorx. Live Q&A to discuss your specific questionsTopics Covered - Timber Stand ImprovementEdge FeatheringPrescribed FireOld Field ManagementFood PlotsBedding ThicketsStand PlacementHunting StrategyAnd many more!

Alan and Adam sit down to discuss things we've learned over the years that can help you from having to learn the hard way. Isn't it great when we can learn from someone else's mistakes so we don't have to make them ourselves? A huge part of Land & Legacy is assisting landowners from making costly mistakes and this podcast highlights some of our biggest regrets in land management.

For years we have watched landowners pour cash and resources into land and only profit from the recreational potential that comes along with owning land. But there is a better way to own land and turn that land into a business. We have been behind the scenes building a team to help launch a service that will help landowners develop a land owning strategy that will create a legacy. If you've ever struggled to understand how you can develop a strategy and detailed plan that transforms recreational land into a living business that generates income, reduces taxes, and creates a legacy you can pass down for generations to come then you are perfectly positioned to benefit from this service offering. We hope you see value in this offering and join us in the journey of creating a legacy around landownership.

Matt Dye discusses herd dynamics and deer densities on three different recreational farms across three different states. He highlights the importance of balancing herd density with habitat improvements. As this is the only way to see the farm's full maximized value. Farm 1 in Ohio, 959 acres, has a high deer density of 196 deer per square mile, necessitating a reduction from 295 deer to 110 per square mile over four years. Farm 2 in Kentucky, 580 acres, has a lower density of 111 deer per square mile and requires a similar reduction strategy. Farm 3, a 1500-acre timbered farm with high fencing, has a one-to-one buck-to-doe ratio and a high fawn recruitment rate, requiring a focus on reducing lower-quality bucks and maintaining doe harvest. These three examples emphasize the need for comprehensive herd and habitat management. Trophy deer hunting requires a fluid and engaged habitat management and herd management program. Without either, you will be lacking!

This week, we break down Matt's buck harvest from this fall on a 7.5 year old buck. This deer never was top of the chain and seemed to evade us when it came to encounters over the past few years. But, he was not shy on trail camera. A few years ago, a late season scouting mission connected some vital dots to the lease property. A small overlooked island in a river bed turned out to be a huge corridor and funnel. For years now, it has become one of the hotspots for monitoring bucks working scrapes as they transition from cover to cover or from bedding to cover. During a hot November morning, Matt headed to the island and had a close quarters encounter with House-8 . A stare down ensued, but the buck ultimately didn't bolt away and offered a great broadside shot at just 20 yards.

Year after year, season after season, next year will be the year that you start shooting does like you should. Forgetting that you are slipping further and further away from really growing bigger bucks. The pursuit of trophy bucks gets in the way so much during the season that you are so consumed by an objective of a single deer that you get further away from accomplishing the original goal. This is what we call the trophy buck death spiral. It's time to be honest with yourself and shoot does like you need to. If you are doing habitat management and not herd management, this podcast is for you. We chat in detail with Jack Hutson of Midwest Deer Survey about his consistent findings during thermal deer surveys. Consistently deer herds are twice the density that they need to be. That is a problem. It is in distinct opposition to growing trophy deer consistently. Listen and apply!

On this podcast we are joined by HuntWorx own Greg Glesinger. Greg is known for pursuing huge whitetails in the midwest. Year after year he and Kasey Morgan are toe to toe with 6-8 year old mature whitetail bucks. These pursuits test so many skills that a whitetail hunter must have. This year however, tested patience and persistence as they went after a buck named The Natural. What made this year such a grind, perhaps it was the 80 acres of standing grain in the field due to a broken combine or maybe it was just the rut needed to take full swing before The Natural got on his feet. One thing is for sure, the removal of the eastern red cedar thickets across this farm has more than doubled the usable space on the property. Without a doubt, this project has dramatically improved this property since starting it in 2021. To learn more about this hunt, check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AddoCv7Im4A

One this week's podcast we are joined by Land & Legacy consultant Alan Summerford. He discusses his recent success in the field with his son Reid in Alabama. They went on a terror during the week of Thanksgiving harvesting three bucks! Most would wonder how frequent these deer were on trail cameras to encounter this many target deer in one week.... the answer will surprise you. These deer were not frequent and these hunt strategies were very different as one area is peak rut, while the other area is 4 weeks away from peak rut! How was this done, you may ask? Alan and his son didn't rely on the trail cameras to tell them where to and or when or if they should hunt. The cameras simply told them what deer were in the areas they were hunting. From there, they used knowledge of the landscape, food sources, wind, weather on a daily basis to intercept these bucks based on the day to day conditions within the region of where the cameras had picked them up. They most importantly didn't wait for the trail cameras to reveal a pattern. They hunted!

On this week's podcast we are joined by Mark Williams of WTP. He and his team have been developing deer management neighborhoods across the country. We have teamed up with them to help develop plans for these tracts of land to better the habitat within these communities. These opportunities are popping up in states like Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky. These tracks of land offer increased opportunities to have like kind neighbors. When buying random tracts of land, you are playing neighbor roulette. You just never know exactly what you are getting, sometimes it works out, other times is is the reason for eventually selling. Buying into a community of hunters and quality habitat will help control the unknown better than most alternative situations. If you have interested in these parcels or others like it, then please contact Mark Williams and his team!

This week we are joined by Zeke Barrett of Whitetail Properties as he connects on a large home body buck on his property in North Arkansas. This story is a connection between quality land management and a solid hunting strategy! Habitat management successes don't always happen overnight, but sometimes they do. This is just the tip of the iceberg for Zeke on this home farm of 200 acres. If you want to share in the success and learn about your farm, contact us at www.landandlegacy.tv We would be happy to work with you as well!

It’s the time of the year when bedding thickets really shine! However, it doesn’t take years to develop these areas… maybe just weeks or months. We have the receipts to show you! We’ve had several success stories and new bucks swing up in daylight cruising the downwind side of less than one year old bedding thickets. It’s the easiest way to get ahead in your hunting strategy! Arrange, place, and build cover in the right areas respective to access and topography and you will win! Enjoy November and the sweet success of putting deer on your back forty!

The client success stories are rolling in, one after another! This story comes to us from South Carolina, the land of the pines! So if you manage in pine country, listen up. After several years of intense habitat management Jesse Furr connected on a beautiful 8pt buck in a small kill plot, adjacent to a bedding thicket that had been burned and exploded with new early successional cover. This setup was not accidental! With proper planning and execution of the plan comes results. We hope this story of a successful hunt opens your eyes to the possibilities of managing habitat for specific outcomes!

This week is the story of Chubbs! The hunt and management if the property are woven together tightly. You will hear how 1 year old bedding thickets and a timber harvest was this deer's demise. It's Hard to pass the best of the young deer when they sport trophy caliber racks, however it pays off when they get another year of age on them. Chubbs was a prime example of study, plan, implement, and execute!

It is here, we have arrived. The pre-rut phase is imminent. Are you Ready? If not, this podcast will prepare you for weather fronts, morning hunting, calling to whitetails, decoying, accurately identifying target bucks, and letting you know likely places the mature bucks will daylight in the coming weeks. This podcast is a must listen to maximize your effort in the field during the next two weeks of hunting. Get out there, be sharp and focused!

Its' your last chance to get your cameras set before all scraping activity breaks loose! The peak of scraping and mature buck intel is coming. This podcast will prepare for whats next! You will get more from your trail cameras when you have them place appropriately. A buck should be active on multiple camera locations as he traverse a farm. You need multiple locations to help triangulate his range/movement patterns. Then strike!

Topography breakdown is here on the podcast. We show you through onX some awesome features you should be looking for on your hunting property. We discuss in detail treestand access, hunting thermals, wind direction, wind speed, morning vs evening hunting in areas with topography and much more. You will learn an immense amount about how deer use topography features as they traverse the landscape. You will see areas that they avoid and others they use regularly all influenced by terrain. Learn this and study it, it will help you become a better deer hunter and manager.

Hang on to your treestand seats.... we take a deep dive this week into why topography is such an influential part of habitat management and hunting strategy. There is nothing that predicts and dictates what deer do more than topography. From influencing what native vegetation grows where, to how thermals work, and the path of least resistance.... topography takes the cake! If you want to become a better deer hunter and land manager, learn how to read topography! Once you've mastered that, then you can begin to understand how it impacts vegetation growth, moisture and how wildlife react to it as they move on the landscape. A great tool to learn from is OnX on the desktop version of the map. Use the exaggerated topography with the hybrid map overlaid to really understand how to read the slopes! This will make you a better woodsmans overnight!

It goes without saying there are always things evolving or changing in the whitetail world. Early season may be the biggest change though. From testosterone changes, to territory changes, to food sources and then to minor pressure movements and often time drought conditions. These variables can be placed into two categories, Macro and micro variables. The Macro variables are the variables that all whitetails are having to consider or are being influenced by, these changes are more physiological than environmental like the micro variables. These variables alter, influence, and predict how deer will then move on the landscape. Therefore they impact hunt strategy greatly! These changes cannot always be predicted months in advance when you set your farm up for the season, so you must be willing to pivot and adjust or call an audible to your plan when it is necessary. Oftentimes, the best laid plans need to have audibles thrown into the mix to accommodate for these macro and micro variables that hunters and landowners do not have control over! This week we break these all down so you can become a better woodsman.

We are back this week at the Farm Progress Show in the John Deere Booth talking about green and yellow John Deere equipment and how to properly install food plots with various pieces of equipment. Not every food plot gets planted the same way, the approach varies greatly depending upon the starting point. Are you starting with timber, or an old log landing, or perhaps an old field is being converted into a food plot. Follow along as we go step-by-step on how to properly get that food pot plot planted. Skid steers, tractors, and the various implements can get confusing, which one do you use and when? We break this down for the audience to create a guide on installation with food plots. We often find that food plots get more complicated than they should be. It's important to know when to sit down a piece of equipment and when to pick up a different one, whether that be clearing, grading, burning, planting or spraying! We hope this podcast helps you become a more effective food plot planter!

This week we are recording live in the John Deere booth at the Farm Progress Show in Illinois. This event is huge in the agriculture world so this week's message is inclusive to owners of all different land-use types. From Ag-land, to timber production land and even cattle pastures, we talk to producers of different crops and how to expand operations and value land with some outside of the box thinking. It is easy to become singular minded when an operation is dependent upon success to hold the land, but oftentimes that singular focus can also be the thing that holds you back as a landowner. So, we breakdown each land use type and discuss the avenues out there for landowners to really increase revenue streams and find the max value in your land holdings. We hope you enjoy this educational podcast all about land ownership! Thank you John Deere for the invite as well, we will be back next year!

August:What is the bird doing?What is the bird eating?How do I create what the bird is using?Growing season burning- What does it accomplish for a turkey now and in the future?Soft mast foraging opportunities- Diet review, hard seed/grass seed production flock congregation- amalgamation poult production, over the hump!Sept: What is the bird doing?What is the bird eating?How do I create what the bird is using?Hard mast production and foraging opportunities beginTSI- Best time to complete- Are logging operations good for turkeys?Understanding roosting locations/ advantages

Deer season is just around the corner. Are you prepared or are you behind? This week we discuss 7 key points that you should be considering as we draw very near to deer season. From food plots, to treestands, trail cameras, and more we cover the fine detail points of each that will ready you both mentally and physically. It's time to get actually ready and ahead of the curve. As hunters is easy to be very reactive in your approach and hunting strategy. This podcast is designed to reverse that and make sure you are proactive in your approach. Don't miss opportunities, capitalize on them!

Deer season is upon us!!! Multiple states now have velvet seasons, but even if you don't have a velvet season it's time to start getting an inventory of the bucks on your property.On this episode Alan and Brady break down the strategies for targeting early season bucks. This episode focuses on how to find velvet bucks, and how to get them into bow range. --Trail Camera strategies--Where to place stands--Food Plot strategies that can be implemented now--Water holes

During this week's podcast Matt and Adam cover the long list of top priority items to get completed for the month of August if you are a deer hunter and land owner. In addition, we discuss bachelor groups of bucks and if you have them how to keep them, plus if you don't how to attract bucks once the bachelor groups break-up into fall home ranges. August is the make or break month for food plots. It's time to make the critical decision to know if you terminate and move on or if you just overseed for the fall. We break down the case by case scenarios to assist hunters in this decision making process. From perennial food plots to grain plots and even summer annual blends, we walk you step by step through the process of ensuring you have a successful food plot for fall.

In this episode, Matt Dye discusses the establishment and management of alfalfa as a food plot crop. He emphasizes the importance of proper soil preparation, planting techniques, and weed control strategies to ensure a successful alfalfa stand. The podcast also highlights the nutritional benefits of alfalfa for wildlife, particularly deer, and its versatility throughout the seasons. Matt shares personal experiences and insights to encourage listeners to consider alfalfa as a reliable food source for their properties.

In this episode of the Land of Legacy podcast, host Matt Dye introduces a new format that combines video breakdowns with podcast content. He discusses a client's hunting property, focusing on access strategies, the importance of discipline in hunting, and the benefits of converting crop land to CRP for improved habitat. The conversation emphasizes the significance of road systems in property management and concludes with a look at future opportunities for hunting and land management.

This week we take a new look at what recreational real estate should look like on the market! We highlight and talk in depth about a clients property that didn't last long before going under contract. We wanted to share this with you so that you know what a truly fairly represented farm looks like. Also, we discuss what Farm Tier this property falls under! In the video we highlight this farm's features such as hunting access, CRP, food plots and diversity of crops. TSI, prescribed fire regime, and more! This farm has it all, from the perfect living quarters to an ideal balance of open acres to managed timber acres. Review this farm with us and put it to memory, that this is what managed farms look like! Enjoy the podcast and reach out to your local Whitetail Properties agents for more assistance in your real estate needs. Farm Listing Link: https://www.whitetailproperties.com/hunting-land/missouri/putnam/putnam-co-mo-405-hinkleLandBeat Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rfa8ugqN9-w&list=PLb5o-rUKMbQ7sCqhbd6Oo0pWq8A7MRVSW&index=17&t=4shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci9P20Ad4Pc&list=PLb5o-rUKMbQ7sCqhbd6Oo0pWq8A7MRVSW&index=18&t=324shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKbhCj2qpb0&list=PLb5o-rUKMbQ7sCqhbd6Oo0pWq8A7MRVSW&index=19&t=328s

In Part 2 of the Thermal Drone Wildlife survey series, we breakdown a new service option for those listening and entertaining how beneficial a thermal drone survey can be. We speak with Jack Huston of Midwest Deer Surveys who will be the contractor conducting the flights for this new service. His level of expertise, skill, and professionalism are top notch in the world of whitetails and thermal drones. It is our firm belief that most simple drone surveys certainly do answer two basic questions, how many deer do I have and where are they located? As this is great information, there leaves a ton to be desired. With more analysis and reviewing of the flights as they are all recorded, we can dive deeper. We can answer more questions about the herd trends, fawn recruitment rates, clear harvest objectives, habitat usage, deer patterns/property usage during certain weather/wind patterns. This kind of information will serve you and your knowledge of a property very well and for a long time. It can also answer, how well have my habitat improvements worked, are they being utilized by deer or bypassed? Thermal drones are great tools! You have to learn them to know where they shine and when you have to analyze the information to pull more value from the thermal flights. We are excited to offer this new service and allow you to continue to learn as a land steward.

During this podcast we start a short series on drone surveying for wildlife population surveys. the more data you have about the wild free ranging deer herd that you have, the better a herd manager you can be. Part 1 is going to talk about the methodology behind a thermal drone survey and why they are effective! In addition, we talk about the journey we took to best understand these surveys. To become the best managers, oftentimes we need to embrace technology and the opportunities that these advancements can provide while still remaining honest about their limitations or the skills or lack of skills of a drone operator. We talk in length about the pros and cons of this technology and surveying technique as we compare it to pellet surveys, trail camera surveys, and more. Tune in next week as we reveal more about the future of drone surveys and how you may be able to get our eyes on your herd to guide you in becoming a better herd manager through thermal drone surveying.

We are always working on the property trying to enhance the habitat, or preparing food plots, but oftentimes opening day slips up on us before we are really ready. This is a great time of year to get the most important part of the hunt ready for success. This week Alan and Brady discuss what you need to be doing ahead of season, to get your stands ready for the upcoming season. Tools we find helpful:-Safety Harness-ratchet straps-chainsaws-machete -hedge trimmers-rope-wasp spray/bug sprayChoosing the right location:-access-getting off the edge-cover!!!!-creating pinch pointsTypes of stands:-climbers-lock-ons-saddles-ground blinds-kid friendly setupsCheck out the Mobile Hunter's Expo to try out the latest and greatest in the mobile game!Southern show in Dalton, GA August 8-10Midwestern show in Wilmington, OH August 22-24

Buying "the right" farm can be a daunting task. Luckily, we have some helpful tips and tricks that can make the process a breeze, all the way to the closing table. On this week's podcast, Alan Summerford and Brady Bradley discuss what should be at the top of your list when purchasing a farm. They dive deep into the buying process and why there are certain things you should not overlook before you pull the trigger on that new piece of dirt!

This week we have on guest Brock Knapp from Accu-drone Solutions. Brock is a licensed drone operator and herbicide applicator in Arkansas and Missouri. His business issues drone technology to manage farms and recreational land. Both for aerial spraying and seeding! We discuss in depth the tech behind drones, the upsides and struggles that drones have, the it effectiveness and efficiencies compared to normal spraying applications. Hills, hollers, spot spray or broadcast spray, these tools can handle the job with less waste, water, and time!

In this podcast Kyle and Frank break down a research paper that compared late spring burns vs. fall burns and the plant response, deer usage, and turkey usage in those burns. Spring units created more forbs ,fall burns created more woody browse. Spring units were better for deer nutrition and turkey broods. Fall units were better for deer bedding and turkey nesting.

This week Matt and Chainsaw Chad discuss the ins and out of forbs and the value they provide to lactating whitetail and bucks developing antlers. We review a recent NDA article published by Mark Turner named "One Type of Plant is the Greatest source of Deer Nutrition. Here's How to Grow it"We get deep into the Crude Protein, Calcium and Phosphorus nutritional demands and which forbs provide the adequate % to demands of a lactating whitetail doe. Broadleaf species such as marestail, jewelweed, pokeweed, ragweed, old field aster and giant ragweed rise to the top of the list when it comes to nutritional value. It does appear that calcium levels and protein levels are rarely lacking, but the phosphorus levels are less commonly found met by forage values. Regardless, the true takehome value comes from offering diversity in your forages! Both, forbs and woody and semi-woody plants need to offered in abundance! Its not food plots that are meeting the needs of whitetail deer, its weeds! Promote weeds to feed deer.

It's foodplot season!!! Most people are geared up and ready to plant their summer plots, but is that what we should be doing? On this episode, Alan and Brady discuss when a landowner should plant summer plots. It's time to take a look at your farm, to see if a summer plot will actually benefit the property. Summer plots certainly have their place on many farms, but sometimes they can lead us astray from what should really be taking place to have a more successful hunt. We've also included some tips and strategies that we use to ensure ample forage during the crucial antler-growing period for bucks.

We've got the facts that point you to how quickly deer relate to the value produced from harvesting timber! A client conducted a thermal drone survey in 2024 before a timber harvest was completed. From May to October of 2024 the farm had its timber harvested by a crew, bedding thickets, heavy TSI, medium TSI, and Light TSI were all conducted through the harvesting. Following up the timber harvest, in early 2025 another thermal drone survey was conducted and the comparison between the two is astounding. It's not that numbers bumped largely, but simply the reallocation or distribution of resident deer are heavily selecting the logged vs unlogged areas. During the podcast we review a LandBeat video that highlights all of the amazing information we collected from these surveys!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-5vNHmDeQQ

In this episode of the Land and Legacy podcast, Matt Dye and Alan Summerford discuss the NWTF project, focusing on the management and behavior of wild turkeys during the months of March and April. They emphasize the importance of active management for wild turkey habitats, exploring the behavioral patterns of turkeys as they prepare for breeding season, their foraging habits, and effective management techniques to enhance turkey populations. The conversation highlights the significance of understanding turkey behavior and habitat needs to ensure successful management and conservation efforts. This conversation delves into the management strategies for wild turkeys, focusing on habitat techniques for March and April. The discussion highlights the importance of managing food plots, controlling grasses, and creating suitable nesting environments. The speakers emphasize the significance of diversity in habitat management and the need for proactive measures to ensure successful turkey reproduction. They also share insights on the nesting behavior of turkeys and the critical factors influencing nest success.

On this week's podcast we cover the nuisance usage of TSI and fire. We review a particular location that has years of fire and a round of TSI, but no reward to show for that effort. Why you may ask is a great question! We talk constantly about these techniques and how good they are! But, if you are executing them poorly or too frequently, the results will suffer or you can even go backwards! Wouldn't it be wild to know that what you thought was helping was hurting? We don't see it often, but when we do, we have to discuss how the overuse or abuse of good things can create negatives on the landscape. We are talking about the removal of fuel loads, cover, and removal of forage opportunities for deer and wild turkey. Follow-along on this week's podcast to see if you are executing well and effectively with the habitat management techniques of prescribed fire and TSI. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VRcFUDkkUc

During this week's podcast Matt Dye walk you through a recent Whitetail Properties LandBeat video. We dive deep into the details, steps, and nuances of the technique of old field management. These steps if done correctly can produce the most valuable food and cover on a recreational farm. Exposing the seed bank once non-native grasses have been removed is an easy yet incredibly valuable opportunity for wildlife. The main objective with this technique is to change the vegetation from non-native cool season grass dominated to diverse forbs, shrubs, and some native grasses. Ideally the composition is similar to the following over time, 60% forbs, 20% shrubs, and 20% native grasses. These acres will offer some of the best forage and cover for species like deer, turkey, and quail. Find out what you're missing when you begin to manage with a purpose and promote native species! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XyT8GanbbM

Sometimes it may take years to see the results of your hard work. However, other projects may be immediate. Matt and Alan dive into some of the most overlooked areas that occur on pretty much every property we see throughout our consulting travels. Wildlife openings can be a huge part of the success of not only harvesting turkeys, but providing beneficial plant structures that are conducive to raising more poults. It's time to start evaluating the areas of the property that may not be doing much currently, but with a little work, could be a huge piece of the puzzle to help hens have a place to take their poults. Wildlife openings should be managed in a way that removes any nonnative grasses, and focused more on promoting native forbs and legumes. These areas provide ample opportunity for young poults to move through and have the perfect amount of cover above them with bare soil underneath that they can navigate without becoming soaked from dews. The structure of the forbs and legumes also allow the poults to move freely through the opening with ease while also attracting a multitude of bugs providing crucial nutrition to young poults. When these areas are also in close proximity to good nesting cover, the chance of a hen raising a brood is really high. It's truly amazing to see how quick the wildlife will respond to the work we do. The creation of this wildlife opening started with spraying the fescue on March 2, then followed up with a burn on March 12. Turkeys showed up on March 13, and have been utilizing the fresh burn ever since. A huge part of the success of this hunt was providing an area that was different from the hundreds of acres of fields that surrounded this small timber block and wildlife opening. It's time to start taking a different approach to the odd areas of our fields or open areas of our timber. Every opening doesn't have to be a foodplot, and in most cases these openings can be the best strut zones on the property. A native wildlife opening will be much better than a mediocre foodplot, or even a poorly placed foodplot on the property.

On this weeks podcast Kyle and Frank recap their recent Turkey hunt in Florida on a property that they wrote the plan for several years ago. They go into detail on what has been implemented since they were last there and also touch on upcoming turkey hunting plans in Kansas and Missouri.

Fire shouldn’t be terrifying. Smokey said only you can prevent forest fires, but the lack of fire is even more devastating on the landscape. On this week’s episode Alan and Brady discuss the tools and methods they use to conduct safe prescribed fires. Topics include:-what can be used as a firebreaks-tools of the trade-days you should burn for beginners vs skilled -conditions you should burn-timber burns vs field burns-how to get started doing your own prescribed burns

Matt Dye and Adam Keith discuss a recent study by Dr. Craig Harper on deer bedding blocks using hinge cuts and canopy manipulation. The study, conducted in Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee, involved 3, 10-acre hardwood blocks with 10-acre treatment areas and 5-acre control areas. Deer activity increased significantly, with daily detections rising from 1.4 to 7.5 after treatment. The study found a 435% increase in deer activity in treated areas and a 41% decrease in predator detections. They emphasize the importance of strategic placement and management of bedding thickets for effective deer hunting.

On this weeks podcast Adam is breaking down all your questions from a recent whitetail properties LandBeat video. When it comes to deciding which tree to kill and which to keep during TSI is a common question and we break down how we decide on that very question. Be sure to check out the LandBeat series and ask your questions to get a further break down on here!

During this podcast we review the importance and acknowledgment of the direction of your farm transformation. Where are you starting and where are you going? What is reasonable to expect with regard to your efforts to enhance the habitat. This week is a review of that process and stories from our recent consultations where we review working with different folks along the habitat journey in different tiers. This will help you execute and relate to landowners who are going through the same process.

In this week's podcast Kyle and Frank do a deep dive on usable space and how it pertains to deer, turkeys, quail, and overall property management.

Today we are officially announcing the formation of The Habitat Association. We have joined forces with The Habitat Project, The Hunting Public, and Ryan Kirby Art to form a non-profit that focuses on improving and creating diverse native habitat across our landscape. We will remain lean and effective and turn donations into improved acres. All of our backgrounds when joined together form a profound coalition to turn our heads to the root cause of the decline of our natural landscape and the wildlife that call it home. Please join us at The Habitat Association to support native landscapes across the country! Become a member today and link arms with young outdoor enthusiasts who are looking to make a lasting and positive impact on quality habitat.

Adam Keith and Alan Summerford discuss the hunt for a deer named Cream. Alan's son Reid coined the name while watching a pair of deer that resembled twins, leading to the names "Cookie" and "Cream."The discussion focuses on developing a hunting strategy for a specific buck, covering topics such as: Eliminating the guesswork when choosing your best stands Analyzing historical patterns from last year to predict this year's hunting locations* Determining the optimal time to hunt in the right location

Matt Dye and Brady Bradley discuss the importance of proper timber management, emphasizing the need for a multi-step process. They highlight the critical order of operations: "Don't thin unless you plan on burning and don't burn unless you plan on thinning." They address scenarios for both closed-canopy forests without invasives and those with invasive species like multiflora rose and autumn olive. For invasive-free Timber, the process involves timber harvest followed by thinning and burning. For Timber with invasives, initial treatment is necessary before thinning and burning. They stress the importance of patience and thorough planning to achieve long-term success in timber management.

Sometimes the only way we will know is to try. In this podcast we're talking about one of the tests we have going on at the farm on trying to keep water from freezing during the winter months. The point of this is to keep open water for deer to drink. Follow along as we test this during the winter, in a time frame that most water sources near food are often frozen.

On this weeks podcast Kyle and Frank Discuss the necessity and functionality of screens. From annual screens, to perennial options this podcast covers it top to bottom. Depending on the situation and scenario, we will help you decide which options and species are best suited for your needs. Screening is not just for the hunter. Screening can be used to increase daylight movement for deer and block them from long distances. If done correctly screens can have great impacts for the hunter and the hunted. We hope you enjoy the podcast and develop screens where necessary on your farm!

In this episode Brady and Tucker discuss shed hunting tips and tactics. Why look for sheds, where to look, and when to look? From stories to strategy behind shed hunting this podcast is good for beginners and veteran shed hunters, with a big emphasis on getting your family outdoors and learning a farm through shed hunting.

It's a hot topic right now, TSI! In this episode, following our "How to Get Started with TSI," we dive deeper into the weeds of timber stand improvement (TSI). We discuss how we utilize different intensities of TSI for timber production, turkey management, and deer management across the landscape. From the Deep South to the Far North, one thing rings true: timber management is necessary for healthy wildlife populations and timber stands. With hunting seasons ending across the country, we are hitting the woods hard this time of the year managing our timbered areas. So, if you have been on the fence about diving into the world of TSI, make sure to give these two episodes a listen!

TSI is a well known and adopted technique to dramatically improve the timbered acres on a given recreational property. However, most people don't know how or where to start. They may not feel comfortable running a chainsaw, they don't know how to ID trees, or perhaps they don't understand how to evaluate a forest in its layers. But, during this podcast we walk you through the mental game step by step process to truly and accurately evaluate a forest so you can begin to start TSI. Give this a listen and share to those who need help starting TSI. Once you start and see the results, you will be captivated, but you have to start! Break the forest into layers and think logically through the best technique and GO!

In this episode, Alan Summerford and Brady Bradley discuss their 2024 hunting seasons and tactics. They are joined by the buck slayer himself, Reed Summerford, who doesn't hold anything back! The rut is in full swing in the deep South for Alan and Reed; they discuss their tactics for the lockdown phase and post-rut. Brady discusses his late-season tactics as deer season is winding down across the Midwest and the bucks are refueling their rut-torn bodies.

During this episode Alan Summerford discusses his pursuit of a mature Tennessee whitetail. This episode is full of hunting strategy tips as Alan had 8 encounters with this buck before getting him harvested. We dive deep into stand access, historical trail camera information, weather conditions, food plots and habitat manipulation. Alan is a great woodsman and stays the course being persistent on the right days of the season to be successful. We share this journey to inspire you all and provide hope to others in the pursuit of a specific deer. Enjoy this episode and chase for a mature 10-point buck in the south!

During this podcast we break down for you the importance of knowing if you are ready for a consultation or not. Everyone is in a different place in their journey of landownership and knowledge, that makes an important distinction to whether or not you will get the most out of the process or not. You can be a seasoned veteran in the woods, stone cold killer, or new to the game of land ownership, but a consultation will still be valuable to you.

We have two special events for 2025. These Workshop opportunities are fantastic learning experiences for attendees to get hands-on lessons of habitat management and hunting strategies. Hear it first hand for yourselves from last year's attendees. The Kentucky Buck Factory has only 25 spots available for 2025! This limited offering ensures a great learning environment for all in attendance. The lodge is incredible, it's time to book your spot and learn how to improve the habitat on your property!

During this podcast we cover the basis when it comes to how to effectively run, setup, place, and evaluate trail cameras. The mis-use of trail cameras is often the origin for poor hunting strategies. Being able to use trail cameras effectively is foundational to a well developed approach to harvesting target deer with regularity opposed to "luck"We break down the absolute no-no's of trail camera placement, we discuss in detail where to place them throughout each individual timeframe of the hunting season, from pre-season to late season. In addition, we cover what a trail camera picture is actually telling you. The behind the scenes information that you should be considering from each picture of target deer!

This week we share the hunt breakdown and story behind a buck we called Beef Cake. This buck was appropriately named based off his appearance and mature body characteristics. We later find out, he acted like a Beef Cake as well. This story goes back to the early summer as Tucker and Matt put out trail cameras on a new lease. Beef Cake was the first and about the only mature deer to show himself all summer long. This deer was also the first buck we laid eyes on during our first hunt on the new lease. Despite being a smaller racked mature deer, he fit the bill for November hunt and a refined herd management strategy for this property. We break down this strategy as we witnessed some very defined and aggressive behavior to other younger bucks he would encounter. To learn more about this strategy, be sure to listen to the podcast.

We are thrilled to announce a 2025 offering to you all. We have partnered with Heartland Bowhunter for a one of a kind event at their farm in North Missouri. The event will be a 2.5-day Whitetail Workshop event, May 31- June 2nd, 2025. We are capping the event at 30 people to keep it a very manageable learning environment for all attendees. The design of this event is to showcase how habitat design and a hunting strategy is interwoven. We will be reviewing successful hunts from Heartland Bowhunter, then walking you through the design, layout, implementation, and ways to further improve these setups. You will get immersed throughout the property and see where several hunts have taken place. If you have wondered how we turn good farms into great farms, then this event is for you. To register and take advantage of the early bird pricing, be sure to follow the link below to register. Remember there are only 30 spots available, these will go quickly! We hope to see you all at this wonderful event to take your woodsmanship skills to a whole new level! Registration Link: https://heartlandbowhunter.com/pages/whitetail-workshop

On this week's podcast, we breakdown a LandBeat video discussing the missing aspects of most gun hunting setups. Evaluating gun hunting seasons and deer behavior is critical for your success during this portion of the season. Many firearm seasons overlap with peak estrous, if so, you need to have your eyes overlooking dense bedding cover. We examine the different ecoregions of the country and chat through the different habitat types that should be strongly considered when hunting with a firearm in hand. Most deer behavior at this time of the year revolves around bedding or secure cover. Does are seeking it, and therefore bucks will follow suit. Even if you remove the rutting behavior from the equation, the excess human pressure during gun season drives deer to seek dense cover. Long range views into cover is key! Watch the LandBeat video here are this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwS7XgcsE3Y

This week we catch up with Land & Legacy consultant Brady Bradley as he fills his archery tag on a mature Missouri buck. We break down this hunt from start to finish from tactics, access, transitions, acorn crops, and pre-rut behavior. This hunt was action packed from the pre-dawn light until the arrow was released. Brady is a fine woodsman and a persistent hunter when his time allows. This combination is deadly, even when time is limited, waiting for quality opportunities is key. Oftentimes it's not how frequently you hunt, rather how quality are the days in which you do take to go will be the determining factors for your success.

We've spent all summer waiting for season to open preparing for that buck to give us a shot, but what should we do after the shot? What if there is no blood or the blood trail ends before we find our deer?Today we set down with two top notch blood dog trackers, Brent Taylor and Heath Devazier from East Arkansas Wounded Game Recovery to discuss recovering your trophy and common mistakes they see hunters make.

On this week's podcast, Alan and Matt sit down to discuss the current weather patterns, acorn crop, drought, and winds we've experienced this season. To say the least, in our respective regions, there have been some challenges to contend with. But, as we look ahead and use our woodsmanship skills, there is hope for an increase in deer activity as the pre-rut phase descends upon us rapidly.

We review the key features to look for in weather, topography, and deer activity to make the most of this time frame. Field edges, saddles, creek crossings, bedding thickets and benches are key. Focus efforts in the mid to late mornings as well. This is when cruising/seeking from bucks will be peaking.

Be safe and enjoy your time outdoors! Use all your woodsmanship skills to maximize your time afield.

During this podcast we connect the dots between experiencing God's creation from a deer stand and taking it a step further acknowledging his power, divinity, his desire for a relationship with you. This is a deep conversation with our Pastor, Brad Lotz. Our prayer is that you listen to this podcast with an open heart and mind prior to spending your fall or rutcation in a deer stand.

Year after year we hear people discuss how they feel connected or at peace in a deer stand, but that is as far as the "spiritual side" of things go, but God desires more and we know you do too.

A few key takeaways from this podcast are 1) God loves us and gifted us his Creation to enjoy, connect, and have dominion over. 2) God pursues us through his Creation. 3) You should be humbled and in awe at the magnitude of his Creation and how you are just a speck among it. 4) God is mighty and big, and this is a good thing. 5) If you feel connected outside, it's because God is pursuing YOU!

Please listen and share with the outdoorsmen, hunter, and friend who needs to hear this message. Remember to respond to Jesus if he tugs at your heart!

This week Kyle Hedges and Matt Dye bring you a discussion regarding the importance, preparation, execution, and benefits of creating soft edges throughout your property. For years the understanding of creating or softening the edge between two very distinct habitat types such as trees to a food plot edge is necessary and valuable. This would be an example of a hard edge that gets softened. However, in today's podcast, we talk about creating soft edges and corridors through herbaceous cover, where previously there weren't existing edges!

Kyle has been using specific herbicide applications around food plot edges and through dense rank native warm season grass stands to promote a heavier presence of annual broadleaf weeds, opposed to rank grasses. This is a prime example of soft edge feathering. This practice produces more forage than before while still promoting vertical structure, yet it is not nearly as dense to traverse for many different game species.

This practice is very simple to replicate, affordable, and impactful in how deer will navigate your farm if done properly. Take a listen and share this with someone who needs to hear about this practice of soft edge development.

This week, Kyle and Frank discuss a consulting trip that they took during 2024 to North Dakota. These two consultants were assisting a landowner improve his property for whitetail deer, mule deer and numerous game bird species in a mixed prairie/ag setting. Although this exact situation may not be how you are managing, you need to listen closely for some key takeaways about habitat management, mindset of managing within the Land & Legacy Principles, and how to manage weather extremes! Frank and Kyle knocked this farm consultation out of the park with great advice for the client to not up-end his farming operation, but allow wildlife improvements to work within a grazing system, crop field rotation, and native pasture system.

Hold on to your seats... this podcast may make you reconsider a lot about your neighborhood when it comes to managing for older age class deer. The old phrase of "If its brown its down" was a forbidden foe of the hunters seeking to harvest more mature deer. In this podcast, we compare and contrast this method of harvesting to the neighborhood who is activiely trageting and harvesting the 3.5 to 4.5 year old age class aggressively.It may seem as if the older age class harvesting would be the best option for you, however we really dive into the facts of this harvest regime in a neighborhood like this. All of the potential is wiped out of a single age class (3.5) as opposed to more or less even distribution between multiple age structures in the if its brown its down neighborhood. These scenarios are all dependent upon the harvest total annually to be equal, but if the same number of bucks are taken in each neighborhood, we have found that it is easier for the landowner seeking to harvest mature deer to do so in a "if its brown its down" neighborhood. Call us crazy, but listen to the podcast, I bet you will change your mind!

This week we are joined with Pierce Young. Pierce is the Assistant Coordinator of Private Lands, with Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks, and has years of experience dealing with over 500 private hunting properties across the south. Tune in and let's find out what we should be feeding our deer to maximize their potential.

This is a detailed guide to answering the tough question everyone asks, Can I hunt here? We always give ourselves a pass or an excuse to be in an area that has a deer sign. However, many times those locations can do more harm than good. In this podcast, you will learn how to strategically and logically work through the mental process of vetting out a high quality huntable location. Take it to the bank, if each location you have checks all the boxes, sit back and let that area work for you!

If by the end of this podcast, you haven't taken down a least half of your treestands, you need to listen critically to it again! We discuss topics such as wind speed, wind direction, leaf coverage, shade, full sun, thermals, access, parking locations, etc... Do not miss this podcast. We encourage you to share it with your hunting buddies to make sure they too can share in the successes to come.

On this week's podcast Kyle and Frank discuss ways to maximize your fall if you tag out early or just plain can't get enough farm improvements. These non-intrusive management strategies will get you ready for all the winter and spring projects ahead of you. Don't let the fall and hunting slow you down from what you need to be focused on with regard to making the farm better.

These tips and tricks for the fall will save you time, money, and headaches when it's time to get after it in the coming months!

Feed trees can play a major role in daylight activity on your property. Join us this week as Alan and Brady dive into the tactics to have success hunting over feed trees.In this episode we break down our favorite feed trees, and talk about where to find them, when to find them, and how to hunt them. We discuss the differences between red oak vs. white oak. The timing of when certain trees can be targeted, and what to look for on your property. Having knowledge of the property, and history with deer on the property can take the guesswork out of finding the right tree to hunt. Feed trees aren't just for early season hunting. This buck was killed using historical data, and feed tree tactics in November.

Pond management for fish isn't that much different than managing upland habitat for wildlife. This week we are joined again by Fisheries Biologist Micah Tindall to discuss managing fish and the habitats they require.

On this week's podcast we are trying out a new podcast style and need your feedback. We have been filming for years with the folks at Whitetail Properties and it's time we begin to break down in fine detail the nuance details of habitat management. So this week, let us know in the comments what you think about this podcast style!

Bedding thickets come in all shapes and sizes, but so do the implementation guidelines. This week we walk you through how we would cut a unit that is an average stocking rate with average ranges of timber size classes. We break it down 1/3, 1/3, and 1/3rd and apply a girdle/spray, fell, and hinge to each 1/3rd. This creates a great matrix of sunlight, structure, and new plant growth that will ultimately hold deer in these secure units during daylight hours. What more do you want?!?

Watch the LandBeat video here are this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq9TIMJRg4k. We hope you enjoy the behind the scenes look at creating a bedding thicket in the hot June sun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq9TIMJRg4k&authuser=0

On this week's podcast, Alan and Reid Summerford take to the woods in search of a velvet whitetail. The prep work has been completed and in part 1 of this podcast you will hear all about the work they have completed to make this hunt a success before the season even opens. Oftentimes, the hard work ahead of the hunt will prove itself deadly. This pre-hunt interview calls the shots of what they suspect will happen. Let's see if their suspicions are correct in part 2! During part 2 of the podcast, we hear how the actual hunt unfolded and why it was a success. These unconventional techniques can be the make or break of success. In this episode, you will really see how habitat management and hunting strategy are essentially one in the same.

On this week’s podcast we sit down the Shawn from Heartland Bowhunter. Shawn is a devoted bowhunter but now is a land manager. Shawn is passionate about trying to promote a healthy native landscape that improves the habitat and overall hunting experience. This transformation is journey didn’t happen overnight and wasn’t his due to his own interests. Many people along the way influenced and guided him to dive deep in land management. We hope you enjoy this story and journey from Shawn. If you haven’t taken a deep dive into managing quality habitat, we hope Shawn will convince you to join us on the journey.

Several of us have ponds on the farms that we manage, and others may be thinking of building or stocking a new body of water. Just like your wildlife habitat, your fish need managed and so does the habitat they need to thrive. Today we are joined by Fisheries Biologist Micah Tindall with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to discuss the in's and out's of setting up a new fish pond.

Today, we take a deep dive into several key considerations when buying recreational land. The biggest of all is to investigate the neighborhood with intensity. Know the good and the bad! Avoid the bad areas as your best habitat management efforts maybe futile. The best way to determine the neighbor impact is to not look for a single stud buck on camera, but a well developed age structure! This says way more about the neighborhood than an outlier buck from years ago. Age structure is often what people "mean" when they are incorrectly using the term "genetics".

We are stern and serious on the delivery with this podcast to make sure there isn't buyers remorse! This is a big decisions, hundreds and millions of dollars are being spent, make a good decision. Develop a great working relationship with your local Whitetail Properties Agent to be on the shortlist for quality land in the best neighborhoods.

In this episode we discuss what creates an awesome food plot, it's not just the seed that goes in the ground, but the location, soil type, and nature of the plot that can lead to more success. We discuss the key factors that are critical to maximizing the production of a food plot.-Prepping the soil to plant.-What to look for in a forecast to sow the seed.-Timing of planting.-Planting techniques.-Using cattle farming practices to create food plots.-Clover Plot Maintenance

Prescribed fire is one of our favorite tools in our management tool box. In fact, there aren't many properties that wouldn't benefit from fire, but its not always the solution by itself, sometimes its not even the correct tool to use.

We're using some photos from recent consults to guide you through the recommendations you hear weekly to help on your farm! Enjoy how we plan to guide these landowners to manipulating the natural resources to improve these farms for whitetail deer!

No, it’s probably not what you think.We took a short break to catch up on life, or to “sharpen our axe” but we are back!Join Hunter and Thomas this week as they talk about the necessary break they took from the Sawdust & Fire Podcast as well as some of the things they have going on.

Don't be lazy, get out there and do the work! But! if time is limited, start with these projects to ensure success this fall on your farm. What is the silver bullet to habitat management? We get asked this question a lot and the answer is never what the person wants to hear. Fotunately in this podcast we discuss what would be a silver bullet if we had one.

Stumps offer more than just a place to set mineral blocks - they are a rich source of nutrients that deer crave. In this episode, Alan and Frank highlight the importance of mineral stumps on the landscape. They provide insights on trees that are magnets when cut and those that should be treated when cut, making it easier for you to understand the significance of mineral stumps.

Trees have been cut, now what?? Now that the timber has been cut, it's crucial to develop a strategy to restore the area. In this week's episode, Alan and Brady explore the steps to train your forest to reach your goals and leave a lasting legacy on the property.

Cutting timber? LIsten to these steps first!Brady Bradley and Alan Summerford talk about what to do before you bring a logger onto the property to have timber cut.

The secret of getting ahead is getting started, the secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks, and starting on the first one. “Mark Twain”

We dive deep into the weeds, as we discuss old field management and enhancement. Invasive species control was also a hot topic where we discussed in depth strategies and specific herbicide formulations to further improve your effectiveness and save you money with proper application methods.

This isn't a time to stay indoors, but modify your strategy with these suggestions and keep moving that habitat needle forward.

We often see hunters "chasing the most recent activity". They follow what they saw as opposed to making deer produce certain patterns in huntable locations. Many hunters force themselves into unhuntable locations and botch a hunt or educate deer in the process. Oftentimes we find that the right approach is to learn the patterns, then place new features around the area to further enhance those natural patterns. This will increase the success of hunting. Stop chasing and guessing, know what deer are going to do before they do it.

These answers help guide us to be able to deliver the best, most accurate, and strategic plan possible. Boiler plate habitat management plans are so common, but not ours. We ask distinct questions throughout the process that keys into whether or not the recommendations are even applicable or if we need to make audibles based on the answer to certain questions.

Be diligent in who you hire and how you attack your property!

In addition, we cover the truths about summer food plots. We address their necessities, limitations, value, and alternatives to planting summer plots. Please give this podcast a listen with an open mind. Be critical and mindful of why you are doing what you are doing. You may need to re-evaluate your goals and intentions of habitat management. Be wise on how you spend your time and resources on your recreational property.

During this podcast, Alan and Matt go back to 3rd grade biology to lay the foundation of the needs of wildlife; food, cover, and water. These basics are compared to the needs of plants as an illustration to how each works off of one another to provide an entire offering that allows the plant to perform at its peak opportunity. Wildlife is no different, but there is no point to do so unless ALL the foundational aspects of wildlife management are being met. These are the building blocks of wildlife management

Kyle Lybarger joins Alan Summerford to talk about turkey hunting strategies that were used on previous hunts. We also break down what we are seeing on different timings of fire, fire intervals, and how it relates to hunting, and nesting based on when the fire was applied.

Brady shares his experiences working on two vastly different farms one in Kansas and one in Missouri that has seen 500 acres of TSI and multiple fires since he has overseen the property. The changes are vastly different. Matt discusses how one long time client who operates a high Tier 3 farm is now adding to his farm with new ground, but that farm would score a 0.... The journey of improving that property will be long, but rewarding.

Key takeaways are, to improve, you need to first identify where you are at and then determine where you are going, from there the plan will begin to reveal itself.

Big timber and rugged terrain. Kyle Lybarger joins Alan Summerford on a property that is in a conservation easement for old growth timber. As we breakdown the property, we discuss issues with allowing timber to mature without disturbance, and addressing the importance of a sound hunting strategy to grow, hold, and harvest mature bucks with consistency. Sometimes habitat whether good or bad isn't the most limiting factor.

This podcast is spitballing! We cover lots of things while coming back from a recent consult with Kyle and Adam. Buckle up!

Last year we had our Nationwide brood habitat contest and it was a success. A lot of great habitat was put on the ground and a lot of great prizes were donated. Should we have another contest this year? Let us know your thoughts!

We're joined by chainsaw Chad on this podcast to discuss recent work at the Whistling Woodlands. We're talking skid steers, quail, turkeys, and all things habitat management.

Changing the growth structure from trees to shrubs by using a chainsaw by felling or girdling will create way more woody browse and structure on the ground than planting any trees! You need to consider the utilization of an existing root system vs a new one establishing itself. In addition, it is critical to understand the difficulty in maintaining quality habitat once trees have been planted.

Keep an open mind and really grasp the short- term gains vs. the long term play!

Often times prescribed fire is the technique that gets hired out to contractors by landowners. They think fire is too dangerous, but they forget about the complications of hiring a burn crew to complete the burns. In comparison, most landowners want to tackle the TSI and run a chainsaw because they feel more confident doing so. At the end of the day, they forget that TSI is less commonly used than fire and TSI without follow-up fire is offering half of the value. Learning both TSI and fire is important as a landowner, but if you pick one, pick fire and hire out the TSI!

Duck season has come to an end once again, and several are unhappy with the way their season went and are wondering what’s going on. Today we sit down with Luke Naylor from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission to discuss Federal parameters, duck numbers, pressure and habitat. Join us as we take a look inside the complexity of how this all works.

Reporting LIVE from the Quest Hunt Co baquest in Springfield, Mo, we answer habitat questions from across the country! We welcome the audience to participate with their habitat related questions, we discuss topics from burning old fields, forbs relative to whitetails diets, sanctuaries, poor forest regeneration, addressing overpopulation of deer, and many more topics.

The answers to these questions may surprise you, so listen closely!

It’s no secret that prescribed fire is a great thing for wildlife and that the majority of each state is mostly privately owned. So, the push for more landowners burning each year is vital. Recently there has been some great news for the landowners in Arkansas. Join us as we discuss some regulation changes and a new organization that we are happy to have been a part of. Who knows, maybe you can push to apply some of this in your state.

We cover topics such as intense turkey management, small property management, thinning pines, dense-secure cover, large farm vs. small farm management and much more! If you want to learn more regarding our consultation services, please reach out to us at info@landandlegacy.tv

This is ground-breaking, legacy-minded conservation efforts that will change the environment, water quality, wildlife populations and much more. The H2 program from Roeslein Alternative Energy is making waves to convert prairie and cover crop biomass into natural gas that can be used to fuel America. To discuss this we are joined by Steve Mowry a Land & Legacy client and the Director of this program to discuss the ins and outs of how the program works.

We hope that you all join us in the mission to bring 30 million acres back to grasslands in the next 30 years from a dream to a reality. Please share this podcast with landowners who can sign up or make the effort to learn more about this program. Do your part to participate!

Everyone is aware of grade cards, but have you ever applied it to your farm and more specifically to each feature of your farm?

I see this phrase every time I open social media. It seems that no matter where it happens, someone is complaining about the government “ruining their hunting” by logging or TSI work. Today we dive into why timber thinning is necessary, what happens when it isn’t cut and is someone really “lining their pockets” from a timber sale.

On this podcast we discuss a multitude of things we've ran into these last few weeks.

Alan and Brady discuss the steps they are taking with their children to ensure the legacy lives on. They share some great hunts and discuss the steps they took ahead of time to ensure their children were successful and hooked from the beginning.

Landownership can be a long journey for a hunter. You should be prepared for this and all the stages that follow. We discuss this 10 year journey for Ben as he acquires Blackjack, a 42 acre hunting parcel in South Central Iowa. There is also a corresponding successful hunt posted on the Whitetail Properties Youtube page that you will want to watch after hearing this story unfold!

Whether you’ve purchased a new property, or recently decided to start managing a property you’ve had for a while, there are always questions about what to do and where to start. Join us as we break down the steps we like to take when deciding how to get started managing a property for wildlife. And it doesn’t have to be work, we think it’s as fun as the hunt!

On this week's podcast Matt and Brady discuss what the term Diversity actually means! This term has been hijacked over the last few years; the meaning and importance of diversity has been compromised and it's time to set the record straight. Diversity is not crop fields, timber, a creek bottom, and pasture all wrapped up in the boundary of any given property. We are attempting to steer the term "diversity" away from being the next "hinge-cut" buzzword by defining what it is specifically, and what it is not!

Diversity is like layers of an onion! It is deep and offers immense variety to vegetative species. forbs, grasses, sedges, shrubs, and trees all arranged in a naturally occurring order. Slope, elevation, canopy opening percentage, etc are all additional variables to how diversity is influenced. Your management plan should consider this greatly if you understand the true meaning of offering diverse habitat on your recreational property.

Options for those seasons when shooter bucks seem scarce or non-existent on your farm. Focusing on antlerless harvest, working on habitat, trying alternative activities to steer deer movements or retain young bucks on your farm. All these are options that can turn a poor season into a great use of your time.

Going from one Tier to another is critical. Most times we see folks applying the right techniques, but all at the wrong times. This leads to poor responses from those techniques. Remember, what you do should build upon what has already been created. Without a foundation of solid habitat, your efforts will be futile.

Therefore, be diligent and learn how to properly execute the right habitat management strategies at the proper time. This will graduate the property up the Farm Tier levels we've discussed in Part 1 of this podcast series.

There has never been a way to truly evaluate a recreational farm, until now. We developed a Farm Tier system to evaluate where your property stands in the spectrum of management. You've probably wondered how much better can I make this or even what can I do to improve this place, or perhaps you're misguided and think you've done more than you have. This guide or roadmap will help you evaluate where you are at and most importantly, what's next!

Land management for whitetail deer is a journey, it's not a static place, but to advance you need to know where you stand and where you are headed. Please take time to evaluate your position on this spectrum. Be critical and honest with yourself. There is often a large percent of people willing to make changes, but focus on the wrong things to advance themselves, this podcast will help solve that!

Enjoy and share this podcast with your recreational landowning friends! #ForLoveoftheLand

10 years ago this 40 acre parcel was overgrazed pastures, now it is holding bucks and attracting them from miles away when the pressure of deer season gets going. No acreage is too small to manage. Secure areas are critical to offer on these smaller acreages and you will see why when a mature 10-pt is daylight all over this farm.

If you have small acreage, don't consider it a lost cause. This story of success in a tough neighborhood will be enough to fuel you to take the same steps and hopefully yield similar success.

A state wildlife biologist or local NRSC agent assists landowners daily. They work to improve habitat and dish out cost-share dollars that improved habitat, but they have boundaries and restrictions in how they can assist. In comparison, private consultants work directly for and on behalf of the landowners goals without restrictions based on specs that have been written within the EQIP program. Our consultants also work to address the entire farm and its operation and huntability. We intentionally address the habitat to directly improve the huntability of a farm, not max out habitat and hope it hunts well.

We hope this podcast is revealing and helpful to the landowners listening. There are two separate roles and ways to work. Make sure you understand where you are at and how you can maximize your time and future.

Discussing shrub motts, food plots, rut timing and Merry Christmas

Plus we discuss finding the buck at the end of the blood trail and it not being what we expected which seems to happen a lot. Have ground gremlins ever got a hold of your buck before you got to him?

Want the most success on limited time? Don't sleep on late season.

Changing perspectives, mindsets, attitudes, improving knowledge, and addressing fears is never easy. It's always difficult to do, so today we discuss these hot button issues. Oftentimes these issues keep people from experiencing the success that they think they could have or perhaps have earned. Looking at ourselves in the mirror is priority number one. Don't keep pointing the finger at every other issue. The habitat will change once we agree it needs to change, learn how to change it, and then motivate ourselves to put in the hardwork!

Please share this with someone who needs to hear this message! #ForLoveoftheLand

After the trigger pulled the work usually starts, but there are always ways to make the work easier. This week we discuss improvements to the skjinning shed and tools that can make a dreadful process enjoyable.

There are things to look for when buying a property if you want old deer. Small tracts mean more neighbors which can mean more problems

We're breaking down how this calendar will help you with your planning to make better habitat.

With deer season in full swing across much of the country, and most sportsmen's minds focused on pursuing them, we commonly hear some of the same old stuff about their behavior. Things like "The rut is going to be early this year," or "according to the moon guide, tomorrow mornings not worth hunting."

We've been working with our friend Ryan Kirby to make this happen and we couldn't be more proud of this piece. Be sure to pick yours up at shoplandandlegacy.com

Often we are left frustrated when our DNR fails to meet our expectations. But are those expectations reasonable and properly assigned? What can a DNR actually do? We discuss our misplaced expectations, DNR ability, policing ourselves and taking action without dependence on the government agency.

The number one goal that landowners come to us seeking assistance on is growing and harvesting mature deer CONSISTENTLY. However, many fail to realize off the bat the need to first allow more deer to reach the necessary age class of 5.5 or older. Rarely do we walk into a situation where someone has an adequate number of mature deer existing within the deer herd. So with this podcast, we break down the do's and dont's of producing more mature deer on your property.

A landowner must adopt and apply the following points in most landscapes. Tag soup is not a step backwards. Guests should be held to the same standard as the landowner. Adopt self-imposed regulations that are more restrictive than the state regulations. Get neighbors on board with passing younger deer. Increase overall deer herd numbers. And many more key steps, be sure to give this podcast a listen and a share with neighbors and friends.

The rut can be frustrating if you don't have cover. It can be frustrating even if you do have cover but we're discussing ways to create success on your farm this rut!

There was no shortage of history with this 6.5 year old buck! The trail camera photos were numerous, but the location in which this buck was using was a hard to reach ridge top funnel! Yet, success was had due to understanding the land, clearcuts, thermals, and a disciplined hunting strategy!

After years of watching this buck in a tough to hunt area, Alan decided to make some changes to the property. Alan converted an existing food plot into a wildlife opening that improved access into this stand location. Even though is was improved, Alan still had to wait for the right time of the year and weather/wind to move in. He was given the right conditions and made the most out of it with a 6.5 year worked a scrape line to nearly the base of his tree.

Be sure to give this a listen as you hear some important details to follow on the recovery! We hope you enjoy this podcast and learn to improve the land first to improve your hunting! #ForLoveoftheLand

After obtaining a new parcel just over a year and a half ago, Brad got to work quickly. A timber harvest was conducted as well as the transformation of pasture ground to both agricultural land and old field management. The new crops included corn and alfalfa for 2023, but the layout of these is key to the huntability of the farm. After the logging was completed, bedding thickets were installed and the new structure was holding deer on this 95 acre parcel.

During a mid-October hunt, a hit list buck for Brad stepped out to the plot and worked a scrape! To hear in more detail about the habitat management practices that took place as well as the hunt strategy, take a listen to this podcast! #ForLoveoftheLand

Summer has ended, fall is in full swing. The deer are starting to chase and the ducks are on the move. We are working hard to finish up late season habitat projects so we can enjoy the fruits of our labor.

To be successful, you have to hunt undetected. Therefore, you need consider where you wind is blowing at all times. This means that there is a very distinct need to a manage for dormant season voids. These areas can be diverse pastures, frequently burned early successional areas, or areas that have had many of the mast producing trees cut. Deer relate there activity direct to topography and vegetation, it is up to the landowner to find the balance of habitat improvement and funneling deer in killable locations. This podcast takes you on a deep dive manage those down wind acres of the annual harvest locations on the farm.

We hope you enjoy and share this podcast! Tag a landowner you know who is looking for more land management information.

Rules are made for a reason, and it’s usually out of necessity. Unfortunately, these rules prohibit or limit activities, but often that isn’t a bad thing. Most successful hunting clubs have rules that have to be followed to maintain the quality of hunting that everyone expects, otherwise these private lands end up no better than public. Today we dove into several issues we constantly see on various areas and how to avoid them.

We discussed the competing interests in the fall and how social media can cause folks to spend time pursuing something to the point it isn’t even fun anymore just due to the pressure to make a post or tell their buddies at work. Whether it’s trying to kill 100 ducks in a season, or the need to kill your “buck”, or even disallowing some family time at a farm for fear of disturbing wildlife. Hunters need to ask themselves, if they couldn’t tell anyone about their hunt or harvest, then what hunts would they spend time on? Whatever the answer is should be what a person goes out to enjoy. It’s all about spending time outdoors in the wonderful season called fall. It shouldn’t be a grind, it should be rejuvenating.

The deer hunting season is about to change, are you ready for these incoming strategy changes? Ditch the food plots you've been hunting all early season and start getting back to the cruising locations!

We break down 6 different key points to consider when it is time to hunt during the pre-rut. Some of these considerations include ways to blow your wind in favor of a buck and not directly the hunter. In addition, what scrapes specifically to hunt and what pinch points are truly important during this window. Entry and exit routes are always critical no matter the time of the year, but also consider the most recent pulse in deer activity based on your cellular trail cameras. These and several other key considerations are what we elaborate on during this week's podcast.

You need to be prepared for this window of time! Do not be reactive, anticipate the activity that will be happening. We hope this podcast gives you the edge you need to be successful during the pre-rut phase.

These procedures might not be what you’re thinking. This week we stray from habitat work a little to take care of other things. But hey, sometimes you’ve just got to stop and take care of life so you can stay on track.

This podcast will cover in depth the why and the how to in creating the dominant mock scrape in the area. We discuss the do's and dont's and top locations for these scrapes. If you want to learn how to gain valuable information and pattern mature bucks you need to listen to this podcast. Trail cameras are great tools if you know how to use them appropriately. Ask yourself if you are getting the most out of these tools?

There is not a fall that goes by that we don't have 90% of all trail cameras deployed over scrapes, they are that important! Learn how by downloading this podcast.

This podcast has a purpose! Our goal is to clearly define the similarities and differences between supplemental feeding programs, baiting, and food plots for wildlife. This topic can be highly debated among hunters and is fueled by the various perspectives that everyone can have based on their personal experiences. Despite these challenges we wanted to address the hot and highly debated topic ourselves.

The terms are important to define and critical to establish that there are often mis-uses and abuses with these terms, so we are trying to set the record straight for people to use. It is important to remember that it is each hunters responsibility to follow ALL the local rules and regulations. Keep everyone accountable and on a level playing field.

Listen to this podcast carefully and completely. We’d love to hear your feedback on your perspectives.

Chainsaw Chad strikes in southern Missouri with an aggressive strategy during the early season. We often say early season is a time to be patient but when a great pattern develops it can be time to strike! Matt and Chad discuss the strategy of his early season buck.

On this podcast we sit down all together! Adam and Matt are joined by fellow consultants, Kyle Hedges, Frank Loncarich, Alan Summerford, and Brady Bradley to discuss our strengths and how we can help landowners across the country. This isn't your everyday group of deer hunters. #Forloveoftheland

It’s that time of year when our focus shifts from habitat work to hunting. But can hunting have a bearing on your habitat? Join us as we discuss how and why we manage our deer herds on the properties we manage and what we hope to accomplish from that each year.

We've been rolling with timber stand improvement through late summer and today we're discussing how we did it!

Technology has allowed us to have a wealth of information at our fingertips as well as “better” equipment to make a lot of our tasks easier than it once was. However, it doesn’t come without a cost. The cost varies from conflicting information to equipment that not many can repair.

Understanding bedding, historical movement, and individual personalities led to the game plan and execution.

In today’s episode we tackle unconventional methods we use to plant fall food plots based on weather conditions as well as the topic of conformation bias. It seems pretty common practice these days for folks to discount information and cherry pick what they want to hear. We can all be guilty of it from time to time, but how much does it influence our daily practices in managing for wildlife.

Why do I have all this equipment and my plots look worse today than they did five years ago when I was disking my plots? All these questions have answers and solutions! Tune in!

This podcast is going to hit home and right in the feels for a lot of listeners. As the hunting season opens up around the country, consider taking this podcast to heart. Remember "it is more important to know when not to hunt then when to hunt". This is a phrase we commonly share, it is critical to take this to heart. Hunting discipline is often lacking among many hunting camps, this discernment can save you from educating deer and keeping the farm secure.

In addition to discussing hunting discipline, we also discuss in great detail the fact that many farms only need to have a small handful of treestands to hunt deer adequately. Each farm has a select few spots that create a weakness for deer, but a strength for a deer hunter. These are your prime hunting locations. These areas should have distinct habitat surrounding them to increase the frequency of their use. If hunted correctly, these areas usually only add up to about 5-10% of the farm. There is no need to hunt and pressure the whole farm, when the best spots provide all of the opportunity when you hunt with discipline!

Be sure to share this podcast with your too excited buddy!

It’s that time of year when our work starts shifting toward hunting preparations, but there is still a lot to do. Join us this week as we discuss things we have been involved with here in Arkansas and the great results we hope to see for the wildlife we love to pursue.

Land & Legacy consultants Allan Summerfield and Brady Bradley discuss everything dove hunting. With season right around the corner they discuss management techniques they implement throughout the year that increase their odds of a successful dove hunt. Whether it be techniques strictly for dove or other management practices that inadvertently benefit the dove population, they cover it here. Dove season can be a great way to get the whole family involved so get out this season and enjoy!

During this podcast, we discuss the importance of the 3 year old age class for various goals in whitetail deer management. The focus of most deer hunters when pulling trail cameras is always on mature deer. They tend to take a quick glance at a decent 3-year old deer, but then keep on scrolling. This age class needs way more attention than that!

We discuss various case studies and scenarios within this podcast that will be applicable to most listeners! We hope you enjoy and learn! #ForLoveoftheLand

With several free options available these days, a lot of folks wonder why they should have to pay a consultant to help them with a plan for their property. This week we tackle this question and discuss several instances we have encountered where hiring a consultant would have saved a lot of money, time and confusion; not only in the beginning but for years to come. It’s not a simple as you might think. Like a great employee, an awesome consultant doesn’t actually cost you in the long run, it saves you.

We encourage landowners to create a vision for their farm. With that being said, this long term goal is something to strive for, but many people get caught up in the long term vision and forget to set realistic and achievable goals along the way to reach the vision. If we are being honest, many fall short of the vision due to poor planning and setting unrealistic goals that guide them.

Big dreams are fun, we all love living in those day dream scenarios when it comes to land management. We all can paint the picture of what 10 years down the road should look like, but few can stay the course year in and year out. This week, we answer and address why that is and how to establish the goals or schedule along the way to allow you to create the vision!

Share this podcast if you find it hits home! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this podcast we share with you the pros and cons, use case scenarios, and the differences between Basal Treating, Hack-n-squirt technique, and the Girdle and spray technique. These three techniques all have their place, but knowing their differences will make you a more effective and efficient land and wildlife manager.

Today we walk you through the different options land managers have to use herbicide on woody vegetation to effectively terminate it. We cover the different herbicide cocktails, or solutions you should use to effectively terminate the intended vegetation. Time is of the essence, so be sure to use the right technique for your situation. We describe at great lengths when to use each one.

We hope you have learned useful information that you can easily apply to your farm to improve your hunting and habitat offering on your farm.

Today we are joined with Land & Legacy’s Alan Summerford and neighboring property owner Lee Skinner to talk about which bucks make the hit list and improvements they have made to keep these bucks using the property.

On this episode we discuss where some recently purchased ribeye steaks came from as well labor shortages driving prices for things and how this fits into our everyday lives as habitat and wildlife managers. And we finally get around to discussing some food plots.

There is plenty to do on your farm before season opens up that isn't about the traditional hunting strategy.

The Onx app has more to offer than you already think, listen to all the new features to help make your life easier on the farm.

We just wrapped up our first ever brood habitat contest and it turned out unbelievably well. A huge thanks to everyone that donated and all the awesome entries.

As with a lot of positions, it’s often who you know that gets you the position. But in managing habitat, it’s what you know that spells the difference in success. Today we discuss various positions available for someone starting out in this career path and steps you can take to learn your way to success. We even discuss a job opportunity in the private sector with Luke Terry, Custom Forestry Applications Robinson, KS.

What does organic matter and deer forage have in common? What does the long term management of no herbicide and weed control look like? We're unpacking the newest research project with MSU Deer lab to see what this project will look like and what they're hoping to find out.

Today we discuss some recent pond management that we’ve done and how it relates to managing for wildlife. A lot of the principles are the same; spawning habitat, brood habitat, escape cover, food sources, managing against predation, providing food sources and setting yourself up for productive fishing are all things that we apply under water but it’s very similar to what we do for wildlife.

A few weeks ago we discussed the importance of understanding the future of pine management in regards to whitetail deer. The future is bleak for many people, but we didn’t want to leave you with no next steps or suggestions to help combat this issue.

In this episode we chat about not replanting with pines and the proper way to manage early successional stages for diversity. Pines can be utilized or managed for dead zones and visual screens to limit visibility on farms as well. All deer hunters need a place to blow their wind during the fall. Pine corridors will also be used when deer transition between the successional areas. We dive deep into the How-To of pine management for folks in the south east.

Keep an open mind when listening to this one!

We sat down recently with the Dr. Will Gulsby and Dr. Marcus Lashley from the Wild Turkey Science podcast to discuss our finding across the country and things we can do to help the turkey.

On this episode we are joined with NWTF Biologist Will Rechkemmer from Missouri to discuss what happens when fire is removed from the landscape, how this impacts wildlife and measures that need to be taken to correct it. Here we are talking about the Ozark area of Arkansas and Missouri, but the same is happening across vast portions of the US and it’s having negative effects on the wildlife we love.

It's official, the deer season preparations are on! The anticipation is high as velvet photos are strolling in, but what does that actually mean for deer season? Most folks get too amped up to only realize that these patterns often end right about the time season opens up. So this week, we discuss the difference between what you see during the summer versus the fall and how you can still plan successfully for fall time patterns.

Testosterone in bucks ramps up during the later portion of August and increases throughout the rut, only then to decrease and signal to shed antlers during winter. This increase during August breaks up the bachelor groups therefore redistributing bucks across the landscape and not all huddled up around one single food source. This makes what you see during summer not translate well to bow season. So, we caution everyone to say, be careful what you see and how you prepare right now, because it is all subject to change!

Take a listen and enjoy the velvet photos rolling in!

Having the correct tool of the job saves time, money and headaches. This week we discuss implements and equipment that we commonly use, some we made, some we modified and some we bought but all have a specific purpose in our day to day jobs.

Al better known as Al James on the social media world has been passionate about finding solutions to food plots and soil health. He's devoted himself to trying to understand soil health, food plots, and all this crazy talk about no herbicide and how it can apply to his plots. It's an interesting chat with lots of great realist ideas for your farm.

This week Thomas and Hunter are discussing cheap & easy food plots, a big reason that clover plots fail, how to figure pure live seed, sprayers and the brood habitat contest coming to an end. And of course we are discussing this Arkansas heat and drought.

For 50 years pines have dominated the southeast region. We’ve been told that you can manage for whitetails and grow pines. But at the end of the day, pine management does not produce enough forage and cover for adequate whitetail management to offer year round resources. Thinning and burning sometimes isn’t even enough! There are many challenges that the pine market faces moving forward, so be wise!

Take a listen to this podcast with an open mind. Remember goals are important to consider when making long term and short term decisions. Be wise!

Today we are joined with guests Chuck Mays, a law enforcement officer and phenomenal habitat manager from North Mississippi and Caleb Traugh with Traugh Ag Services in South Georgia to talk about lime, fertilizer and food plot seed as well as a lot of the marketing myths around them that folks commonly fall victim to.

This term is thrown out without realizing what is actually meant by it. Often times, people say they want to maximize a farm, but what they really mean is they want to sacrifice certain aspects of the property to balance their interests and goals.

If you don't have a single focus of interest for a farm, then you can't maximize anything. You can raise the bar greatly, but maximizing just isn't possible. For instance, most people want to manage for better wild turkeys and deer, yet they say they want to maximize each of them. Neither could be maximized, but both could be managed for and see some great increases in populations, usage of the farm, observations, and harvests.

The point of this podcast is to clearly understand the relationship between the land management you are doing and how wildlife use the landscape. Without having this knowledge then you are asking for increased nearly impossible results.

On this weeks podcast's we're discussing the regenerative food plotting trend. We've covered it before but not like this! Fresh off of a recent consult, we're seeing more and more plots filled with weeds and limited success. Lets unpack it this week! #Forloveoftheland

Combined they have over 45 years of experience managing public lands. This includes grasslands, woodlands, forests, glades, old fields and wetlands. They both manage their own farms as well. They discuss their interests in hunting and trapping and how that has also helped them when conducting consults.

This week we are joined with Missouri Forester and Wildlife Manager Daric Denny to discuss what deer eat, how to create more of it and the nutritional value it can provide. Are you providing everything your deer need to thrive?

In this episode we discuss getting involved in classes, PBA’s, cost share programs, and start the journey to a better understanding of managing habitat with a wholistic approach.

Bedding thickets and need for providing secure cover is the backbone of a solid hunting property. In the timber it takes a distinct strategy to create these dense thickets. However they can’t be too thick that only the edges are used. These units also have to have 80-100% sunlight allowed in. So this week we answer the question of how to manage the canopy while managing the debris load of each unit.

Not every consultation is created equal. Recently we travel to North Mississippi to work a bottom land floodplain forest property. These sites always have their challenges but we were in for a exciting spin on managing Bottomland forest this week.

After spending several hours on the property, we were stumped the time being. Understanding the function of a property is critical to then making quality recommendations, but the function of this farm was way out of sorts. We break down how we approached this challenging farm and determined how to best strategize access and plan. We stuck to the Land andLegacy habitat management principles and these guiding principles revealed the next best steps.

Not every farm is going to be clear, cut, and dry. This farm requires extra attention to detail to realize its full potential. It also requires a landowner to be humble and work with Creation in their pursuit of reaching their goals.

In this episode we discuss what to do when the typical approach doesn’t work, when it doesn’t make sense to spend the money to fight what you have, working with your property instead of against it & managing your time and money for a higher return.

We talk habitat management 365 days a year because it’s critical to optimizing a landowners success. However, so is a well developed and executed hunting strategy for that specific farm! We tour farms weekly and find most hunters are hunting a farm all wrong! This can easily derail even the highest quality habitat or decrease your success in a great neighborhood with ample mature deer to chase.

During this podcast, we urge you to balance your habitat management strategy with an equally solid hunting strategy. You have to be able to determine when not to hunt. The best days of the year are east to figure out with forecasts and increased deer behavior, but knowing when to stay out is critical!

Give the three pronged approach a try for 5 years, you will see a notable improvement in reaching your goals!

They are known as man’s best friend and quickly become a part of the family, they love us unconditionally and their only goal is to spend more time with us. Today we pay tribute to Piper as Hunter talks about his recent loss with her as well as many other four legged friends that have gone too soon.

Kyle and Frank discuss a few herbicides that should be kept on hand at all times for landowners. They also get into the specifics of various herbicides and different times and ways to utilize them. They examine the issues with not only invasive species, but also thick grass, stump treatment and more. Tune in for some tips that might help on your farm this summer.

Creating Brood Rearing habitat in ways other than dormant season fires and disking!

New team member Alan Summerford is doing a fantastic job of managing habitat near his home in Alabama. This cattle farmer has grasped the the concept of managing early successional habitat for wildlife and is literally “setting the woods on fire”.

How about the fact we’ve lost 3 out of every 4 meadowlarks since 1970? This is not just a problem for songbirds. Bobwhite quail, prairie chickens, even deer and turkeys are hurt by the decline of grasslands. All is not lost, however, as native grassland habitat can be easily restored across the Midwest and South and now is the time to act. In this episode, Kyle and Frank discuss grassland conservation opportunities and the unprecedented amount of money that is available to private landowners to convert agricultural fields and exotic grass pastures to native grasslands. They discuss the wildlife benefits of native grasses, of course, but also the important function native grasses and forbs can serve as a source of high quality forage in the summer months and as a way of “drought-proofing” a forage base. Kyle and Frank also discuss how most of the once-perceived roadblocks to establishing native grasses have been overcome and that it is easier than ever to get an established stand in just one year. They also take you through the process of finding local resources to help in designing and implementing a native grass program on your farm. Cost-share dollars for native grassland conversion is at an all-time high across the country and if you’ve ever thought of converting a portion of your property to natives, now is the time and this is your podcast!

Using onX features to improve your farm lay out and hunting success!

Sometimes there is a fine line between things we do to take more wildlife and things we do to make more wildlife. Today we are joined with our friend Greg Berndtson take a look at how some of these practices vary from the Southeast to the Northeast.

That means groceries should be abundant across the landscape. Fawns and getting ready to drop and antlers are well on their way to developing. Hunter's minds are shifting towards food plots to determine the need to plant, just go fallow, or return during the fall to plant.

During this podcast, we go through the different scenarios that way we face on our food plot acres. The approach is different for us both, but we have distinct goals and objectives that plan directly into the approach. We are planting heavier grain plots that most years for several reasons, but the main reasons are for weed control and for the purpose of heavier winter foods. In years past, we have increased the number of acres in perennial crops, which freezes up more ground to do in corn or soybeans with the intention of leaving grain.

Be sure to follow along and get your plans in stone! Use the code "LL10" at gostrattonseed.com to receive 10% off your food plot seed order.

We're discussing the importance of not always following the guidelines!

From the birds we love to hunt, to deer, cattle and even criminals fleeing from the law, they all depend on habitat and we are covering it all today.

What is HuntWorx? Tune in to find out! Many of you will remember out podcast from August 2022 when we discussed what was in store for the future of Land & Legacy hunts and hunting content in collaboration with Greg Glesinger and Kasey Morgan. #ForLoveoftheLand

Our perspectives cause us to view things differently and that’s a wonderful thing that helps us be unique and diverse. But in specialized subject matter ignoring training, education, research, science, and historical evidence and information is frustrating for each individual’s viewpoint. Let’s get connected as we discuss bridging the gap to help hunters see things from a habitat managers perspective.

A discussion about the millions of acres of sod forming grasses across the southern US and Thomas tries his hand at politics on the new burn bill to make sure it remains friendly to individual landowners that need to create habitat.

In the Bible, Jesus uses the parable of fruit production in regards to healthy trees and diseased trees. Buckle up! We're applying it to land management!

Brood habitat has been determined to be one of the number one limiting factors across the landscape. Let’s work on fixing it together and have some fun in the process.

Turkeys aren't doing well in the south east but not according to Alan Summerford

Today we are joined with Jeff Craig and Arkansas Game & Fish Commissions Turkey Program Coordinator Jeremy Wood to talk about the status of turkeys in Arkansas. We took a bunch of commonly asked questions and and discussed them to try and address your concerns.

If you care about having more birds in Arkansas, or most any state in the Eastern’s range, you should tune in!

We've all heard the importance of how access is regarding recreational property and a solid hunting strategy, however, despite the importance we often meet with folks who are hesitant to change or alter what they have been doing for years. "Old habits are hard to break", couldn't be more true when it comes to access for hunting purposes.

During this episode, we discuss the value of a clean slate or fresh eyes. If you've owned a farm for a while it may be time to shoot holes in your plan if you want to succeed further. With a few recent consulting visits, we provide clear examples of how a fresh start and new roads can be a game changer for success. Quality habitat is critical, but it must be properly placed on a property to see its true value.

Tune into this week's podcast to hear the tough conversations about planning and execution of sound habitat and hunting strategies.

We are reviewing a prescribed fire from three weeks ago. We walk through 3 different sites within the prescribed fire units and discuss exactly what we see. We address if we reach our stated goals or not.

As you listen along go checkout the photos posted on our social media channels on April 5th, 2023. These photos will guide you through our conversations and the details in which we see them. We discuss the management of fuel loads, the resetting of vegetation, consumption of tree tops from previous logging operations and more. We discuss burning in the timber and glade units.

We hope you enjoy this collaborative learning effort regarding the prescribed fires completed this year!

Is it the scale in which they live or perhaps the fact that they don't sport unique antler characteristics? Today's podcast is centered around a 365 day approach to turkey management and what a landowner should do to encourage a turkey factor.

We break down the four seasons of a year and specifically the foraging habitat and vegetative communities that support that system. Forage is crucial to consider when managing wild turkeys, but also is how to produce more turkeys. So, we spend a healthy amount of time talking about turkey production and the emphasis it should have when trying to make a turkey centric habitat plan.

If you want more turkeys to frequent your farm, then give this podcast a thorough listen.

This week we take a deep dive into the details of each farm, each region, and the current status of each vegetation type to devise a plan to maximize that land's value for wildlife. There is literally nothing cookie cutter from these visits. Each parcel has its own limiting factors, and limitations, and layout specifics. These variables are the largest considerations when making a well throughout habitat management plan.

We hope you learn and enjoy from others during this week's podcast.

There are many myths, misinformation, and hunting stories that lead the whitetail hunter astray from what is truth. The truth of this matter is more important than what you may think.

During the podcast we learn just how effective bucks and does are at producing offspring that make it to the fall and are recruited into the herd. You may be shocked to learn that 60% of bucks only replace themselves during their entire lifetime. Sure a lot of fawns are conceived, but not as many as you think make it to a reproductive age, so really, is that big buck truly passing on his "genes"? 15-15% of each recruited fawn is also produced by a 1.5-2.5 year old buck, so "inferior" or younger bucks also contribute to the breeding.

We need to learn that this complex exchange, survival relationship for whitetail deer is anything we can strongly influence or control. Stay the course, let deer reach maturity and increase the nutrition available on the landscape, this will have the largest impact on antler expression. Period.

Jeff knows turkey research as well as most anyone we’ve met and is dead set on spreading the truth. Why? The answer is simple, he wants more turkeys on the landscape!

We dove in to see what drives his passion for turkeys and the habitat they depend.

This podcast is for you guys who wonder what to do if you can't burn but still want to create disturbance.

Brood habitat has been identified as the most limiting factor across the landscape for turkeys. We are learning how to create it, but sometimes limiting factors prevent us from doing it exactly by “the book”. With a working knowledge of how things work, often times we are forced to throw the book away and try things outside the box in an attempt to achieve our goals. Sometimes it doesn’t work at all, and sometimes things turn out great, but regardless we gain valuable knowledge. So, sometimes it’s best to weigh out all your options and just do it!

Dr Marcus Lashley and Dr Will Gulsby have been driving home the point of habitat management for turkeys since rhe launch of their Wild Turkey Science podcast but in this week's episode we're talking predators! We're not talking about what predators do to nests nearly as much as the debate on what trapping and social media may do to hunters in general. Please listen in to hear our perspective on trapping and social media. #Forloveoftheland

On this episode we discuss the management strategies to create the most limited resource available for wild turkeys in 2023. This critical collection of herbaceous plants and bare ground, are in limited supply and must be created intentionally if you want wild turkeys in the future.

Kyle and Matt discuss the different ways you can create this cover from transforming fields or timber. If you’re actively trying to promote turkeys, this is a must listen. Brood rearing cover will the impact that improves turkey reproduction. We see it time and time again, the farms that have good Turkey populations, have adequate brood rearing cover available. Time to transition old fields, food plot edges, crop fields, and thinned timber into brooding cover by offering herbaceous broadleaf plants and bare ground.

If you learned more about turkeys from listening, please share!

This week we discuss management practices that benefit ground nesting birds and deer. Deer are able to thrive in a variety of habitat but turkey and quail rely on specific habitat types to exist. In this roundtable discussion with returning guest Chuck Mays & Daric Denney we talk about practices that are helpful to both animals and can possibly save you time and money while giving you a bigger return on the landscape.

Put your listening ears on for this one! We have a heavy hitter coming at you as we interview Dr. Marcus Lashley and Dr. Will Gulsby from Wild Turkey Science Podcast. We review in great detail the recent podcasts revolving around the essential habitat needed for reproduction of the wild turkey.

To no surprise the conversation quickly gets to the importance of early successional vegetation on the landscape for nesting and brood rearing cover. It was found in a recent research project that 45% of the hens selected only 7% of the landscape consisting of the early successional cover and shrubland. Not surprisingly, there was a 38% success rate in these areas for nests, which is pretty exceptional for maintaining and growing turkey populations!

After covering these staggering numbers, we then shift the conversation towards baiting and the implications it has on the landscape and how it largely impacts predators in a very positive way. Baiting is not a practice that we would support or suggest if you are interested in producing more turkeys on the landscape.

We hope you share this podcast with everyone who cares about the wild turkey.

It's 2023 and there is an overwhelming amount of content to consume, only one problem, it all contradicts the other. So how do you know which viewpoint to follow? SHould you listen to this person opinion of this other persons? Our advice, do what's right for you farm's ecosystem and use research backed advice to get the maximum results!

As more landowners shift to thinking about habitat work, more questions pop up; Do I need a consultant? Do I need a contractor? How do I choose someone? What work needs to be done? How do I determine what’s the most important? Which practice is best?

The best answer is, it depends! Lol This week we dive into some of this and discuss the in’s and out’s of several practices and how to make some of these decisions.

We added to the Woodlands this year, and it's something we're very excited about!

Simple yet effective is the name of the game. From a business perspective it’s, a supply vs demand scenario. Have species demand early successional vegetation, yet the supply is very limited on most landscapes.

In this podcast, we walk you through step by step of how to implement the technique of old field management. The most important aspect is effective termination of cool season grasses. From there, you burn the thatch, spray invasive species, and let the sun and seed bank do the rest.

Don’t overlook this dynamic, yet effective tool land management tool. If you want to reproduce turkeys on your farm, you need to consider promoting early successional plant communities.

With the ongoing turkey decline and quail numbers completely nonexistent in several areas these days, it’s so encouraging to see more landowners doing habitat management practices to help restore numbers. This week we discuss what we are seeing and some of the reasons more landowners are jumping on board.

We're discussing the recent Forestry Management Plan we put together for our home farm the Woodlands and how we're managing for wildlife even though it's timber. This podcast will make you see the forest in a different light and how you can manage for long term results. #Forloveoftheland

After a long day in the field Matt and Frank review a land and wildlife habitat consultation from central Kansas. This farm ground in the Great Plains region can be good, but it has its limitations.

Adequate cover for whitetails is limited. So it’s time to break the mold and start with a new mindset to really up the value of cover for whitetail deer. But deer isn’t the only objective, we’ve got bobwhite quail, pheasants, and waterfowl to consider on this farm as well.

We stretch the limits and push hard for creative habitat plans. This consultation was no different. To get different results, you just manage differently!

This week we are joined by Matt Farmer, Public Land Manager with Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks to discuss managing moist soil for waterfowl. In this episode we discuss the benefits of managing food sources as well as pressure these birds face and ways to help combat it.

This is a loaded question that we often get while working with hunters and landowners. It can be difficult to answer as herd density, hunting pressure, and the habitat will strongly influence these sightings. So what we did was go to the numbers that research has provided and determine with several likely scenarios that most landowners can find themselves in.

You may be surprised by the numbers or lack there of mature deer, 4.5+ in two common herd scenarios on a per square mile basis. 640 acres represents a square mile, so within that acreage of varying herd density, we tell you what can be expected. The number of mature bucks on the landscape should only encourage you to increase the quality of habitat that your acreage offers. Deer select quality habitat on a daily basis, so having stronger influence over the individuals within a herd should drive you to work hard.

Share this podcast with someone who needs to learn more about deer population dynamics and specifically revolving around the odds of encountering mature bucks each fall.

Nothing will get landowners more fired up than a timber harvest gone wrong. The aftermath often last for years and the next harvest may not come during their lifetime. Foresters and loggers often get put into the same category as a used car salesman, but it's time to break this down. We are going to dive deep into the phrase and science behind the dreaded high-graded timber.

First we discuss the expectations that landowners who are conducting a timber harvest must have, do you really expect the logger to come and not harvest larger, more marketable timber? Aggressive timber harvests may be necessarily dependent upon the condition of the timber or the past management. A less aggressive approach such as select harvesting isn't always the best option as it limits the production of quality wildlife habitat and also decreases oak production over time. Here are the facts, sometimes, you need to address the issue and stop putting bandaids on the problem.

Timber management and harvesting is very situationally based, so keep this mind when listening to this podcast. But remember not every harvest of an oak is a high-grade, there is likely more to the story, but most importantly there is more work that needs to be done, like future TSI, prescribed fire, and patience.

Arkansas has long been known as the Duck capital of the world, but changes need to be made if we are going to keep that title. Join us this week as we discuss ducks past and present as well as managing your property to attract and hold more of these birds we love.

The time was yesterday to start working on improving your property. The changes didn’t occur overnight, we’ve allowed decades of zero management, prior management, or lack of management create or shape the landscape we now know.

Improving our land, soil, air, and water need to take priority. The work load is increasing by the day, so take the steps you need to address the issues at hand. We are not only hunters, landowners, but we are called to be land stewards.

Some of us inherit problems when we purchase land, but once the deed is signed, it’s time to get to work. Join us in then fight to improve our landscape and restore ecosystems.

It's time to grind, February is movement month for the health, diversity potential, and overall improvement of your property. You should be improving your timber for wildlife by thinning the canopy or by executing TSI (timber stand improvement). There are however so many different opinions regarding TSI if you ask anyone. Do be sure to listen to this podcast thoroughly.

Like always, you need to start with your goals and objectives for that stand of timber. Once you have clear objectives the proper techniques of doing TSI will become more clear. There is no one size fits all approach to TSI. We breakdown in detail what to and and what not to do when completing TSI of all shapes and sizes for whitetail deer and wild turkeys.

If you want to take your farm to the next level, learn how to complete TSI and then EXECUTE!

Join Kyle and Frank as they chase birds in the west!

Kyle and Frank are returning from an exciting hunt out west chasing various bird species in some of the prettiest country you can find! Tune in to hear how they plan so you to can have success in the field.

Join us this week as we discuss how John Hauk has transformed his Illinois property into a wildlife paradise.

Alan Sommerford has been a run of success in the great state of Alabama but don't picture a land of milk and honey for wildlife. Alan is a cattle farmer with the idea of using the land to support his family all while also providing benefit for the wildlife. Tune in to hear how Alan is using hay production to benefit wildlife and make money.

After a recent consultation trip to North Texas, Kyle and Matt design a killer habitat management plan for this property. During the podcast we break down the recommendations from top to bottom and how the eco-region plays a huge role in natural resource management. The goal of this farm was to better manage the natural vegetation to create predictable movement and develop a hunting strategy around this.

The Cross-Timbers Region is full of post oaks, blackjack oaks, and greenbrier, take a listen as we break down how we turn this into a whitetail deer haven. We talk about techniques such as travel corridor management, the installation of native food plots or wildlife openings, 2 -types of bedding thickets, and the usage and placement of corn feeders.

If you want to learn how habitat managers think through the process of managing a large ranch for whitetail deer in Texas, then give this podcast a listen!

This week we are joined by Cory Gray and Ralph Meeker from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission to discuss what’s going on with our deer herd. Several issues from CWD to Gnats have plagued the deer herd across the state, but where are we now? Join us as we discuss what’s happening and what to expect.

We're covering all kinds of topics this week on the podcast, from favorite doe hunt, to biggest flops in habitat management. This podcast is different than every other podcast we've ever done so you don't want to miss it!

The Hedges Farm in SE Kansas has been on a roll during the last few years. Kyle Hedges, a Land & Legacy consultant has been managing this family farm with clear intentions the last 5 years and the results speak for themselves. Although this farm has been in the family for more than 20 years, time is now on Kyle's side to manage the property for harvesting mature whitetails with a bow.

In the past few years, invasive species control, pollinator planting, TSI, bedding thickets, and burning have been on the top of the priority list. Between Kyle and his hunting buddy Byron who is another wildlife professional, they have been very intentional to move the needle on consistently harvesting top quality whitetails. In the past 3 seasons, they have tagged 4 mature bucks on this 160 acres with one 180-inch whitetail during the 2022 season.

If you want more from your farm, be intentional with your management like Kyle and Byron. To hear how they have increased their success, be sure to give this podcast a download!

Mention turkeys on any social media page and the conversation quickly turns to the population decline and the opinions on why the decline is happening. Today we are joined with Dr Marcus Lashley from the University of Florida and Dr Will Gulsby from Auburn University for a big announcement. These two turkey research specialists have teamed up with Turkeys For Tomorrow (TFT) and are starting their own unbiased podcast to address the facts and debunk the myths surrounding the wild turkey and their environment. We look forward to tuning into their show and hope you do as well, the future of our turkey population depends on us all joining together to create a better environment for these birds we love.

Is a TSI timber block great bedding or is a hinge cut thicket better? Can you create different levels of cover without creating cover too thick it is bad for turkeys? What is the solution?! It's a shame it's taken 30 years of information in the outdoor industry to reach a point of understanding! Tune in this week to hear how to manage for your turkeys and deer with your timber management. #ForLoveoftheLand

Here is the story of how an eager and goal oriented 20-year old purchased his first property, executed a habitat management plan, hunted smart, and tagged a great buck on 20 acres during the first hunting season. It doesn't take owning the whole county to get it done. Remember quality habitat is intentional, not accidental. This was not an accident, he will be success here next year and the years to follow.

On this podcast we have Tucker Dedmon of southern Missouri joining us. Tucker is an avid outdoorsman with a passion for private land. He set a goal of buying his first recreational property in 2022 and he was able to purchase 20 acres of hunting land at just 20 years old. But the persistence doesn't stop there. After an afternoon of touring the property and laying out a plan, we knew Tucker was going to get right to work. Within a few weeks the bedding thickets were cut and stands were being hung. All he was waiting for was for deer season to open for the bucks to get on their feet. And they did.

This story is a great example of how disciplined hunting and an executed habitat management plan will yield results. What is your excuse?

That doesn’t work here! We constantly hear it on social media. Today we are joined with Wildlife Professionals and Consulting Foresters from the North to the South to discuss various topics that we constantly hear, “How do I choose a land consultant”, “Should I hinge cut”, and “How do I increase my turkey population”; among several other topics. This week, Thomas and Hunter are Joined by Kyle Lybarger (Alabama), Daric Denny (Missouri) and Greg Berndtson (Pennsylvania). Each of these guys are at the top of their game and spend every day in the woods. Y’all grab your steel toe boots and maybe we won’t hurt your toes too bad as we dive into various topics in the wildlife habitat world to find out it that works here or not.

The acronym TSI or Timber Stand Improvement is very commonly used, but the practice is often misunderstood. There is a wide realm of understandings, beliefs, and practices from people who believe they are completing TSI. However, we set the record straight this week and discussed the three main levels of TSI that we most commonly prescribe, Light, Medium, and Heavy TSI.

For each degree of TSI we discuss the canopy reduction, standard methods used to achieve those canopy openings, and what the general purpose or usage is from wildlife like whitetail deer and wild turkey within each degree of thinning. You get a free in-depth understanding of how TSI should be implemented and utilized on recreational farms.

Remember education is only as valuable if it is applied. So get out there and implement some of the sound TSI practices that we discussed this week on the podcast.

In today's podcast you are going to learn how to turn "junk timber" into whitetail woods.

The term junk timber is over-used, misused, and used incorrectly. Today, we set the record straight on recreational properties where the goal is to improve the property for whitetail deer.

Not all value for deer is found within oak species. Although they provide a lot of potential from the mast they produce, other tree varieties can provide an immense amount of woody browse and cover. These trees don't come in the form of towering oaks, but are often mid-story or smaller DBH trees. When cut and not treated with an herbicide they offer incredible amounts of forage when they resprout for deer. Learn how to capitalize on your junk timber!

Join us this week as we discuss some of our past projects as well as plans we have for next year, some of our upcoming guests and even a couple of rants. With hunting season going on we have been preoccupied, but looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and making major habitats improvements starting over the next few weeks.

This is your how to instructional podcast to create one of the most important foundational aspects to a managed hunting property for whitetail deer. You have to have cover and cover in the appropriate places. This podcast explains in a step-by-step process of how to identify the proper locations, how to size the opening, and how to cut it to maximizes it’s security and forage resources.

You should be able to listen to this podcast and then go pickup a chainsaw and implement what we’ve shared. Don’t complicate things! These bedding thickets will be the magnets of your farm. These areas hold does and bucks, create edges in timber blocks, increase consistency of deer movement, feed deer year round, and more. As we roll right into January, this activity should be on your brain. Don’t miss out, your neighbors might not just be cutting firewood these days!!

We’ve all been there. We climb up in the stand for a relaxing hunt and our thoughts quickly turn to what you wish you had gotten done. If I would have only cut in that bedding thicket, or feathered that edge; would this hunt have been more successful? Would I at least be more confident? Why didn’t I get it done last year? Should I climb down and do it now?
I guess every habitat manager has these thoughts, but how do we get it all done? Join us as we discuss our thoughts and plans on how to tackle these projects so we can enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Late season is the time to harvest mature bucks. The exhaustion of the rut and settling in of cold temperatures drives bucks to feed and feed routinely. With proper planning though, the advantage can easily be placed in the hunters corner. Last year to this year, we’ve learned a few things on this western Iowa farm. During this podcast, we break them down one by one.

Wind protection is a huge when it comes to feeding locations. Out of the wind areas will be highly selected when standing grain is left. These areas are magnets for daylight activity. If you have topography features with grassy and shrubby south facing slopes in close proximity to these units, there will be heavy feeding in the standing grain. Access is also super key. When you find the location, you have to hunt it! Time in the tree is key, so you need to be able to access cleanly, both entry and exit!

This 137 acre farm has produced 4 mature bucks in two seasons during the late season over the last two years. This success isn’t accidental! It takes proper planning and execution to see these types of results!

Burn in the spring to promote grasses and burn in the summer to promote forbs, but what about winter burns? For many of us burning during the late summer isn't something we get excited about because we want to avoid a large area of black, no food no cover during the fall with hunting season. In comes Winter burns and their ability to set back warm season grasses and allow forbs to flourish.

Chuck Mays is no stranger to intense situations. As Chief Inspector of the Shelby Co Tennessee Sheriff’s Department and a long career with the SWAT team in the Memphis TN area, Chuck has developed tactics to deal with criminals and uses a lot of the same mentality when managing his family farm for wildlife. He calls it “unwinding therapy”, but I’d hate to be the invasive vegetation that he’s unwinding on.

Join us as we find out how he’s maintained a phenomenal turkey population, continued to have quail and is growing nice deer on his farm.

Ready or not, the cold is coming. There is the treaty of serious cold temps hitting the whitetails range in the next few weeks. Does your land have the late season food sources to support them? Do you even know what to look for regarding late season food resources? Download this podcast to find out!

Woody browse, grains, greens, and red oak acorns are the staples for late season forage. These are the main food groups for deer during winter. Woody browse is the most important in timber country and easiest to create. Grains such as soybeans, corn, or milo require ag land and or serious food plot acreage and equipment.

On this week’s episode, we are joined by Brian Modrzynski, a Land & Legacy client from southern Ohio. This story will take you on a journey of landownership and the evolution of goals and mindsets.

Every once in a while you come across people who can see the vision and execute. They are the people who set goals and reach them with a tenacity. In the last three years this 600 acre farm has changed and not so slightly either. We are talking big changes and real success from every angle imaginable.

Old field management, TSI, invasive species management, prescribed fire, adding dense cover, new access roads, improved drainage, timber harvest, reduction of antlerless deer, you name it rest assured it’s been completed.

Do not miss this episode! There are great hunting stories but also insight on how to set goals and achieve them while embracing change!

We often hear landowners say “I don’t want to cut my woods”, but timber needs to be thinned occasionally so it will remain healthy and regeneration can occur. There are way too many timber tracts that could benefit from being thinned and you just might put some money in your pocket doing it. Join us this week as we discuss When to hold ‘em and when to fold em with Forester Wade Hargrave.

Every hunting season brings new perspectives to discuss and learn from. During this episode we discuss how a 36-acre managed property out performed a 160-acre lease.

The difference in a lease and owning land is stark. Coming from two habitat nerds it’s hard to hunt a property without envisioning all the changes that would solve all the problems. In addition, quality habitat doesn’t just mean great hunts. It has to be laid out in a way that allows for access and facilitates deer movement to the areas of the farm that can be hunted. If it doesn’t, then you are left to be frustrated with your hands tied.

It’s better to own a quarter of the land you can lease. Hunting should be enjoyable and predictable, not frustrating and random.

Old habits die hard. This saying is so fitting for many landowners. We've all heard the lines that most hunters murmur when they just simply accept poor quality hunting. Most excuses revolve around poor genetics, bad soils, and the region of the country. These factors are not limitations, just guidelines for the ways you should manage your farm. Stop using excuses, embrace change, and implement sound techniques.

As we approach the beginning of habitat management season, it is time to start getting ready to embrace change. You have to prepare for things to look different if you want a property to hunt differently. However, you cannot do that until you have first allowed your mindset to be influenced and ultimately changed. Education and knowledge is the catalyst of change, not the excuses we've all heard before, such as, well he's just a mountain buck, or they don't get much bigger around here, or we don't grow big deer cause we have bad soil, or even we don't grow big deer cause we don't have crops in our area.

Start the habitat management season with one for forward, embrace the change and prepare for it!

Throughout this deer season Hunter Johnson has had the privilege of visiting over 40 top notch deer clubs while following his tracking dog Lanky. Tune in as he and Thomas Baldridge discuss what these properties all have in common and how these clubs are able to produce and hold big mature bucks every year.

Are you a private landowner or do you aspire to become one? The value of owning land is difficult to comprehend and write about, so this week we dive deep into the raw meaning, emotions, value, and feelings regarding recreational land ownership.

Neil Hauger is a Whitetail Properties Agent, he has seen it all when it comes to land ownership. He’s assisted hundreds of new and veteran landowners. As a landowner himself, he shares great insight and perspective on all things land.

If you want to nerd out on LAND the give this podcast a listen and a share. When you’re done, go checkout all the listings on the Whitetail Properties website!

Do you have a deer tag still? If you do, listen up! There is still a lot of great hunting season left. After the peak of the rut, it seems hunters' interests just die off. However, we are discussing why some of the best of the hunting season is still in front of us with the post-rut and late-season food hunts.

The back half of the rut is often missed out on, wether hunters are tired from grinding it out through early-mid November or the buck they were pursuing was already harvested or gone MIA. The last remaining does to breed get bucks back on their feet cruising and working scrapes, so get back out there and don't miss this movement. In addition, as soon the post-rut winds down, you still have the transition to food sources to hunt over. As the temperatures drop, the feeding activity increases. So be watching weather fronts and have your trail cameras over scrapes on the edges of the desired late-season food sources. Bucks need the calories during this time of the year, therefore it provides some incredible hunting opportunities.

Thanks for listening to this week's podcast! We hope you stick it out and get within range of a mature buck in the weeks to come. #ForLoveoftheLand

“It won’t work!” We constantly hear this from cattle farmers across the country. Tune in with us as we join Ryan Parker Quail Forever, Grasslands Coordinating Wildlife Biologist.

We discuss grazing natives and the benefits to cattle and wildlife. Folks don’t know why it won’t work but they know they’ve never seen it done. Did the Buffalo graze fescue to be healthy? What did cattle farmers do before fescue and Bermuda grass got here?

We're back at the woodlands this week discussing the recent success that was had on a 5.5 year old buck we called the Big Ten. We watched this buck grow up! He's gone from a triple beamed 3.5 buck to a giant 10 point buck. This is just another great buck that is a product of habitat ad trigger management,

This week we have a remarkable story for you and a returning guest to the Land & Legacy podcast. Mike Hinkle is a client and great friend. He is also a dedicated land manager, hunter, and conservationist.

Mike recently harvested a new record deer for his property in North Missouri and is here to share the story of the hunt, but more importantly, the journey to get here. A popular podcast Mike joined us on was Cut, Burn, Repeat. After the success this year we can confirm again that this recipe of simple land management practices is the recipe for success. There is nothing flashing here beyond the message of consistency in implementing sound natural resource management techniques. This will yield results that elevate you beyond the neighborhood's average.

We have said it for years, there is no silver bullet here. If you want success, you have to be diligent and intentional with your land management. Stick to the plan, and the results will follow.

“It won’t work!” We constantly hear this from cattle farmers across the country. Tune in with us as we join Ryan Parker Quail Forever, Grasslands Coordinating Wildlife Biologist.

We discuss grazing natives and the benefits to cattle and wildlife. Folks don’t know why it won’t work but they know they’ve never seen it done. Did the Buffalo graze fescue to be healthy? What did cattle farmers do before fescue and Bermuda grass got here?

This podcast may hit home for you or encourage you, but you will for sure feel something. It’s the middle of deer season and the results of other success is all around you. Big buck after big buck as your scroll through social media, but the question is are changing your standards at this point or looking for validation?

“The mentality that something far less desirable is better than the possibility of nothing is a direct reflection of the need for validation” We are here to remind people that stick to your standards. There is no reason to settle or feel shame for not filling a tag. A season without a harvest should be reflected on, not justified by settling or minimizing a buck less than your intended goal.

A tag filled or not does not qualify you as a hunter. No ones life will change if you don’t harvest a deer this year. Keep things in perspective, keep the home life healthy and go have fun, learn, and listen while outdoors this season.

Finding time to improve your farm while having kids and living nearly four hours away can be very difficult, and Jay Dirks won't try to tell you any different, but there is a way!

Jay is a Land & Legacy client from way back and he's seen his property change completely! From timber thinning, burning, and more timber cutting the place has come alive!

This week we visit with Matt Martin and get a unique perspective from a guy that has been on all sides of land management. Matt worked for the NRCS, has been a landowner with a NRCS EQIP contract, and now owns a land management business where as a contractor he works for others trying to develop their land

Hunting the Rut can be tough but it can all change in a instance.

In this podcast we sit down with Ryan DeSantis of Oklahoma State University to discuss forest health. This episode is all about the importance of active forest management. We discuss this from three major angles!

First we discuss why forests need to be managed for their overall health. Single aged forests are one step away from being devastated, but diverse aged stands can withstand disease or wind damage. Wildlife habitat creation is another main influencer of forest management. Food and cover is created through diverse forests. Lastly, a proper forest functions like an independent ecosystem and stores carbon. This is an important message to share as you learn about how actively growing forests are carbon storing machines!

Please take this podcast to heart and manage your forests. Every angle suggests it’s importance.

Time and time again we get asked after we write a management plan what are the next steps. It's a loaded question but the general theme is the same. Start working! Do we do the work ourselves, do we hire contractors? Should we sign up for government cost share? All these questions and more right here on Saw Dust & Fire

Land & Legacy client Aaron Jordan has had a season to remember! Laying down a 181" Kansas giant is not simple task. This didn't come from accident though, this comes from years of work, planning and habitat restoration. Land & Legacy consultant Kyle Hedges worked with Mr Jordan back in the winter and put together a game plan to start the complete restoration of habitat to not only grow more deer but to harvest more deer, needless to say it's working!

We've all asked that question when running into a buck we didn't want to leave our farm. Does he stay and just go nocturnal or does he leave the area completely? That's where today's research and podcast topic are crucial in understanding the needs of whitetail deer and how we can lay out our farm to benefit ourselves in high pressure neighborhoods.

You make think you have thick cover but listen in on this podcast to hear Andy discuss what they found when trying to stalk these deer for the sake of research. Was it a simple patch of grass or tall mature timber? Listen in to hear!

We recently asked landowners to reach out to us and tell us about your habitat work. Today we are joined with Cole Shealy from South Carolina to discuss his property, the habitat work he’s done and the results he is seeing as well as the benefits of a prescribed burn association that he’s recently helped start.

You've heard the talk, scout before season, scout during season, scout while hunting! Blah, Blah, Blah! Most of us don't have the time to scout and play defense with the deer. Good land managers lay out a plan, implement, and reap the rewards.

Zack and Issac Coy have been working to improve their property for years so we discuss the natural transition from food plots to burning. This is a great podcast to encourage you to start planning your scouting with habitat work!

There are two things that always coincide with treestands, that is safety and comfort. We can all agree on that at least. Every farm has several locations that are always dependable, each and every season. These are perennial stand locations that may require long sits in the tree safely and comfortably.

Vertical Treestands is a newly launched and emerging treestand company that is offering new technology to the treestand game. In addition, they are offering a discount code to listeners, use the code LandLegacy20 to get 20% off the new offerings. We sit down and chat with Austin and Frank of Vertical treestands as they discuss the in's-and-outs of the new equipment. You can tell from our conversation that they know treestands and are building a company based around quality products made in America!

Be sure to check out www.VerticalTreestands.com!

This week we are joined with Mr Donnie Deaton from the pine thickets of south Arkansas to talk about how to recover from a bad hit on that deer we’ve been targeting. We discuss shot placement, wait times before searching and yep, you guessed it….blood trailing dogs. We even talk about ole Lanky, the dog that chose his human.

This weeks podcast we review the three main ways we hunt and setup farms to be hunted. There are a lot of die hard hunters who cling to stereotypes such as, saddle hunter or rifle hunter. But let’s be real, we do it all, we are hunters!

Specifically on managed private lands, there are three main scenarios you can find yourself in. The first is mobile, that requires a tree saddle. Not every location has a tree that can be hunted from a stand. Secondly, the permanent setup. These are perennial locations that the wind behaves and are always good, likely due to distinct habitat or topography features. Lastly, elevated blinds, these are for the areas that are sketchy to hunt and you need that extra advantage or big views where you can hunt with a firearm.

Give this podcast a listen to learn more about the ways we setup a highly managed and well strategized farm!

Rut Predictions are lame. We are basing this on the science, the cold hard facts! The rut happens the same EVERY SINGLE YEAR AT THE SAME TIME! Sorry to burst the bubble, but it's reality.

This week we break down our rut predictions from the pre-rut phase, lock-down, and the post-rut. We discuss how weather also impacts deer behavior during these time frames and how the moon phase really means nothing. For our region, the pre-rut falls between Oct. 26-Nov. 10, peak-rut falls Nov.11-16, then post-rut is Nov. 17- Nov. 25. This is all based on the average conception date for your region, but peaking breeding occurs during the 11-14th right here at home.

Get out and hunt! Be safe, diligent, and disciplined!

Today we are joined with Private Lands Supervisor Ted Zawislak from Arkansas Game & Fish Commission to talk about putting more prescribed fire on the landscape.

Prescribed fire is is one of the number one tools in the habitat management tool Box and is essential for creating and maintaining turkey and quail habitat. In this weeks episode we discuss learning to burn and forming PBA’s to help us safely and effectively meet our objectives of prescribed fire.

Remember that phrase, "You can't kill them from the couch?" That was probably spoken by guys who hunt every waking moment they can and likely put way too much pressure on their farm early in the season. On this podcast we discuss the technique of knowing when to pick the days to hunt and the success that follows.

Also, what should you do to clear the field at the end of a hunt in the evening? Tune in to hear how Kasey and Greg hunt their plots and ensure future daylight use on their farms. Most importantly this podcast is about the hunt leading up to the harvest of a 177" buck that's lived in Iowa for at least 7.5 years until Greg and Kasey caught up with him in early October. Don't miss it! #Forloveoftheland

Every year, the term “October Lull” is thrown around as a time frame during a portion of October that some believe mature bucks don’t move within this timeframe and especially not during daylight. This is however false! Mature bucks do move daily throughout October, but we breakdown during this podcast, where, why, and how they move throughout your property.

Pressure, heat, food source changes, scrapes, and more are huge influences for getting mature bucks in their feet. Another thing to consider with this change in movement is your position in relation to this movement. Where are your trail cameras, are you hunting where mature bucks are frequenting? If not, this will certainly impact your observations and beliefs in the myth of the October Lull.

Remember go checkout the social media post to pull your own observations from this movement pattern.

None of us like spraying herbicides and we really dislike having to purchase it these days. In this weeks episode, we dove into some of the herbicides we commonly use on our farms and discuss the in’s and out’s that help us save a little money, mix properly and get this not so glamorous job done efficiently and effectively.

We're very excited to share the recent western trip to the mountains and future plans with Rolling Bones Outfitters. For more info on this hunt and application process check out https://landandlegacyhunts.rollingbonesoutfitters.com/.

Chainsaw Chad is still batting .1000 in the mountains going 3/3 on bulls. Stay tuned for his story and what happened with Adam in Utah. This is a first for Land & Legacy but buckle up, we're going west more!

Yes, you read the title correctly. It is possible and during this week's podcast, we discuss how the proper trail camera placement will reveal consistent patterns from your target bucks, year after year. This is what we refer to ask "historical information".

This past week we've seen our trail cameras light up in certain areas of our farms that don't normally have routine photos of target bucks. The fall shift in scraping behavior has started hot and heavy. The trail cameras will reveal certain patterns over the next couple of weeks of what your future target deer will be doing during the rut. Monitor scrapes heavily with cameras each year during this time frame. When you watch them closely, these younger bucks will develop very similar patterns year after year. This is a huge advantage for the wise hunter.

It's very possible to develop a game plan on how to kill a buck when they are mature, based on what they do in the years previously during the rut! Be prepared!

Join us as we cover a topic a lot of habitat managers seem to struggle with. We cover easy sprayer calibration, sprayer setups and mixing herbicide for the habitat guy. It’s all way easier than you think!

This podcast covers the full story of a 7.5-year-old buck named Dove Creek 10. Seth Harker has been after this buck for several years and finally, as the 2022 season rolled around, this buck was a regular during daylight.

The key takeaways from this hunt were entry and exit, ridge top with consistent winds, annuals/perennial food sources, beating the acorn drop, and shade lines. We will break down for you the four sits we had for this buck and why it all came together as it did. This buck was a warrior, he had been shot years ago and overcame a wound from a neighbor. Although this could have been his smallest rack to date since he was mature, he made up for it in his body weight!

There are always lessons from success, we hope you tune in to sharpen your skills as a bowhunter.

Are bumper crops acorns a good thing or a bad thing for bow hunting? That is part of the conversation during this week's podcast. We give you tips on how to hunt and if you should be aggressive during this time of the year or not.

When dealing with an excellent mast crop, you must set trail cameras over your top producing white oak trees. In addition, you need to focus effort on the cover. This food source is everywhere, so stay to what is consistent and that is cover, specifically east and north facing slopes during this time of the year. When hunting during this time, just remember that you must hunt with favorable winds. You need to put the time in the tree to be successful under these conditions, so make sure you are hunting undetected.

Don't be afraid to put time in, but be expected to hunt extensively during this time frame. Deer patterns are tough, but any time in the field is still a time to learn and observe!

This week we are joined with Arkansas DMAP Coordinator Bubba Groves as he goes over deer nutrition from both natural habitat as well as reducing mouths to increase antler size, fawn recruitment and overall herd health on your property and the importance of record keeping and what we can learn from it.

This week we're going over some of our past projects we did on our farms this summer. One of those is the use of planting annuals into perennial plots and the benefit to each. We also discuss using a disc to help with planting plots! Shocked right?1

We have a highly debated topic for this week's podcast! This topic is incredibly important to consider when you are buying recreational land. Every state has factors that influence the hunting opportunity for whitetails, this week we will discuss the best states and the ones with the most potential.

Factors to consider when discussing the best whitetail states include season dates, antlerless tag availability, land uses, climate, habitat, hunting culture, number of buck tags annually, over the counter or draw system? These factors all play a large role in what we see and experience while we are hunting. We break down these factors and discuss for you how influential these all are.

We hope you enjoy the podcast and it gets your wheels turning regarding where you should be purchasing your next recreational parcel.

This week we cover a property consultation in a two part podcast. The first segment is discussing our expectations of the property located in Central Missouri. We discuss the property goals for the client and what we anticipate we will encounter.

During the second half of the episode, we record after the visit was conducted and provide you with our recommendations for the property. This farm has a bright future and a huge transformation coming it's way. We are going to promote cattle grazing on 45 acres and implement a large timber harvest on the remaining 100 acres of timber to support whitetail deer and turkey on the property. The harvest will include, clear cuts and aggressive thinning! of course prescribed fire will be utilized to maintain this quality habitat.

Don't miss this almost live consultation review during this podcast! Enjoy

This week, Hunter and Thomas talk about what’s happening on the farms they manage as well some great podcasts they have heard recently. Join us as we run down various rabbit trails from native grazing, to food plot planting, spraying, army worms, prescribed fire and a great discussion on a couple of awesome recent podcasts.

Are you ready for the month of transition for whitetails? Ready or not it is here! This month is full of change and variables. The factors are numerous and most hunters find themselves in one of two categories.

You don't hold bachelor groups all summer and are anticipating them showing up.
You fear the bachelor group they have watched all summer breaking up and leaving.

September is a unique month in the world of whitetails. Bachelor groups are breaking up and what has fuzzy antlers are now shed into hardened antlers for the fall. Not only are physiological things change, but also are food sources. The once green soybean fields of summer are turning yellow and cornfields are actively being harvested all the while whiteoak acorns are dropping. These changes in the landscape coupled by the changes in the whitetail's body really make for some big pattern shifts in the field. Most hunters are reactionary to these changes and stress out during this month. However, during this podcast, we educate you on how to embrace these variables and prepare for these changes. Ultimately you will become a better woodsman!

In todays episode we dive in with Forester and Wildlife Manager Daric Denny to discuss how your timber stand has changed over the years. Many beneficial plant communities that have been lost and we're discussing what we can do to fix it. Who knows, we may even create a turkey factory in the process.

We're headed west! It's a busy time of the year but some times it's important to slow down and go hunting! This week we're discussing our upcoming trip to Utah to chase elk! This trip brings up past hunts and the good times of sharing camp with buddies! #forloveoftheland

This week we're joined by Whitetail Properties Producer Sean Fahrendorf to discuss his feet to flame introduction to habitat management. Unlike many of us we built our knowledge over years of learning from others and our own personal failures, but for Sean once he got introduced to habitat management it was drinking from a fire hose.

Quail forever and Pheasants Forever have accomplished many things for private land across the nation, but they aren’t just improving the quail habitat; they're making great habitat for turkey, grouse and deer too! Today we are joined with two ladies that explain not only how to create great habitat for all wildlife, but ways to get the work paid for as well.

Not everyone has open or agricultural acres on their recreational farms, however, this conversation can still be beneficial for everyone to listen to. You may ask why, but the reason is, often times the status quo is not always the best fit or decision. Cash renting is very common for landowners, but in this podcast, you may learn more that there are better options out there. We bring on Whitetail Properties Agent Stephen Stockman who works across Northern Missouri selling farms!

Cash renting of farm acres are very clean exchange. Cash money for the control of agricultural acres. This is a very hands-off approach and has low responsibility on the landowner. But with lack of responsibility comes little power in crop rotations, fertilizing, and harvesting. On the flip side, custom farming is on the complete other side of the spectrum. All of the control is in the hands of the landowner. From, what to plant, how to plant, when to plant, etc... In addition, all of the risk regardless of the outcome falls on the landowner.

To learn which option is best for you, please tune in and share this podcast with each landowner you know!

Greg Glesinger has a history of tagging giant whitetails, and when we say giant whitetails we aren't saying booners, we're talking 200" and bigger. In fact, Kasey Morgan and Greg are doing things in the whitetail space few people get to experience. This isn't happening by chance either, this is planned out through extreme habitat makeovers, planned out hunting strategy, and execution.

This new project will unfold on Sportsman's Channel next summer as well as new social media content. This will be Land & Legacy's way of jumping into whitetail content completely. We'll be packing cameras, podcasting, and doing all kinds of additional content focused on whitetail deer. From growing them, to building a farm for them, to hunting them., you'll find it all right here.

Forloveoftheland

We often hear people say “we just don’t have the genetics to grow big deer around here”. On today's podcast we dive into this topic with Dr. Lashley as a follow up to a podcast he had done on Fire University titled “ Fire as a Tool to Increase Nutrient Availability in Lactating Does”. In a lot of cases it’s the deer adapting to what you have provided them and has nothing at all to do with genetics. Join us as we dive into this hot topic and explore what might be going on.

On this week's podcast we discuss whether it is necessary to plant natives or simply allow the seed bank to respond. We have a special guest and post-graduate student from the University of TN Bonner Powell. He completed some interesting research while a student that helps to break down the best ways to maximize the native response that could save you some money and time.

Most people tend to think that the more money you spend, the better quality you will get. In some cases this could be true, but it's not always the case when working the land. During the podcast you will hear just how valuable the seed bank is compared to planting natives. The results are pretty overwhelming and speak for themselves.

We also include some great tips on the future management of the site and how to best keep the area in good condition.

As we grow, you get more content coming your way. Sawdust and Fire is a new podcast coming to the Land & Legacy feed. This podcast will be for the landowner. It is hosted by two passionate land managers, Thomas Baldridge and Hunter Johnson. Both residing from Arkansas, they put their personal training, passion, and knowledge into each podcast. They are not professionally trained, but that does not disqualify them from providing you with quality information in a digestible manner.

The main goal with Sawdust and Fire is to be as relatable as possible and unpack the heavy research into a landowner's perspective. These guys are excited to bring you new content with a personalized twist. The land management principles will be the same, but a new voice to enjoy! We hope you give Sawdust and Fire a listen each week.

For Love of the Land

The group at Quail Forever is a lean mean habitat focused machine. They are keenly aware that the persistence of bobwhite quail and pheasants are dependent upon the habitat on the ground. So they cast a wide net to grab the attention of all land lovers.

We sit down with Casey Bergthold of Quail Forever to learn more about the organization and opportunities to put more habitat on the ground. A huge tool for this group is prescribed fire. So if you are apprehensive about using the tool, you need to contact your local Quail Forever agent to see if they can assist. It's important to remember if you want assistance, it is out there for you, you just need to reach out.

There is a heated debate over the topic of, whether should you mow your clover. There have been many schools of thought, but now a long-term research project has provided us, land managers, with the best option for perennial plot maintenance. Recreational mowing is often overused and done to the detriment of wildlife and perennial food plots.

The research conducted by the University of TN and graduate student Mark Turner showed that routine mowing reduced the amount of clover produced, reduced deer activity in the plot, and did not decrease the persistence of broadleaf weeds. Mowing was, however, recommended once during late summer to clip weeds prior them producing seed heads, but following up with an herbicide solution can provide a longer-term maintenance solution.

Don't mow just because you enjoy it. Research is only good and useful if it is applied. Remember a food plot's goal is to produce the most and highest quality forage per acre possible, so don't mow it off just to have something to do.

Please take note during this podcast of the importance of hunting culture. This culture is essential to the resource. As hunter numbers shift and change over time, we will see a change in the influence we have on wildlife. The story over the last 40 years of the bobwhite quail is of the upmost importance to study and learn from. A once highly sought-after game animal is now in many regions unhuntable due to low and declining populations. Don't think for a minute that other game species such as the wild turkey are not capable of doing the same thing.

This podcast is not here to paint a picture of doom and gloom but to share a story that we HAVE to learn from. If we keep promoting the culture of hunting, we will preserve the opportunities to chase wild animals. Culture impacts our daily lives and the decisions we make. If you care about bobwhite quail and the wild turkey, let your actions show how important they are to you.

During this podcast, we interview a passionate landowner and client from the mid-Atlantic region. This 23-acre property is rocking, so we have to tell you the story. A timber sale and aggressive invasives species removal plan have paved the way for the frequent occurrence of several great mature bucks now using this property and calling it home.

Small property management differs from a larger property, not due to the limitations of size, but more the importance of executing a fine-tuned plan. The spatial arrangement of native vegetation is essential, cover and security are of the utmost importance. Most small properties have multiple neighbors, on top of this, this homestead is surrounded by hunters too, so hunting pressure is high in this area. This property is a fine example of this arrangement, even though the property is oddly shaped and in a hunting neighborhood.

Currently, 4-5 mature bucks are using this farm daily. Do you want that success on your property, listen closely, then execute!

If you don't plan on maintaining the work you've done, don't bother implementing it! You should consider the maintenance of the farm to not be optional. Remember, quality habitat is not accidental, it is a series of intentional actions. There are very few once-and-done practices in land management.

We see the best and worst of land management in our travels. but one thing rings true, the worst is always the practices that failed to be maintained. This is where the headaches come in. You have to actively observe and set aside time to maintain the work you've previously done. This includes TSI, timber harvest, and invasive species control. During this podcast, we cover a couple of real-life examples of the failure to maintain habitat. The use of herbicide and fire is often a necessary one-two punch to keep the habitat in a productive state. Don't skip the maintenance phase if you intend to have a healthy farm.

If you plan to implement, don't fail to maintain!

This is a different spin on the podcast this week! Adam and Kyle are discussing the how the window of time maybe closing on you making the biggest improvement on your farm. Will your kids be active in dance, baseball, softball, or band? If so, your time might be running out!

Don't let the hustle of life limit you on your time in the field, get after it! One of the biggest factors in success is time and understanding how to manage that time best. We work through the many stages of life and how having the knowledge to attack at the correct time with the correct tools might be the secret to making the most of your limited time. #Forloveoftheland

Do you like saving time, energy and money? We sure do, well there is a long list of tools that if you have access too will cut time and expenses, but they aren’t a must have.

During this podcast we discuss sprayers, spreaders, tractors, implements, chainsaws and much more. There is no better way to do more and do it right than having the right combination of knowledge and equipment.

Be a better land manager and get the right equipment working for you.

As we all prepare for hunting season mentally, we want to provide you with a series to consider so you get the most out of the fall. So we are going to be going through the most common failures that bowhunters face. There are many reasons why, but join us as we discuss this week, why bowhunters tend to miss or overlook the biggest factors behind over-browsed food plots.

We chat about the 6 main factors that influence why plots are over-browsed, some of these may surprise you. In detail, we mention factors such as sunlight, tree competition, forage selection, number of deer, and many others.

We're celebrating our 500th episode this week! Who can believe it!? 500 episodes beginning from 2017 to today with all things land. We're going to break down our mission, how we've changed, and how we haven't changed. We're discussing some of the ways we hope we change over the next 500 episodes and how we're excited for the future.

Have you ever wondered just how intricate the whole ecosystem is and how we fit in it? We discuss that in more detail as we plan out the future of Land & Legacy !

On episode #499 we're talking with our friend Thomas Baldridge about all the things connecting him to the land! Thomas is an avid outdoorsman and prescribed fire enthusiast! While managing his farm in Arkansas he's found many forms of success including an increasing abundant population of Bobwhite quail, and the success doesn't stop there!

With plans to implement a conservation grazing program on native grass specific to his region we're excited to hear the results! We also discuss one of the most important days in Arkansas the opening day of squirrel season and how timber management may have a slight focus on squirrels. #forloveoftheland

This podcast is devoted to the landowners who like to plan, and to the ones who don't like to plan, get with the program!! With every consult our job is to help the landowner the day of the consult and in the future, but there are things the landowner can do to ensure the day is the most successful it can be!

Whether it be soil reports, NRCS contracts, crop contracts, or a road map, these all play a part in helping you as the landowner reach your goals! #Forloveoftheland

To follow up our recent podcast discussing the future concerns in land management, it’s only fair if we discuss the things that are looking up! So we breakdown 5 positives changes we seen that will impact our future as landowners and managers.

Topics such as the rise in outdoor media and ability to share outdoor research has drastically increased the spread of good information. Hunter selectivity has without a doubt been greatly improved over the last few decades. The awareness of land ethic and ecological based habitat management has also been on the rise!

Sit back and enjoy this podcast! Let us know what else you’ve seen in your neck of the woods that has impacted Creation in a positive way.

For many land owners across the country, we're in a drought that doesn't seem to be lifting anytime soon. What does this mean for land managers trying to improve their property for wildlife? It means it's time to get to work like usual! Drought doesn't mean to go about our normal routine, it opens the door for more projects that we normally couldn't do without dry weather.

With dry conditions present we can improve the farm with prescribed fire and set back woody vegetation, grasses, and promote a more diverse landscape. We also discuss some of our other plans to make lemonade out of lemons. #Forloveoftheland

What's going in the outdoors during the heat of the summer? Where are Matt and Adam Traveling during the summer? we cover these topics and any more on this podcast. We celebrated the 4th of July this week and spent some time explaining the problems we've seen on the landscape in our recent travels.

It's not all bad news though! We share some great updates on projects we've worked on the benefits the land owners are seeing! From Oak savanna's in Nebraska to Prairies of Oklahoma! For Love of the Land

Education is the key to remaining on top. Even with interest in land management growing rapidly, there are a few key things that could bottleneck your success. We have to address these concerns early and not shy away from dealing with conflicts. Solutions are out there if we are willing to identify and face the issues head-on.

During this podcast, we dive deep into the future of recreational land ownership. Frank and Matt discuss the 6 largest threats to land management, some of which include topics such as private property size, habitat fragmentation, timber/forester market, volatility in commodity markets, and many other key topics. Be sure to listen closely and carefully as this podcast is meant to educate and prepare listeners to stay diligent and get ahead of the future threats to what we hold so close to us.

We hope you enjoy and share this informative podcast.

On this podcast, we take a unique angle at how someone would intentionally manage to improve a raccoon habitat. No, we never have met someone who is trying to accomplish this intentionally, however, we must realize that many of our actions have impacts on non-target animals.

Raccoons seem to be the "new coyote" on the scene. A lot of hate is being spread and aimed at this generalist species. It would seem that with the increase in population over the last few decades that many would come to the conclusion that perhaps our efforts to manage whitetails is improving the habitat for raccoons as well. This then begs the difficult questions that no one likes to answer, Are we contributing to the issue?

This is a podcast on Mindset management. Ask yourself the question, are you managing for the end goal or start to finish? Do you consider individuals of a population or the entire population? It’s time to dig deep into why Bottom-Up management is superior and yields consistent results.

When you manage the land, the wildlife, it’s it’s resources from the bottom-up, you influence the entire life cycle of individuals within a population, opposed to just managing when certain individuals reach maturity. You should be caring for and managing specifically for fawning cover as you do for “buck bedding areas”. You should be managing for brood rearing cover just as you do for strut zones.

We've spent a lot of time talking about the decline of the Wild Turkey in the last few years but it's time we get into the weeds of how our management should be different for deer and turkeys. Over the years we've always heard that managing for trophy deer helps the turkeys also, but it's not true.

During this podcast we break down some of the biggest problems with the landscape today and how our management is creating a landscape void of young poult usability. Remember that phrase it takes a village to raise a child? It's going to take a landscape to raise the next generation of poults. #ForLoveoftheLand

It can be a big task to manage a farm without help or a plan. Hunter Johnson from Arkansas is doing some great work on a big project with very little help! Deer sizes are increasing, quail are returning, turkeys are doing well, and it's all because of managing the landscape.

Thinking big picture, and utilizing the tools at hand have allowed the properties Hunter manages to explode with life. Don't miss out on your properties potential by being overwhelmed.

Have you ever found a deer stand in the woods and thought, “this must be a good spot?” That is a common occurrence. Very little thought goes into this decision and it’s time we address the opportunity people get when they become a new owner of a farm.

The worst thing you can do as you take ownership of a new farm is to drive the same roads, access stands the same way, keep all stands in the same locations as the previous owners. Many times, the locations of these features are not correct, yet new landowners don’t take time to reevaluate the farm. Don’t let previous owners determine your future success!!

Share this podcast with someone who needs a fresh outlook on a farm!

Its early June and it’s too thick already! With the spring rains, sunny days, and warm

Temperatures, most of the countryside has turned into a jungle of green vegetation. Most would applaud this as food plots are sprouting, but others with a keen eye for quality habitat begin to think it’s time for a disturbance.

In a blink of an eye, we went straight to unusable habitat for a turkey poult in most places. Can you pin point an area where a turkey poult would survive on your farm? Sure, fawns have plenty of cover and young forage, but your goals stated you wanted deer and turkey, not deer and accidentally having turkeys.

It’s time to get serious about improving your land. Get more out of the property, think and okay outside of the box. Creation has no box, it does what it wants, when it wants, how it wants. We should manage in the same way!

Many times in our travels and consulting across the country we find landowners who are having their best success from accidental projects. These results can range from seeing more turkeys with poults in a field that had been over grazed with cows to more deer using a food plot area because we let it grow up in weeds. There are many projects that have great goals and plans but fall into a barrel of mediocracy.

During this podcast we discuss the difference between planning results and accidental success to hopefully help listeners see which side of the aisle they're on. It's okay if you find yourself having these results occasionally but don't make a living on them!

We always enjoy working with landowners who have multi-species in mind when it comes to their management and farm goals. On a recent consultation, the landowner was a huge upland game bird enthusiast. So, as part of the plan, we began laying out plans to improve the property specified in the uplands for Sharptail Grouse.

Most of the uplands in eastern Montana were still native ranges, which area combination of tall and short grass prairies and sagebrush. This landscape is arid but often has a cattle lease factored into the equation. So, cattle management is critical to ensure proper habitat necessities for the Sharptail Grouse are met. Mainly we need to focus on residual cover, brood-rearing cover, and shrubs!

Be sure to listen closely even if you will never pull the trigger on a grouse. The finer points and connection with the land and wildlife covered during this podcast is top-notch.

This past week, we spent the week working in Eastern Montana. This is not the vision that comes to mind when thinking about hunting whitetails. Most people envision an eastern U.S. ridge top with oaks or fenceline rut hunts in Kansas. However, the adaptive nature of the whitetail deer and human intervention of agriculture in the river bottoms of East Montana create some great hunting opportunities. But, just because there is great hunting, that does not mean there is great habitat and we are about to explain why during this podcast!

With that being said, the big 4 components of a whitetail's needs are explained in relation to the western landscape that receives only 14-15 inches of rain annually. Expansive river bottoms are where whitetails make their living. Most of these areas are suffocated by smooth brome and towering Cottonwoods. This combination drastically reduces cover and foraging opportunities. We however have a plan to remedy this! By sticking to our land management principles, we are going to put the cover and forage back where and how it needs to be placed.

Be sure to follow along as we discuss improving the habitat for whitetails in a western landscape.

If we've heard it once, we've heard it a thousand times! A green understory doesn't mean that it is desirable vegetation that will produce food or cover for the game species you are looking to promote. You have to know what you are looking at to accurately make that evaluation.

During this podcast, we adjust our lens to look at habitat critically. It's time, to be honest, and really ask yourself, is the vegetation growing in my understory helping or hurting my cause. You have to be able to ID plants to make this observation worthwhile. So once you know what you are looking at, you can begin to determine just how much room for improvement there is. We've seen sites where 50% or more of the plants growing within reach for deer were non-native invasive species. This isn't good!

Be sure you know what you are looking at! If you want to optimize your recreational property, you have to begin by listening to this podcast.

When it comes to make decisions on your farm for habitat improvement, game management, land ethics, etc there should be a form of checks and balances. These principles will help you decide on whether or not the project you were thinking about doing really is the best practice.

Be ready to take some notes on this podcast as we chat about our four habitat principles according to Land & Legacy. These principles should be at the forefront of every project on your farm. How does your screening plans measure up in the principle of land management? You're considering a 50 acre monoculture planting? Sorry that won't make the cut as healthy habitat management according to the principles of land management.

During this podcast, Kyle and Matt discuss a recent consultation trip to SE Kansas. This property was located at the point in which the Cross Timbers region meets the tall grass prairie. There were lots of great opportunities to create quality habitat for deer, but we ran into a predicament!

This podcast is a great example of we find the balance between habitat restoration practices and accomplishing a very hunt able property! Natural resource management is paramount and at the forefront at how we work with each farm. But we are forced to compromise this to a small degree sometimes when the property in full restoration mode will not accomplish to landowners' goals. Clearly defined goals are super important when we find ourselves in this situation.

If you are wondering how to balance native restoration practices and hunt ability, give this podcast a listen!

Here is your buyer's guide for recreational property. This a step-by-step guide to preparing you for a land purchase. We are joined by Whitetail Properties agent Ben Richardson of northern Alabama. Ben is an incredible resource for anyone purchasing land and he has some wonderful tips for the first-time recreational buyer.

During the podcast, we break down what buyers should be prepared for from loans, goals, desires, buying and closing timelines, and strategies to get started in buying hunting property. This podcast is long overdue but necessary as we encourage all who are interested in buying land to do your research but most importantly, you need to start.

Becoming a landowner can be a long process, however being prepared is the best advice we can give. Be sure to give this podcast a listen if you want to begin buying land.

We're discussing our food plot strategies for this spring planting and how we're trying new things! Over the years we've never been scared to try new things while never forgetting what's worked. One thing is true , the Heritage blend from Stratton seed company is a killer spring food plot blend, but we always like to try something new.

We've grown to love perennial food plots for year round usage but there is a portion of the fall when standing grain is dynamite. We're looking to put standing grain and perennial clovers together and see what happens!

This week we discuss the wild turkey with Frank Loncarich and hear about his spring season. It was a slow spring for a lot of hunters this year with lower turkey populations and cold, windy weather. There are many variables in creating a slow spring when it came to filling tags and hearing gobbles.

We also discuss the new regulation changes in Missouri for trapping. They're similar to Arkansas regulations and you know how well those helped the population there! ha! If you can't tell we have lots of questions for the department and who's making these decisions.

We have a treat for you! We've included audio from our turkey hunt here in Missouri that took place during the last week of the season. These longbeards were fired up and responding to every sound in the timber. Yes, it was one of those hunts, nonstop gobbling until they strutted into 25 yards.

The evening previous these same turkeys were gobbling on the limb after fly up, so we were able to make a firm plan for the morning's hunt. We knew we had to be on the same hardwood bench as them and that we needed to get as close as possible! We snuck to 100 yards from them on the limb and let the hunt unfold.

Be sure to listen closely to the techniques, sounds, calls, and timing/usage of each of them. Talking turkey isn't always about making the perfect clean yelp. Turkeys make vocalizations as well as sounds as they move about the landscape. These tips will help you close the deal in the turkey woods!

Sometimes we all gravitate toward the easy options or less complex issues at hand. However, if we want to understand turkeys and their reproductive cycles more, then we have to take a deep dive off the deep end into the reality of predation during nesting season.

We chat with Dr. Colier in detail about the tendency for hunters to place trail cameras over turkey nests to attempt to document the events that will unfold, whether it be hatching or predation. However, this causes issues and drastically increases the chance of a nest being predated upon. In addition, we have to ask ourselves within the realm of predators is, who are the predators versus the scavengers in this equation? Are hens getting bumped off nests and then scavengers are taking eggs or is a hen predated and then scavengers will come and raid a nest that would fail regardless? This issue is complex, so we have to tackle it with opinions aside and let the facts speak for themselves.

If you want a real conversation about the state of wild turkeys, then tune in!

First and foremost, we are talking about detail work this week! Yes, we are not talking just 80 grit management. This is the fine-tuning and finish work or perhaps the icing on the cake. We are talking about planting fruit trees and mast producers on recreational property.

When you dig in and find a better mousetrap, you know you are on to something! Foraging swamping is a new term that we are bringing to the table regarding the placement, addition, and congregation of food resources in relation to bedding and other factors of the property. Fruit tree selection based should be relative to the area and the other supplemental forages in that area of the farm. We want to swamp the area with as many high-quality food resources as possible that all correlate to each other.

To learn more of when, where, and how to plant soft and hard mast give this podcast a listen!

What is a Micro-Climate? Have you ever heard of that before? Did you know that you are likely impacting or creating a micro-climate right now as we speak? Better tune up to this podcast as we discuss the interworking of how vegetation, shade, humidity alters the future of the site drastically.

This podcast will change the way you look at your land. This podcast is designed to connect you intimately with the vegetation growing on your property and the results of them. We are talking about soil temperatures, moistures levels, and species of vegetation present. Micro-climates will open your eyes to see more parts of your farm in greater detail.

We hope you enjoy this podcast! Tune in next week for more land management content.

The best turkey callers are not ones who sound the best throughout every yelping sequence or one that can make the most delicate turkey noises, it's those who know when and what to say based on a turkeys body language.

Body posture, gobbling response time/intensity, strutting direction, and head color change, are all indicators we look very closely at when calling in a longbeard. These are telltale signs of when the next call needs to occur and the intensity in which you deliver it.

During the opening day of Missouri's turkey season, Chainsaw Chad had a hunt that unfolded just 35 yards in front of him which provides you will some great insight on why this scenario worked on an early gobbler with hens. Follow along on this podcast to learn the details that matter when closing the deal wild turkeys.

What is the purpose of land? Why would you wish you're hunting success on luck?

We sit down with the Element guys this week to discuss hunting, fishing, and Christ. We cover a lot of topics so buckle up!

During this week's podcast, Matt and Frank discuss the usage, application, and perspective that involve the four main types of habitat management tools. The four main types include prescribed fire, grazing, timber cutting/harvesting, and herbicide application.

These tools and their usage fall along a wide spectrum of usage, on both ends of the spectrum, either overuse or no use of each tool is less than ideal. The middle ground is where you find our recommendations lie. There is a balance that all land managers must find when it comes to using these tools and getting the responses you want the most. Factors such as regions, vegetation types, and climate all impact what is proper usage for you in your situation, not someone on social media.

It's time to use these tools appropriately to generate the response that will achieve your results.

During the last few weeks of working across the country, we have seen successes and results around every corner. There is one theme however that rings true, the harder you push the envelope on habitat, the better you get. There is no dipping your toe in and finding incredible long-lasting success, it's full-on!

Follow along with us this week as we discuss the results from western Oklahoma, southern Florida, central Alabama, and central Pennsylvania. No matter where you go or what landscape you find yourself in, the results are there to be found if you don't get in the way. Sometimes the best thing to do is commit and implement. This sounds simple, but remember your results are waiting for you on the other side of the commitment.

This week we're discussing a recent prescribed fire at "The Woodlands" and how each and every burn unit has the ability to provide different results from each burn year to the next. You know what they say "Fires are burning up the turkey nests!" Let's get real here, grassland fires are about the only fire that burns 95% of the burn units. Timber burns with much terrain will almost always have areas that didn't burn.

We're also discussing the encounter Chad had the day after the burn with a lone hen. This strange encounter leads us to believe something else may be happening to our turkeys! #Forloveofhteland

How do you know when you've accomplished your goals? Is it the amount of deer you're seeing, the turkeys harvested, or the amount of money made on the farm? Whatever your goals are we can all agree that defining them is a must but sometimes it's hard to make those goals and we can get lost on the road. That road is without a destination but more just a direction to travel. This is where many are leading us in the direction of soil health. We're told we should be working to improve it, we're told to believe we can have amazing crops, and we're also told it could mean healthier animals, bigger bucks. Here's the problem, none of it can be proven and it all comes back to smoke and mirrors.

During this podcast we catch up with fellow conservationist, Kyle Lybarger of the Native Plant Society. Kyle has a strong passion for natural history and ecology, so he shared is depth of knowledge with us.

Passion is the start of something great. So learning about the complexities of the naturalist world helped to shape Kyle and fuel his outside educational experiences. Follow along as we need out about woodlands and savannas.

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!

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.

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!

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

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

During this week's podcast we break down a property and the habitat techniques from top to bottom. There is 11 total, but the number isn't important, it is the order that is key. So during Part 1 of this podcast series, we will walk you through the property characteristics and then the order of importance based on the landowner's goals.

We often see landowners who have the right idea, but their emphasis, plan, and priorities are all wrong. Intentions are great, but without execution they mean nothing. So, during the podcast, we showcase how we would use specific habitat techniques on a property and line them up one through eleven in order of importance. This gives you an idea of how you could become more impactful on your own property.

We all want to make an impact and leave a legacy with your property. But it's important to evaluate if you are choosing to do the right techniques that will make the largest positive impact possible. Time to get our priorities in line and do things with a purpose.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Throughout the years of doing podcasts, we have discussed pasture land and cattle on many of them. However, devoting an entire podcast to the pros and cons of pasture on a recreational property is necessary. So many landowners fall into this category and it is necessary to honestly evaluate how good the property can become when pasture land is understood.

Immediately when we discuss pastured acres, we have to determine if the pasture is a cool-season nonnative pasture or a native pasture. This makes a huge difference in the management and expectation during a transformation. In addition, cattle being on a recreational property was once considered a big no-no. However, with a deeper understanding of cattle and how they create a disturbance, there is extreme value in the proper management of cattle on recreational property, we will discuss this in great detail.

If you own property with pasture or are considering buying a property that has pasture land on it, you NEED download this podcast and see how to address the pasture on your property.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

The stars aligned and we got aggressive, it paid off when a mature buck strolled through during daylight hours. Chainsaw Chad put an arrow where it needed to be and the buck dropped within sight!

The story for this podcast starts back in the spring with a late frost. With zero white oak acorns for miles around this farm, we knew the alfalfa was going to light up with deer during the early season. When monitoring the field edges with cuddelink cameras, it was no surprise to find lots of deer using the fields, but some large bucks doing the same. Just a few days prior Adam was observing the field and saw one of the target bucks entering the field, it was game on from here.

We pushed in and hunted a small ridge we thought these bucks were staging up on before dumping into the large destination alfalfa field. Well, to hear more about how the successful early season hunt went down, you will have to tune into this podcast! We hope you enjoy this podcast!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Another archery season is among us here in Missouri. Despite the heat this week, we had several hunts that took place with success. To hear more about these hunts and how we plan to tackle these next cold spells, download this podcast!

With temperatures pushing 90 degrees last week, we still tried our hand at bow hunting to break the ice. The first sit of the year was an aggressive move that resulted in a doe harvest. But this would not have been possible without super clean access and winds during that hunt. Another observational set lead to putting eyes on a target buck. This intel was just what was need to dive into the tree later this week. A fifteen-degree temperature swing is forecast for this week, so more intense movement is expected. Hopefully, we can close the distance on one of these target bucks. Follow along each week for bowhunting recaps!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Frustrated by only getting buck movement during the night? Are you scratching your head wondering why does it seem like these deer only move during the cover of darkness? These are common questions that we hear from folks from all across the country. It plagues a lot of hunters and leaves them wondering what can I do about these situations.

On this podcast, we cover the Top 5 reasons why you are only seeing nighttime activity. Some of these reasons may shock you, while others seem logical. But what is more important than the reasons are the solutions. The solutions reverse the problems and solve many other complications that hunters face. The important rule of thumb is to know where the bedding takes place, but also how to properly setup a trail camera! User error can play a large role in this equation.

To document more daylight movement of your target bucks, start by listening to this podcast, then, pickup the chainsaw!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we discuss the varied food resources available to whitetail deer during the 2021 hunting season. When we start to look at patterns that deer are on now, we all know that they are subject to changing rapidly during this time of the year. Oftentimes early season hunting scenarios revolve around white oak acorns. However, this year we believe will be very different.

During the spring of 2021, a hard frost during the flowering stage of white oaks really set the stage for the fall crop in this region. In addition, the later portion of summer has turned dry, which is not uncommon, but even so, it makes for very delayed plantings of food plots. To say food is rather limited, can be an understatement as our season opens up for bowhunting this week.

So to combat these challenges, we are faced with evaluating food sources closely. Early bedding hunts are very difficult and risky, so hunting deer based on food availability is the alternative strategy. But, this takes close examination and it appears alfalfa and soft mast such as persimmon could be a strong player as the season opens up!

Land & Legacy is powered by Simple Cast.

Over the course of several years our company had been blessed to grow, taking Adam and Matt across this country. However, they haven't been alone, Kyle and Frank have been alongside for years. During this podcast, you will hear how these two team members will be coming to a farm near you.

With years of experience managing natural resources publically, privately, and personally, Kyle and Frank are ready to hit the road. Their strong communication skills set them apart from many biologists in a similar field. Being able to work directly with landowners to create and paint a vision for their property is no easy task. We have to teach people how to create something that they have never seen. So providing them with the blueprints of their future recreational property is a skill that these guys have mastered. So they are ready to tackle any project that comes our way.

We want to thank you for following along and trusting Land & Legacy as a source for your natural resource management information. The future is bright and we can not wait to have one of our team members work with you!

Land & Legacy is powered by Simple Cast.

Are there no bucks on your farm you're interested in hunting? Did your summer food plots fail due to too much browse pressure? Do you feel that the bucks aren't growing as big as you would have hoped for? These are common conversations we have during this time of the year, and when you're in this situation maybe it's time to reevaluate.

We're currently looking at having a year of sacrifice on Whistling Woodlands for several reasons. First, we finally have a logger who's able to log the entire farm. Second, We've noticed that the number of deer have increased over the last few years to a point of over browsing on some plots. Lastly, we've noticed very few bucks we're looking to harvest on the farm, likely do to th logging operation activity and the few number of deer because of only a few trail cameras out. With all these things happening we're looking to make this fall a year of sacrifice. Meaning, we're not focused on finding a hit list buck, but instead harvesting plenty of antlerless deer, and lowering the deer population.

With the logging going on, we know the habitat is going to get much better and the deer herd will follow the habitat increase. Like a lot of farms, the deer herd can get out of hand quickly so we're using this fall to make sure it doesn't happen anytime soon. ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast we break down the ways we determine future success in a deer stand. Weather along with other variables can strongly influence deer movements on a daily basis. So this podcast we discuss how we analyze weather forecasts to determine which days provide the highest probability of success.

When looking at weather conditions, we tune into variables such as temperature, relative humidity, barometric pressure, wind direction/speed, cloud cover, and more! Having a reliable weather app to show you these variables is important. You not only want to look at the current conditions but how they change over time, so having all of this information in one weather app is important.

To learn more about predicting deer movement and hunting success download this podcast. Knowing when and where to hunt is critical. Trust a reliable source.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We are big believers in going against the grain. The common rule of thinking is to kill deer you have to put your time in. Where that certainly has paid off for us all, it is not necessarily the full truth or secret to deer hunting. This week on the podcast, we reevaluate the ways to tagging your target buck and it involves more time on the couch opposed to in the field!

We've said it before, but there should be more importance placed on determining when not to hunt as opposed to when to hunt. A great movement day is easy to spot in a 7-day forecast. Although deer move daily, it's not always to the same degree. So, keep stands fresh and wait patiently for your time to strike. Having treestands for every wind option is nice, but having a few really quality stands is even better!

There are many stands we don't enter until it's time. Find the sets that work for certain winds and then stay out until those conditions present themselves. It's all about keeping hunting locations fresh until the deer you chase start utilizing the area heavily during daylight. It's not a sprint out of the gate for early season, but a marathon! Happy Hunting!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Break out the steel-toed boots for this one. We dig deep this week to help you unlock the true potential of your property. We hear of excuses such as neighbors or unchangeable variables such as season regulations from every state/property we work. However, often times, those variables are not what is limiting the potential of the property. Sometimes it is the landowner themselves. This is not easy or comforting to say, however, it's what is true in some cases.

When asked what is the ceiling or potential for my property, we often have a difficult time answering that. What we create is the roadmap to discovering the potential, but quantifying or determining with certainty the ceiling of a property is unachievable, but at the same time likely unimaginable if you have vision.

Do you want to take your recreational property to the next level. Do you want to discover the potential or at least take the journey to see just how good it can get, because we sure do! Give this podcast a share with a landowner who needs to hear this message.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this week's podcast, Kyle and Matt discuss how to be the most prepared land manager possible. We all know the struggles and difficulties that all landowners face. Some of these struggles are expected while others are totally unexpected. However, with proper planning and we can turn struggles into successes. Download to learn how to be the best landowner in your neighborhood.

Do you feel like you run around your farm on the weekends chasing projects and never getting anywhere? There are several ways to stay prepared and ready to tackle the unexpected. Things such as flooding, downed trees, invasive species, road closures, etc all can throw wrenches into the plans. Here are the best ways to keep on task and schedule so that the progress keeps moving forward on habitat management projects.

We hope you learn and enjoy the ways we develop contingency plans for farm managers!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

It's been a busy week in the northeast working with landowners and improving habitat! Adam and Matt are once again looking at acres and acres that are in desperate need of timber management. When it comes to the northern winters, woody browse is in high demand! Unfortunately the availability of woody browse is limited but that doesn't mean it can't be provided overnight! When it comes to timber management in the north, it's important to realize how problematic it is to use herbicide to kill trees that can provide so much nutrients in a much shorter period of time than relying on new woody saplings to grow.

Also did you know Missouri will be having their first ever Black Bear season in October? Listen in to hear how it could be one big setup for game wardens! With bears across southern Missouri it will be exciting to hear how this season plans out! And finally, we discuss some big news that has seemed to stay behind the scenes in the world of turkeys. Check it out!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's podcast Adam sits down with his brother Chad to discuss their property Whistling Woodlands and their plan to utilize cattle not only as a managed tool to improve habitat but also as a tool to create financial gain to help pay for the farm! Over the course of the last few months they have been utilizing the cows in a rotational grazing pattern to help avoid overgrazing, but most importantly to create a diverse rangeland more suitable for wildlife.

Even in a short period of time, they're already seeing turkeys in pastures recently grazed and are excited to know the future looks bright! They discuss their herd of South Poll cattle and how not just any breed of cows can be thrown in this management system. Bred specifically for heat tolerance, low maintenance, and non selective foragers, these cattle will be a huge part in turning this property around and breaking the barriers that cattle and wildlife can't coexist. Tune in for ideas of possibly including cattle on your farm!

Land & Legacy is Powered by SImplecast

This week we have Ryan Manners a Land & Legacy client on the podcast. Ryan and his buddy Bucky work together to improve a farm located in southern Ohio. During this past March, Matt visited the farm and put together a site-specific plan for the property to steer their work in a new direction to maximize their impact on it.

Over the past six months over 120 acres of pasture have been removed to allow the early successional plant communities to grow into an old field management scenario. In less than a full growing season, the native growth is already 5-6 feet tall offering both cover and forage. This forage is also out-competing the soybean fields across the property. Do you have native forage that is this attractive? On this podcast, Ryan discusses the value of how a plan is a fast-track to success! You will not want to want to miss this opportunity to hear firsthand from a client.

We hope you enjoy the podcast and see the value of a landowner sharing their perspective.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

It seems like each week, we try to describe what we do and how we work with landowners by using practical illustrations. During this weeks podcast we bring pizza into the discussion.

You maybe wondering how pizza even seems logical, but give this podcast a listen and see how you may fit into the scenario or illustration. One thing that we cannot teach is vision and this podcast is all about seeing into the future. How and what land can become is visionary, not what it is in the present.

Do you see the completed project before it’s done? Give this podcast a listen to learn how.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast we review and answer the most recent listener questions. We’ve had to split these questions between two podcasts due to the number of great questions we had sent in. Within the podcast you will hear questions on how to address timber management, timber harvests, early successional habitat, food plots, and property layout. We want to thank everyone for their questions and support weekly of this habitat, land, and wildlife management podcast.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Have you ever been skeptical of scientific research or wondered how applicable is this really? Well, this podcast will leave the doubt to itself at the moment you hit play. Be prepared to be blown away.

For years now, we have preached, lectured, and shared the power of combining both security and quality cover in the same areas, we simply call them bedding thickets. We know that they are commonly used and are generally the most influential vegetation types offered for deer hunting. This theory may have just become a scientific fact, you be the judge. You will hear how GPS collars confirm the drive and selection of these areas over commonly hunted areas or those with less than an ideal cover. In addition, you will hear how to manage your timber. Does thinning more aggressively really pay off for more forbs produced?

We are anxiously awaiting the feedback on this podcast! Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we have returning guest Chad Keith to discuss with us the important steps a landowner should go through before having the logging crew arrive.

Follow these easy steps of marking your timber to get the most out of your timber harvest for either wildlife benefits or timber enhancement benefits. We will discuss how to mark leave trees, a seed tree harvest, a clear-cut, and more! Don't miss this practical and helpful educational podcast on timber management.

Enjoy!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we cover the exciting discussions revolving around our fall food plot strategies. We have several new plots to discuss how they will be converted from fescue pastures into diverse fall food plots. In addition, you will hear how we intend to use food in relation to known bedding locations to entice certain predictable travel patterns to make hunting easier.

Fall food plots have all been discussed before, but these planting strategies and tools are all about a bigger future for these areas. Think of these fall plots as a stepping stone for more to come down the road out of these areas we discuss.

Be sure to follow along on social media in the coming months to see these food plots being put into play. Hopefully, many hunts will be shared in and around these locations.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Have you ever wondered how by cutting and removing trees that you actually improve the overall forest? Well, you're about to find out during this podcast. The Whistling Woodlands project just turned up the heat on a timber management project as reinforcements were called in. The loggers just arrived to completely change the future of this property.

During this podcast, you will hear how outside-of-the-box thinking with regards to a timber harvest got a crew excited to return and put the plan into action. This harvest will be complex, but also simple for the crew to execute as flagging, painting leave trees, sharing the vision for the harvest have all been completed. Clear-cutting with three different follow-up management strategies will occur as well as a seed tree cut, and selective thinning. Each of these practices is based on its proximity to other future plant communities and its aspect on different slopes.

If you've considered ever harvesting timber to improve the forest and the wildlife that utilizes it, this will give you the encouragement to pursue that further! Timber management requires action! Be sure to listen if you want to maximize your recreational property.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We looked to our followers for this podcast! After a recent podcast post asking for viewer questions, we are here to answer! Our overall goal for the podcast each week is to help landowners, so addressing their direct questions is one of the best ways possible.

During this podcast, we will cover the following topics, timber management in uplands and bottomlands, what to do when you can't use prescribed fire, are oaks as important as we really think, early-season hunting tactics, how to convert ag fields into old fields, and much more!

Hope you enjoy this listener-influenced podcast! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, we take it down to the south where I am joined by host Frank Loncharich. We breakdown some of the key property features from a recent consultation. This podcast style allows you to follow along with an annotated map on our social media pages. Use this to guide yourself through the podcast.

On this property breakdown, you will hear us discuss property features such as open agricultural fields, north and south-facing slopes, enclosed deer pens, 20-year old clear-cuts, chicken barns, year-round creek, remanent savanna, and establishing travel corridors. To learn how and what recommendations we make follow along with this podcast. Dive into deer management in the south with us this week!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Are you a frustrated recreational landowner? Have you been owning land for years without success or implementing the hunting industry standards without improvements? What do you have to show for in all your years, time, and money?

During this week, we take a look at the common pitfalls of land management. Where people place their time and energy is a good indicator of their ability to make serious land management changes.

Our goal is to bring awareness to these common mistakes to avoid the long term landownership with limited success. Don’t settle for what you have, been intentional with you management!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this weeks podcast we cover our recent findings from states along more northern latitudes and compare to the Southern states. Guess what, we may shock you in what we find and say!

Land Management is different where you go, however, all through the techniques we recommend may be very similar the plant species change. Vegetation Composition isn’t talked about enough! It matters what plants are growing on a site and we discuss how there are commonly more useful plants per acre up north than in the south. So, essentially there is more to work with or less to terminate or remove, making the job easier!

To learn more about the management in the Northern states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, and Michigan, be sure to download and enjoy!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, we show you a visual change to a Land & Legacy property from 30,000 ft. Will Russell of central Pennsylvania took advantage of a property plan and it shows. You can't deny the change! Take a look for yourself. Will and his family have left a positive and legacy impact on this recreational property.

This farm now has diversity, whereas before it was a homogeneous, closed-canopy forest before with a few dotted food plots. However,, those days are gone! With the timber harvested as recommended, access was improved, as was the diversity of the plant communities, increased woody browse and cover. This property will never be the same!

Be sure to listen closely to this podcast, learn from Will and his relentless pursuit of quality habitat. Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This can easily be the largest hurdle for most landowners to overcome. How to do prepare best for a complete 180-degree change of a hunting property? Some of the major habitat changes such as a timber harvest, adding cattle to recreational property, edge feathering, and. many other very visual techniques. You have to mentally prepare for this!

With our own ongoing projects beginning we walk you through firsthand the ways that we have begun to accept the imminent changes to our property. The best way we found to prepare, is to have an end goal in mind for that specific acre being impacted. What is the desired future condition? What is the best and fastest practice to get me? Once you have these two questions answered, the only thing left to do is pull the trigger. The confusion, apprehensiveness, and uneasy feelings many people go through come from uncertainty from the value that practice brings to the overall goal. Once you know the value and best way to get there, its easier to prepare for a property overhaul.

Share this with someone who needs to make some big long-term decisions with their farm! Enjoy.Learn.Share. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Although summer may seem to be like you can breeze right through it thinking all is taken care of in the wildlife world. However, that would be short-sided. There are several factors that people always overlook during the summer timeframes.

Summer thermal cover for species such as bobwhite quail, wild turkey, and whitetail deer is key! It's often overlooked, but you can't forget about it, because there are essential elements to create quality summer thermal cover. Summer thermal cover is comprised of several elements, shade, wind speed, topography, and appropriate forb development.

In addition to this, environmental factors such as insects, ticks, and mites increase stress, so summer thermal cover doesn't just mean cooler temperatures, but parasite management as well! You will be shocked at how much these parasites cause stress on the individuals. Be sure to check it out!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we wrap up the final thoughts from the Soil Health series. This podcast has been a long time coming that will take all the fluff and boil it down to what should wildlife managers really be concerned with.

Everyone wants the best results, we can all agree on that, however, you cant skip ahead when the foundation isn't even set yet. Why get fancy, when you can't even grow a simple productive plot yet. The basics need to be met first, then we can begin to take a bite off the larger piece of the pie. You need to realize although the soil is the building block of life, it has to be broken down into finding the balance. Although it can be complicated, build off the basics and shoot for the balance, the rest will take care of itself.

We hope you enjoy this podcast series wrap-up! Let us know your thoughts.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, you will hear from two new landowners who are working diligently to get some habitat work completed. Since closing on the properties, time has been the limiting factor, but that is changing and projects are getting completed.

This podcast discusses how a new fencing project will be one of the most impactful projects on the farm as cows will be managed for the first time, opposed to them roaming freely. In addition, trees are hitting the dirt. More sunlight will be spurring on new regeneration on both farms through a timber harvest as well as a giant bedding thicket project.

We also need your help to name these farms. We've got our ideas, but we need your thoughts!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, we get down into the weeds, literally. It's time to clearly define the difference between old fields and abandoned fields. At first glance, they may look similar, but the functionality of the two is far from equivalent.

So please follow along with our social media post that highlights the two photos we discuss throughout this podcast. You will be examining photos from Southern Iowa and Southwestern Ohio, one is productive and the other is a wildlife wasteland for now.

You are going to want to follow along closely with Part 2 to take your land and habitat management understanding to the next level.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We've all read articles and seen videos about the ways to grow bigger antlers. Often times the conversation revolves around feeding programs, mineral stations, genetics, and the age of the animal. Well, all those may play a small role, what about stress? For many years we have been pondering the idea of how to quantitatively evaluate the stress placed on individual deer within a herd, obviously, we are still searching for that answer, but we have many cases studies where lower stress levels in the population and on the landscape have resulted in huge antler increases.

If you want to learn the forgotten or overlooked variables of growing larger deer, think about how widely spaced the resources are across the landscape. Are deer using more energy than they should access what they need? If so, that's unnecessary stress! In this podcast, we break down the dirty details of antler growth. To learn how to make the most of your landscape to shoot larger deer, consider giving this podcast a listen.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This week we hosted a wonderful event in Northern Missouri with the National Deer Association and OnX Maps. This event we geared to the recreational landowner looking to improve their hunting property. We toured a client's farm who has worked diligently on improving his habitat. This opportunity provided all of the attendees the chance to review some killer habitat projects and learn from someone else's hard work and planning.

The other special opportunity attendees had was the chance to learn, use, and understanding the tool of digital mapping when it came to land management. OnX Maps was used by all attendees to learn how this tool makes land management planning and execution easier. This app is incredible for keeping track of burn units, TSI planning, bedding thicket, invasive species removal, road creation, and much more.

If you are a landowner who is stuck and unsure how to manage your property and reach your goals, give us a call! Become a member of the National Deer Association today.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Welcome to a new podcast format! We are going for a more visual learning experience, so please follow along closely with the podcast instructions to get the most out of each episode. Head over to our Facebook or Instagram account for photos that we reference during this podcast.

We closely examine two photos, calling out plant species, describing the structure or composition of the plants in each photo. In addition, we also answer the following questions, how does this benefit wildlife and how would we manage it? This podcast format will get your eye trained to observe the landscape the way we do. You have to have a critical eye to know how to improve habitat for whitetail deer, wild turkey, and bobwhite quail.

Let us know what you think! Thanks for joining us!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Just how fast can I make habitat better? We do our best on this week's podcast to answer that question but be prepared, the answer may surprise you. We are not talking years, we are talking months for night and day transformations.

We discuss a 6-month journey of a glade restoration that has completely changed this portion of the farm. In December this unit was almost solid cedar, now it is full of native grasses and abundant forbs and pollinating species. Don't waste time on starting as huge benefits await you. Your land could be begging for improvements and changes, so do not fear the fact that a response could be years away.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's podcast, we discuss some recent findings on our consultation trips. These times in the field are priceless with countless observations of how wildlife are utilizing certain habitat features. One of the more reoccurring things we see are isolated and routinely used beds, often referred to as "buck beds".

Buck Beds have gotten a lot of attention lately, however, one of the most missed features of this is that adequate cover is often limited. When quality cover is limited, we see routine beds, often used day in and day out. Although consistent bedding is good, having abundant, quality, secure, cover is even better.

The next time you find a buck bed, look at the structure, consider how to create more of that on the landscape as opposed to how can you hunt that location? Be a land steward! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Where have all the turkeys gone?! It's a common question we've been hearing through much of the United States and it's a very complex answer. We decided to check in this week with some of the most popular hunters in Missouri who have hunted here for many years to see what trends they've witnessed and things they're doing to help improve turkey numbers.

Mark Drury of Drury Outdoors has been at the top of our list for successful turkey hunters for a long time. Going back to the days when Adam filmed for Drury Outdoors he's always respected the passion Mark has for the wild turkey. MArk continues to have a successful spring even with numbers down statewide, so we're getting to the bottom of why?

Next up Michael Hunsucker and Shawn Luchtel from Heartland Bowhunter have seen a drastic difference in turkey numbers from the early 2000s and it's quite concerning to them. We discuss what they believe might be leading into the numbers decline and how they're managing their farms to help both deer and turkeys.

Regardless, we all have ideas at how we can help the turkeys, from lowering tags offered, to ending the fall turkey season to year round trapping of predators, but getting the Department of Conservation to make the first move will be the trickiest move yet. #forloveoftheland

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we are joined by Aaron Warbrittion of The Hunting Public. As a fellow passionate turkey hunter Aarons' experiences bring a unique point of view as a huge public land turkey hunter.

We bring a new perspective to the turkey decline across the country. This is not just a Missouri problem as Aaron shares from his experience, he has witnessed this in Arkansas and many of the other Southeastern states. So the question becomes, what can a public and private landowner do collectively to address this problem? How can we come together to support habitat enhancement, fund research, and bring awareness to the issue.

Join us for a collective assessment on the future of the wild turkey. We aren't singing the doom and gloom song, but we bringing awareness to the general decline of the turkey as a natural resource.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We are bridging the gap between spring and summer during the growing season, so this week's podcast is devoted to all things summer habitat to-do list. Spring annual food plots take a large time away from landowners, but what value do they bring? We discuss in full detail how you should be approaching food plots that are supplementally adding forage to your property.

In addition, we discuss the opportunity to treat non-native invasive species on your property. As we move into the timing when foliar applications of these species can be very effective. Do not forget to treat these plants as they will overtake the understory, edges of openings, and decrease total forage.

It's time to get to work for the wildlife. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This is an exciting time in the life of Land & Legacy. Our families have been blessed to both pursue new land ownership opportunities. This new opportunity is not only going to be slightly different though. Matt and his wife purchased a 35-acre farm with a house and barn, this parcel is surrounded by cattle pasture, unmanaged timber, and some hunting pressure.

The goal with this property is to not only make it a homestead for our family but a small farm to put our habitat management skills to the test. We are going to overhaul the habitat and natural resources on the property to make this small acreage as beneficial to the wildlife as possible. There will be intensely managed old-fields, one large 3-acre bedding thicket, shrub plantings, invasive species removal, Forest Stand Improvements, and some quality food plots added with hunter accessibility in mind. This farm is going to showcase just how much quality habitat offered can influence deer movements!

We are excited to share this opportunity with you and showcase these techniques on a new parcel. Follow along with this project on social media for updates!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we discuss the growing trends of wild turkey hunting, harvest information, decline, hunter participation, and the role everyone plays in this equation. In the last few weeks as the state of Missouri has disclosed its 2021 spring turkey hunting results, the general public has been very vocal about the results. The vocalization has stirred up the blame game for the decline in turkeys harvests.

We dive deep into science and harvest information to find the answers for improvement. We don't play the blame game, just stick to the facts. It seems there is outrage with the state's Department of Conservation around the decrease, however, how can they be held accountable for a turkey recruitment problem? We need to be clear on what the problem is, which is, turkeys are not being as successful in making more turkeys each season. Now, there are a ton of factors impacting this, but 97% of the state is privately owned. So, who is gonna make the largest impact, you and me! Not a state agency, this problem and solution fall on our shoulders. It's time we start taking responsibility for a turkey recruitment problem.

We hope you share this podcast with everyone looking to improve turkey numbers across the country. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is powered by Simplecast

Ray Archuleta has had a long career in the world of agronomy and promoting healthy soils. Starting out with the NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Services) to now serving as part of the Soil Health Academy that helps educate farmers and landowners on promoting healthy soils. This has been a long time coming to bring Ray into our Soil Health Series and we couldn't be more excited!

Soil Health has become a concern for many people in the food plot world but it's important we don't chase fads, product endorsements, and nonsensical practices. Let's face it, food plotters, like ourselves like to play farmer. Ray is a consultant dealing with farmers day in and day out, and is a farmer himself. The clear line between the ag world and recreational hunting land is farmers are relying on their practices to make an income, hunters aren't. With that being said we found it important to go straight to one of the most recognized agronomists in the world today to discuss soil health. We get his answer on many practices for soil health including, grazing, perennial versus annual, monoculture versus diversity, and why we should be focusing on all of our land not just areas of crops or food plots. It's a very interesting discussion so dive in with Ray "The Soil Guy" Archuleta. #Forloveoftheland

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

As we have discussed before there are some great marketing schemes out there floating around the hunting industry, one of these being food plot seed. We aim to expose this week while talking with the folks at Stratton Seed Company, just how different are these seeds from one brand to another?

It is very common to experience sales pitches regarding seed selection and superiority with frequently used food plot varieties, however, we expose the truth from the origins of this seed and lack of variety among most food plot seed types. Sure there are some varieties of soybeans, oats, or radishes that have some differences in genetics or growth rates, but when you see purple top turnip in a blend from various seed companies, it's still just purple top turnip and likely comes from the same grower. So, the question becomes if there isn't much difference in seed selection or origin, then why do costs vary so much? Well, we answer that question as well in this podcast.

If you want to hear transparency from a genuine food plot company, then tune in! You may be surprised at what you find out! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

For years we have missed understood the meaning and definition of the term convicitions. We commonly think of the criminal activity surrounding the definition, however, it has meaning regarding how someone feels convinced about certain truthful information. So on this week, we share our convictions about land management.

Our goal is to share truthful information that will make the land and its resources better. So, we go deep into our understanding of truth behind the management of natural resources and God's Creation. These convictions are the check and balance sheet for us! When we examine practices or ideas we run them past our convictions or the truths/foundations of sound land management to make sure we are completing the best management practices that science supports.

If you want to learn the truths or our convictions about how the way land and wildlife should be managed, give this a listen! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's podcast you will hear from our special guest Nate Robinson of Winchester Ammunition. Nate is a dear friend of Land & Legacy and has a deep understanding of the science behind quality ammunition. On top of this, he has a passion for turkey hunting, so he was the perfect guest to chat about the innovative Longbeard XR turkey load.

For nearly ten years, we have been shooting the Longbeard XR round with some great results. With Nate's understanding of the round, we discuss the in's and out's of the buffering, compression of the ignition, deformation of lead pellets, shot size, and downrange performance. In addition, we discuss the cost, which is extremely economical compared to the newest fade of TSS loads. $2.50 per round or $12.50 a round makes a big difference!

If you enjoy turkey hunting and turkey stories, this is a great podcast for you!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, Matt and Kyle discuss some of the key elements of creating quality cover. The most forgotten element is structure!

Often times you hear how structure is relate to fish cover or rabbit cover, but structure is just as important for quail, turkeys and deer! Consistency of quality bedding is often a goal for most hunters and without understanding how the structure of that cover is oriented will often leave you disappointed with the lack of results.

We hope you enjoy this podcast and get a finer detailed understanding of what creates cover and how structure is woven into this element of land management.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this installment of the Wild Turkey Podcast Series we devote our time to stories of success! During a recent consultation trip to Virginia and Pennsylvania, Matt was able to stay with family and take advantage of the opening week of Virginia's turkey season.

On this podcast, you will hear from three different hunt breakdowns where longbeards were harvested. Each hunt and situation was approached differently based on the gobbler's location, time of the morning, and if we thought hens were present. We were blessed with responsive gobblers that came to our calls!

Be sure to listen to the finer details of this podcast. If you want to be more successful when tagging turkeys, you have to be a student of the details and turkey behavior!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast we approach the subject of limited resources, for some it may be time for others it may be funding to invest in a property. No matter which object you face, both can prove to limit our impact on managing a farm. This limited resource and impact can be compounded with a lack of direction or plan that has not been set in place.

Without a management plan, you are chasing your tail. We pose the question that will surely get you thinking, Would you rather have the adjoining 40-acre parcel or know exactly what to do with your existing 200 acres? We know what the power of knowledge and hard work can produce and that is quality habitat. Having extra land doesn't mean a great impact, it can mean more stress and likely stretch your already limited resources even thinner. Hard work and knowledge are the secret ingredients to your property! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Although this podcast is focused from the SouthEast United States, we expound on the necessity of woody structure in your habitat for encourage daylight deer activity and security. Be sure to follow along as discuss in full detail the pit falls of managing a long term monoculture crop while trying to improve wildlife habitat.

After several trips this spring to state such as North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Georgia, we have to discuss ways to improve these vast areas of poor wildlife cover. We understand and address the need to still produce an income from your pines, while trying to address the lack of food or cover in these units.

Be sure to follow along, you may be surprised some of the recommendations that you hear this week.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We extend the Wild Turkey Podcast series this week to complete a pre-hunt “What’s in your turkey vest Podcast? This podcast reviews the diaphragm calls, friction type calls, locator calls, and the gear we chose to carry.

We tend to be prepared, but still pack light. We want to make sure that any scenario we face that we have the call or sound we can produce in our vest. No matter if we are calling to birds off the roost or trying to locate birds during a late morning, we have the sounds we need.

For more information on what we carry, enjoy this podcast! Next week, we should have some turkey hunting content coming your way!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, we have a cross-over guest, both food plotter, farmer, and agricultural consultant Caleb Traugh from Southwest Georgia. This week we discuss how to understand soil basics and prioritize soil health on your recreational farm. There are so many aspects to the broad term soil health, but it is important to understand how it plays into your role and goals for landownership.

Caleb Traugh has managed thousands of acres of recreational land with ample food plots as well as assists agricultural producers across the south to get the most out of their soil for their goals. In this podcast, you will hear testimonials, advice on planting equipment as well as roller crimpers.

It is important to listen with an open mind as we are relating Soil Health back to recreational landowners and food plotters. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's podcast, we bring on turkey hunting enthusiast and Land & Legacy Consultant Kyle Hedges to discuss a fun hunting and habitat management strategy for strutting gobblers. Throughout this podcast, you will hear of many different ways to create strut zones for wild turkeys. Yes, these are specifically managed areas in certain locations that provide both attraction and advantages to strutting toms.

These areas can be created in various habitat types including timbered ridges, food plots, pastures, hayfields, old fields, and CRP. We want to create areas that gobblers routinely come to after flying down to display their dominance, but also vocalize it! So terrain features and habitat comes into play when creating these areas. If done, properly you may just be creating nesting or brood-rearing cover at the same time as spring rolls into summer. So these are great tips to get the most out of turkey season.

We hope you share with a buddy who is looking to keep have a successful roost hunt! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

What do you do when you receive the results from your recent soil test? It's a question we certainly get all the time and we know it's a common problem for land managers. We sit down this week to discuss soil sampling, soil health fads, and best management practices to improve your soil fertility, grow healthier food plots, and avoid time consuming mistakes. Mitt is an owner of Southern Ag Consulting and assists crop farmers across the south to improve yields and limit costs. Their company has over 90 years of experience assisting landowners with crops, soil fertility, weed control, and many other practices to help improve crop yield.

We walk through the steps of what to do once you receive the results from your soil tests. Mitt covers the steps he takes to make the quickest improvements on soil fertility and how in just one growing season he can change the soil's potential! We also discuss the difference between macronutrients and micronutrients and how you should understand them before working to improve them! Finally we discuss one of the biggest principles in soil health, liebig's law of the minimum.

It's always important to ask tough questions about our practices, thoughts, and future plans and with soil health it's no different. If we improved the soil organic matter by 2% over ten years what would we notice happening? Would we notice any changes or better yet would we notice any improved health of our deer? These are tough questions we must answer before we waste time doing things that don't have great returns. #Forloveoftheland

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

After two weeks of deep conversations with two of the top wild turkey researchers we cover the importance of turning research information into well-managed habitat. Often times we find some folks have difficulty translating the podcast information directly into habitat plans. This is where the podcast will focus on ways that leading research can assist landowners with boots on the ground habitat enhancement.

We talk about dormant season discing, timber management, prescribed fire, brood plots, invasive species removal, and overall neighborhood collaboration to strongly influence turkey populations. If you want more turkeys on your property give this podcast a listen and a share, then pick up your chainsaw and drip torch and get to work! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, Frank sits down with Dr. Bret Collier of LSU to discuss the latest information in wild turkey research. These two are great conversation starters as both are passionate about hunting, management, and the research of the wild turkey.

During this podcast, Frank and Bret discuss how to turkeys move across the landscape, and what type of movements landowners can expect to witness. In addition, they discuss how and why turkeys use different habitat types. This has serious implications for the conservation-minded landowner. Do you want to grow turkey numbers in your area? Do you want to hear more gobblers in the spring or see more poults during the summer? Be sure to listen to this podcast closely and pick up on the latest research data on the wild turkey.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast we discuss how to yield actual results from your work on the landscape. After a day of prescribed fire, we have many stories to tell of our insights from the field. Often times we see folks taking the right steps but in wrong orders. This can be potentially harmful and not helpful.

Being able to develop a plan that will reach clear objectives is first and foremost. Next comes implementing those steps as designed. Taking shortcuts or getting steps out of order often takes habitat improvements into a stalemate. We want more for you, the land, and the wildlife. There is more to experience than staus quo habitat manipulation. It's time to be intentional with our goals and the steps we take to achieve them.

If you want to create a successful business, you need a plan, and you need to take certain intentional steps at the perfect time to achieve success, habitat management is very similar to his! We hope you learn how to attack your property properly during this podcast! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

As we promised, we were going to bring on the expert turkey biologists during our Turkey Management Podcast Series. This guest has been researching and following turkeys for over 25 years professionally. Please welcome, Dr. Mike Chamberlin to the podcast this week where he brings his professional research expertise to the topic of habitat management specifically for wild turkeys.

With all of the knowledge and data points collected on this fascinating wild bird, we find that Dr. Chamberin's biggest suggestions revolving around thinning the timber, prescribed fire, discing, and old field management, and removal of non-native invasive species. This should be reassuring to our listeners who are implementing this same exact practice. These sound techniques yield results, it's not opinion, but fact. There must be something to these practices if a top research biologist who knows wild turkeys inside and out are promoting the exact same practices that we promote weekly. Follow along as you will find out more about wild turkey behavior and movements across the landscape than ever before.

If you want to hear one of the greatest minds in understanding turkey management, then follow along with this podcast. Share it with a buddy who is struggling to manage turkeys consistently on their property.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this week's podcast, we catch up and discuss some of our recent finds during our consulting trip. These finds all come back to a central theme of what should be the "Standard Operating Procedure" for each individual property. This Standard Operating Procedure revolves around how to make the best impact in the most efficient way possible.

We discuss during the podcast two different approaches we recommended on recent consulting trips on how to attack non-native invasive species such as bush honeysuckle, autumn olive, and multi-flora rose. In addition, we discuss a common theme of that many landowners take by not improving the property for fear that it help the neighbors, we break down this philosophy's flaws and how it could be contributing to your lack of success. Every acre needs attention!

We hope you enjoy this podcast and learn that there is a "Standard Operating Procedure" for your property, do you know it? Are you aware of how to follow it?

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this second installment of the Wild Turkey Podcast Series. This week Matt and Frank review the life history traits of the Wild Turkey from nesting, brood rearing, breeding behavior, and diets. These discussions will provide you with a detailed baseline of the wild turkey, this podcast is a foundational podcast for the weeks to come.

If you have experienced the thrills of a spring morning and gobbling toms this podcast will provide you with a more in-depth look at the details behind the behavior and ways those memories can be experienced. During the late 90's and early 20's hunters generally saw a strong upward trend in turkey populations, but as of late turkey numbers have decreased which has lead to more research on this amazing bird. We discuss in detail the current trends and ways biologists, land managers, hunters, and conservationists can rally together to share the education of the wild turkey and habitat specifics to improve the land to hold and recruit more turkeys each year.

We hope you enjoy this podcast devoted to understanding the wild turkey! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This is the story of a giant buck on our home dirt and how he went from a mediocre 3.5 year old buck to a world class stud. Over the course of time many hunters have encounters of pictures on trail cameras of a large buck that haunts their dreams and is talked about for seasons to come. This is a podcast devoted to a buck we called "Donuts," and the story about his life and what we can all learn from his pattern, growth, and habitat management around his home range.

Keep in mind this buck lived on a property that Chad and Adam have managed for years, and just two years before Donuts was 3.5 years old there wasn't a single buck living on the farm over 4.5 years old on a total of 900 acres. This isn't known to be a big buck area, this is a vast landscape of poor habitat and low quality deer hunting. The Keith brothers have set out to try and improve the habitat and see just what happens to the deer herd, so far it seems to be working! After a large timber harvest and prescribed fire the place is beginning to turn around, but with less the 25% of the overall work being done on the farm it's safe to say we're only at the beginning.

Listen up to hear the story of a buck that should encourage us all to look past the food plots and begin to manage the entire landscape. #ForloveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast we sit down once again with Kasey Morgan of Drury Outdoors. Kasey has a unique work resume that covers outfitting Ohio to managing properties in Iowa from frequent podcast guest Greg Glesinger. If you listened to the podcasts this fall with Greg you know what's happening on their farms is almost unmatched across the country with Three, 200" is greater bucks being harvested in the last four years.

We cover a wide range of topics, from how to clear a field without educating all the deer, what buck beds mean to them, how they utilize access routes and more. When it comes to hunting layout and utilizing habitat improvement and hunting strategy together it's hard to find a better duo than Kasey and Greg.

Don't miss this podcast! #ForLofeoftheLand

LAnd & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We're kicking off another podcast series this week that will carry us into April and it's all devoted to turkeys! Whether it's the latest scientific research about improving turkey numbers to the calls we use to fill more tags this will be a fun series for us!

As many of our listeners are land managers we'll lay the groundwork out to help each landowner know what steps and practices they need to take to benefit the turkeys immediately as well as years to come!

This will be a series full of guests and common hear say that couldn't be further from the truth. Let's be honest, turkeys are struggling through much of the United States and the common opinions we hear aren't going to fix it! We'll never trap our way to more turkeys, but we can do the habitat work to help them come back!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

With the recent extremely low temperatures that gripped much of the country, it's only fitting that we discuss the ways you should be reading the health of the local whitetail herd. Without proper habitat in place, you may notice deer drastically changing patterns and adapting to these conditions.

We dive deep into the ways you as a land manager should be working with the farm to prepare for harsh conditions. If you are finding deer consuming low preference food resource such as ornamental landscaping you should be alarmed. If you can't find deer using your property during these times, you should also be alarmed. These are some of the few signs that you should be aware of. Habitat management is intentional, not accidental! We need to be placing certain features on each property to offer the necessary habitat.

To learn more about how you can prepare your property to maximize wildlife usage, tune in to this Land & Legacy Podcast.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On the final podcast of the prescribed fire podcast series, Frank and Kyle host as they share their extensive knowledge regarding the usage of prescribed fire. Frank and Kyle go in-depth about the different ways that you can ignite a fire. The way fire moves across a landscape from residual heat, flame height, the direction of the wind all help to determine the plant response.

There are several key ways to ignite a fire. In this podcast we cover the following in-depth: Backing Fire, heading fire, ringing fire, stripping fire, and flanking fire. These different firing techniques will be used based on the changes in the terrain as well as the desired effect of the fire. A backing fire cannot produce what a head fire can, just the same as a flanking fire is different from a stripping fire.

If you ever wonder how you should be using prescribed fire to alter the plant communities growing on your property, this is the podcast for you. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's podcast Frank and Matt discuss a new farm setup in Mississippi. This farm has lofty goals that will take a precise plan to accomplish. During this podcast, we cover how we plan to attack it.

This property wants to produce a habitat that will not only sustain but improve bobwhite quail numbers. This habitat is primarily covered in planted pines of varying ages from 3-year old clear-cut, 13-year-old unthinned pines up to 20-year-old thinned pines. These varying stages and habitat types create a complex arrangement of plans to create the desired habitat.

First and foremost, we will be thinning the canopy and then adding prescribed fire across much of the property. Although this may seem simple, it is a very detailed puzzle that when put together will have flocks of wild turkeys and coveys of quail on each unit of the farm. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week of the Prescribed Fire podcast series, we get down to the nitty-gritty of prescribed fire. Often times prescribed fire is thought of a as a broad brushstroke of improvement for a property. This can be true for some, but oftentimes this is when we see fire being misused.

When a landowner begins to implement fire, they should have a clear goal for what the intended result is of a fire. Ideally, what is the response, if a landowner can not answer this, then we have issues! Fire, based on its fire return interval, the season of burning, intensity, and amount of sunlight on the unit all combine to determine what the plant response will be. During the podcast, we share with you the different ways scenarios and potential fire return intervals that we would use and recommend to get a certain desired result.

We hope you learn and enjoy this podcast. Share with a landowner who is looking to improve their land for wildlife.

Land & Legacy Is Powered by Simplecast

During this week's podcast, we continue with our Prescribed Fire Series. Last week we covered all of the tools you will need to get started burning, so now that you are fully equipped, it's time to cover how to implement a fire. This week, we cover how to burn within the timber.

Some new research out of Auburn just found that a reduction of the canopy by 30% and a follow-up fire will result in a 500% increase in deer food per acre. So, now that we have your attention, it's important to burn your timber, but it should be done properly. This week we discuss the ideal conditions for burning in the timber as well as different firing techniques and how to prepare burn lines. If you've dreamed of using prescribed fire to improve your habitat, but haven't actually implemented it, then this podcast is for you!

We will take you from start to finish on how to use prescribed fire on your property. Let us know what you learned this week from this podcast! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Dreaming of buying ground is a very popular dream for almost anyone who enjoys hunting, but if you're like Adam and his brother Chad the dream consists almost entirely of buying land that borders the family farm. In 1952 their Grandpa purchased what is now the family farm, but after last week we've managed to expand the size and are looking forward to the future restoration!

Using a creative approach they were able to utilize a farm loan set up by the Farm Service Agency to establish a plan to run the farm where it almost solely pays for itself. By incorporating cattle, timber management, and replicating nature this farm will be unlike most farms you'll see. From dry arid glades to wet beaver swamps, they have plans to push back the normal and create a template for future landowners to build off of and restore landscapes in your next of the woods.

Tune in this week to hear all the plans they have to bring back the Bobwhite quail, grow MORE 190" bucks, and work the ground with a business mindset to avoid those costly mistakes. You don't want to miss this one! #Forloveoftheland

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We are rolling out a new learning opportunity for 2021. Welcome to the Land & Legacy Workshop series, coming to a region near you! For 2021 we are offering two workshops, one located in Michigan and the other located in Alabama.

We have been waiting to release this opportunity for several years now, but it is finally here, the opportunity for you as a listener to come and see first hand the work we have discussed for years on the podcast. We will be hosting in-person demonstrations, presentations, and seminars all weekend long regarding habitat management. This is a perfect gift for Father's Day or for the young eager up and coming wildlife biologist.

If you are interested, please register for this event at www.shoplandandlegacy.tv. We will see you there! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Welcome to a new podcast series. Over the next few weeks, we will be discussing all things prescribed fire. This week, we cover the tools needed to get started and discuss why you need to be burning if you want results.

Prescribed fire is an age-old tool that is both natural and does not discriminate. We go deep into why this tool should be used to manage landscapes for improved health, not for its detriment. Prescribed fire is a necessary tool that each and every landowner needs to be an advocate for. We ask that you learn why first, then follow us for the next few weeks to learn how you implement this. By the end of the series, you will be itching to drop a match responsibly.

Please follow along and learn how and why you should be using prescribed fire on your property that you manage for wildlife.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This podcast is devoted to those wanting to work in the field of wildlife or land management. We often get emails, messages, or phone calls from folks who are looking to learn how they can have a similar job in the wildlife field. Over the course of several years, we have seen many new land management companies get started and then fade away for various reasons. This podcast is a story of Land & Legacy, our humble beginnings, journey, and advice for those looking to prosper in this same field.

Land & Legacy literally started on a prayer and hasn't stopped since. When pursuing a career in a field of passion, we found success not because we loved what we did, but because we feel called to do so. We are convicted to share this passion and knowledge that we have about Creation and the natural world with others. We have found success based on following through and listening to the direction God called us both.

We encourage anyone in any field of study to pray through their career choice and pursue what you are called to do. Follow along on this podcast as we share personal stories of sacrifice to get to this point today. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Welcome back to a new Land & Legacy podcast! We are discussing and wrapping up the month of January by reviewing one of the more trendy habitat techniques out there right now, edge-feathering! This technique is in its simplest form, a recreation of nature properly-functioning when fire was apart of the landscape.

During this podcast, we talk very clearly as to why you should be actively using the technique around the edges of your food plots or crop fields. We spell out 10 very important reasons that can greatly impact the wildlife, hunting, and habitat. Most people only think it's a way to steer deer into bow range, but this habitat technique goes well beyond that! We can create woody browse, visual barriers, improve food plot success, improve hard mast production, and much more!

We hope you enjoy this podcast and learn why edge feathering should be in your arsenal of tools to use on your farm. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Chainsaw Chad went down to the wire with a late-season bow kill by deploying some unique strategy. This buck was on the radar all season, but once the weather got right and the proper plan was put together, the last two hunts of the year provided him with two shot opportunities on the 158" whitetail.

During this podcast, Adam and Chainsaw Chad discuss in detail the approach to put this Missouri buck down. Most late season hunts are typically over large destination food sources, however, this hunt went do very close to bedding. We break down why this was the only strategy that could be used to intercept this buck during daylight, despite the late season drive to food most deer have.

Don't miss this archery hunt breakdown from a saddle! You will enjoy learning how to repeat this success yourself! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On today's podcast we wrap up the last part of the Understanding Vegetation Podcast Series. We dive super deep into all things Trees. Often times, trees are certainly overvalued by many hunters. They consider them to be cover or perhaps all mast producers when in reality, many trees are dying or growing in severely stifling conditions.

We break down the differences between hard mast and soft mast trees. From there we discuss how God designed the Red Oak trees to be on a two-year cycle production as opposed to white oaks being on a one-year production cycle. From here, we then discuss observing tree health. This is an easily learned skill, but one that makes managing the timber for wildlife a necessity. Let's just say, we spend a lot of time on how to create a landscape that thins the bad trees and promotes a robust understory of plant vegetation.

You will want to listen closely to this podcast if you have any amount of timber on your property. It's time to start actively managing your timber! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

After following up the podcast form last week, where we discussed in full detail the value of forbs on the landscape, we climbed the vegetation ladder and covered shrubs this week. Shrubs are the multi-tool or swiss army knife of vegetation devoted to wildlife value.

During this podcast, we discuss upland shrubs, wetland variety, and also differentiate soft versus hard mast shrub producers. The role of these shrubs often times produce year-round food options as well as dynamite cover opportunities. If you want to improve your property for wildlife, you have to know and promote native shrubs! Learn all about them this week! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

As many hunting seasons are coming to a close around the country, landowners have the options of what they will focus on next. Often times, we see folks choosing "steel" traps over the "Stihl" chainsaw for the purpose of improving the land for game species - WRONG MOVE! The research is clear and the long term benefits of working diligently on the habitat far outweigh the temporary void created by removing a predator.

If we want to make a difference for game species, we have to be honest with our evaluations of the habitat and how we utilize our time in the field. Grab the chainsaws and get to work! Time to impact acres for years to come! Be sure to share this podcast with someone who needs to hear this deliberate message! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

If you're in search of quail on public land you know that sometimes they can be very hard to find! During this podcast Kyle and Frank discuss tips and tricks to find upland birds on heavily pressured public land. It doesn't stop there though, these strategies can help you be successful even on private land.

Have you ever considered quail feeding patterns in your hunting strategies and defining whether you're hunting woody cover or cut grain? Determining the attraction and or the habitat features will create more successful hunts in your future. Are you willing to put the work in and walk to that back corner of a walk in hunting area to check a shrub row for quail? These are areas often overlooked due to their size and distance from the road but they could be the answer to your question, "where are the quail at?"

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's installment of the Understanding Vegetation Podcast series we discuss Forbs. Yes, that is right, we nerd out about broadleaf plants for over an hour this week. To understand wildlife, you have to understand the significance of forbs. These are the forgotten plants of wildlife management.

We discuss in full detail the role that forbs plan and how they work from annuals to perennials. We even discuss protein content and what Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) means when evaluating the cellulose/lignin material of vegetation. In addition to food value, we spend a lot of time discussing the value that forbs bring to cover as well. They grow during key times of the year for important life-history events such as nesting, fawning, brood rearing, lactation, antler development, and more!

Tune in next week as we discuss the next vegetation class! Hope you enjoyed this week's podcast all about forbs!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On the second podcast this week, we review a recent consultation from eastern Missouri along the river breaks of the Mississippi River. This 100-acre parcel like many along the river breaks had some severe topographical features. The steep terrain and limited access become the foundation of how the property will be managed.

As we commonly discuss, access to a property is fundamental aspect of the property. It is imperative to have good access to manage the land and hunt appropriately. This property had one way in, through the Northeast corner. A small narrow ridge was the main travel corridor for access throughout the entire property. With up to four hunters hunting at once, we describe how this property will not only be managed but now accessed differently for deer and wild turkey hunting. Some of the suggestions may surprise you! To learn more about these changes and transformation, be sure to listen and follow along with this podcast! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Welcome back to the Vegetation Podcast Series with Land & Legacy. This podcast series will give you the leg up on all other land managers by learning the basics of each type of vegetation a true wildlife manager would need to know. In the first week of the series, we are going to be working through grasses. It is not uncommon for various types of grasses such as warm-season grasses to be glorified by wildlife managers across the country. Why is that? Are they right? Or will you find out that is just fluff?

To start the podcast, we break down the various categories grasses can be placed based upon their specific features, such as cool-season versus warm season, native versus non-native, and bunchgrass versus sod-forming grass. This gives information gives the ability to make the proper decisions moving forward on how to properly manage the grasses growing across the property. In addition, we highlight the food and cover value of grasses for animal species such as whitetail deer, turkey, and bobwhite quail.

If you want to learn more about how to properly manage land for wildlife game species, it starts with having a complex knowledge of what is growing on the land. We hope you will continue to follow along with the podcast series, next week, is all about forbs. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

For years now we have done podcasts on various subjects touching every category included in land management practices. But we continue to learn how people best learn from podcasts and the topics of land management. So as we enter into the land management season for most hunters, we thought it would be best to start a new podcast series explaining from start to finish the different vegetation types you should be managing, starting with grasses, forbs, shrubs, trees, and invasive species. This week is the introduction to the new series!

We will take a category and tackle it each week, so for instance, the next week, we will talk all about grasses! We will break down the roles that grasses should play in wildlife management and what roles they do not. In addition, we will discuss how to best manage them and what composition they should ideally be found in. By the end of the podcast, you will know what grasses do and what their significance is, as well as some grass identification tips!

Be sure to follow along each week to get a firm understanding of the different vegetation types that each land manager should be able to easily identify and manage properly. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

With everyone sharpening chainsaws and preparing to get some work completed, we wanted to take a moment to discuss what is impactful and what is not. There are so many time wasting techniques out there that seem to grab the attention and distract away from sound habitat management practices.

The goal while working on a property is to improve the deer herd and its top-end quality, so to do that, we can't waste time on techniques such as, mock scrapes, water holes, monoculture grass plantings, and kill plots. These practices may just help you kill what deer are already on the property. However, practices such as old field management, timber stand improvement, prescribed burning, edge feathering, and destination food plots actually provide the local deer with more resources to improve their fitness. These practices are impactful and should be implemented during this habitat season.

Please make a difference this winter! Run the chainsaw just as much as you run trail cameras.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Get ready for a rocking podcast to set the tone for the coming New Year. Have you struggled with seeing results or accomplishing tasks on your property? Do you constantly have analysis paralysis because of information overload? We've found the reason why and share it here on this week's podcast.

After polling podcast listeners, we determined the most people are not able to create achievable property goals. The foundation of property improvement and success is missed because the initial goals for a farm are not obtainable, measurable, or way too vague to ever know where you stand. This podcast will likely make you take a step back and re-evaluate your goals. This is the perfect time as the New Year is just a few weeks away to prepare for you getting started during land management season on the right track.

This to this podcast with open ears to achieve more than you ever have on your farm. Reach your goals by re-evaluating and creating well-defined goals that are measurable. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Merry Christmas from the Land & Legacy team. We want to provide you with a long list of Christmas gift ideas for the land manager. So, share this with loved-ones as the perfect gift ideas for you. These ideas range in value from just a few dollars to a few thousand. However, they have all saved us time, energy, or allowed us to become more efficent in the field.

The list of the perfect land manager Christmas ideas includes some of the following, Bluetooth headphones, chainsaw hip pouch, chainsaw gear bag, 2" rigid water hose, Danner boots, Ozonics, Stihl MS261-CM, and much more. These gift ideas will not bring disappointment to anyone on Christmas morning.

We hope you enjoy this holiday-themed podcast. We wish you the Merriest Christmas and hope each of you seeks the true gift of salvation during this season. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Welcome back to another Land & Legacy podcast! We are getting back into the swing of things with the habitat talks. The majority of rut hunting is over and the questions are rolling in regarding habitat improvement projects. So we take time this week to cover some viewer questions and build upon last week's podcast when we discussed the difference between bedding thickets and sanctuaries.

Security cover on a farm is a non-negotiable necessity. However, security or the lack of intrusion is NOT often limited in most neighborhoods. There are always tucked away places on farms in your neck of the woods that will experience very little human intrusion. However, what is lacking is the presence of quality cover that is secure. Deeming an area as a sanctuary doesn't set you apart from neighboring farms. Quality cover that is secure gets you way ahead! Holding deer during daylight hours is the name of the game. This is how you win at controlling the local deer herd.

It is time to start getting the chainsaws sharp! Trees need to drop and the sunlight needs to be reintroduced. Wildlife need to thrive, not simply survive. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered Simplecast

When it comes to the hunting heritage in the state of Pennsylvania the roots run deep. Hunters flock to the woods during the firearms season in numbers that few states can compete with. The sheer amount of hunters headed to the woods creates a landscape where deer are conditioned to hunters and pressure. Nocturnal deer movement and the chance for older age class bucks are a struggle for many who wish for better hunting.

Land & Legacy client Will Russell has worked hard on his property since our visit in 2019. From timber thinning, young forest openings (Bedding Thickets), edge feathering, and old field management are at the top of his list to improve the farm. By utilizing a logging operation he was able to complete much of his timber work in less than two years and the wildlife are already showing drastic improvements.

With all this work being done it's provided a great opportunity for his family to enjoy. WIth his six year old son joining him in the stand and his dad making his first archery harvest in over 20 years its been a season to remember! Tune in this week to hear the story of how we're changing the habitat and the perspective of deer hunting in Pennsylvania!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Time to set the record straight on terminology. Some of the most common phrases in the world of wildlife often get used incorrectly and then rarely implemented appropriately. The term bedding thicket and sanctuary are NOT interchangeable.

Sanctuaries are often large vast areas that receive little to no human intrusion. The lack of human intrusion then begins the assumption that the area is secure and holding deer. A secure area doesn't necessarily hold deer, but an area that offer secure cover does! That is the main difference between a sanctuary and a bedding thicket. The presence of actual deer cover is critical to see wildlife actually respond to it positively.

You will certainly want to join us on this podcast as we break down the important differences between these key terms in property layout. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Land management can take years to show improvement right? Wrong! Land & Legacy client Louie Zinn had a season to remember this fall. Adam worked with Louie in January of 2020 on his farm in western Illinois and they addressed the main habitat issues he was facing. Like many people in the midwest he was missing some key features to bring his property to the next level. Quality cover is something that is greatly overlooked and isn't hard to create.

With Eastern Red Cedar encroachment occurring throughout the farm this was louie's first project. By adding diversity and cutting the cedar trees Louie found immediate results and the deer were taking advantage of it! By utilizing a chainsaw and cutting cedars and thinning outer undesirable species with a mix of hinge cuts and flush cuts woody browse and cover were quickly added to the farm.

Through habitat restoration and property architecture Louie and his friend were able to tag two giant bucks on his farm less than a year after running the chainsaw! He's just getting started! Tune in to hear his story and how he's looking forward to the future! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this episode, we review the first few days of Missouri Firearms season. To say it went off with a bang would be an understatement. Matt was fortunate to find success on the third morning of the season as a familiar 10-pointer showed himself. We break down the hunt, topography features, behavior, previous encounters, and hunts, that lead to this success. The buck barely covered 60 yards before piling up insight. This action was pretty fast, but, we captured it all on film, so be sure to follow along on the Youtube Channel to catch that action.

Just two days after Matt's success on the lease, Matt took Michael Schupbach (brother-in-law) out for his first hunt in many years. With limited time to be in the woods, Michael wanted to put his tag on some venison, little did he know, this first deer of the morning was a 20 inch wide 6 pointer! This buck almost got away, but Michael got the green light and delivered a lethal shot. This happened to be Michael's first buck! So we were thrilled to document the hunt and help a beginning hunter seal the deal.

You will want to follow along to hear the details of these two awesome hunts. Bucks were cruising hard and covering lots of ground this week! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

If the week couldn't get any better, the same morning that Michael Schupbach (brother-in-law) killed, Adam Keith also tagged out on a fine Missouri 8-pointer. This buck came in right at daylight and worked a scrape over hard. Thrashing antlers, breaking limbs, and pawing the ground, he did it all at just 35 yards. After looking over the buck Adam decided it was an go-time. A well-placed shot with the Deer Season XP Copper Impact only allowed the buck travel 35 yards.

After we all were able to get hands-on this buck, we identified him as a buck Matt had an encounter with last year during late bow season. Although the encounter took place close to where he was harvested, the buck has been seen on camera many hundreds of yards away and by a surveyor, as this buck chased does in the pasture in the other direction. We know very little about where this buck summered, but we know the last two falls, he was a regular, but a regular with a big range! It was anyones guess which camera location this buck would show up at next.

It's always enjoyable to have success each season, but it's special to connect the dots with a familiar buck! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we catch up with Land & Legacy's client, Ryan Kirby to discuss his recent hunting success. Ryan recently made his annual voyage back home to Illinois to bow hunt the rut during November. This year was different than most as he was able to harvest a 200" inch whitetail on his family's farm. This buck is a giant whitetail, whose mass is out of this world! The fourth mass measurement was over 7 inches!

In addition to hearing the story of how Ryan harvested this giant whitetail, you will hear the hunt and habitat break down for a 154 inch 9-pointer that was taken by Ryan's friend on a 40-acre parcel that Ryan owns. Land & Legacy assisted Ryan in the development of this property. It's no wonder after hearing this story of why this giant 9-pointer was harvested downwind of a bedding area. This specific hunt and story is the picture-perfect reason behind why habitat needs to be manipulated. We took a transitional property and total changed it to hold deer.

If you like what you hear and want to create something like this on your property, please contact us at info@landandlegacy.tv. We hope you enjoy and create memories like this on land you own.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we speak on the tradition and heritage of firearms season. In addition, we discuss our own personal outings to the woods during the season opener! Although the weather was not cooperating we still had buck encounters and Adam heard more turkeys gobbling than during the spring!

Here in the state of Missouri, we have an 11 day gun season that is situated right during the middle of the rut. If you ask any serious bowhunter, you will hear how this does not often sit well with them. Despite mixed reviews, firearms season is a time for increased opportunity. That means opportunities for new hunters, youth hunters, disabled hunters, and folks with less time to hunt. Our dynamic as hunters and the world of conservation would drastically change if firearms season was altered.

We need to open our minds and thoughts to every opportunity we have to increase hunter participation. Stay safe in the woods! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Following up last week's podcast when we dove deep into habitat and whitetail deer movements during the rut. This week, we review a bow hunt that eventually leads to a mature buck stepping into range for Adam and Chad.

As we noticed consistent daylight movement on a specific ridge on the Keith farm, we moved in mid-day to hang a new treestand to take advantage of the upcoming winds. This stand was positioned just off the edge of thick cover overlooking a few fresh scrapes. On the first sit, the buck they went in after, appeared with 5 does. The setup and plan were becoming a reality. You will have to find out what happened next by listening to the podcast!

This story is a culmination of years of habitat work, a three history with a specific buck, a lifetime of learning a property, and the predictability of November rut behavior! We hope you enjoy the podcast. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this episode, we sing the warmer weather blues with Greg Glesinger and provide you with some hot tips for getting in front of mature bucks despite the above-average temperatures. Greg also provides a hunt recap with Kasey Morgan as Kasey harvested a great Missouri buck over a decoy setup.

Hunters are taking to the woods as the calendar has flipped to sweet November. Although temperatures are in some areas are 20 degrees above average. Without fail bucks are still pursuing does as does are still coming into estrous, as photoperiod dictates these physiological processes, not the moon nor the day-to-day weather. In the podcast, we provide you with some great hunting tactics to put the odds back in your favor during this time period. Although temperatures may be restricting movement to dawn and dusk, you can still be successful with archery equipment.

Be sure to give this podcast a listen! Greg's insight he delivers is sure to give you an edge and an education on chasing whitetails. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This is a bold statement, but it’s true, especially during this time of the year. The pre-rut is a great time to get some fascinating deer behavior captured on trail cameras. But with all the intel you can gain, does it paint a full picture?

On this weeks podcast, we break down some crazy buck management that we captured this past week. In just 24 hours we captured over 1.5 miles of straight line movements! This deer was traveling long and far, but is this the normal? Trail cameras tell you what already happened, not what is going to happen.

Learn how we interpret trail camera information during this time of the year. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this weeks podcast, we discuss the necessary habitat and security cover requires to attract, hold, and hunt mature bucks during the pre-rut stage. This podcast will get you excited about hunting chaotic times of the year.

We break down why whitetails do what they do during November and how habitat is very strongly correlated to their movements. Secure bedding cover is like an magnet for deer during this time. Creating it can be easy, but location is key. You have to be able to access these areas to hunt them effectively. Don’t worry we walk you through this during the podcast.

Best of luck in the woods this week! Enjoy and Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Recently, Kyle, Frank, and Matt headed south to central Florida to work on a new farm. The property owners were looking to improve the overall function of the property, habitat, and wildlife. We went in with high hopes and we weren't disappointed with what we saw.

This property had less than drastic terrain features, yet the habitat types were extremely numerous and ever-changing. In total, the property's highest point was 46 feet and the lowest was 32 feet in elevation. The amazing part about this farm was the amount of cover it produced for species like quail, turkey, and whitetail deer. The cover was everywhere, almost too much! So we prescribed thinning certain areas and adjusting the composition of the cover. Overall the property in Florida was game rich and we break down all the reasons why!

We hope you enjoy the lessons in land management that this property has to share. Even central Florida can be turned into a sportsmen's paradise with sound land and wildlife management techniques. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Guess what, it's about that time! The buck activity is ramping up all across the mid-west as we record this podcast. What a great time to be a bowhunter. Although the activity is escalating, that doesn't mean you should go in "guns blazing", you still need a plan and guide to put yourself in a likely setup to cross paths with a mature buck.

On this week's podcast, we break down how to read the sign and behavior you may be seeing on your trail cameras or field observations. Are you seeing bucks working scrapes in the daylight or are you seeing solo fawns wandering around aimlessly? These are signs of the stages of the rut and activity in the whitetail breeding season. In addition, we discuss what the next steps are for treestand selection. Travel corridors or pinch points are fantastic during this time of the year. The progression of young bucks to older bucks of chasing is in full swing.

If you want to make the most out of your hunting season for the next two week, give this podcast a listen! We share the activity level of bucks on our cameras, hopefully, soon we will be a full draw! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's podcast we break down with an expert the art of decoying in rutting whitetails to bow range! This podcast is fun, filled with great bowhunting tips, and stories of successful hunts, including several Boone and Crockett whitetails, postured up to slam a buck decoy.

Greg Glesinger is a very successful bowhunter who strongly believes in the power of a buck decoy during the pre-rut phase. His success is more than enough to get the average bowhunter jacked up about bowhunting over a decoy. Greg shares countless tips on how to properly set up the decoy, angles, ranges, locations in fields, and much more. This podcast will leave you feeling like a pro on how to decoy whitetail bucks into bow range once you've listened to it.

During the podcast, you will hear the intense stories of how bucks reacted to the well-placed decoy, including one, that left the decoy needing to be repaired by three bottles of super glue! That's intense. We hope you enjoy the podcast and share it with fellow hunters! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week's podcast we have returning guest Seth Harker to discuss his recent harvest of a mature buck over acorns. This is usually a very tall feat for most as trail cameras played a small role and woodsmanship skills are left to pick up the rest of the pieces. This story is exactly that!

Seth watched this buck throughout the summer months almost daily. He knew the area well that this buck was frequenting. Once season opened, he was high on the target list. With only 1 trail camera image in two weeks, Seth managed to stay on this buck's trail by observing natural food sources. Black oak acorns were falling and the deer and turkey revealed their desired food source at the time. A middle of the season scouting trip found the best location to intercept this buck! Listen as Seth tells the story of the hunt and be sure to watch it all unfold on the Land & Legacy Youtube Channel.

We hope you enjoy and learn somehting about mid-season scouting techniques. Trail camera images didn't reveal this pattern, scouting and knowing desired food sources sealed the deal! Enjoy and share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Not one, not two, but three bucks over 200" in four years is quite the accomplishment. Throw in a 193" buck last year and you're looking at one of the best four years of deer hunting anyone can have on free range whitetails! Greg Glesinger of Drury Outdoors is a longtime friend and Land & Legacy Client and his story is something we can all learn from.

"You have to put deer hunting aside when trying to manage your land." Gregs says when he made a major shift in the production of his farm. In 2017 we visited Greg's farms and immediately saw major potential. By focusing on ROI (Return on Investment) or practices that actually make a return on the property for wildlife value both in the short term and long term. Timber Stand Improvement, Old Field Management, Edge Feathering, Savanna Restoration, and many more, have led to one of the healthiest deer herds we have worked with.

We don't just discuss the habitat work, we also discuss hunting strategy and using ROI on selecting days to hunt. This is a podcast devoted to doing what's right for the land and how to capitalize on the benefits. Greg is a wealth of knowledge and we know you'll enjoy this one! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is powered by Simplecast

On this week's podcast, we compare and contrast two different regions of the great state of Texas. Kyle Hedges joins Matt Dye on this podcast as the recommendations begin to flow.

As we know and share during this podcast, the region you own or hunt property in makes a considerable difference. We highlight two different properties this week, one that receives only 21 inches of rainfall a year and another that gets over 50, both in the state of TX, both that want to manage deer and wild turkey. 30 Inches of rain doesn't seem like a lot, but over the course of a year and the timing of these rains has serious implications on vegetation growth, prescribed usage, stress periods for wildlife and much more.

We hope you enjoy this week's podcast and learn more about the natural world and the factors that make it work and flow. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Leagacy is Powered by Simplecast

Follow along with us this week as we chat with Seth Harker who relives the story and multi-year hunt for a buck him and Trace call Hefty. Young bowhunter Trace Harker finally connects on this buck at just 25 yards. This podcast breaks down that journey of highs and lows.

Several seasons ago, Trace Harker shot Hefty at 4.5 years old. Unfortunately, the arrow didn't penetrate but thankfully the buck survived the shot and lived to be chased again. Following the same path and pattern in 2020, Hefty started becoming a regular on the Cuddeback cameras. After seeing the pattern redevelop in the exact same location, Seth and Trace went in after this now 6.5-year-old buck. Walking the same path, Hefty was arrowed by a well-placed arrow. Trace was pumped and the buck was down quickly.

Be sure to hear how Seth and Trace stayed with this deer for multiple years. There is some serious deer strategy talk as they take down another mature buck with a bow in early archery season. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

It's been too long since we had Dr. Sanchez back on the podcast but without any more waiting we breakdown what it means to leave a "Living Legacy". This podcast and topic is special to us as the work Legacy is within our own name.

In this podcast, we go deep into the long term impact of relationships. How do you maximize them? How do you use the outdoors and creation to connect with people? How do you support people and share wisdom with them? This podcast is incredibly relevant to how hunters, fathers, husbands, etc.. can be the best they can be.

We hope that you take time to reflect on this podcast and apply what you can to your life and relationships. Be sure to share this podcast with those who need to hear this message, be a friend to those in need. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is powered by Simplecast

Learning from someone else's mistakes and also their best practices is a lot easier than trying to learn from your own mistakes. Land & Legacy Client Eric Pitcock bought his farm in 2016 and began the process of land management. In the beginning he started with planting food plots, fruit trees, and switchgrass. Results were limited and it was until the year 2020 when the fruit trees produced the first fruit. Over the years he's modified his management style to focus more on long term effects that can also have immediate results, such as timber stand improvements and invasive species control.

Have you ever heard of switchgrass plantings that result in a barrier deer won't utilize? This is a problem that Eric experienced after planting several acres in his old fields, fortunately enough he used a quick treatment of herbicide to knock the grass back and nature took over with head high natives that provided food and cover for many wildlife species! Nature loves diversity, and with Eric now managing for increased diversity and all wildlife he's seeing some of the quickest returns he's had since owning the farm.

With all this work done, it's no surprise it didn't take him very long to find a mature buck to hunt. In fact, it was his first hunt of the season. Tune in to this podcast to hear how it all unfolded! #Forloveoftheland

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, we complete a multi-day hunt for a velvet 8-pointer in southern Missouri. We take you through the techniques and strategy we go through over several days of the hunt. This is an installment with almost play-by-play action.

After observing a big 150 inch 8 pointer, Chad goes in after him. We break down the strategy we deploy to get within bow range. This group of bucks is feeding each night in an alfalfa field on a cattle farm. To say there are a few variables to this hunt is an understatement. We break down our thought process as we attempt to put an arrow in this buck on the first weekend. We saddle hunt and even climb a tree only 10 feet off the ground to make this happen.

Be sure to follow along with this exciting semi-live podcast. Enjoy the hunt breakdown! Stay tuned for more hunts like this from the Land & Legacy team. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Whitetails reveal all that we need to know if we can read their body language. As bow season has opened up here in Missouri and only a few hunts in, a few observations have hit us squarely in the face. Deer tell us everything we need to know. We've observed a large destination food plot twice now. This plot has had 25-30 deer in it each night. With that many deer, it is easy to observe common whitetail deer behavior.

During this podcast, we breakdown how to read deer behavior. What does it mean when you see a deer's tail wag or a flag stand upright? What does it mean deer are alerted when feeding? What does it mean when you hear a deer blow? We break down all of these behaviors as many of them can be misunderstood by hunters. Knowing these common deer behaviors will make you a better woodsman and deer hunter. This information at the beginning of the season will give you the advantage as season opens up across the country.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, you will hear from Kip Adams the Conservation Director of the QDMA. Kip is a long time hunter and land manager with extensive knowledge of whitetail deer management. Kip and his family own roughly 700 acres in north-central Pennsylvania. This farm is situated in a heavily hunted portion of the whitetail's range. With his class and willingness to educate fellow hunters, Kip shares his farm's personal trail camera history with us to learn from.

In this podcast, you will hear Kip discuss how to conduct a trail camera and hunter observation study. Then we will discuss in full detail what all these numbers like the buck to doe ratio, doe to fawn ratio, age structure, and percentage of the deer herd you should be harvesting. These numbers are real and have significance to everyone listening because they are repeatable. Acquiring these numbers isn't difficult. A simple camera trap along with hunter observation cards will do the trick.

Don't go into the season without having goals. If you want to grow bigger bucks, shoot does. Reduce the number of mouths and each deer will improve in condition. There is a balance or harmony with the land and wildlife that call it home that each land manager should strive to accomplish. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, you will hear our take on a listener question. This question falls right in line with some of the recent podcasts we are having regarding herd management. This time it is on a bigger scale. We look beyond a single property and involve regions and states.

During the podcast, we talk about a real life example form Southern Iowa. This podcast follower has seen a decrease in the number and quality of bucks over the course of 8 years, despite completing some pretty serious land and herd management during this time. So, we break down in an honest review of what this landowner could be experiencing. This neighborhood is seeing crazy lease values and outfitting. The number of mature bucks being harvested annually is only increasing. The targets are being shot while does are left to increase.

If you want to hear the answer to this question on a deeper level, then follow along on the podcast. Take a dive down to the complexities of managing wild free ranging whitetails. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

As the bowhunting season is opening up across the country, we are putting the finishing touches on our gear selections for this season. Today's podcast revolves around the bowhunting gear we plan on taking to the deer stand this fall. You will get a list of the new products we are trying. As we move through the season, you will hear about our experiences with each one.

Every year, there are new products to choose from and try. Although we don't often get bogged down by the product game, it is still good to try new things and provide you with honest feedback from real-life hunting scenarios. Some of the products will include arrows, broadheads, blinds, saddles, boots, ozone, bows, and more.

Be sure to follow along to see what we plan to include in our whitetail hunting daypacks. This will be a fun fall! We hope you break the mold for 2020, get outside and try something new. This is a great year to take a new person hunting! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, you will hear the recipe for having more big bucks on the landscape. This isn't rocket science, yet it seems hunters get caught up in genetics and food plots constantly. If you want more deer with bigger antlers then develop an age structure that allows deer to reach maturity. Plain and simple.

As the season begins to open up in your neighborhood, you are immediately faced with decisions. Do you harvest certain bucks or not? Without fail, we will hear, if I don't my neighbor will... Well, guess what, if you do, then your neighbor will not, regardless, you don't control every outcome. But every time you kill a but in defense of a neighbor, it dies. It doesn't get older and you were the road block between developing the age structure you wanted, not anyone else.

The secret recipe for big bucks comes not by buying products but with education, habitat, and age structure. The age structure can be influenced by not harvesting younger age class deer, offering secure cover, and creating a wildlife co-op. These are the options, what will you do differently? #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We had to reach out to the experts on this topic. Bryan Jackson of the National Weather Service is an experienced meteorologist who works day in and day out studying weather. Bryan is a part of an experienced team that predicts the precipitation levels across the country. He joins us this week to teach us more about the weather. Any hunter or land manager needs to have a comprehensive understanding of interpreting weather conditions.

We spent time this week discussing how weather fronts are formed and the impact they have on things such as barometric pressure, prevailing winds, and precipitation. In addition, we breakdown the most recent hurricane Laura as many of us took cover or advantage of the rainfall and planted our food plots ahead of her arrival. There is so much to learn as we find out from Bryan. Weather predictions are not clear cut and dry. They are educated guess based on how thousands of variables will play out, so we have much to learn.

Take a few minutes to learn about the natural world and how it plays a huge part in our daily life. This podcast will leave you wanting to learn more about weather events and the climate in your region. #ForLoveoftheLand.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this habitat focused podcast, we discuss the benefits of the burning during the late summer. Yes, we burned during a drought recently here in southern Missouri with strict goals and objectives for this burn unit. On this podcast, we examine, how, why, when, and where.

Growing season fires are not like dormant season fires, they result in different outcomes. A growing season fire usually allows the forbs to flourish while controlling the woody saplings in the unit based on the time of the fire. Based on the ambient temperature outside, it is much easier to top kill a sapling when temperatures are warmer now than in February. The size of these units also are very important, we use a growing season fire to put the finishing touches after the broad strokes of habitat improvements have been made. Edge feathered areas usually respond very well to a growing season fire. It places more food and cover in close proximity to food plots.

Be sure to listen to this educational podcast on prescribed fire during the growing season. Turn your habitat into a dyanmic offering for the wildlife. #ForLoveofotheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

New opportunities are on the horizon for Land & Legacy this fall. With one phone call, we packed the truck and headed west to a new hunting opportunity. A generous client has offered an invitation for this fall to hunt a large property with him and his crew. We quickly jumped on the chance and this podcast, is our plan of attack to chasing whitetails in Oklahoma.

This property is managed intensely for waterfowl. However, that doesn't mean there aren't ample opportunities for quality whitetails. During this podcast, we break down our perspective prior to visiting this farm recently and then again after the visit. With having eye balls on the farm our perspective and season outlook has changed. Be sure to follow along as we dissect the farm, habitat, variables, and season dates for 2020 in Oklahoma.

This podcast is a look into the fall hunting season for the Land & Legacy team. We are thrilled to hit the woods soon with the crew chasing whitetails in Missouri and now Oklahoma. We hope you enjoy the podcast and can share some of the same principles on learning new hunting territories. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Have you ever heard of the phrase "that farm is managed"? Have you stopped to consider what that means? Do you wonder, what type of management they are talking about? Overtime we have seen this term become devalued and over-generalized.

During this podcast, we clearly outline the difference between herd management and land management. These two different types of management play huge roles in the progress we aim to see on land. Land management involves, TSI, prescribed fire, old-field, etc. Herd management involves tracking and selectively harvesting deer based on recorded data such as adult sex ratios, fawn recruitment rates, recorded weights, and overall carrying capacity.

If you desire to maximize your property you have to actively manage. Manage the land in sync with the herd. It's not, one or the other, it's both. If you want results, manage every aspect and year-round by addressing the needs of the land and herd. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we sit down with Kyle Hedges of Land & Legacy to discuss the cheat codes for dove season. The opening day of dove season in many states is just as important as deer season. The heritage and tradition built around this sport is impressive, so give this podcast a listen to learn how to be successful every summer.

Last year at this time, we discussed how to plant and manage a pristine sunflower patch for opening day. This year, we discuss what natives should you be hunting over for doves. Do you hunt pond banks with bare dirt? What about roost trees? Some of the top native species to look for when scouting for doves are, barnyard grass, foxtail, ragweed, and wholly croton.

If you enjoy dove hunting, it's not too late to scratch out a few good hunts for this year. Download this podcast to increase your chances as dove season in your neck of the woods opens up! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this weeks podcast, we discuss the flexibility of land. We have worked a certain property in Ohio for several years now. Despite working the same property, the ownership has changed hands. This means plans change! We cover this week, how new owners means new objectives, but the question is, can the land handle the change?

Since the property has sold, the new owners are now full time residents of the property with a young family. This means the property has more hands to work it, but more hunters as well. So we need to accommodate for that and increase the access and number of hunting locations across the farm. In addition, the amount of useable space for whitetails needs to increase as well. We need to add cover across the entire farm to increase the overall carrying capacity. This was done with solid execution in the last 5 months. Roughly 20 acres of clear cuts have been completed. Over 15 acres of native grass and forbs blends have been established. Cover is not limiting on the property! The land is handling the changes very well, despite many drastic measures, the response has been great.

The land has responded very well, but so has the deer herd. After reducing deer numbers significantly, the fawn recruitment rate is extremely strong. But also impressive are the size of some of these bucks. Despite a dry summer, these bucks have grown impressive racks!

We hope you enjoy this podcast and use it as fuel to change your property for the better. Remember drastic improvements come from drastic changes! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Sometimes the best way to learn is to look back in history at what worked and most importantly, what didn't work. During this podcast we discuss some of the biggest failures we've ever committed on our family farm and some of the most common we see people making. If you're looking to make an impact on your farm without it costing a fortune don't miss this podcast.

We're walking through techniques we used that we're still trying to correct today, like deep tillage, hinge cutting, and even road layout. Many decisions we make when managing our land affect the farm for the long haul. Consider the importance of a plan and working through that plan to ensure that progress is made. As a young land manager we spent many weekends randomly working the property with no real plan, my how things have changed.

If you're not tracking your progress with photos of before and after your work and journaling your work, you're falling into the same trap that we did. That has been one of the biggest regrets we have in land management and thankfully you shouldn't have to make the same mistakes. Listen in to this podcast to avoid those annoying regrets and mistakes. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this weeks podcast we bring you an update from the owners of Bur Oaks Bluff. This 280 acre property is getting a habitat facelift.

Since the owners took possession earlier in 2020, many things across the property have changed. We cover topics such as cedar removal, food plot expansion, TSI, edge feathering, tillable acres expansion, fishing pond improvements, and more! This property is well on its way to creating a dynamite whitetail property in a under estimated period of Iowa. Southern Iowa isn’t the only place giant whitetails are produced.

Give this podcast a listen if you want to watch a farm come alive for wildlife in the coming years. This farm will be a destination location for a future outdoor minded family.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

It’s been coming for a while, the wool revelation for the typical eastern whitetail hunter. Wool has been used for hundreds of years as a premium fabric for all kinds of clothing. This week, we speak with Kevin Harlander of First Lite to learn about the company and the secrets of wool based hunting gear.

Are your tired of the overheating on your way to the treestand, but freezing your tail off as you sit the whole day? We were too! After much research and trial and error we have switched to wearing wool hunting clothing. From the start of season till the end, the Properties of wool keep us covered.

In addition to creating incredible hunting clothing, First Lite is devoted to the conservation of wild things. From west to East, this company is giving back to the habitat. Not just money, but time, labor, and education.

If you haven’t given First Lite a chance, we encourage you to try some pieces this fall and support a conservation minded company!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this week's podcast, Matt and Frank discuss one of the largest and overlooked fundamental aspects of land management, location! Your specific region matters. The east is not the west and the north is not the south. Despite bobwhite quail living in all of these regions and despite it being the same animal you are managing for, the management will be different!

The region you live in and manage is likely the second largest factor when it comes to management decisions. The first being, what species you will be managing for, but second is your location in that species range. Social media has connected people and brought to light some good and bad techniques over the years. However, the connection of people has often led to many practices being mis-used. Things that work in the north for deer, many not work or be even remotely necessary for those in the south. It is imperative to know your location, soils, rainfall, temperature, growing degree days, first and last frost dates.

We encourage you to download the podcast and listen closely. This podcast will help elevate your understanding of your property and how it relates to your region. Manage with fundamental principles to get the response you want! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Are you ready for fall like we are? Ready or not here it comes. During this week's podcast we discuss how fall food plots actually work. We start at the basis with the understanding of how seeds germinate. Germination of seeds starts when adequate moisture is available, yet, most food plots start off with a practice of removing all the soil moisture, like discing.

In addition, after discussing how to get the most out of your food plot planting, we dive into soil improvement techniques. The phrase "I'm building soil" is often misused and misunderstood. So we discuss in detail the 5 principles of building soil health. These principles should not be confused or deviated from as they simply work with mother nature. Building soil does not happen overnight, the process is complex and the solution will be as well. Monocultures are not the solution. Be sure to hear us out on this topic. It's a hot button item, but simply science should be applied to understand how the soil should be improved.

Be sure to share with others who need to hear this message. To get the most out of your food plots, you need to understand the medium they are planted in. Give this podcast a download and a share. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Here it is! Finally the wait is over, after a few years of development, Hunter Pruitt the founder of the National Wildlife Cooperative is ready to release his baby. We are thrilled to be a part of the launch of this project. If you are a landowner or lease ground, turn your ears all the way up, this podcast and organization is for you.

Research strongly supports the need for landowners joining forces to work side by side improving the habitat for a wide array of wildlife species. We are not talking about improving properties, we are talking about improving regions! This is an organization for the benefit of the landowner and wildlife, not itself. This grassroots organization puts the value back on the land and landowner, with a focus not just on one animal, but land and wildlife itself, so we can get on board with that!

Have you considered starting a wildlife cooperative in your area? Do you know where to begin? Please take time and visit the National Wildlife Cooperative website. Read the information provided and take action, open dialogue with your neighbors and start improving regions! Look beyond your property, don't just stop there. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We would be hypocritical if we didn't implement cooperatives in our region. These cooperatives are wide ranging in the structure, some will be very organized while others will be fresh and new. However, the important thing is they will be started and communication can begin between landowners.

This week we have two interviews during the podcast, one with Matt Dye and Seth Harker who was before his time and started working with neighbors to improve the overall neighborhood he leased ground in. Although not all jumped on board right out of the gate, his region is now seeing some incredible results, routinely harvesting multiple 150" class whitetails yearly and countless turkeys. In comparison, Adam and Chad discuss how they plan to begin a cooperative around the Prairie Hollow property. At this time the neighborhood is full of hunters, but very little communication between the groups. In time, with open dialogue, this too will be a region to watch wildlife and habitat be improved.

This week is full of wildlife cooperative news! We hope you will join us in standing up for wildlife and the land they roam. Carry the torch in your neck of the woods to discuss goals and expectations with others openly. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

How's the weather in your part of the world? It's the middle of the summer so most of us are experiencing the severity of summer heat. If the summer rains have missed you, you're probably looking at a drought. As a deer manager we've likely been told to hate droughts and that "wet weather means bigger, healthier deer." Although that statement may have some truth, the natural world doesn't revolve around just deer.

Finding the positive in the situation can not only help you appreciate the current situation but it can also help you understand how changing weather patterns can help certain plants and animals. One of the biggest topics covered in this podcast is the benefit of a dry nesting season for ground nesting birds like quail and turkeys. While a deer hunter may hate the heat, a quail manager will be relieved without the worry of flooding.

Finally, during a drought you can monitor food plot species and native species and observe which species thrives in the heat and which fails. With acres and acres of cool season non native grasses throughout the midwest it's easy to see how the heat takes the life out of many acres of the landscape. Take this time in the summer to look over your farm and find a void of productivity and work to improve it! Don't let the summer heat get you down, change your perspective and look to improve your natives! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Over the course of several years we have worked closely with Stratton Seed Company to develop many different blends for food plotters across the country. Without fail, we always get the question, what food plot blend should I plant? This broad question leads to many other questions. So this podcast addresses the benefits of each fall annual blend that Stratton Seed company offers. In addition, Keith Hammer of Stratton Seed Company joins us on the line to do the fall food plot blend breakdown.

Two of the top food plot contenders each and every fall is between the Legacy Blend and the Bounty Hunter Blend. Although composed of similar species, these two blends complete different objectives for the food plotter looking into the future. The Legacy Blend is dynamic and offers benefits from fall through the winter and well into early summer with a diverse blend including three different annual clovers. In comparison the Bounty Hunter provides great forage from fall through spring, but times out earlier than the Legacy Blend. These differences maybe the most important when it comes to deciding which one to plant. Find out which one is best for you.

Don't forget about the clover options as well, both annual and perennial with the Emerge and Revival blends. Both are dynamic but accomplish different tasks in the food plot. The Revival blend is likely our favorite blend from the benefits it provides over the course of an entire year. It is important to remember that it is a perennial so this benefit comes year after year!

We hope you enjoy this week's podcast and give Stratton Seed a try this fall. Be sure to checkout all the options for food plots at www.shoplandandlegacy.com

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This podcast is one for the ages! We take a light hearted approach this week to land management information. Disclaimer, these "research" points are just fun jokes to show the importance of diversifying the landscape is. These are not true, but humorous to imagine if they were true, just how much valuable work would get done.

From the title of the podcast, you can tell that the topics in this podcast aren't actually true. Things such as, "Had you heard, that midges that carry EHD require eastern red cedar for egg laying purposes?" Obviously, this isn't true, however imagine if it was for a moment. The vast monocultures of eastern red cedar that decrease water intake, biodiversity, and much more would be addressed. This is just one example of many that we wish were true.

Take this podcast light heartedly! We hope you enjoy it as it will bring humor to your day. Let's get out there and work the landscape, run a chainsaw, target invasives, and remove some nonative cool-sesaon grasses! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Our land, public or private is showing clear signs of warning. In many places the land is degraded and in need of assistance. How do we know this? Well, the clues are everywhere, we just need to be looking and observing to see these clear indicators.

The health of our landscape is greater than chasing a mature whitetail or gobbling turkeys in the spring. Stress on the landscape has revealed itself in many different ways, it's our job to bring this to light so that we can address the issues. Things such as invasive species infestations, soil erosion issues, poor soil health, unhealthy forests, degrading populations or isolating populations due to poor habitat conditions. All of these are signs that something is out of whack or unbalanced in nature.

This podcast is not meant to bring a bummer to your day, but simply enlighten you to beware of the fact, we have work to do. The world is not coming to an end, but we have areas across the landscape that need help! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Do you dream of owning your own property one day? Do you have a complex understanding of what that buying process looks like? During this podcast you will be enlightened on how the world of buying and selling recreational real estate work. Our goal with every client is to work on behalf of clients to help them reach their goals whether they contact us when they already own a property or are just entering the buying process.

We discuss in this podcast the role of buying agents, selling agents, commission splits, and the truths behind the real estate marketing schemes you commonly see. It will open your eyes to the weaknesses as you are preyed upon by the marketing of recreational property. We all know that not every piece of property can be a "Big Buck Paradise".

In addition, you will hear our pitch for the Ozarks. With the recent current events and the drive for people to become self sustainable the land ownership opportunities locally are very appealing. Our local real estate values are affordable, but offering some incredible hunting opportunities as well. It takes work, but we know the recipe to make it happen. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast you will hear how two Land & Legacy listeners used us to help find them the perfect property to reach their goals. Oftentimes we find folks enter into real estate transactions on an emotional basis. This emotion can cloud judgement and cause buyers remorse months later.

Wil Perry and his father contacted us to find them the right recreational property in the mid-west. Even being from north Georgia, they wanted to become non-resident landowners with their hearts set on Southeast Kansas. This area has its positives and negatives, but by purchasing the right property, you can have some incredible hunting success. So we worked with them and scoured the listings to find the top properties at the time on the market. With solid communication and critical evaluations of each one, we landed on one specific property. By utilizing our network of agents across the country, we found the proper closing agent and got the deal done.

Flash forward to July 2020 and the Perry's are proud owners of a 120 acre parcel in Elk County Kansas. This property has already had a Land & Legacy consultation and at the moment it is underway in the transformation. With an educated and calculated purchase, this property will not only meet, but likely exceed the expectations of the Perry's. We are blessed to have assisted on their journey, but look forward to working with other like minded land owners. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Oftentimes the debate of food versus cover has caused heated discussions among hunters. Here is the quick and simple explanation, the answer is both. Why would you attempt to manage for either one without the other? That does not make sense. Great food without quality cover in close proximity is useless. In comparison, only having cover and no food is severely limiting!

After a recent trip to the incredible state of Iowa, this debate becomes incredibly clearer. The vast amount of acres of food literally covered the landscape from tillable crops to alfalfa, and legume heavy pastures. This amount of food is great, but it is only available for 5-6 months out of the year, then the food supply drops drastically. Imagine a place where the food supply does not stop or is at least sustainable throughout the remainder of the year. In contrast, cover of high quality is limited in Iowa as well. Some old field areas or CRP offer solid cover, but even this has times when it is less than ideal cover. Young forests are very rare, so adequate winter cover is rare.

It is important to remember that food and cover is not a decision to be made. Both are just as equally as important to have on a property. As good as Iowa is, it has holes and could use improvement. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we break down a contract on an existing Land & Legacy project. These are real numbers applied to real habitat management projects. We encourage everyone to listen to the podcast who has had interest in enrolling in these types of programs. These cost-share programs help conserve and pay landowners to implement sound management practices on their property.

Page by page we cover the different techniques, from our of work that would be completed, how we would complete the work all the way down to how much cash is exchanged for doing it. Some of the management practices included are FSI, prescribed fire, conservation cover, temporary forest openings, medium brush management all the way up to heavy brush management. If you've ever wondered how, why, or if its worth enrolling your land into cost-share programs, then this podcast is for you! Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Hope you are ready for a passion-filled podcast! This week we fly off the cuff and provide listeners with an in-depth look at why we love land. Being passionate about something requires devotion and deep understanding. This hour is filled with countless reasons why we are so devoted to learning as much as we can about land and being the best land managers and landowners as we can be.

The first profession was a caretaker of the land. This is a calling, so we feel as if those who own land have a big responsibility. The connection between the biological world we live in and manage is so closely connected to the spiritual world. The illustrations between being a gamekeeper and real-world scenarios are countless. So the more we know or educate ourselves about the biology of plants and animals, the more we grow spiritually. Landis bigger than hunting, it's bigger than food plots, it has more to offer. If all you do is hunt and food plot, you are only scratching the surface when it comes to overall enjoyment of land.

Please take time to consider this podcast. Reflect on your experiences. Get outside and spend time enjoying the natural world, you're called to do it! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On a recent trip to the mid-Atlantic region, Matt was able to spend time reviewing success from a client who planted diverse natives as well as met with a new landowner who has converted just 1.5 acres into a food production mecca! You will hear about both wonderful stories on this week's podcast.

It is a joy to share with everyone the success that those who implement the plans have. These real-life examples are perfect to build off of and use as encouragement for others to replicate this success on their own property. We sit down with Kevin of southern Maryland to discuss the progress of the native wildlife corridors he planted. In just year two this planting is booming with life from diverse grasses to many pollinator species.

In addition, we interview Daniel Adams of Up and Adams Farm. Daniel is a brand new client of Land & Legacy, but while onsite, we took time to review the other ways he is using his land. Daniel and his family devote 1.5 acres to food production. This includes 40 laying chickens, 90 meat chickens, 5 pigs, and a 7,500 sq foot garden that could support 30 different families. This type of production out of 1.5 acres is incredible! We can't wait to hear what you think about this content! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Grab your pen and paper for this podcast! After many months of debating this podcast topic, we release the truths behind the knowledge that will take you deeper in the understanding of your property. The foundation of habitat management is a detailed knowledge of the resources that comprise habitat offered on the property. This foundation is simply, what vegetation is growing?

Without being able to identify what plant species are growing it is impossible to make sound or qualified land management decisions. It would be irresponsible for someone to either apply herbicide or cut trees down without knowing what they are spraying or even what they are sinking a chainsaw into. During the podcast, we stress the importance of repetition and intentional learning of the plant species growing on your property. This doesn't happen without practice. In addition, we leave you with 20 very common plant species that deer strongly relate to in four different categories, trees, shrubs, forbs, and grass. If you can learn these 20 species you can learn 200 more. But this requires you to start!

Learning the native flora in your region is a skill. This skill makes you powerful in the land management game. Begin using helpful apps such as iNaturalist to sharpen your skills! Be diligent and learn these species so you can learn how to improve as a land manager and hunter. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Where did all the quail go? This is a recurring question that begins in the eastern United States and ends in western United States with many ideas and opinions. Like many complicated questions, it has a very complicated answer that we do our best to break down and discuss some of the biggest factors in the decline of the Bobwhite Quail. From habitat loss, to predators, to farming practices, to timber harvest, Kyle and Adam paint a picture of a landscape during the early 1900's to mid 1960's to present day.

Bobwhite Quail numbers have been declining for many years now and without an understanding of the problem there will be no real solution. Education is the solution to many problems in our world today and educating everyone that "Predators ate all the Quail," is simply a false statement. Did you know that farming today looks entirely different than it did even 30 years ago? Or that one of the country's largest sawmills sat in south central Missouri, where close by, quail hunting was done with a canoe and dogs floating the Current River. What a changing world we live in!

Quail discussions shouldn't all be doom and gloom and this podcast isn't either. We chat about the great things we can do as land managers to bring the quail back. Co-operatives to government cost-share opportunities to incentivize landowners to improve their farms and be rewarded for their work! Deer hunters, don't miss the boat on this, it's important you care about quality habitat as well! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

If we could sum up food plots in one question or phrase it would likely be, "How can we maximize our food plot production with as little time and money as possible?" We strive to always find the best products for the money and allow us to have the best return on our investment. It is no different with food plots and we've fortunately been planting and testing for a long time. During that time we've found some major money pits, bad practices, and also very quick results that helped landowners save money all while still growing successful food plots.

Why does soil health always include non-native annual species? Why soil health improvement shouldn't involve monocultures of plants and low diverse blends. These are all questions and concerns we discuss in new movements headed towards soil health. We really get into the weeds on this podcast as we talk about implementing cattle into our system to build diversity and increase disturbance on the food plots.

Finally, we touch on some of our testing with no drill, and only small equipment like ATV's and UTV's and how almost anyone can go no till. Diversity wins again! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this week’s podcast we cover all things summer and heat. It’s been heating up in the Midwest and a recent consulting trip to Texas reinforced the need for thermal cover. Yes, thermal cover for the summertime. The heat and potential for drought are something land managers should consider.

Can you imagine what summer thermal cover looks like? How do you create it? Why is summer thermal cover even necessary? We address these questions and more. By the end of the podcast you will be considering shade, aspects of slopes, bedding on extended points, wind currents and much more. Don’t forget about the bottomland management as well. Creeks with shaded sandy banks will be “hot” spots.

Don’t let the heat keep you from managing your land appropriately. Make sure you address each stress period adequately for the wildlife you want to promote.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

In this podcast, Frank and Matt discuss the foundation and start of life for many of the game species we all enjoy chasing. We address rumors and common misunderstandings that revolve around nesting, brood rearing, lactation and fawning.

One of the common thoughts is that spring rains destroy nests from flooding or even flood and wash turkey poults into the mighty Mississippi River. This idea has spread and caused a lot of misunderstanding on how to best understand weather events during the Spring. It is not flooding that causes poor recruitment, it's the lack of a poult's ability to stay dry. Rain and cool nights cause hypothermia, this inability to regulate body heat ultimately causes the young birds to perish. In addition, fawns can be just as fragile. If you are trying to grow the biggest or baddest deer herd possible, it starts with healthy does, lactation, and quality fawning cover. Just because you see fawns on camera and your deer population isn't struggling like bobwhites, doesn't mean fawning habitat can't be improved.

Be sure to give this podcast a listen! We need to collectively begin thinking of the spring as one of the most critical times in our game species life. Let's commit to solid education as it will guide our management in a more productive fashion. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

The best tool a land manager can have is their own two eyes! Chainsaws, prescribed fire, tractors, drills, sprayers are all great, but if you don't see what needs to be seen, then the tools we do have will be misused.

One of the largest problems we see when we tour farms is the lack of knowledge the landowner has of their given property. In many cases, the most time a landowner spends on the property is spent on a UTV, not their own two feet. To see what's happening on a property, you have to walk. Walk constantly, get off the roads, take the beaten path. If you spend 80% of our time on the roads, we miss 90% of the property and the resources the farm actually is offering. You have to monitor the property, trail cameras, food plots, and road systems only tell a small fraction of the story. In addition, do you terminate your food plots too early? Are you cutting the fall blend too short? We answer these questions as well this week.

We hope you Enjoy.Learn.Share! Tag a fellow landowner who needs to hear this message. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This Spring has been one to remember from chasing turkeys to burning down the roads on consulting trips. Two recent trips took Adam to the hills of Central Pennsylvania and Matt to the lakes of Minnesota. These two northern regions created some important field observations and similar management strategies.

When traveling and working in different regions of the country it is important to recall the significance of each area. There are no cookie-cutter situations where all the techniques work the same and the climate conditions are similar. On our trips, we both recognize that woody browse is so incredibly significant to understand and produce, there are various ways to accomplish this. For Adam, timber harvesting was critical and being executed routinely. On the other hand, TSI and shrub plantings were the recommendations for Matt in his region. Without a doubt, principles of habitat management don't change, however, each and every region must be studied and examined to produce the best habitat that is suitable for wildlife. is applicable.

We hope you enjoy learning about the management opportunities that each region has even if you are from other portions of the country. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Back on the road again, Matt and Frank discuss a recent trip to the heart of deer country in SouthEast Kansas. Working with new landowners is always enjoyable, but these two, a father and son, have an incredible work ethic and desire to improve habitat the right way. They aren't looking for quick fixes, they know the work before themis going to be tough, but rewarding. So we developed a plan for them to use in transforming a simple travel corridor into a deer holding and hunting mecca.

This 120 acres of an abandoned homestead is the only cover around for a large area. Two large creek systems flow through the farm north to south that is surrounded by native pastures and dotted agriculture fields. You can see as it lays by examining and aerial that this farm would be attracting deer along this large corridor. However, that is isn't satisfactory, the goal is to maximize each and every acre! So we are going to expand existing corridors, create new ones running east to west with the existing cover andslow deer down as they hit the farm by creating new food resources and superior bedding.

I cannot wait to get the success photos back from these two! This farm is ready for an overhaul and these two landowners are just the pair to do. #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Sit back and enjoy! Yup, we went there and put a bullseye on soybeans! This week, we invited Kip Adams of the QDMA to discuss how bucks grow antlers. This is a complex subject and one that many folks are severely misunderstood about. The timing is critical to understand when evaluating the driving factors and influences revolving around antlers.

Many people are focused on turkey hunting or food plots to slow down and see that antler formation begins during late March or April each and every year. Soybeans in most areas are still two months away from being a beneficial forage and adding value to antler growth. Roughly 50%+ of antlers are developed by mid-June! Think about that the next time you consider how valuable food plots are to growing antlers. So what then makes antlers grow? Forbs, native broadleaf annual and perennial plant species are the magic that fuels the mind-blowing growth every hunter is enthralled with each fall.

Please take time to share this podcast with each hunter, food plotter. land manager, and whitetail enthusiast that you know. Antlers help drive conservation, so understanding them is critical will help improve habitat across the country.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

If you haven't learned yet, we love prescribed fire for managing native plant communities. Fire has so many different elements that impact the result of applying fire to the landscape. It has its cautions, but so do running a chainsaw and applying an herbicide. Take the precautions and use this incredible tool!

After two different prescribed fires completed this year on the Prairie Hollow Property, there are several results to discuss. The later burn timing allowed us to specifically target and top kill multiflora rose and many other woodland shrubs such as spicebush. After opening up the canopy over the past few years through a timber harvest and TSI, the growth was impressive, so fire allowed us to reset this growth. It is critical as we discuss in the podcast to have sunlight reaching the ground if you want prescribed fire to produce quality results. If you want or need drastic results, you have to do drastic things!

We hope you enjoy learning about prescribed fire and how we use this natural and incredible tool to improve the landscape for wildife and plant communities.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

The ongoing statement is that cattle and wildlife can't co-exist and this podcast is devoted to debunking that statement. Adam and Kyle discuss the use of cattle in a grazing rotation that he calls "conservation grazing." This system uses cattle to replicate historical Bison herds on the diverse landscape to improve habitat for Bobwhite Quail and other grassland birds. This grazing has not only increased diversity on the landscape for grassland birds but also species like whitetail deer.

One of the biggest questions by landowners in our consulting business is the possibility of bringing in financial gains on their farm. Cattle grazing contracts could be a great way to increase income, improve habitat, and increase animal populations. Win! Win! Win!

We discuss the differences in grazing patterns you'll find commonly used on the landscape today and what a herd of cow/calf or stockers looks like and their individual grazing selection. We even take a look at the historical fires and grazing and what the historical landscape might have looked like and how we can replicate it! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

We all grew up listening to our Grandpa's, hanging on every word they had to share with us. Well, these days we find that not all of these phrases hold true. This podcast is devoted to searching for the truth in science and then how we can apply this to the property we manage.

Grandpa's always seemed to undervalue soil, as it was commonly referred to as dirt. This misunderstanding of such a valuable resource has led to decades of mistreatment of this resource. Now we know with the help of science and technology that there is more life under the soil than above it. These ideas and misconceptions have led to poor practices and management decisions when planting seeds whether working in food plots or agriculture fields. The search for fresh, new, peer-reviewed science gives us the best knowledge and decision making power. We have one life to improve the world we call home. It's time we make a devotion to decision making based on truth and science. Give the wildlife and natural resources your best!

Please share this podcast! Let's learn and share valuable information with one another. This will result in powerful changes and improvements all across the country. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, we talk specifically on the best ways to manage open acres on recreational land. These open acres can be comprised of various forms of cover, foods, and security. After a recent consulting trip to Kansas, the topic of open management is on the brain. Most landowners have open acres to manage and improve for wildlife, so listen up!

On the podcast, we cover, native pasture management, cattle management, bottomland TSI, invasive species management, crop rotations, cover cropping, CRP, and non-resident food plot acres. All of these topics make for great conversations regarding midwest wildlife management. This multi-purpose property us going to be developed into a fantastic recreational property with income when he implements the recommendations on his property.

We hope you enjoy learning how to manage the open acres on your property during this podcast. Thanks for sharing and listening! ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we examine the benefits of purchasing the latest and greatest gear versus simply habitat management tools. These tools we compare and contrast are priced in the same ballpark as a common new hunting product such as the newest bow, greatest trail camera, or even a shoulder mount.

As hunters, we need to do a better job at improving the habitat rather than taking from it consistently. What would happen if all the hunters decided to purchase a chainsaw rather than the newly released rangefinder. What would happen to the land, would we see healthier animals, or even more conservation efforts put into place? We think so, therefore use this podcast as a great reminder of how you spend your time and money can impact the land we hunt even more! Habitat improvements don't happen unless they are we start them, that falls on our shoulders.

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Here it is, all you need to know about turkey management. Do you have turkeys on your property now? Do you want turkeys? Download this podcast and apply these techniques to the property you hunt to create more habitat for the wild turkey. Turkeys are diverse so therefore they need lots of different plant communities on the landscape to persist.

The expansive diet of the wild turkey is a great reminder of just how diverse the habitat needs to be. Turkeys need to have grasses, forbs, insects, worms, hard mast, soft mast, gravel and all of these different elements in the right spatial arrangement. Without these arranged appropriately the rearing of turkeys will be limited. Similar to whitetail management, diversity reigns king! In addition, the height of the vegetation is also very important, too tall or too thick and the acre becomes unusable. In this podcast, we talk timber management, prescribed fire rotation for turkeys, bare soil, fallow fields, and roosting sites.

Please do your part in becoming a producer and share this podcast. The wild turkey will thank you! These critters are amazing, but we need to do our part in managing these birds for others to enjoy. EnjoyLearn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

This week is devoted to all things cover. Cover for wildlife can come in many different shapes and sizes. This is why we promote various cover types and within those cover types according to the region you should have a whole suite of beneficial species. Tune into this podcast to hear what cover looks like in each region of the country for whitetails. Every region has different factors that determine what type or composition of cover should be present. The various forms are dictated by the climate, rainfall, and length of the growing season.

Why does this matter? At this point in the season in much of the country, whitetails are seeking out the cover to find does. As land managers and landowners we need to be able to promote the right cover on each property. Each element of cover we discuss should be present to play a key role in the development of the deer herd and attractiveness of the property.

To best understand what type of security cover, escape cover, bedding cover, and fawning cover should be present write down the different types of cover composition for each region. Try to replicate this on your land. If treated like a sanctuary, this cover will produce deer almost every rut!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, we discuss several critical observations we made while consulting across the country. Recent trips have taken us to farms in Mississippi, Virginia, Arkansas, Iowa, and Missouri. We have seen several trends on the past tours that we devote our time to discuss. Our goal is to educate everyone on the proper management of the natural resources on their land.

Closed canopy forests are so common across much of North America. However, when we examine forests closely, they provide a very small amount of benefit to the overall landscape for many wildlife species. Forests produce on average 50-100 pounds of digestible forage per acre each year, yet a whitetail consumes over 2,000 pounds of food a year. When we place real values on each acre of land we are managing, we find a huge under producing element. Although this resource is a low producer, we find it dominating the landscape! If we want to manage a property to be super productive, we have to decrease the number of acres in closed-canopy forest.

The new objective for Earth Day is to cut a tree rather than plant one! This improvement across the landscape would make a positive impact. There are more trees across the landscape now than ever before, think about it! Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

This is the time in which deer hunters across the country begin to hit the woods with real anticipation for encountering rutting whitetails. From our in the field observations and what has been sent through the CuddeLink System, we know very little chasing is occurring in our neighborhood at this time. However, we are just days away from a massive cold front closing out October. The combination of a cold front and the photoperiod is a recipe for pre-rut activity.

In this week's podcast, we discuss how our hunting strategy of being conservative thus far in the hunting season is about to change! We start to move in for a strike when the deer begin to move and get on their feet chasing does. If we pressure the property too much before the peak of deer movement, we limit ourselves and productiveness when the chances of encountering mature whitetails is at its peak. Listen closely to the hunting strategy we will begin to deploy this week and the few to follow. It's all about cover, find the cover and hunt! Deer behavior from year to year does not change at this time of the season. Without fail, bucks will be chasing does in areas of ideal bedding cover. Be there or be square and eating tag soup! Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

Not every encounter with a giant whitetail ends well. Misses are not fun, but they are real and happen to every bowhunter. Without fail at some point you will either miss a buck or loss one to a marginal hit. These tend to be the lower points of archery hunting. On this podcast, we discuss a recent hunt on the Prairie Hollow Property that resulted with an amazing encounter with the largest whitetail currently on the property. The hunt did not end with a truck bed full of antler, but a clean miss and more intel for future hunts.

During the podcast, we set the stage for the preparations ahead of time to the habitat, the access, the stand location, hunting conditions, and overall hunting strategy. This powerful cold front that hit the Midwest early in October was highly influential in the success and deer movement we experienced during the hunt. We want this podcast to be like any other, an educational experience that will help others succeed in the outdoors.

There are a ton of great days left in the hunting season to take to the woods. This early encounter with this giant buck was a gift. We are gonna keep at it and see what late October has in store for us. Keep you all posted! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this podcast, Matt interviews returning guest Todd Watts to share in detail the transition of The Hogan property to new owners. It is not uncommon to have many listeners call in to ask questions regarding recreational land real estate questions. Since Todd was the owner of a stellar property in Ohio that just went through real estate transaction process it was only fitting to bring him back on the podcast to discuss getting the most out of the recreational land you own. This property was on the market for two weeks, showed once, and received a full price offer. This is the type of real estate success we want to share with you.

With any type of real estate, every buyer wants a deal and every seller wants to get the most out of there property. In this podcast, we share with you how to setup a recreational property to make it stand out when it hits the market. There are key features that these type properties need to have, while some less valuable features can be forgotten. It is important to offer a wide range of recreational opportunities, show before and after photos, and market the features of the property better than anyone else. If you want to truly increase the value of rural land, you have to create opportunities that buyers have never seen before. World-class habitat and property layout makes buyers not want to walk away. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & legacy is Powered by Simplecast

On this weeks podcast Matt and Frank discuss in full a property consultation from eastern Oklahoma. This property has some incredible opportunities to create a diverse property with dynamic habitat. The landscape in this region has the potential to strongly influence deer travel patterns and hold quality whitetails. In addition, produce some exceptional habitat for wild turkeys. This however can not happen without some sizeable changes. There are some challenges to this property transformation, but we cover those and discuss how with the proper plan in place we the landowner can experience the property at its fullest potential.

This podcast will encourage and inspire you to look at your place in a new way! Don’t set back and not manage the habitat for the species in decline in your area. Be a steward of the land! Enjoy.Learn.Share!

As most hunters are making their way to the woods to hunt and enjoy a season they've looked forward to all year, Adam and Kyle are doing things a little different. They're headed to Iowa to assist a landowner with his habitat management plan. This involves everything from prairie restoration, timber management, and food plots. This is right in the mecca of big buck tv in southern Iowa, what do you think is the biggest limiting factor with the habitat and needs of the deer?

This podcast Adam and Kyle discuss the importance in understand the species present on your property and how to manage them. Whether it's keeping the pastures in pasture and the wildlife area in native beneficial species, this property has all the bells and whistles. From cattle, to crops, to large tracts of timber, this Iowa farm is a beautiful place that we can all learn from. One things for sure about this podcast, you'll learn techniques that aren't being endorsed or sold by all the shows trying to improve the habitat is this part of the state.

It begs the question, if giant deer are already being grown in southern Iowa, but the habitat is poor, just how big would the deer get it actual habitat management was implemented? We'll have to follow along with the progress of this farm to see how quickly we can tip the scales and start managing the farm with a lasting impression. #ForLoveoftheLand

There are many questions that run through your mind as a hunter each fall. Some of the most common include, which stand should I hunt? How do you determine which conditions the stand should be hunted with? Often times you can find yourself second-guessing every decision you seem to make when you enter the woods. This is a two-part podcast. The first part we break down for you is our pre-hunt conversation as we weigh out the pros and cons of each stand option for the daily conditions. The second part is the post-hunt interview were we bring you up to speed on the evening's events or lack of events. The purpose of this podcast is to let you hear our conversations and thought-process before we make our climb into a tree.

Every time you sit in the stand you should learn. Take something away from that hunt that is beneficial for the next time you enter the woods. Be sure when you make your decisions on where to hunt you take into consideration the daily conditions, time of the year, bedding cover, and preferred food resource this time of the year. Don't fall into the trap of over-thinking this though! Avoid analysis paralysis and get in the woods. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Land & Legacy is Powered by Simplecast

The United States Public Lands are a wonderful thing to enjoy if you're a sportsman, bird watcher, or anyone who likes being outside. Unfortunately, for some species our public lands are the few places where adequate habitat is abundant enough for steady populations. Unfortunately, that isn't the case for the Sage Grouse. This past week, Kyle Hedges and Frank Loncarich are headed to Wyoming to chase this illusive bird and learn more about the declining species.

When it comes to bird hunting there are few that have the passion to chase all the game birds of North America, but Frank and Kyle are bird obsessed. With all the public land available in the western United States it's a great opportunity for hunters like Frank and Kyle to experience something that no man can find in the eastern US, Sage Grouse.

Listen in to Frank and Kyle as they discuss the habitat, terrain, populations, and how the government is working to improve the populations of Sage Grouse. It's a great change of pace as Land & Legacy works to diversity their company to help landowners across the country understand how to manage their land for the betterment of the native species. #ForLoveoftheLand

If you have hunted long enough, you've heard or been apart of the common struggle that exists between cattle farmers and hunters. This tension can be broken when goals and understanding of pasture management and wildlife are discussed. It is very unproductive to have just cool-season grasses working for livestock. The number of productive growing degree days is severely limited when only cool-season forage present. You can get more out of you land and pastures with diverse plantings to capture more energy.

These diverse plantings when adding in legumes to your typical grasses like fescue and smooth brome jump in the attractiveness and forage ability for whitetail deer. By adding species like red clover, alfalfa, and white clover to common fields, you can increase the draw and benefit wildlife will have on these acres. Rather than pastures being a void of game species, you can attract them to these areas with the appropriate forages that will benefit cattle as well.

In addition to the perennial plants mentioned, there are countless fall annual crops that can be planted by drilling or broadcasting into bland pastures or hayfields after a heavy grazing session or once the final cutting of hay has occurred that year. Don't overlook the benefit of having open acres on a property you hunt even if livestock are on it. Capture then energy from the sun by diversifying pasture land and finding the healthy balance between wildlife and livestock on your property. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

The Land & Legacy Podcast is Powered by Simplecast

During this podcast, we review a recent successful hunt during the early bow season here in Missouri. This podcast reviews from start to finish the thought process from hunting location selection to shot selection and everything in between.

This is year one for us hunting from tree saddles. Our goal is to give them the test on how useful and applicable they are to hunting private land as well. This podcast shows just how useful they can be even when you have a stand or blind already setup to hunt a food plot. Despite having pre-set hunting locations, the wind would have required a brand new set to have been hung and trimmed, but the Tethrd tree saddles was an answered prayer. In just minutes we were up the tree and set with deer and turkeys already in the field.

The hunt ended in success as Adam tagged an adult doe. This was a great reminder to stay on top of antlerless deer numbers on a property. The balanced sex ratios play an important role in the great ecosystem as well as the effectiveness of targeting trophy whitetails.

The Land & Legacy Podcast is Powered by Simplecast

If you've listened long enough you know we love to experiment! We try all sorts of creative things when it comes to habitat and food plots. Hunting strategy is no different and for this year we are getting to tree saddles. There has been a buzz around hunting from saddles for the past few seasons. After looking into the system we connected with good friend Greg Godfrey of Tethrd and got our hands on these awesome pieces of equipment.

It doesn't take long to figure out this system has extreme benefits to the open-minded hunter. This is not just a public land hunting setup. Each and everyone can recount times during past seasons when food sources change rapidly and you always seem to be one step behind the deer movement. This seems to happen often when acorns drop, or cattle get moved across a farm, or even in crop country when fields are harvested. It can be tough to be consistently setup for each and every pattern shift. However, with a mobile setup like the Tethrd Mantis and Predator platform you can be as mobile as necessary.

During this podcast, you will hear how this system does not replace the need for treestands and permanent blinds on a piece of private property, but certainly has its place in our hunting strategy arsenal. Without a doubt, we are excited to get these Tethrd tree saddles in the field this deer season. We will keep you posted with our tree saddle experiences this season. EnjoyLearnShare! #ForLoveoftheLand

Who knew that land management could be so much fun? Over the years we've been working to improve the Prairie Hollow farm and blend native landscape restoration with hunting strategies. During that time we've found some great ways to improve the land for all native species as well as improve our hunting! One of our favorite techniques if the landscape offers is glade restoration.

Glades are a native ecosystem to the Ozark Mountains but can be found throughout other parts of the country. These shallow soils are dry sites that are home to many unique and diverse species of plants and animals. Since several of our native grasses have long roots able to reach deep in the soil they can survive on our native glades creating grassland sites. These glades help create fantastic fall and winter bedding since they typically face into the west and south sunshine.

We're using our glade restoration to not only improve the diversity on our farm but to improve our hunting! These glades will be some of the best bedding areas during the cold months of hunting season allowing us know of defined bedding areas! During this podcast Adam and his brother Chad discuss some of the interesting plants returning to the area after Eastern Red Cedars have been removed and how it will help their hunting. #ForLoveoftheLand

Here is your pre-season pep rally! We take time this week to discuss how you should gauge the success of your season. Yes, big bucks are fun and play a role in our season, but there is much more weighing in on the success of a long hunting season. The outdoors is a medium or a way for you to draw closer to creation. Don't overlook the opportunities this season to understand the importance of being silent and listening!

In addition, to determining the success of a season, we also discuss why you need to record your hunting observations. Each hunting season is an opportunity to learn more about what deer want to be doing on your property. These patterns or lack of patterns you are observing are strong indicators of the habitat work that needs to be completed on the property. We walk you through how to interpret these signs on your property. We will teach you to be intentional this hunting season and take a note pad to the stand with you. Learn more about your property and yourself more than ever this fall.

We hope this season is filled with encounters, not only with target deer, but with the Creator himself. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This week, we take time to sit down with Mitch and Dan from Cuddeback Trail Cameras. As you all know, we don't talk products vary often on the podcast. We have to be firm believers in the system or technology before suggesting others use the product. Well, we found a trail camera system to believe in with the Cuddelink system.

After trying this system out for several years, we feel as if this system and technology is practical and super efficient! It has saved us countless hours, expenses, and did we mention time? Dan and Mitch cover the Cuddelink system from top to bottom. This full review of the system highlights the features, commonly asked questions, battery life, linking technology, and tech tips to get the most out of your system. If you are a nonresident landowner or are interested in surveying the most delicate areas of the farm, this system is for you.

We hope you all enjoy the podcast! If interested in this system, be sure to check it out on the shop tab of the Land & Legacy website. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

How did you become passionate about the outdoors? For several of us at Land & Legacy is was upland bird hunting behind a bird dog. Unfortunately this tradition is slipping away and at a much faster rate than we may realize. What has caused the hunting community to lose so many hunters in such a short time?

During this podcast we cover a wide variety of topics, including what we believe could help in getting more youth involved in the outdoors. Our passion for hunting wasn't started with cold sits in a treestand. We also discuss the population numbers for this fall, how to begin preparing for the season and what hunting season will look like for Frank this fall.

Did you also hear about the recent Brown Trout that was caught in Missouri that was less than three pounds away from the world record? This podcast will cover that too! Our conversation takes a variety of trails during this recording and it's nothing you want to miss.

It's easy to get on a piece of ground and start thinking food plots and how to make more of them. Food plots are a great hunting strategy and attraction, but it's important to never get to focused on them. Last winter Adam assisted the guys at Sunshine Legacy Farms with their habitat management plan and it's taken them in a whole new direction!

Having defined bedding areas is an important part of a hunting strategy, but what is proper bedding? Is woody saplings 10 or 15 feet tall adequate bedding? Or a stand of warm season grasses? After a few hours of running a chainsaw in parts of their farm the change was obvious. It became even more obvious when he began to drive by and notice the defined trails leaving the food plots and headed towards the bedding thickets. This work came full circle when Russell made his first walk into one of the bedding thickets to observe the large amount of beds and browse from the deer utilizing the work he made back in the winter.

During this podcast Adam and Russell discuss what land management looked like prior to Land & legacy consulting on the property and how it has changed so much since January. They're now looking at techniques that improve large amounts of the property rather than the few acres in food plots. Prescribed fire, timber management, old field management, edge feathering, these are all things they're working to build upon to make Sunshine Legacy Farms one of the top farms in their region.

Often times there are various grey areas hunters find themselves in. Hunting is a unique combination of strict legal hunting regulations and a code of ethics to help guide decisions. Despite these boundaries to provide hunters a moral compass, there are still situations that arise where people seem to have a flexible code they follow.

In this podcast, we discuss various highly debated discussions that hunters may find themselves in. Often times these situations are focused around public land where hunters from all walks of life with varying skills and hunting styles collide and share the land. We ask questions like, 1) If you’re hunting public land and you find an unattended treestand, is it okay to hunt from it? 2) It is okay to share trail camera pictures of a hit list buck from your buddies camera?

Be sure to let us know what you would do in each situation. Post your thoughts on these situations on our corresponding social media posts. We encourage you prior to the season to play by the "Golden Rule" this hunting season. Be fair, be safe, be respectful, and enjoy the outdoors. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

A long overdue guest finally joined us on this week's podcast. Dr. Craig Harper of the University of Tennessee Extension discussed his recent research devoted to understanding acorn production. We encourage you to grab pen and paper, an aerial of the property you hunt, and turn on your "listening ears". We hope this week will further open your eyes to proper timber management techniques.

Dr. Harper's research was recently shared in the latest version of Quality Whitetails. This article reviewed the 10-year study conducted on acorn production and common techniques used to increase acorn production. The study found not all oaks are created equal. Genetics of the tree are strong influencers for the productivity of the mast the tree will annually produce. They found that 40% of the trees will on average produce 70% of the overall acorn production. For years, folks have been trying to improve the quantity of the mast produced by fertilizing under the canopy of trees. This research crushed that myth and proved it ineffective. In addition, the proved that releasing the crown of the most productive trees in the woods drastically increased overall mast production.

This podcast was a great balance of the importance of research and the application of solid information to improve habitat and natural resources. We hope you will be drawn to solid science in the future as a guide to your land management strategies. Be sure to manage your timber for improved acorn production and enhanced wildlife habitat. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Dove season will begin very soon and it's a great way to get the whole family outdoors! We sit down with Land & Legacy Consultant Kyle Hedges who has spent year tweaking and understanding the art of managing the land to attract dove during the key times of dove hunting. Whether you have a small tract for recreational use or a large farm for whitetails there is room to create a great dove hunting spot!

Over the course of the years Kyle has managed some of the most popular conservation area in southwestern Missouri. During the opening two days of season hunters have averaged the harvest of 1500 or more doves. The man knows a thing or two about how to make a hunting hot spot for doves. Is the secret plot soybeans, wheat, millet, or sunflowers?? You'll have to listen in to find out how what he prefers and how to manage the plots.

We cover a wide variety of topics on doves, including when to hunt, how to hunt, other ways to hunt doves, Migrating birds versus residential birds, and how we prefer to cook them! There is a lot of great information here on why you should care about getting more Doves on your property this fall! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this podcast, we discuss the strategic plans set in place for a few of Seth Harker's finest deer on the lease. This property over the years has produced some giant whitetails. The habitat has been managed well and the amount of food available is insane. However, just because you grow big deer, doesn't mean you harvest them. During this podcast, we touch on several tips and techniques Seth has used to seal the deal on mature bucks with a bow in his hands.

Seth explains in full detail why people often miss out on harvesting mature deer. They all have their weakness, we as hunters just often don't know enough about the deer and its habits to take advantage of those weaknesses. Even if a season goes by with tagging a specific buck, you should have gained valuable information that will mean success the following year. In addition, we talk trail cameras and how they have helped hunters kill deer, but at the same time, how they have interfered with people killing deer. Not every deer takes the same path daily. Remember trail cameras should reveal which deer is working the area, not document every step they take.

We can't talk strategy without talking food plot plans. For Seth's first year of planting the Heritage Blend, he is thoroughly impressed with the growth and cover it produces. The acres he planted will remain standing to help screen eyeballs into a food plot from a highway. We hope you enjoy this week's podcast and learn to observe whitetail patterns outside of the normal trail camera photo this season. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

One of the goals that we have set out to achieve with Land & Legacy is to change mindsets when it comes to managing the land. The current model of land management is tainted and skewed by placing improper value on food plots, mineral, and supplemental feeding. This has tainted the extreme value associated with managing our natural resources. This podcast is devoted to sharing the success of one Land & Legacy client in Ohio.

Todd Watts has been managing his property for 3 full years now. When he first set out to make improvements, like most, he focused solely on food plots. Todd shares how he found some success with this, but he knew it was only limited. The next steps he took was to focus on converting hay fields into crop fields. Again, this only added more temporary food on the landscape. this further improved the farm from the beginning, but still left major voids in his plan.

This farm was missing one of the key elements necessary to hold and grow big deer, cover. Without cover, deer will still occupy large ranges as they travel long distances and often only reach destination food resources at dark. Knowing this to be true, Todd called Land & Legacy and the farm began with a facelift and redirection of time and resources. Immediately upon arriving on the farm, we took notice to the large acreage left unmanaged. The slopes or old pasture land was still dominated by fescue. These days, the same acres, are 5 foot tall and covered in native forbs, providing quality cover and tons of forage. These acres now produce annually, 3,000 lbs of digestible forage.

To learn how this transformation occurred, join us on this week's podcast! You will be amazed at how this change in mindset has changed the outlook and productiveness of this property. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This podcast comes at the time of highest anticipation! Fall is rapidly approaching and opening of bow season is just under a month away. September 15th opens the archery season for us here in Missouri. This podcast is devoted to the bucks we will be chasing this fall on the Prairie Hollow Property.

We have some rich history with this lineup for the fall. Several encounters over the past seasons have helped us connect the dots on how we plan to harvest these bucks. Other data like trail cameras reveal incredible knowledge of patterns that we have picked up on over the past several years. These points all help us draw a clear plan together. During this podcast, you will hear exact plans that include times, food resources, winds, locations, access, and times to avoid certain areas. All these elements mixed together to allow us to develop our hunting strategy for the fall.

We hope you will join us this week and sit back to listen to how past events with these bucks impact our land management and hunting decisions. We wish everyone a safe and eventful hunting season this year! Best of luck from Land & Legacy. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this podcast, we continue the discussion on fall food plotting. Last week we covered the specific fall food blends we would be planting offered by Stratton Seed Company. To say the least, we are excited to get these blends in the ground, however, it is not a random selection of forages, but a strategic plan to optimize our success this fall with a bow.

This week we dive deeper into the strategy behind how we continually plant successful fall food plots. We review the step by step cost-saving food plot planting techniques that we use each fall. Step 1 includes terminating the crop. Step 2 broadcast the seed. Step 3 involves rolling over the vegetation on top of the seed by several different means. If this food plot planting technique sounds simple, that is because it is, but we cover this topic in-depth to make sure everyone can comfortably plant a successful food plot this fall.

Another large part of the podcast is devoted to different planting strategies that help make large plots hunt small. If you've listened before we are huge advocates of edge feathering, but you can accomplish similar design by planting the appropriate vegetation and allowing it to stay standing throughout the fall creating some incredible bottlenecks. We review how we are leaving the Heritage Blend standing this fall in one of our most promising plots to help steer deer within bow range. Enjoy. Learn. Share #ForLoveofheLand

Would a fixed blade broadhead perform better on a shoulder impact than a expandable? We learn from an experienced blood trailing what his experiences have shown. Hindsight is 20/20 when it comes to taking the shot on a whitetail deer. We sometimes realize we should have waited or you should have taken the shot at a different range. We can learn a lot of lessons from our mistakes on shot placement. This week we sit down and talk with Kasey Morgan of Drury Outdoors who owned a blood tracking company for almost a decade operating out of Wisconsin and Ohio. During those years he learned a lot of things with shot placement on deer.

You ask a hunter the question fixed blade or expandable, you'll get the same debate as Ford or Chevy. If we're honest with ourselves we know one performs better than another depending on the shot placement. We should all look for the perfect shot and make a quick ethical kill, but mistakes happen. Kasey discusses what angles he would avoid and what areas of the deer to avoid hitting. We also discuss why it's necessary to give a deer plenty of time before following the bloodtrail.

It is crunch time for preparations for the fall of 2019. Summer is winding down and that means fall is just around the corner. It is not to late to put the touches on habitat work to make sure you have the best opportunities moving forward for this year and the ones to follow. Habitat work doesn't end for no matter how close to hunting season we are!

In this podcast, we discuss all the last-minute tricks to complete for archery season that is just around the corner. This past week has been prep for our Missouri deer season so you will hear personal stories of bucks we will be chasing and how we will be using habitat management techniques to create bottlenecks and dynamite hunting locations. Techniques we are using include edge featuring, bedding area thickets, clover maintenance, mowing trails, improve access, and shoot your bow!!!

We hope you are all excited with anticipation for deer season as we are! Make this a great season by improving habitat across the country with us! Share with us your success on social media. If you are interested in food plot seed, visit our store!! Enjoy.Learn.Share. #ForLoveoftheLand

Seed is going in the ground as we speak! How can it be time to plant fall food plots already across much of the country. So this week in the spirit of fall food plot season, we sit down with Stratton Seed Company to review the fall lineup. Guess what...we talk about diverse fall blends because they provide the most attraction and tonnage!

Keith Hammer of Stratton Seed jumps on the call and we break down the many blends offered by Stratton Seed. Many of these blends you may have heard us discuss, but with additional years of experience planting these blends, we have learned more about how incredibly beneficial each one is. The food plot world is swamped with gimics and advertising to improve antlers and huntabiltity rather than looking at food plot species individually and the benefit of them blended and achieving more collectively. Don't underestimate the value of blends and your time and energy, make the plants work for you, the wildlife, and soil!

Food plots are no longer just areas to congregate deer, they are educational plots where we learn how diverse nature is, where we can positively impact soil health, reduce erosion, and feed various forms of wildlife. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Turning small pieces of ground into great hunting is overlooked by many, but they're missing out! Smaller parcels of hunting land are great options for almost anyone, and you can get down to managing the square footage of the property. By managing on a smaller scale we can focus on making every square inch a beneficial product for the wildlife and the land. Whether you own 1000 acres or 15 acres there is always something to do to improve the habitat and ultimately make your hunting better.

Join us for a new series of podcast where we discuss habitat management, conservation, and hunting strategies with landowners across the country! Are you considering a property consultation, but having a hard time justifying the cost? Maybe this format is for you! During this podcast we chat with Steve Schlenker from North Carolina. He lives and hunts on 20 acres in the fragmented landscape of central North Carolina. We're working to turn his property from a pass through property to the best 20 acres in the neighborhood! How to turn a small track of land into a hunting paradise?

Prioritizing your management goals and projects is the fastest way to reach his goals. We discuss timber management, bedding area creation, hinge cutting, bottlenecks for deer, food plots, hunting access, and so much more.

Technology has changed so many things in the world today. We can complain about it creating a society that's suffering from "Nature Deficit Disorder," or we can use it to our advantage! How many times have you wondered what weed is growing in your food plot? Or the type of tree that your favorite deer stand is hanging in? Looking for ways to get your children interested in the outdoors? This might be the podcast for you!

Like many of you, we've always wondering how much rain our food plots received during the last thunderstorm. We've found the app that tells us how much rain feel on our farm. When it's time to plant food plot's it's also great to know just how big the area you're planting is so we can determine how much seed we need. We've got that app also. Whether you hate technology or not, using these apps will only make your life easier.

Tune in on this podcast to hear Land & Legacy Co-Owner, Adam cover his favorite apps to use while he's working on his farm or assisting a client on theirs. From identifying plants, to the next cold front, to the best app to pass the time on the tractor while you're planting your food plots, we cover all of it! Finally, remember that bird you saw last week and you don't know the name or where it came from? We've got you covered with one of our favorite apps out there!

This week we are joined by Kingham Johnson who is a current intern with Land & Legacy and our partners. Kingham is meeting his internship requirements through the Kansas State Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise program. During the podcast, Kingham describes the advantages of the program and how it is helping him reach his goals of running a business based on habitat management.

We discuss how his opportunities this summer are helping him learn the business of consulting, client relations, habitat management, networking, and much more. Kingham shares some great insight on how to obtain the education and experiences necessary to get started. If you a young individual wanting to learn how to land a job in the outdoor industry, this podcast will help you!

Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Here it is, this podcast is a long time coming. Dwayne Estes with the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative is leading the charge of habitat restoration throughout the Southeastern United States. This non-profit is fiercely dedicated to educating the country on the vast diversity of landscapes the southeast us to possess. This diversity includes shortleaf pine woodlands and savannas, and vast grasslands.

The changes this country has endured is incredible and a loss of biodiversity is the concern. These ecological landscapes are home to hundreds of rare plants and animals. Less than 1% of these ecosystems remain today across the southeast. This is a huge concern for our landscape. This amount of loss in habitat is devastating and no one but the SGI is talking about it.

Turn up the volume and take notes! Join the fight and follow along with SGI on Facebook!

Enjoy.Learn.Share

During this podcast, we take a slight detour from our normal heavy in-depth topics of habitat management and discuss our favorites. It is time that you get to know us beyond our habitat and land management thinking. We share some interesting facts about our preferences from land to life.

You can only imagine what we divulge and how the conversation and stories flow from there. We answer questions like favorite hunting trip, species, non-game animal, landscape, shrub, grass, trees, and so much more.

If you want to learn more about Adam and Matt be sure to follow along this week as we share our thoughts and preferences in life and work with you. Let us know if we have anything in common with you all. Enjoy.Learn.Share

During this week's podcast, we sit down with Justin Adams of Pure Air Natives to discuss the practical impact and importance of native landscaping. Conservation is active, so where do you start? Everyone has the ability to impact a different number of acres in the name of conservation. But the important part is that you begin. You can start with your yard. Yes, your yard is a great segway into larger projects on the farm, but get ready for an informative podcast where we walk you through the impact of native landscaping.

The scale at which we choose to implement sound land management practices should not be a concern. Grab the family and begin working to convert areas of 50-500 sq. ft. of your yard into a native pollinator plot. This project will not only have an ecological impact but a cultural one as well. Neighbors, visitors, and extended family will see your efforts and begin to ask questions. The learning opportunity for establishing a native landscape can quickly turn into a teaching moment.

Pollinators live on a small scale, so these smaller units help to create travel corridors for these small but mighty critters. We have to consider the important role these species play in our daily lives. It is our duty and responsibility to work on behalf of a decreasing population of native pollinators. Make a statement in your neighborhood and convert portions of your lawn into a showy mix of native forbs and grasses. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

It's not always about the number of acres you have to manage, but more about the useable space on the property. This could also be understood as suitable acres for bobwhite quail habitat. The bobwhite quail is not a generalist species like whitetail deer, they require specific habitat to be able to survive and reproduce, without it present quail will be extremely limited.

In this podcast, we sit down with Kyle and Frank our bobwhite quail consulting biologist to better understand the foundation of quail or upland land management. Without this base of understanding, the finer details and requirements are null and void. Useable space for bobwhite quail consists of bare ground, woody/shrubby cover, and forbs. These components have to be present on the landscape for quail to persist. The layout and spatial distribution of these key elements are critical as well to survival and high reproduction rates.

We hope you enjoy this podcast and continue to learn how to manage the land to promote species like the bobwhite quail. Please share this podcast with your friends who are eager to hear a bob whistle back next spring. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This week, we step away from private land management and the real estate side of things to discuss public land management. Over the past several years, public land hunting has certainly become more popular and trendy. With that taking place, you tend to hear more opinions about how the state or federal government should be managing the land.

So we went straight to a source who works daily for The US Forest Service as a wildlife technician. Chad Keith describes in full detail how areas are selected and managed within each district. There are certainly pros, cons, and many complications that occur when managing public land. Of course, the public has a say in what happens, but many times there is misunderstandings of the objectives. Needless to say, there are incredible efforts being made to improve habitat across the landscape.

Let us know what you think regarding the public land management system. This is not an easy job! Could you imagine orchestrating 100's of 1000's of acres to be managed within view of the public eye each and every year?

Time to step up the game of habitat! No more messing around, here are the nuts and bolts or foundation piece of land management to maximize the benefit for wildlife. Shrubs play a critical role in offering benefit on the landscape 24/7 or 365 days a year.

Trees and grasses tend to get the glory when it comes to habitat management, but we forgot about the middle ground. Shrubs come into play for non-game birds, game birds, rabbits, grouse, quail, turkey, whitetail deer, and more. Shrub thickets provide forage during the spring, summer, fall, and winter as well as cover. There isn't a downside to shrubs. Every region has shrubs that should play a major role in the habitat.

Don't move forward in your habitat management plan without considering shrubs. Do your research and plant the shrubs that are missing in your landscape. The wildlife will thank you later. Share this podcast those who need to take their habitat to the next level. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Does your family enjoy the farm like you do? Or Do you get texts asking when will you be home from the farm? Sometimes the farm can be a distractor from the important things in life. Family comes first, but that doesn't mean you can't have both and bring the family to the farm.

During this podcast, we discuss 10 different ways to bring the family to the farm. There is an endless list of ways to recreate with the family, but these 10 ways are all ways to lead to more in-depth outdoor activities. Get the family to the farm by allowing UTV riding, fishing, kayaking, horseback riding, picnics, camping, recreational shooting, hiking and much more!

Your family deserves your time, bring the family to the farm and make sure the activities there will keep them asking for more. Turn the question of when will you be home into when can we go back to the farm? The outdoors was made to build relationships and draw closer to God's gift of Creation.

Time to recap the topic! Last week we discussed the difference and similarities between hinge cutting and clear-cutting. Both types of techniques do benefit wildlife, but the question we have set out to answer is do they provide the same value? This last podcast caused come hype on social media, so we are here to revisit the topic with some outside advice from Matt Ross of the QDMA.

In this podcast, Matt discusses in full length from his background as a forester, hunter, and QDM practitioner the differences between clear-cutting and hinge-cutting, especially in northern climates. Matt shares what to expect and how wildlife will be effected after each technique. hinge-cutting is a highly debated practice, but has it's place! It is should be used as a fine-toothed comb or detailed paintbrush for property architecture, not a broad stroke that encompasses acres.

We hope that this follow-up podcast further explains our thoughts revolving around these timber and wildlife management practices. Thanks for listening! Share with those who need to hear this message. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Often times opportunities arise or changes in situations occur when recreational land hits the market. When it's your land that hits the market you want to make sure get top dollar. There are certain do's and don'ts that every landowner should be aware of that directly affects the value of the property.

During this podcast, we discuss the top 5 things that can increase the value of recreational land. These strategies are common sense, but often times forgot or undervalued assets to a recreational piece of land. We discuss topics like access, water features like lakes, ponds, and managed springs, well/electricity, and outbuilding, open acres, cabins, or storage facilities. These features added to raw land can help increase the value per acre.

To learn how to get the most out of your recreational land, be sure to download the podcast and apply these rules to your land. If you have any questions regarding selling your property contact us at info@landandlegacy.tv. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

During this podcast, we discuss 5 different topics that will hurt the resale value of your recreational property. Every seller wants to get top dollar for their land, which is understandable, but there are certain things to avoid when managing and owning the property. We cover the top things to avoid when selling your land.

The top five things you will want to consider are personalized touches, no income potential, poor access, poor neighborhood, and conservation easements. Grab a pen and paper and take notes to ensure you don't lose out on the value of your recreational property. We discuss each one of these topics in full detail.

If you have any questions regarding buying or selling your recreational land, email us at info@landandlegacy.tv. We would love the opportunity to assist you in finding the right property for your needs. Thanks for listening! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Time to end the glory days of hinge cutting. This technique has been glamorized and praised for many years now. However, does it deserve the glory it gets? After several years does a hinge cut create the opportunities as a clear cut would? During this podcast, we stack these two techniques up side by side and give you the cold hard facts, pros, and cons for each practice.

It is time to think critically about the techniques we choose to manage the landscape. We have to forget the short term or the "quick fix" mentality and think what does this look like down the road? If we continue not thinking forward our forests will continue to degrade. Hinge cutting is like doing the job halfway and getting only half the results. Why would that be your go-to technique when it could be perfected even more?

We hope you truly consider this information is presented on this podcast and share it with others who can learn from it. Land & Legacy is dedicated to presenting and utilizing the best practices on each property we visit and touch. Join us in the fight! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

It is not uncommon to have folks reach out and ask questions like, "So, what is it that you do?" Our response is lengthy and detailed, so we figured, why not give you an idea of what Land & Legacy truly provides our clients with?

This week, we discuss in great detail the services that Land & Legacy provide to landowners across the country. The second most common question is, why would I need a habitat management plan? Our response would be something similar, would you start a business without a business plan? Would you just wing it and hope that the business does fail? Our main job working with clients is to evaluate the current condition of the land and develop a plan based on the current condition to get you to reach your goals in the quickest and least expensive way. A proper plan will evaluate the two most restrictive elements for landowners, time and resources.

With this podcast completed, you will have a full understanding of how Land & Legacy works with landowners across the country to improve and conserve more acres by developing site-specific strategic plans to reach a landowner's goals for that property. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

There are many of us out there listening who have dads or granddads in our lives who were instrumental in taking us outdoors for the very first time. Without the many Dad's of the world, traditions and hunting heritage would be lost. Without the passing of the torch and integration of values learned from outdoors activities passed on to the next generation, our lives would be drastically different.

For us, activities outdoors started at a very young age. Some of the earliest childhood memories were spent cutting firewood. Lessons like hard work, taking care of less fortunate people, and general woodsmanship skills came from a simple activity Dad involved us in. Cattle farming and hay cutting are very similar! Generations shared the same hay field working together to accomplish a similar goal. All of these tasks involved land and the outdoors that have profound impacts on Land & Legacy as a company. We know the importance of strong family ties and the value land can bring to raising up children.

We hope this is a reminder to you to thank those folks who first introduced you to the outdoors. Take time to share with you the valuable impact it had on your life. Special thanks to Wayne Dye and Fred Keith for there respective support and impact on our lives. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this week's For Love of the Land Podcast we discuss the highs and lows of land ownership with special guest, Latty Hock. This Delaware native is the proud owner of 297 acres situated in the last remaining stronghold of farmland in the state. Surprisingly, this area produces some quality outdoor experiences from giant whitetails down to loads of migrating waterfowl.

Latty's story is a unique journey of discovery, development, and pursuit of greatness with a single parcel of land. In the year 1997, he took over the management of the farm. At this time, it was a biological desert, outside of the crop fields a small block of timber was the only true habitat on the property. Now, over the 20 years, this property has developed into a truly diverse landscape that offers an endless supply of forage and covers for whitetails, rabbits, turkey, and waterfowl.

The important part to take away from this podcast is his journey, he didn't do everything right over this 20 year period. He made mistakes that cost him years of maturity and development of the land. After diving in, Latty made a decision to base all moves on science, this took research and time to develop, however, now there is no other property like this one in all of the state. Be sure to follow along with the podcast to listen to his story, we hope it encourages you to conserve and restore native landscapes! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this week's podcast, Adam sits down with the President of the Ruffed Grouse Society to discuss the organization's mission and goals. You will be very surprised at just how much in common management for ruffed grouse can easily support and benefit other game and non-game species.

It is very encouraging to sit back and listen to the root of development for the Ruffed Grouse Society. This group takes habitat management to the next level. It is critical that ruffed grouse have young forest under 15 years old in their home ranges. This woody regeneration creates forage opportunities, nesting cover, drumming logs, and various other necessities that allow the ruffed grouse to persist. By now, you know how important that is for other species and the forest itself.

Be sure to listen closely to the direction and importance the Ruffed Grouse Society places on true habitat management. Thousands of acres are being affected right now based on their guidance and direction. Join the fight and help support The Ruffed Grouse Society conserve more land across the country. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

When introducing new people to the outdoors there are many more ways than just through hunting. In fact, sometimes hunting can be a negative experience for some people when new to the outdoors. Knowing our audience and using stepping stones into the outdoors in a great way to build our nation. We've found that focusing on nature, and highlighting the experience rather than the hunt is something we can all get excited about! We sit down with our good friend Tyler Ross to discuss ways he's gotten his boys hooked on the outdoors!

We're talking more food plots this week but with a slight tweak. Herbicides are a hot topic in agriculture and in deer hunting. Many people are trying to limit their use of chemical applications and still remain successful. Adam's brother, Chad joins the podcast to look back 23 years ago to the first food plots planted on their family farm. We discuss the lessons we've learned and the amount of fails that have occurred over the years.

Grab your over and under, box of shells, chaps, and bird dog, it's quail time! We have a big annoucement to make on for the bobwhite quail, Land & Legacy is expanding into a new field by bringing on two of the top quail researchers and hunters in the country to our team! Both Kyle and Frank who have been guests in the past will be working under the Land & Legacy name to provide top-notch upland habitat management consultations across the country.

These two guys have spent many years studying and mastering the management of upland ecosystems to allow game birds like bobwhite quail, pheasants, and greater prairie chickens to prosper. We are very excited to bring you all the additional information on managing upland prairies, shrub lands, native forbs, in an annual setting. The management techniques are similar for deer, but the intervals of disturbance and spatial distribution drastcially change for quail. Kyle and Frank will break this down into simple terms on how they address these issues on farms from Texas to South Dakota all the way across to South Carolina.

This is a big step for us and we cannot wait to see these guys in aciton. If you know anyone interested in quail management, please feel free to reach out through email at info@landandlegacy.tv. To hear there previous podcast, click here and click here! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this week's For Love of the Land Podcast, we discuss the benefits and uses for evalutating land using the free online web soil survey program. Do you know what your land use to be like? Do you know what type of soil your farm consists of? Do you know the average rainfall or growing degree days? Have you considered what the potential of your farm truly is? You can find out this week!

The web soil survey is an incredible tool to evaluate many different aspects of a selected piece of land. We walk you through the steps of how to create an area of interest, evaluate soil type, soil composition, slope of your land, and most importantly what the ecological site assessment is. With these elements you can learn so much of about the lands past, present, and future plans.

We look at a farm along the Missouri River breaks in SW Iowa that registers as a prairie as well as a once backwater forested swamp in Arkansas with 60+ inches of clay soil that is now being agriculturally farmed. The land can change, but prior to making any more changes we should properly evaluate what the soil tells us the land should be by using tools like the web soil survey. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this week's podcast we talk about buying recreational property. There are many ways that property purchases can be overwhelming and stressful to a first-time land buyer. However, if you come prepared as a buyer with a list of questions, you can greatly reduce the stress load and make a well-informed decision about buying land. During this podcast, we highlight two properties in Southern Missouri and walk you through the list of questions that we would be asking the real estate agent regarding these two specific parcels of land. The answers to these questions will give you the ability to either scratch the property off the list or schedule a showing.

It can be easy to get ahead of yourself or perhaps make emotional or irrational land buying decisions as land has the ability to be highly desired! You can quickly become in "love" with the land and forget to ask these simple questions.. To avoid making poor decisions use this list of questions to guide you through your first discussion with the land agent. This will keep you grounded and level headed through the entire land purchasing process. As land agents ourselves, we are here to help and assist you. If you are looking to buy or sell please reach out to us at info@landandlegacy.tv. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

On this week's Habitat Heroe's podcast, we chat about the Top 12 most overrated land of habitat management techniques. We hope you brought your steel-toed boots because as we share our thoughts we will step on some toes. Often times land managers and hunters we get caught up doing busy work and forget about the value of time and money. We quickly lose sight of the fact that these techniques being used yield very limited result. It’s our goal, objective, and responsibility to make the largest most powerful positive impact on the landscape that we oversee. Therefore, we should not be wasting our time and resources on low-value habitat management projects.

There are tons of techniques that could be included in this podcast topic, but some of the most popular overrated techniques include small orchards, hinge-cutting, monoculture switchgrass plantings, man-made watering holes, supplemental feeding programs, and many more!

These techniques should not be a top priority on the agenda or task list to get completed. We aspire to make a larger impact on a property. We’d love to get your feedback on where these techniques stack up in your book. Be sure to send us your thoughts at info@landandlegacy.tv. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

During this podcast, you will be exposed to a unique opportunity we have the privilege of being apart. The 5th annual One Shot Hunt in Virginia hosted by the Virginia Wildlife Foundation. This event that is open to the public has many purposes, two of the biggest include fundraising as well as hunter recruitment. The event brings the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, landowners, turkey hunting guides, and sponsored hunters all together for a weekend of networking and turkey hunting.

We speak with the Executive Director of the Virginia Wildlife Foundation, Jenny West to get her perspective on the event as well as the future of our hunting heritage. Jenny is enthusiastic and encouraged by recent events and the direction of the hunting culture, especially in Virginia. We also catch up with Ashton Dye, who was a volunteer guide for the event. His role over the past 5 years has been to help facilitate new hunters with outdoor experiences. Lastly, we chat with Caroline Hollandsworth, a new hunter! This event was the first time she took to the woods after any game species. She shares her story and how being a new hunter can be intimidating as well as exciting.

Be sure to catch these stories! We hope you find this podcast engaging and encouraging knowing state agencies are working to promote hunting and joining landowners with new hunters. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this podcast, we cover several important topics that arise every spring in nature. Often times food plots get the glory, but we share with you observations from the field that prove the native forage is providing the bulk of forage for many wildlife critters during this critical stage of the year. Bucks are beginning to grow antlers and does will be dropping fawns and lactating very at any time now. These two processes require large amounts of quality forage to ensure these animals can produce at optimal levels. In addition, turkeys are nesting, we highlight several important habitat features that must be in place for great nesting and brood rearing success.

In addition, to critters, we also discuss the importance of vegetation management, specifically targeting non-native invasive species. After a recent trip back to the East Coast, it became clear that invasives in some areas are more than taking over. We have to make a stand battle back against these invasive plants. Join us in the fight!

We encourage you to be present and observational when in the outdoors. Take in all that nature has in store and be sure to manage the land and wildlife with an open mind. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This week we discuss all things food plots. We opened up our social media handles for discussions about food plot success, failures, techniques, and how tos. It's planting season in a lot of places, so we cover everything from species selection, weed control, site preparation, and soil amendments. This is a podcast you don't want to miss.

Have you ever wondered where the invasive species that you are fighting came from? We discuss it on this podcast, from landscaping to farming, and why you should be concerned about both. Several of the invasive species in North America came from the introduction in landscaping in our residential areas. We discuss native alternatives for your landscape that are both ascetically pleasing and beneficial to wildlife. Listen closely to the species you don't want on your farm.

During this podcast, we discuss the necessities for when owning and managing a recreational property. This type of farm requires unique pieces of equipment that often times can be expensive, however, we walk you through what you need and what you don't need to come in under $25,000.

The list is long, however, with our preferred management styles, it is feasible to accomplish all of the big-ticket items with budgeting $25,000. Included in our tool/farm equipment list would be a UTV, seeder, drip torch, chainsaw, sprayer, disc, back-pack blower, food plot budget, cultipacker, accessories, herbicide, trail cameras, and treestands/accessories. With this list of equipment, no reasonable task that falls within a land managers duties is out of the question.

If you find yourself looking to spend money on new equipment or are wondering if a purchase is worth it, this podcast will help you decide to buy or sell your farm equipment! Enjoy.Learn.Share!

During the first week of Missouri's turkey season, several longbeards hit the dirt! The Land & Legacy team knocked down 5 birds across the state and captured several of them on film. This week, we recap those hunts and share the tips and strategies we used with each setup to lure these hard gobbling longbeards into range.

Each hunt was different in their own way, but each one required a different execution to close out the hunt. Several of the hunts happened right off the roost, these hunts required some aggressive calling techniques as well as the perfect setup for the longbeard to make his approach. Other hunts happened later in the morning and even mid-day! These hunts forced us to move our position and play the patience card several times. Not every setup will work, but stay diligent and use your woodsmanship to make the turkey hunt a success.

You will not want to miss this podcast as we share tons of great tips and techniques to finish early season gobblers! This week's action has been hot, we are excited to see if it will continue during the rest of the turkey season! Enjoy.Learn.Share!

It is Turkey Season Eve here in Missouri and excitement is at an all-time high! This is the three weeks of the year that we live for! There is something so grand and mesmerizing about a red hot spring morning in the turkey woods.

The birds are roosted and the plans are set. Now it is time to put your back against a tree and let the mornings come alive around you. The simple approach to turkey hunting matched with the complexity and consistency spring has captured our attention and hearts. Turkey season was built for sharing the outdoors and making memories in the outdoors.

We wish you the best turkey season this spring! May you shoot straight and call softly! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheland

Everyone is always looking for the next big thing, especially when it comes the additional edge to pull critters into range. There are so many different strategies to make that happen, but some times using the old tricks in new ways will accomplish the same. In this podcast, we sit down with Heath and Keith of Stratton Seed to discuss the additions to the product line in 2019.

One of the coolest additions would have to be the Bonifide Blend! This blend is the perfect ratio of corn and soybeans. The corn is a dwarf wildlife corn variety that is round-up ready and produces an ear that sits just one and a half feet off the ground, making it more widely used for a variety of species. In addition, the soybeans are a forage type bean that is also round-up ready. The 6:1 ratio of soybeans to corn is ideal for growing tons of attractive forage from May through January in the same acreage!

To biggie back the original Wild Gamechanger soybean, Stratton has just released the Wild Gamechanger 2.0! This soybean is a group 6 soybean, therefore it has a longer maturity rate than the original bean. This can be advantageous for the land manager who wants to have a soybean that holds there leaves longer into the opening of bow season. This attractive addition to the lineup will be able to feed and attract whitetails for longer periods! Different maturity rates on beans have their place on the landscape!

If you want to order any of the new products, be sure to check them out on our website at www.landandlegacy.tv! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this podcast, we share a special moment in the outdoors with a father and son. On a recent youth season turkey hunt in southern Missouri, we struck gold as Trace Harker tagged a beautiful tom in the timber during a mid-morning hunt. As we reminisced about the hunt at the tailgate, we were reminded of the connection we have to this land.

Every spring morning spent afield is spectacular! The sights and sounds are truly breathtaking. It is a privilege to be woken up to nature calling and praising the Creators name. This is the true gift of land and hunting in the spring woods. Be sure to introduce a new hunter to the outdoors so they can strengthen their walk and relationship with the Lord. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Well it is that time of the year again when we have turkey hunting on the brain! You can't have good turkey hunts without successful turkey hatches. During this week's podcast, we discuss the many different ways that you can manipulate the land to improve wild turkey numbers.

Many of the ways we manage for turkeys is by promoting early successional cover, annual weeds, native browse, and forbs are all necessary components of prime turkey habitat. These weeds not only produce seed but generally produce a canopy of cover to help protect young turkey broods. Some of the ways we choose to promote these weeds are by doing dormant season discing, prescribed fire, old-field management, and leaving crop fields fallow.

Be sure to listen and follow along to this week's podcast to learn more about promoting great cover for wild turkeys. We wish everyone a safe and productive turkey season as many seasons are already open across the south. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Welcome to a new way to own land. We are excited to bring you an opportunity to learn more about The Hogan. This property is a 550-acre recreational property located in Gallipolis, Ohio. This farm is being offered to 5 member-owners for the first time ever!

This farm has been developed over the past few years to create a dynamic habitat and wildlife-rich property. All this development comes at a cost. The value of this offering and property stretches out the cost across several member/owners making the dream of owning a 550-acre recreational paradise feasible. The work has been done and the enjoyment is waiting for your family to be a part of this unique opportunity.

If you have dreamed of owning incredible hunting and fishing property, but don't have the time or knowledge to develop then The Hogan is for you. Shared Ownership is a new structure, but one that offers premiere land at a fraction of the cost. Show up and Enjoy!

Prescribed fire is a fantastic tool available for most land managers to use on their property. This natural tool is the cheapest and yields the best results for those looking to manage their farm. However, there are many other tools that come to mind depending on the project at hand. It is commonly thought to think of mowing as similar or a possible substitute to using prescribed fire, however, this is far from the truth. There are many things different between the two tools. They are not equal and leave different results in the habitat. Of course, prescribed fire has it's limitations as well. Think of prescribed fire as a maintenance tool and forestry mulching or a chainsaw as the tool used to get the habitat in place to be maintained.

Prescribed fire is a beast to understand and study to before using on your property. We encourage you to take classes and volunteer before implementing. This tool will cover the largest area in the shortest amount of time possible and likely make the largest impact your habitat will see in years to come! Enjoy. Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this week's podcast, we sit down with a group of eager whitetail hunters in the state of Ohio. These whitetail hunters devoted a day to come and invest in an educational event hosted by the local QDMA Branch. We had the privilege of speaking at the event along with several other great presenters discussing all things food plots, habitat, forestry, aging deer on the hoof, and state of Ohio deer population.

To wrap up the event, we did a live recording of a Q & A session with everyone in attendance. To spice things up, we asked Mike Tonkovich and Clint McCoy of Ohio Deer Management Program to join us on the panel to field these questions. These two employees of the state help determine harvest rates and recommendations for the state of Ohio.

In addition, we discuss the importance of wise habitat management on the landscape. There are growing trends that alarm us and sidetrack landowners from accomplishing success and land improvements. We hope you listen and react with enthusiasm and join us in managing the land in harmony with itself. #Enjoy.Learn.Share #ForLoveoftheLand

Often times wetlands get a bad name for wasted space or unusable acres. This cannot be farther from the true. In today's podcast, we are joined by Brian Towe to discuss the role and management of our wetlands. Wetlands are dynamic and support thousands of critters with a home. They are vital to the health of our land and should be respected for that!

Wetlands often are put down for their "fowl" smell, yet we forget that they are a filter system producing quality water resources for our streams and underground aquifers. We have wetlands to thank for slowing down the flow of water and removing the bad containments from continuing downstream. In addition, they support a whole host of vital life forms from waterfowl species, neotropical birds, crustaceans, amphibians, shrubs, sedges, and the list goes on!

To get the most out of wetlands they should be actively managed to control water levels and vegetation responses to support a wide variety of organisms. We call this type of management "moist soil management". With the proper water control structures, you can create, improve, enhance, and construct some incredibly diverse wetland communities. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This week we presented a special presentation at the Missouri State Quail Forever Meeting. This presentation was built to reach folks interested in what hunters do with open arms. As hunters, we have much more in common with others than what we think. We review in full detail presentation during this week's podcast. It's our duty to reach new folks!

The natural world is incredibly diverse and connected from insects all the way up to mature trees. Topics like pollination, photosynthesis, grasses, shrubs, soil, root system, air quality, and animals are all things that hunters and land lovers should all be concerned about. We can find common ground with anyone on these topics. As we move forward in discussing what we do, share the complexity of nature and how hunters and land managers are working to preserve that.

We hope you will enjoy the conversation and join us in sharing sound information with people interested in the outdoors. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This week we sit back down with Frank Longcarich at the Missouri State Quail Forever Meeting. As usual, we get talking bobwhite quail and the conversation is off to the races. Frank covers many of the common questions quail enthusiast ask.

In the podcast, we cover topics like dormant season discing, prescribed fire and predators. Predators play a large role in quail numbers, but as Frank can attest too, quality habitat must be in place prior to managing various predators on the landscape. Not all predator management entails removing predators, so management can simply include proper habitat manipulation to discourage the landscape from promoting certain predator species. Like any discussion of predators, it is very dynamic and situationally based, but this makes for great conversation and discussion on managing the native landscape.

We hope you enjoy this quail podcast as much we did! If you have any questions regarding quail management questions feel free to reach out at info@landandlegacy.tv Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

If there was a podcast that would help to reiterate our philosophy of habitat management, this one is it! We sit down with Frank Loncarich, of the Missouri Department of Conservation to discuss his years of devotion to managing grasslands in the Midwest for upland birds. Grab your notebook and a pen, you are gonna need it!

Throughout the podcast, we cover Frank's history of managing and studying bobwhite quail on native grasslands. We discuss reproduction rates on various landscapes, the value of woody cover, forb production, native grasses, and bobwhite quail movement patterns. Frank drives home the value of diversity in vegetation to provide quail the habitat that they need to persist and increase population rates.

In addition, Frank provides us with the top few management suggestions for landowners looking to increase quail numbers on their farms. Some of these topics include shrub plantings, native grass plantings, timber harvests, and predator management. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Every piece of property is truly unique. Every parcel has limits and different ways that it can produce an income or return on the investment for the owner. Most properties to keep them operational and improving need to produce an income so funds can be put right back into making additional improvements. This is where it gets interesting, the ways to achieve additional income varies greatly!

In this podcast, we cover the top 8 ways that land can produce the owner money. Some of the topics include renting our cropland, running cattle, solar panels, leasing mineral rights, harvesting timber and much more! We share the details and tips to get the most out of each way of producing an income.

Each area of the country has these unique ways to produce incomes off the land. This makes land owning more feasible in areas of the country with high land prices. Understanding the best ways to offset high priced land will make you the return on land whether it be financial or recreational enjoyment that much better! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this week's habitat podcast we sit down with Tyler Ross to discuss the management of public lands. Public land is a hot topic right now among hunters. This topic continues to be debated as who has the right to manage and oversee these lands. Anything political is debatable, but what can't debate the fact that public lands should be void of active management.

Wilderness areas can be found across the country, however, these areas do not receive any habitat management. Disturbances like prescribed fire are often discouraged, yet the natural history of these regions show these disturbances were apart of the landscape. The terms preservation and conservation also bring about debates among those who manage and protect natural resources.

In addition to protecting natural resources, one of the biggest competitors and invaders to public lands are non-native invasive species. There are hundreds of invasive species that take over woodlands, fields, waterways etc.. Some of the largest invaders include bush honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, Japanese Stiltgrass, hydrilla, spotted knapweed, and tree-of-heaven. There are many challenges that public lands face, let's not forget to push for active management of their natural resources during this time. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

In this week's podcast we get back on the phone with Todd Watts, owner of The Hogan property in Southeast Ohio. This property has one of the most well-designed bass fishing lakes in the Midwest. Even with proper design, there is follow-up management that needs to be done to keep the lake working and functioning at its peak performance.

In addition, to better learning the management of an incredible fishery, we discuss the bass food chain. The food chain is important to understand so target fish of all age classes have an adequate supply of food. The term "chain" indicates a serious connection from small biotic life of phytoplankton all the way up to bluegill bait fish.

The "chain" of life also translates into spawning beds and the importance of reproduction rates in a closed system. With bass and bluegill spawning beds created at the appropriate water depth, the next important aspect is "fluffly" and "dense" cover in the close spatial area. There is much to consider and manage when creating trophy fishing ponds on the property. The value added to a property with the addition of a productive fishery is huge! Be sure to follow along with this incredible property and project! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

In this podcast, we speak with Glenn Dye a third generation full-time farmer in Virginia. Glenn's story is one that brings together the importance of family history, working the land, managing natural resources, and supporting his family.

As his operation continues to expand, his techniques must evolve as well. Glenn actively works with the local NRCS offices to utilize cost-share programs to further improve the tillable acres on his farm. To date, programs like, cover crops, diverse cover crops, waterways, nutrient management plans, and no-till drilling have all increased his productivity and yields. Find out how these programs and more are transforming the way farmers amend soils and plant crops. Glenn's knowledge of agronomy and the health of soil should be encouraging to further pursue knowledge of this field.

If you enjoying talking farming, this podcast is for you! Techniques are evolving to stay up to date, we need to balance research with practitioners like Glenn in the field working daily to improve efficiency and fertility of our natural resources. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this podcast, we chat with the minds behind Sportsmen's Alliance, an organization taking a stand for all outdoorsmen. This group is the main force behind protecting the legislative rights of anyone who enjoys the outdoors.

There is a real fight from the "other side" to eliminate the opportunity to hunt, fish, and trap as we know it. These groups are well funded and take action daily to attempt to pass laws and bills that could change the way we all recreate and destroy millions of people's heritage. As the fight continues, we and Sportsmen's Alliance ask for participation in sharing the threat we face but most importantly in taking action against it.

Education of this topic just like in habitat management is critical! Please stand up and join us in educating others that standing up is necessary if we intend to continue enjoying the outdoors as we do now. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

We get asked all the time, what would you do on your dream farm? Would you have this on your farm? How big would your farm be? Obviously, that is a loaded and dynamic question with difficult answers. However, this week we keep it simple and hit the major points and components that we would want to accomplish on our farms down the road.

As you might imagine, there would be many aspects of each farm, from livestock to bees, to riparian areas, to hardwood savannas, and orchards. The most important factor in all of this would be the ability for each acre to serve multiple purposes. In addition, each acre would allow for a teaching moment about how healthy ecosystems are divinely connected and intertwined.

Our hope with this podcast is to see that land is multifaceted. Singular goals with land can be built upon and developed into something more. The land is dynamic and our goals with ownership should reflect that. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

We are live this week recording from the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention in Nashville, TN. With the assistance of Pure Air Natives, we hosted a get-together with listeners attending the convention to discuss land and habitat management topics. After the seminar, we opened up the mic and invited attendees to join in on the live question and answer podcast.

We had people from Minnesota to Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee represented at the After Hours Event. During this podcast we discuss how to get rid of herbicide-resistant weeds in food plots, management timber stands, increase the native cover on properties, step by step instructions on how to prepare for native plantings, and the history or evolution of Pure Air Natives.

The owner Jon Wingo took some time to discuss with us his history of managing and restoring prairies across the country. Jon has been doing so for 31 years and is a wealth of knowledge in all things land management. There are several great tips and techniques shared throughout this entire podcast on how to establish, maintain, and hunt prairies. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this week's For Love of the Land Podcast Adam sits down with his Grandpa to discuss the evolution of farming practices since the 1950s. There is no question much has changed from our understanding of soil health down to implements and farming practices that we use on a daily basis.

Deep tillage was a common practice in those days as there was a big push for preparing a proper seedbed. Herbicide usage has drastically increased over time, as well as the use of a brush hog. To understand where we are heading in land management, it is important to understand where we've been. Evolving is a must as we move forward with farming in a more sustainable manner.

In addition, this week talk with Brian Towe who is a landowner in South Central Missouri looking to sell a recreational property. This 133 acre has been managed through select timber harvest, prescribed fire, food plots, and other various management techniques. If interested in a property like this, give us a call! #ForLoveoftheLand

Passionate, obsessive, determined, and skilled are a few words to describe Greg Glesinger a Drury Outdoors Team member. Greg began hunting in Nebraska chasing ducks and upland birds as a young man. This introduction to the outdoors then lead to bowhunting and now harvesting two 200+ inch deer in back to back years.

Years ago, Greg understood the importance of land management in producing top end deer each year. Deer are only as good as their environment. Since then, he has been studying and working yearly to make improvements to the farm in Southern Iowa. Greg's quest and fascination with monster whitetails has driven him to continue seeking advice.

A few years ago, we connected with Greg professionally to continue his pursuit of total land management. Since the farm has undergone a facelift as the management plan has been put into action. Not only are the whitetail benefiting from the enhanced habitat, but the quail and pheasants are as well. The direction this farm is headed is encouraging, its producing top-notch habitat and record-setting bucks. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On a recent consulting trip to the Mid-Atlantic region of the county, we have some unique findings to share! During this trip, we visited 5 different properties, each unique in their own way. Every property had specific aspects that created topics and points to discuss during this week's podcast.

Many of the farms need a new direction and focus applied to the timbered areas. It is easy to overlook the importance of these areas on farms, however, in most cases, they need the most improvement. Past owners took many of the timbered resources off these farms years ago, now leaving unmanaged poor timbered areas that are not productive for wildlife or timber in the coming years. Listen as we discuss certain points to consider when maximizing each acre of your property.

In addition, we discuss an important direction many outdoorsmen and women are heading, full land, wildlife, and sustainable property management. Many people are moving into a direction where their focus is broad, yet specific in a way that can be simply put, make every acre as natural and beneficial as it should be. This way they can enjoy an income, extended hunting season by hunting a wide variety of critters each year. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

It's not every day you meet someone with a driving passion that fuels them daily. Todd Watts is an individual who is determined to further his education in all things land. He got his start by studying ponds and fisheries management for the last 20 years. Todd has devoted countless hours to learning about fisheries from fluffy to dense cover all way down to the daily needs of largemouth bass.

Several years ago, Todd was able to purchase a property and construct the pond he has dreamed of for all these years. This lake is named Lake Mickey and saying it is special is an understatement. The design, construction, stocking rate, and the supplemental feeding program is all top-notch! We discuss all these topics and much more this week. This is exciting for us as we share new topics and ways to recreate on the land.

As Todd explains, it is not far fetched to believe that the Ohio state record largemouth bass may come from this pond in the coming years considering the management plan and guidance it is under. We hope you enjoy the new content and explanation of the different systems and similarities between land management and fisheries management. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Here is another podcast this week that will set you back on your heals. We chat with Communications Director of the QDMA, Lindsay Thomas. This podcast is proof that whitetail hunters are among the leading conservationist helping to protect, enhance, and manage private lands across the country.

Lindsay and his family own a fascinating property in SE coastal Georgia called Grace Acres. This land has been in the family since the days of the Civil War. Since this time, it has seen many changes from cropland to pine production, conservation easements, hurricanes and much more. One thing stays the same though, the property is continuing to be managed and improved despite challenges.

Take a listen this week and understand that there is more to land ownership than hunting. Lindsay shares a great perspective of how his management practices continue to benefit rare or endangered species. Take a listen and enjoy how others value their family land.

Agent Name: Adam Keith

Location: SW Missouri

Listing Link: http://www.ucridgewayrealestate.com/search/country-homes/missouri/wright/missouri-cattle-ranch-for-sale-in-wright-county-mo/986074

Listing Price: $600,000

Grab your note pad and prepare for a mind-blowing podcast! This week, we interview Kyle Hedge of MDC to discuss the most recent findings regarding ongoing quail research. Every week we discuss the importance of habitat management and disturbances across the landscape. These events can create and maintain an ideal habitat for the bobwhite quail.

Kyle and his team are looking deep into better understanding the relationship between grazing the landscape, prescribed fire, and bobwhite quail numbers. Their findings are incredible and strongly support the need for both of these natural occurrences. Cattle that are managed appropriately are helping to increase the survival, reproduction, forage, and cover for quail.

If you want to better understand how total land management works, this podcast is for you! Understanding the fine details of managing a keystone species like the bobwhite quail will make you a more successful land manager. Please share this podcast with those who need to see the proof in why disturbances are necessary across our landscape. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

There is a growing evolution with hunters and landowners to work and improve the land. For the owners of Sunshine Legacy Farms, Mark Toney and Russell Kiser, this is no different.

As clients of Land & Legacy, we discuss their previous projects and what they're most excited about as they progress on the new plans laid out by us. This will be an exciting project to follow as their property will a transformed to provide habitat for deer, turkey, and most importantly quail!

With such an interest in quail habitat, we can't help but talk about the history of the landscape in South Carolina and the decline of the quail. With a childhood of chasing birds and rabbits their excited to get to work restoring quail populations and natural landscapes.

Land Agent: Tim Woods

https://www.whitetailproperties.com/hunting-land/ohio/logan/tillable-and-timber-in-central-ohio

This time of the year is not the time to slack. Many states have closed deer season now, but you should still be in the woods. Trade in the bow for a chainsaw, it's time to give back and put some trees on the ground.

Over 80% of a deer's diet is woody browse. Do you have enough woody browse available on your property to keep feeding deer? We are about to enter the most stressful time period for whitetails. Put a hold on shed season and do work that will produce a return for you and your hunting for seasons to come.

In this podcast, we discuss the importance of woody browse and other winter-time habitat management projects like bedding area thickets, TSI, dormant season discing, and prescribed fire. Find out how these habitat improvement techniques can make your property more attractive to wildlife! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Relationships are built around common ground. Over the last year and a half, Land & Legacy has connected with the owner and mind behind the brand Outdoor Militia. Joe Padget, an avid outdoorsman himself. His passion for the outdoors and comradery among all hunters built his brand. This is his story.

There is no question, Joe is committed to doing what he loves. He believes in his brand and the reasons behind creating it. Being raised in the southern hunting community, Joe understands the hunting camp atmosphere. This brotherhood is what drives him and motivates him to continue to build the brand. In this podcast, you will hear his version of chasing the American Dream.

We hope you will enjoy this discussing of discovery, brotherhood, hunting industry, and direction of Land & Legacy as well as Outdoor Militia. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This week we chat with Kevin Warring of Maryland. He is a farmer, waterman, father, and government employee. This guy does it all! Kevin has a unique story as he shares the process he went through to afford a family farm by enrolling it in a conservation easement. This process can be challenging, confusing, and difficult to navigate. With the help of Kevin's explanation, we hope it encourages you to pursue something opportunities.

In addition, Kevin explains how his connection to the land and dedication to family are tightly woven. Without question, Kevin's children will greatly benefit from this forward thinking. Even though Kevin and his family own several hundred acres, what they are committed to is something greater than themselves. By preserving, conserving, being a wise steward of their resources, their efforts positively impact the Chesapeake Bay. Remember, "we all live downstream."

We hope this podcast is eye-opening, encouraging and enlighting! Consider making a lasting impact on the land yourself. Improve it for generations to come, leave your legacy. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this podcast we are on site of a pasture renovation project with Pure Air Natives. We are assisting and filming the process of converting an old fescue pasture into a pollinator blend utilizing the EQIP Program. When we think pollinator blends, we often think just about Monarchs, but there is so much more!

During this podcast, we cover when pollinator blends service more than just pollinators, how they benefit other wildlife, limit erosion, improve soil quality, impress the Ms. at home, the economics, and the steps to ensure efficient plant native seeds. We break down all these topics and prove it is a no brainer for any hunter, land manager, and outdoor enthusiast to consider planting a pollinator blend on their own property.

For many years to come, these six acres will offer exponentially more cover, forage, and diversity to this landowners property in comparison to the existing pasture. If you want to win points at home and improve the land, plant a pollinator mix. The benefits are endless! Enjoy.Learn.Share #PlantyourLegacy #ForLoveoftheLand

As we turn the page on another calendar year, our devotion to better understanding our land increases. On this podcast, we discuss the transition America has endured over the last 200 years. Often time, we have to look at our history to better understand the future. When we do this with the land we reveal many mistakes we have made.

In addition to revealing our mistakes, it helps to provide those who love the land clues to proper management techniques that should be adopted. You will hear us discuss topics like grazing methods, soil erosion, water infiltration, desertification of the Southwest, poor timber management practices, monocultures and much more!

With much more to learn, we are excited to continuing pursing education and learning more about the land we all enjoy. Now that the holidays are over, next week we will have additional guests on the podcast sharing their knowledge of the land. Thanks for listening. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

We had a unique opportunity to visit with a new client in Eastern Tennessee recently. Jon York is a relatively new hunter, but lifelong outdoorsmen. He grew up loving the outdoors, fishing, kayaking, hiking, and enjoying the outdoor lifestyle. But his hunting experiences have been very limited.

After trying venison in a dish, he began to explore the opportunities of hunting. In 2018, Jon was able to successfully harvest a long beard and a whitetail buck thanks to a hunting mentor. These two harvests set the tone for his growth and development of his knowledge and understanding of the land. His long-term plans are to introduce his young son to hunting and land management. His family's farm will be passed down to his son, but he wants to pass it down to a son who is just as passionate as he is.

This mindset is solid! We appreciate the opportunity to work with Jon as well as watch him develop his knowledge as a hunter and land manager. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

We have been looking forward to this trip for a long time! It's not often that duck hunting works well in the Ozark Mountains. So any chance we have to head south to Stuttgart Arkansas, we will take full advantage of this!

We are in camp this week with the folks at Stratton Seed Company as well as Justin Lawson from QDMA. This collection of friends makes for an exciting duck camp, even if the birds aren't cooperating! In this podcast, we take highlights from the work of Stratton Seed Co and QDMA. We break down what people may look for in 2019 for each organization. We discuss topics like seed blends, food plots, soybean traits, newly developing varieties, QDMA 5 year goals, venison, and waterfowl and turkey hunting. There is a ton of topics in this week's podcast.

We welcome you to share an evening at duck camp with us! We hope you enjoy the conversation and are exciting for what Stratton Seed and QDMA have coming in the future! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

What is it that attracts us back into the woods time and time again? Is it the pursuit of a trophy to display in our lodge? Or is it for the memories made with family and friends while enjoying God's Creation? Your answer likely depends on where you're at in your journey in life.

For Adam and his long time friends, it's becoming more and more about the memories made and the stories to share with friends and family. Throughout the podcast you'll hear stories about the good ole days of hunting when trophies were pursued but often missed and instead replaced with laughs.

If you had one season left to hunt would you spend it chasing your largest buck to date or try to laugh as many times as possible in a single hunting trip? We'd likely choose to laugh until our guts hurt. Tune into this weeks podcast to hear the tales of hunts long ago where the hunting fire was lit for years to come.

Tag your buddies and relive the best days of your hunting career!

ForLoveoftheLand

As hunters we all grow and mature over time with different experiences. As each hunting season passes we attempt to hone skills and improve. During the off season our spare time is spent gaining knowledge about hunting and learning new techniques, that is for most of us.

A client of Land & Legacy has a unique story to tell of his development as a hunter. A 16 year break from hunting changed his perspective on the sport. Through the years he dedicated time and energy into learning about bass and building ponds. However, once he purchased a new farm, that all changed!

With the new farm, his vacation from hunting was over. However, he wasn’t sure what he thought about it was going to be like harvesting a deer after such a long time. This past year, he was successful in harvesting a fully mature whitetail Ohio, but what made the harvest special was the dedication to habitat management. Listen to this story all the way through and with an open mind. It may change your perspective on how and why you hunt!

We hope this story of a hunters evolution is enlightening! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

For those of us blessed enough to have a piece of ground that was owned by our ancestors from generations ago, it's a strange feeling to think about working and managing the same ground that they once called their own.

The Keith family farm was in the family name during the late 1880's but took a strange turn in 1892 for an almost unbelievable trade. To consider what the price of real estate was back them is truly remarkable. Thankfully, the farm was reunited with Adam's grandpa in 1952 and has been in the Keith name ever since.

What's your goals as a land owner? Maybe you're not a landowner yet but have dreams of doing so! There is something very special when you understand the meaning of heritage and legacy and land ownership. Sit back and enjoy, as Adam and his brother Chad discuss their family farm.

We are all connected to this land, some of our families have deep ties to certain areas, while others are new to this country. Either way, there is a story to tell! This week we talk with Sean Clarkson, a long time Virginia native. His family history runs all the way back to the Jamestown settlement. He likely has the famous Virginia red clay running in his veins. This week, we hear how Sean and his family have been connected to this land. You will hear some incredible perspective on land, the way we recreate, and how it molds us.

In addition, be sure to check out what the land agents have to say! There are some incredible properties we highlight this week! From, Nebraska all the way to the rolling hills of Virginia! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Agent Name: Jason Schendt

Location: Lewellen, Nebraska

Listing Link: https://www.whitetailproperties.com/hunting-land/nebraska/garden/world-class-recreational-paradise-in-western-nebraska

Interactive Map Link (w/ boundaries): https://mapright.com/ranching/maps/b7c6175cdbb11f3dd5402b420af7ff18/share

Listing Price: $3,750,000

Agent Website: https://www.whitetailproperties.com/agents/jason-schendt

Contact Information: 402-707-4885, jason.schendt@whitetailproperties.com

Agent Name: Adam Beroza

Location: Madison Va

Listing Link: https://cheriwoodard.com/listing/general-banks/

Interactive Map Link (w/ boundaries):

Listing Price: 162.7

Agent Website: Www.cheriwoodard.com

Contact Information: 540-244-1471

Every property has the treestand called, "The Tree". This location is faithful in producing consistent deer movements. Year in and year out despite changes in acorn production, weather, or any other factors, this stand site produces! Today, we share with you one of our favorite stand sites on the Praire Hollow Property.

A recent hunt with Stratton Seed's Keith Hammer, further proved the effectiveness of this site in producing great deer movement. Even though we had a missed opportunity with an injured buck, the deer worked into range perfectly. The wind operated and cooperated all morning long as did the deer. Every deer we saw worked into range and passed by the stand at 15 yards.

This type of consistency is important to talk about! We break down why and how the deer have been doing this and a few minor tweaks to make it even better. We believe in making a good spot great, listen to find out how and why! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this week's podcast, we showcase a farm in the Show-Me State. A recent consulting trip leads to a great podcast topic. Here you will find the top 10 ways we suggested to improve this farm in central Missouri. This farm sits just off the Missouri River in a mixture of crop ground, cattle pasture, and timber. From first glance, this farm looks incredible and easy to hunt. However, once on site the habitat was lacking in several departments.

Follow along as we walk you through what we saw on site and our prescriptions on how to improve the property. The natural funnels, pinches points, and bottlenecks were enhanced with quality bedding areas and food plots. Now, these great looking stand sites will perform during the hunting season.

We hope you enjoy this property breakdown as we share the details of how we compliment the habitat with the naturally occurring terrain to make a capitalizing on deer movements a breeze! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

We've discussed the topic of bedding areas several times on the Habitat podcast, but none quite like this! This week we provide countless scenarios that many hunters from across the county face. Often time we hear stories like "I never find sheds on my farm" or "I don't have deer during daylight hours", or "my deer aren't consistent". The list goes on and on, but one thing remains consistent across all these accounts, and that is the solution.

Bedding areas achieve much more than a place to stay. They provide consistency, security, forage, and did we mention consistency? As a hunter, we have the privilege of chasing deer during daylight hours, but most of the deer activity spend during daylight hours is done so in areas of security, not destination food plots.

If you are looking for the single most important thing to offer on a property you hunt or manage, look no further than proper bedding cover for whitetails. This can vary in different areas, crop country bedding is often different from timber country bedding. However, the best quality bedding cover in every neighborhood is going to consistently hold deer. If your property needs help, consider increasing bedding area opportunities. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Everyone of us has been there, that moment when your hunting and the cold sets in and you can't take it anymore. The hand warmers, constant wiggling of toes, stretching of arms and legs, just aren't enough to make you stay any longer. Hunting during the late season often presents these types of scenarios. The question becomes, what do you do to stay warm?

Gone are the days of jersey knit gloves, uninsulated boots, 3 flannel shirts, and holey long johns to stay warm. Clothing has evolved over a short period of time as well as the science behind the layering systems. Keeping warm these days just isn't as hard as it use to be.

During this podcast, we swap old stories of the days you struggled to stay warm as an unprepared novice hunter. We also cover the techniques we have now adapted to stay warm when the mercury drops and the deer are on their feet. Let's hear from you though! Share with us your methods of how you stay warm during late season, leave a comment on our social media pages! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this week's podcast we sit down with Tyler Ross a native of North Carolina. Tyler shares his story of how his connection with the land through reading as a young kid has now lead him to work with landowners on a daily basis. Tyler provides education and offers cost-share programs to landowners that improve soil, air, and water quality in western North Carolina.

Of course, we touch base with several land agents this week from across the mid-west to hear what their land listings can do! Be sure to sit back and daydream of rolling hills and bubbling springs. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Agent Name: Evan Lawler

Location: Huggins, MO

Listing Link: www.mossyoakproperties.com/land/39677

Listing Price: $579,000

Agent Website: www.mossyoakproperties.com/agent/elawler

Contact Information: cell 417-353-9057, office 417-934-5263, elawler@mossyoakproperties.com

Agent Name: Cody Weeks

Location: West Plains, MO on the North Fork River

Listing Link: http://codyweeks.org/search/West-Plains/Missouri/Ranch-Trail-Rides-River-Frontage-for-Sale-in-Missouri/979322

Interactive Map Link (w/ boundaries): https://mapright.com/ranching/maps/f8246a26b0afaf0455a5818c6a6106b6/share

Listing Price: $2,300,000

Agent Website: codyweeks.org

Contact Information: cody.weeks@riverwaysrealty.com or 417-255-3801

Agent Name: Matt Dye

Location: Wasola, MO

Listing Link: http://www.ucridgewayrealestate.com/search/ranches/missouri/ozark/southern-missouri-cattle-ranch-for-sale/978647

Interactive Map Link (w/ boundaries): https://mapright.com/ranching/maps/d083ece9a522a35ac989a25af6e19f59/share

Listing Price: $1,699,900

Contact Information: matt@landandlegacy.tv or 540-419-7547

Welcome Land Lovers to the first For Love of the Land podcast by Land & Legacy. Our newest podcast is devoted to all things land. From buying land to farming land and everything in between. Each week we will be bringing on guests from across the country that shares our passion for land. These folks will be sharing their connection to the land and how they intend to pass along a legacy with it.

In addition, each week, we will be interviewing land agents from across the country. These agents get air time to share with us some of their top listings from across America. There is always something to learn about each property and the region of the country that they work in. Even if you are not in the market for new land, this podcast is the resource and authority for all things land.

We hope you enjoy the first podcast and share it with others who have the same passion as we do. If you are a land agent or want to know more about any of the listing you heard this week, contact us at info@landandlegacy.tv. We appreciate you supporting us by leaving a review. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Agent Name: Ben Harshyne

Location: Southeast Iowa

Listing Link: https://www.whitetailproperties.com/hunting-land/iowa/van-buren/secluded-turn-key-hunting-and-recreational-farm-with-house-in-southeast-ia

Interactive Map Link (w/ boundaries):

Listing Price: $880,000

Agent Website: https://www.whitetailproperties.com/agents/ben-harshyne1

Contact Information: 319-853-1162, ben.harshyne@whitetailproperties.com

Agent Name: Brian Peck

Location: Webster Co., Missouri

Listing Link:https://www.mossyoakproperties.com/land/42065

Listing Price: $799,000

Contact Info: bpeck@mossyoakproperties.com, (417) 839-7708

Agent Name: Caleb M Davis

Location: Republic Co. Kansas

Listing Link: https://www.mossyoakproperties.com/land/39091

Interactive Map Link (w/ boundaries): https://app.terrastridepro.com/property/38134/map?referer=iframe

Listing Price: 1,067,600

Agent Website: http://mopdirtsales.com/agents/single/cdavismossyoakproperties.com/cdavis@mossyoakproperties.com

Contact Information: 785-447-1694 – cdavis@mossyoakproperties.com

Agent Name: Nick Skinner

Location: 1.5 Miles Northwest of Lacona Iowa or 40 minutes from the Des Moines Iowa metro

Listing Link: https://iowalandcompany.com/warren-county-iowa-77-acres-farmland-for-sale/

Interactive Map Link (w/ boundaries): https://mapright.com/ranching/maps/76049757052379b9e5c7de8273fe1d35/embed

Listing Price: $368,000

Agent Website: https://iowalandcompany.com/

Contact Information: 515-650-0974, nick@iowalandcompany.com

Every hunter tunes into the weather station forecast and watches it like a hawk from September through January. As weather forecasters predict weather fronts, hunters do their best to predict deer movements. There are certain times when weather patterns or variables all align and it seems like every deer in the woods begin to move.

During the late hunting season, weather variables play a huge roll in success. Every region of the country has different weather patterns that get deer on their feet. However, there are certain changes that no matter where you are located will result in deer moving to feed. This week, Chad Keith joins us to break down the ideal weather conditions for hunting during the late season.

We share stories of success based on certain weather fronts and variables like temperature, barometric pressure, wind, clarity, and much more. As you listen to the podcast, be sure to take notes on the ideal conditions for hunting during the late season. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

We've thought long and hard about the terms and phrases hunters and land managers often use. Some phrases make sense, while others make you question the origins or science behind those words. On this week's podcast, we On this week's podcast, we discuss the science behind the term "culling".

The term culling has been used in many different applications in land management, from culling bucks to culling undesirable trees. However, no matter the application there is strong science behind that term that is incredibly important to understand prior to using it. Due to it's more complex nature, we do get a little scientific at first to lay a foundation of culling that we can all understand and work through.

After the foundation is laid, we provide countless examples of why we should be very careful with the decisions we make as we manage and "cull" species. As you will find out and learn, the environment has a huge impact on the expression of genes or genetics, so you don't always see the true genetic potential is expressed. What may seem as an inferior species may simply be in an environment that is not conducive to express more genetic potential. Be prepared, this podcast will make you think critically! It will also shape your understanding and perspective of management decisions! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

As the number of hunters continues to drop, organizations like the Quality Deer Management Association are stepping up in their efforts to turn that statistic around. Matt Ross the Assistant Director of Conservation for QDMA also answered the call by taking a lifelong friend named Andy hunting this fall.

One common misunderstanding when it comes to recruiting new hunters is the fact that youth hunters are the only ones we should be recruiting. Andy is a perfect example of a grown man who has always desired to become a hunter, but just needed a mentor.

Matt Ross was not only a hunting mentor as Andy harvested two deer during New York's opening day of firearm's season but a post-harvest mentor as well. Andy was truly excited about learning how to process venison making meals for his family. In addition, QDMA has stepped up and begun a Field to Fork program introducing nonhunters to the sport. A large part of the program educates these folks on how to process, prepare, and cook venison. We hope you enjoy the podcast and get out there introducing new hunters to the sport just as Matt Ross and QDMA has done! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this week's podcast we took the opportunity to interact live with social media followers of Land & Legacy to answer questions directly on the podcast. We love any interaction with podcast listeners, so this was a chance hear from you.

During the podcast, we cover any and every topic thrown our way! Questions range from proper management strategy of old field management to thoughts on the second rut, all the way down to what food sources a hunter should be looking for on public land in Arkansas during the late season.

We will be doing more Q&A events in the future so be sure to follow along on our social media outlets. Thanks for all those who chimed in! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

For the past several weeks we have been discussing in detail the whitetail rut and how whitetails use different habitat features throughout each phase. These podcasts provide all the necessary encouragement to get each and every landowner out this winter working to improve the habitat. If you want to hunt the rut successfully each year, take a listen to learn about whitetails and apply these simple techniques to the land you hunt.

During this week's podcast, we cover the post-rut phase! Whitetails have been going nonstop for roughly a month now seeking out receptive does. As this intense movement begins to slow, a return to normal bed to food patterns emerge on trail cameras. In addition, temperatures steadily drop and food demands increase as does time in the sun. What that means is bedding areas on southern exposures.

Here comes the secret in the design and layout of a property. The demands for whitetails changes with each season or stage of the hunting season. With the switch to high-quality food resources, proper planning during the spring months pay off now. Greens and grains in the same food plot spell consistency in deer movements during this time of the year. Download this week's podcast to learn how we prepare properties for the post-rut phase. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Our good friend and Land & Legacy team member Seth Harker joins us for a mid-season update this week. Seth Harker is a proven whitetail hunter, especially in Southwestern Missouri. Over the years, Seth has worked on developing a property for a nonresident landowner. His devotion to land stewardship, habitat management, and whitetails pays off for him each hunting season.

This year, Seth had his sights set on a buck he called Snoop. Seth's first encounter with this buck came years prior when the young buck entered the food plot with his target buck of that time. Since then he identified him as a buck to follow and watch closely. The yearly study of habits began. For two seasons now Seth has watched and documented this buck closely. Each season revealed consistencies in his travel, bedding, and feeding patterns.

These consistencies ultimately lead to Snoop's demise! In this podcast, Seth recalls from hunts this season, including a miss with a bow, that lead to him successfully tagging Snoop, a 146+ inch 10-pointer. This buck is a great example of how consistent devotion to learning a property and it's natural resources can lead to successfully harvesting hit list bucks.

Welcome to the rut! The highs and lows of many hunter's seasons are created during this time period. Action can be hot or dreadfully slow and it can change from one to the other in a matter of seconds. These highs and lows often force hunters during mid-November to question their own sanity and skill level. Hunting buddies are exchanging pictures of great bucks being harvested, while you can be left feeling lonely in the woods hoping to lay eyes on a deer bigger than a spike. This is the lock-down phase, when most does are in estrous and a buck wouldn't dream of leaving her side.

As frustrating as this time period is, there are 5 signs to look for when you are hunting during mid- November. In this podcast, we review the signs, often times you can observe deer in random locations, small woodlots, middle of ag-fields, road ditches, etc.. Another key sign to look for to better understand what part of the rut you are in is to observe fawns, are they alone wandering aimlessly? These are just a few of the signs that will help indicate to hunters the stages of the rut.

As with any podcast, we provide you with key habitat management tips to implement on your property. These tips will increase the consistency of deer sightings and hunting opportunities in the seasons to come even during the difficult times to hunt. Our goal is to provide you with tips to managing the land so that every portion of the fall even lock-down phase is a quality hunting experience. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Last week we threw it back old school to stories of deer camp and traditions we both had coming up as young hunters in our respective families and regions of the country. This week as firearms season for deer has opened up in several states recently, it is only right if we share some of our best firearms hunting memories.

Growing up in different portions of the country allowed for different hunting regulations for Matt and Adam. This translates to stories of success hunting whitetails with vastly different techniques. These different techniques are ones to surely make you laugh and recall your own stories of being a young deer hunter.

In addition to the stories, we review ideal rifle hunting scenarios. What habitat features would be like, what the view would include or exclude, the time of the year, etc.. Some hunters may view hunting with a firearm easy or cheap, however, it is simply another tool used to be successful. A distinct strategy can be deployed while hunting with a rifle that drastically increases the opportunities for success. Download and listen to get the leg up on local rifle hunters! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

If we had one hunt left in our lifetime, I'd request to hunt a treestand on the downwind side of the bedding area thicket I had created years prior during the second week of November. This would be an obvious choice! Hold on to your seat, cause this podcast may change your strategy of hunting during the rut.

Deer, both bucks and does, seek cover during the rut. These areas offer protection for does as bucks are relentlessly seeking out receptive does. Naturally, does will find the areas of cover and hide out. The second natural step to this is that bucks will inevitably come and scent check these areas searching for does during daylight hours. This game of hide and seek for whitetails has been a yearly occurrence since their creation. So, as hunters, we can use this to our advantage as this is a weakness in the armor of mature bucks.

Countless times, from Kansas to Virginia, we've made observations of this activity as well as capitalized on these movements around areas of bedding cover. If you want the advantage during the rut or want more consistency out of the rut, then create bedding area thickets. Learn how to hunt them by downloading this podcast. Be sure to send us your harvest photos! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

If there was just one habitat technique that we could recommend or do on every property, it would be to create bedding area thickets for whitetails. The significance, impact, and huntability of these areas are dynamic, especially in areas with poor bedding cover. As we get closer and closer to peak breeding season, the emphasis from every hunter should switch to hunting areas of cover, the biology of the whitetail through countless research projects tell us so!

In this week's podcast we jump full force into how as land managers, we can create bedding areas in the timber as well as converting open fields to bedding areas. We discuss different techniques like using chainsaws and herbicide, or a skid steer with a forestry mulcher, or simply a hatchet and herbicide. The importance in creating bedding area thickets in the timber to hunt during the rut is to manage for sunshine. The sunlight will spark new growth adding the proper structure, vegetation, cover, and security for bedding cover.

When converting agriculture fields or existing pasture fields into cover, there are different steps to take! Herbicide plays a large role in this, but letting succession runs its course, a land manager/hunter can have high-quality cover in a short amount of time. Be sure to download the Hunting podcast on bedding area thickets as we share countless stories of the success we've experienced around bedding area thickets while hunting the rut! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

In our Habitat focused podcast, we discussed this week how to improve the habitat around bottlenecks to make them better. As hunters, we know that as deer activity increases, we to take to the woods this time of the year in search of pinch points, funnels, and bottlenecks. The increase in daylight movement from shooter bucks drives us to keep hunting these funnels.

When we as hunters begin to learn the why and how of whitetails, making stand selections throughout a given season becomes much easier. There may be more information to sort through, but what drives whitetail bucks to move is simple. They are repetitive, completing similar routes, using the terrain and habitat features in certain ways year after year survive and reproduce successfully. Once we know these routes and can read the temperature of the local deer herd, we know when our time to strike will be.

In this week's podcast, we discuss how to successfully hunt bottlenecks and why as hunters deer are using them as much as they are. Research proves big bucks are on their feet, time to put the odds of punching a tag in your favor. Hunt the bottlenecks! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

The time of the year that we all dream about it here. Pre-rut activity is ramping up across the country. Even nonhunters like motorist take notice of this spike in activity. They notice certain areas in their commute that always have deer crossing the road. They may not refer to these areas as a bottleneck, but us hunters are aware of these funnels.

With deer on their feet and moving like crazy, it is imperative for hunters to spend their time hunting the pre-rut and using bottlenecks to their advantage. A few podcasts ago, we discussed how to identify bottlenecks. Now that we know they are significant especially during late October and early November, the question becomes, how do we make them better to bow hunt?

Not only do we want these areas to funnel deer, but we want them to funnel deer routinely and consistently. The most important factor in having successful bottlenecks is that highly desirable resources are on either side of that bottleneck. Without those present, the area will experience only limited traffic. In this podcast, we share our recommendations and techniques with you on how to create high-value resources to complement the bottleneck, ultimately producing Grand Central Station for whitetails on your property.

Be sure to head over to the hunting podcast for Part 2 of bottlenecks where we discuss the hunting strategy revolved around bottlenecks. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Life is funny how it allows you to cross paths with folks who hold similar values and interests. Two years ago we met Blake Hamilton, owner of Nature's Eye Consulting at the QDMA National Convention. Immediately, we identified Blake as an individual who we wanted talk hunting stories with! He is link-minded and loves everything land management, just like us!

It may seem odd that we have linked arms with what some may view as a competitor, another land and wildlife consultant. Blake couldn't be further from that! Beyond a colleague working in a similar field, Blake Hamilton and the rest of the team at Nature's Eye are all friends of Land and Legacy.

On a recent trip to meet and brainstorm with Blake, we sat down to record a podcast full of truth-bombs. Within minutes, any routine listener can quickly learn why we get along so well with Blake. Our goal with this podcast is to prove that two groups working in the outdoor space can unite and work together in the name of conservation. You will hear of new ways to enjoy land, manage it, and recreate on it. If you love land like us, this podcast is for you! We hope you enjoy, as this is as real and authentic as they come! Be sure to follow with Nature's Eye on Facebook and Instagram, they are doing some incredible things! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

In this hunting podcast, we discuss scrapes! We are entering peak scraping activity as late October is just around the corner. Before the pre-rut window opens around Halloween, scraping activity will be at it's highest of the season. Scrapes are simply communication points where deer exchange specific identification markers from various glands. This allows other deer who visit scrapes the opportunity to identify it's previous visitors.

As hunters, scrapes equal awesome opportunities to document what deer are frequenting the area. Much research has been devoted to understanding scraping activity within the whitetail world. Several studies show a large percentage of deer activity on scrapes occurs during hours of darkness. This doesn't support great chances for harvesting deer over scrapes on a routine basis. But, don't worry, we cover the who, what, when, how, and why of hunting scrapes!

Get ready, the best hunting opportunities are just around the corner, prepare yourself with the right intel, place trail cameras over active scrapes, you just never, know what may show! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Even after years of continued development, tweaking, and perfecting food plots, we still force ourselves to learn and grow through each growing season. If we continue to learn, we can perfect our methods and increase the chances of growing successful food plots each year. This week, we take a look back over the food plot season to openly discuss failures and successes. We recap the lessons learned regarding the Heritage Blend. What were its strengths and weaknesses? Knowing this will allow us to better understand it as a tool and better use it the future. In addition, we also highlight the Wild Gamechanger Soybeans from Stratton Seed. This forage type variety soybean is as tough as they come. We experienced this summer, dry spells, browse pressure, and still tons of high-quality forage consumed. It doesn't end there, at this time of the year these browsed beans are full of pods, which will provide incredible food during the hunting season. To say the least, we were very impressed.

Evaluating the success of the blends is important, but understanding the ways we can produce the desired results is just as critical. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of no-till drilling as well as broadcasting to establish fall food plots. With weather like we have experienced this fall, broadcasting seed has been fantastic, however, there is a catch! Be sure to download this week's podcast on everything food plots in 2018 to learn all that it taught us! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

If there is one tip every bowhunter can relate to at one time of the year or another is the need for staying mobile with treestand setups. This season has presented certain challenges that result in hunters in our region to become mobile bowhunters. Permanent stands in old faithful locations, just don't have the same success as they do in years without as many acorns. Never have we seen a year with this many white oak acorns, it can be almost seen as a plague to the ill-prepared hunter.

In this week's podcast, we re-tell the story of a recent successful hunting trip where Matt harvests a doe. Several tactics and observations over the past few weeks culminated to harvesting this doe. It seems silly to discuss strategy and technique revolving around a simple hunt to put meat in the freezer, however, these same tactics could easily result in buck harvests as well. We aren't picky and this doe presented a great opportunity, so we capitalized and made the most out of the recent cold front.

Take these tactics to heart and apply them to your current outings in the deer woods. We can share in the success and enjoy venison backstraps! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This week, we dial it back to land discussions! If we were honest with ourselves, we can all admit we want to own or invest in hunting land during our lives. Knowing how to get the most out of the land is an important factor in this process. Therefore, this week, we discuss the 5 best ways to increase the value of your hunting land. The five topics covered are all important to improve so the value of the resources increase and the ways to recreate on the property multiplies. If time and energy are focused on things like developing a road system, following a habitat management plan, improving live water features, and creating ROI or returns on investments then property values will increase!

If you know of someone looking to purchase or sell a hunting property, be sure to share this valuable information with them! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

They can be a blessing and a curse. The staple they provide for animals preparing for winter is essential. This hard mast is the future forest! How can something so good, cause so many troubles for hunters! This year, white oak acorns are everywhere in our area. In a matter of a few days, patternable bucks have seemed to vanish. The irregular feeding patterns cause hunters each fall to pull their hair out until they change their tactics! This week we discuss some of the ways we will alter our hunting approach now that the white oak acorns have dropped. With food everywhere, it is time to narrow our focus and hunt closer to the bedroom. Be sure to follow along as we share our secrets to hunting in these conditions. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this week's podcast, we break down for you the common mistakes we see made during the early portions of hunting season. As many of us know from experience these mistakes can be costly and ruin chances for the remainder of the season! Avoiding these bowhunting pitfalls will help increase your odds of success down the road. We discuss topics like blowing out food sources, hunting acorns before they drop, food plot failures, not killing antlerless deer early, missing cold fronts, forgetting thermacells and much more.

Download and share with your hunting buddies so they can avoid the mistakes that so many bowhunters make during this time each year. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this week's hunting podcast, it is all about hunting small properties, 40 acres and under! These properties can dynamite or just a bust depending on your approach as a hunter. Our experience has shown us that a skilled and knowledgeable woodsman can successfully get it done yearly on small acreage if the hunting approach is dialed in. We run through this topic with a fine tooth comb, sharing various tips, approaches, and techniques to adopt when hunting small properties. Don't overlook or underestimate these parcels, by following the steps we laid out, you can find hunting success on small tracts too. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this week's podcast, we scratch the surface on the complexity of Creation. More specifically, we discuss how nongame species like songbirds and butterflies should change the way we manage our land. We are more than just deer hunters, we need to take a stand on education to better understand the vast diversity within the land we manage. You will learn how nongame species help develop grants to increase habitat work that benefit game and nongame species. Plus, we share the coolest facts about these critters to show they are just as important as well as complex as whitetail deer and the wild turkey.

We hope you enjoy this podcast and join us in the pursuit of managing lands for the benefit of game and nongame species. It's our right, responsibility, and most importantly a privilege! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this week's Land & Legacy hunting podcast, we take time to sit down with Chad Keith, Adam's older brother to discuss a recent trip west to Colorado on a DIY elk hunt. This was not only Chad's second trip but his second successful trip at tagging a bull elk.

He shares with us some key techniques he uses in the midwest and out west when calling in game. His elk hunting theology is sound and he keeps his approach simple. This combination and his determination continue to put elk meat in the freezer. If you have ever dreamed of going west, but are intimidated to take on the adventure, this podcast will provide you with the fuel to pursue the hunt. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this Land & Legacy podcast, This is a podcast that has been in the making for several months! During this week's, we discuss the common red flags that alert us on property listings. As hunters looking for every edge, we can often fall victim to marketing schemes. This podcast is devoted to making you, the potential buyer, aware of what to look for and be cautious of when buying a hunting property. Titles like "Big Buck Paradise", outdated trail camera images, phrases liken "not been hunted for "X" years", "property has been managed for "X" years, and many more commonly used phrases.

As real estate agents and land consultants, we can navigate and see past this to make necessary recommendations for the buyer. Beware of these phrases and what they truly mean! If you have any questions, please reach out to us. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this episode of the Land & Legacy podcast, Adam and Matt discuss their plan of attack on hunting early season bucks and preparing for the hunting season. The y also discuss early season hunting gear to keep you cool.

Ok, here it is! Over the years we've all heard phrases like "I'm going to take him out of the gene pool" or "I don't want him to spread his genes any longer" perhaps even, "he maybe 2.5, but he is just a cull buck" It's time to put this thought process to rest and prepare for realistic harvest objectives for this coming year. The question is, can hunters positively influence the antler growth by shooting inferior bucks? The answer is simple, NO! We share three very simple principles as to why this is not possible.

In addition, we discuss how to make your time in the treestand even more productive. It's simple, observe! We break down what it is you should be looking for to fins patterns from deer this fall to help make management decisions after hunting season. Take time this fall to watch and learn from your deer herd. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

In a matter of a few weeks, we will be setting the GPS to take us west for a spot and stalk Mule Deer/Whitetail hunt. With any travel hunt comes preparations with your gear, health, shooting, and food. This week discuss what our preparations cover and how we are mentally preparing for the western spot and stalk style of hunting. From shooting a bow to what kind of shoes we will be wearing we discuss it all. Hopefully, we will be sharing some harvest photos soon! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This podcast's focus is an outlook on the whitetail season with our friend and Land & Legacy contributor Seth Harker. Seth is a whitetail freak. He is constantly managing his farm, taking inventory, and learning his local deer herd. Over the past few years, a buck he calls Snoop Dawg has caught his eye. We take time to discuss his plans on how to harvest this deer. There are several other deer on the radar as well, but one of the big plans for this fall on his property is to lower the antlerless deer population. He currently has too many deer to feed and needs to lower the deer numbers.

In addition to lowering deer numbers, we discuss the topic of "bully bucks". These bucks have a bad attitude, running other bucks off regardless of age or antler size. Seth has watched this over the years take place. Knowing this, there are plans to remove some of the mature bullies and see how the remaining deer herd reacts! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

You may be wondering what does monoculture mindset management mean? This is a big title to simply discuss the flaws and long-term failures behind having a mindset with one focus as we prepare for hunting season. The bulk of this podcast is devoted to discussing what the future holds when hunters and land managers focus all season long on one specific buck. This seems harmless, but down the road, this focus or mindset can change the whitetail herd dynamics. Does are passed continuously and the dynamics of the population can rapidly change, stress levels increase within the herd and antler sizes decrease.

As hunters preparing for the hunting season our goals should be broader than just focusing on one deer. Today shape your mindset to look at the overall herd in the area. Focus on harvest goals with greater influence than just continuing to focus time on a single buck! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Warning: Authentic Conversation is about to be heard! There are no notes, no plans, just real campfire talk with wildlife artist and hunter Ryan Kirby! After recently touring Ryan Kirby's new farm in Illinois. We took time to sit down with him and discuss how his talent of bringing to life wildlife with brush strokes on canvas and hunting are so closely related for him. Ryan is a die-hard hunter from the state of Illinois. He grew up in a family of hunters and utilized his art skills and instinctual passion for the outdoors to grow his business. He is now a father who shares his passion for the outdoors with this son Rhett. It is evident that one day the very property we walked and consulted on will be a place that will shape Rhett into a wise hunter, land manager, and conservationist.

We hope you enjoy this campfire session podcast with Ryan Kirby! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

link: https://www.ryankirbyart.com

Have you ever dreamed of the opportunity to own your own hunting property? Often times 40 acres isn't given enough credit for the offering great deer hunting opportunities. Wildlife Artist, Ryan Kirby just bought his first property near his childhood hometown in IL. We had the privilege of walking the hunting property with Ryan recently to offer our suggestions on how to hunt and improve the habitat.

We highlight and discuss 11 different points throughout the property. This property breakdown includes key points like food plots, bedding areas, travel corridors, stand access, pinch points, and terrain features. All of these points are considered when we make these suggestions turning a good 40-acre travel corridor into a dynamite 40-acre hunting tract offering long-term success and attraction. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

A new concept for deer hunters! This week we interview Springfield, Mo natives with Quest Hunt Co. Phil, Brian, and Jeff all developed the first nationwide whitetail deer hunting tournament. This interview is based around all of the tournament rules and regulations as well as the prize packages for each team in their state. This unique tournament format is designed to bring hunters together from across the county. Hunting heritage and unity are at the center of the design.

If interested in learning more about how to join this tournament series, click here! We hope that you can hear the passion of hunting, whitetails, and hunters as we interview this creative group of hunters. Enjoy.Learn.Share!

This podcast quickly rose to the top as one of our favorites as we interviewed Justin Adams of Pure Air Natives. Over the last few months, we have been developing native seeds blends with Pure Air Natives, a custom native seed dealer. We've done this for several reasons, but most importantly is to solve common problems and provide long-term solutions for hunters and land managers.

This summer we assisted Pure Air Natives in developing a whitetail deer bedding blend, a screening blend, and an edge blend. Each species included in these blends were hand selected based on their ability to contribute to the goals for the blend, whether that be cover, height, forage, or structure. Be sure to listen closely and take advantage of the benefits fo planting or restoring natives on your property. Enjoy.Share.Listen! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this podcast, we review our fourth film of the year! Even though we aren't hunting in this film, it's our favorite film so far. Just like everyone else, we are building anticipation for the fall by assembling a Redneck Blind, inventorying hitlist bucks with DeerLab, scouting out the timber harvest, as well as spending time with family and friends fishing on a local Missouri river. This film embodies summertime in Missouri for us here at Land & Legacy. So, be sure to watch the film and check out the behind the scene details in this week's podcast.

In addition, we cover QDMA Module #6, the much anticipated, Whitetail Rut. As always this module was jammed packed full of incredible information. Researchers have paved the way for hunters like us to better setup and manage habitat that will directly result in more filled deer tags if we apply that knowledge. Be sure to listen and follow along to increase your odds of bringing home a target buck during the rut this year! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

lwww.redneckblinds.com

www.deerlab.com/land

www.qdma.com/landandlegacy

Last week we covered the dream conditions for early bow season hunting action. This week we continue down the line and discuss the myths and proper strategy to stay successful while hunting the so-called "October Lull". We know from research, that this is just a myth, deer, still move during this time frame, but hunting observations tend to plummet. Just like the deer, conditions alter when and how they move, therefore, weather conditions should alter when, where, and if you even hunt at all.

We review the prime weather conditions and patterns we look for from late September leading up to pre-rut hunting in the last part of October. Looking for similar conditions and cold fronts in your area can yield the same results that we've had during this time. Don't be afraid to sit at home and be patient, waiting for the right time to strike! Enjoy. Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

It's hard to believe but fall food plot time is rapidly approaching for many whitetail hunters and land managers across the country. Most will admit this pre-season ritual is the final nail in the coffin for preparations before bow season opens. Thousands of food plot acres will be planted this fall, some will be successful while some fail. Others will only provide temporary attraction while others will provide high-quality forage for many months.

This week we cover the Food Plot QDMA Module as well as introduce several new seed blends from Stratton Seed Company. We go all in and discuss why each seed variety is apart of each blend. Every blend achieves a different goal and provides options for forages. Be sure to choose the right forage for your situation. Understand what the area is lacking and base your decision from there. Best of luck during the fall food plot window! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

With the hunting season rapidly approaching and bucks routinely showing up on camera, it's hard not to begin imagining how the first hunts of the fall may take place. Anticipation is building, therefore, strategy development begins as well.

Bowhunting during the early season can be a perfect time of the year to capitalize and tag a great buck. This week we cover the basics in planning a bulletproof early season bowhunting setup. We discuss, food sources, stand locations, humidity, wind speeds, bedding areas, and transition zones. Be sure to listen closely to understand the most important of those discussion topics! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This podcast maybe one of our favorites to date! We sit down with several staff members, branch officers, and first-time attendees to the QDMA National Convention. This event was a blast! We met with hundreds of whitetail deer hunters from across the country. Top researchers, habitat managers, and hunters all came together and presented the newest findings in everything whitetail deer.

As we sat down with various folks at the convention we discussed topics like hunter recruitment numbers, whitetail research, QDMA cooperatives, and how some two Primos Employees got their start! As you will be able to tell, the conversation is real, unaltered, casual, and entertaining. Our challenge this week is to share this podcast with any hunter who is not already a member of QDMA. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

If we look at the origins from many great inventions over time, the beginnings can be drawn directly back to necessity. The origins of DeerLab are no different. Jon Livingston the co-owner of DeerLab sits down with us this week to discuss why DeerLab got started. As a new hunter just 7 years ago, Jon quickly learned that trail camera images offered more than just a picture of a buck. Jon wanted to create a software that could sort, analyze, and categorize trail camera images efficiently, so he made it!

After learning how this successful software got started, we turn to its future and the innovations that are to come with DeerLab. If you have yet to experience DeerLab, be sure to use the free trial at www.deerlab.com/land Get the most from your trail camera images! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

It's that time of the summer when the heat really sets in. It's been dry on top of all the heat, so we put the Heritage Blend and Stratton Soybean to the test. In the discussion, we get real with the value of the native vegetation within the timber harvest under these stressful growing conditions. On top of this, we have a heart to heart about the value of weeds in food plots. Yes, you heard right!

Staying consistent with the QDMA Modules, we cover #4 this week as well. Fawns are always a hot topic. The research and hardcore science devoted to understanding fawns can be overwhelming, however, break it down into digestible nuggets. The first note we discuss gets a little controversial, so be prepared! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Well, summer scouting has officially started. The trail cameras are out and starting to capture some great bucks. Since we've gone ahead and removed all mineral from camera sites, we review some of the ways we've successfully gotten a few of the hit listers already documented this summer.

Once we've reviewed and identified the hit listers, it's time to add them into DeerLab. Since we have history with some of these bucks from last year, we can begin to strategize ways to successfully hunt them this fall. Hopefully, you can pick up some techniques and ideas on ways to develop a plan on harvesting the buck you have your eye on this year. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Often times this can be the most misleading shot placement. Even with a behind the shoulder, mid-level body cavity shot, an arrow can hit and take out a single lung. This sounds like a great thing, but the resilence of deer turns this shot from an easy track job to an unrecovered deer. Blood trailing at first may seem great, however after the blood begins to slow down, it's time to back out.

If you suspect a one lung hit, we walk you through the steps to fully recover that animal. Prepare for this fall and learn how to become a better woodsman, before and after the shot. Be cautious, take your time, and be patient! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This topic is a constant brain scratcher for most hunters. We spent countless hours a season attempting to fully understand and predict specific deer movements and patterns only to be fooled. During this podcast, we cover the 3rd QDMA module Deer Home Ranges and Movement Patterns. Hands down this is the best module to date. It was so good we spend a full hour discussing home ranges of bucks and how science has made us better hunters.

We cover topics including, home range, core area, site fidelity, focal points, security cover, hunting pressure and much more. If you are like us and wonder what deer do daily, then this podcast is for you. As always, we debunk several myths regarding buck movements as the GPS collars speak for themselves. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

QDMA Module #2 is in review this week, it's all about antlers! We discuss at length many of the crazy characteristics with whitetail antlers including age, nutrition, and genetics. These amazingly unique features grow in just a few months time, shed velvet, display dominance, and then shed completely within one year. In addition, we share how science debunks several of the common myths that float around many hunting camps.

Many times the summer months are often overlooked in the productivity and quality of work that can be completed on a property. Matt and Adam share several habitat management tips that can be accomplished during the summer months. These hot and occasionally dry months are a great time to be monitoring past habitat projects while improving soil management and fertility. Don't miss this podcast, there are tons of great insights! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

We've all done it, been there, lived it, regretted it, and put it behind us. However, did you learn from it? Did you turn that negative energy into positive energy and become a better shot? This week we share the full stories behind the most prominent miss we've each experienced in the field. However, we share the steps we took after that miss to put it behind us as well. No doubt more misses will greet us down road, but we can stomach them better now! Share with your buddy who misses every season! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this podcast, we review the first of 8 QDMA Online Modules, based on aging deer. This knowledge will drastically change the way hunt, analyze trail images, document deer, record harvest information, and share deer images with neighbors. The knowledge gained from this module will enable you to become an ever better herd manager. At the end of the module, we are confident that anyone will be able to accurately estimate deer on the hoof and post-harvest by analyzing tooth wear and replacement. This is valuable skill!

In addition to this, we spend the rest of the time in an open discussion with podcast listeners and social media followers "would you rather" scenarios. We take each one and break down the how and why of each topic. We don't always agree which makes for great conversation! Follow along to see how you would handle each hunting or habitat management situation. Enjoy.Learn.Share #ForLoveoftheLand

www.qdma.com/landandlegacy

If you are taking the easiest route to and from your treestand, you are likely hurting your chances more than helping." How easy is it for you to walk the field edge or ridgeline into the perfect hunting location? We've all done it and been caught red-handed as deer bound off in the darkness.

Now is the time of the year when you make the most of each sit during the hunting season. Plan your routes accordingly! Scout your entry and exit routes, use the terrain to your advantage and avoid being skylined. Some routes may take longer, but isn't it worth your time to preserve that great stand location rather than alert deer your entire way to it? Follow along as we share some tips and techniques we use to make our access to stand locations picture perfect. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

We've made a change, will you? With recent changes and developments in CWD research, things are changing and changing fast. Penn State recently released information that confirms CWD prions were found in active bait sites, 9 of 11 actually. This staggering information should raise red flags and result in a change in management and mineral placement regardless if your state regulations have changed yet.

This podcast is not to argue if CWD is real or a "conspiracy", rather provide you with alternative ways to inventory your deer herd when regulations regarding baiting and mineral/salt blocks become illegal in your area. With that, we provide our insight on how and where to place trail cameras to document and inventory the local deer herd. Ready or not, things are changing and you will want to be in front of the curve rather than behind! Enjoy.Share.Learn!

Yes, we went there! This is without a doubt a highly debated topic among bow hunters. We've all been there and missed chip shots cause the deer seemed to "jump the string". After years of filming countless deer hunts and studying footage both successful and unsuccessful shots, we've got the answer. Luckily for you, it doesn't require any more practice or the purchase of new equipment, simply an awareness of a deer's body posture will make you more successful. We provide you with the shoot and don't shoot situations.

Since discovering this, misses from deer jumping the string have been removed from our hunting situations. Consider the advice and save yourself the frustration of dulling broadheads, breaking arrows, and using "naughty" words after an easy bow shot!

Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Beyond the review of our third film this year, we have got some exciting announcements to make! First off, we have an opportunity to work alongside you as we cover the 8 QDMA Online Modules during the podcast! Yes, there will be a special code for Land & Legacy listeners to use. Adam and Matt will be reviewing the course material each week then discussing the hot topics and sharing how to use that information to improve your skills as a hunter and land manager. We will share more from this awesome opportunity on Facebook and Instagram throughout the next few weeks. Be sure to follow along with us on each Module!

We also share with you one of our favorite apps to use! It's called INaturalist. Be sure to download it to help you identify plants and other critters while in the field. No more guessing what each plant is, take a photo and know in a short amount of time! A super handy tool when you are learning and documenting your property.

Film 3- "The Revival" was a blast to create! Some of the main highlights included the food plotting strategy we used on a small hunting tract. We planted both the GameChanger Soybean and the Heritage Blend in a design that compliments and enhances the natural travel patterns of deer using that farm. We also cover the topic of government programs used to improve habitat on the Prairie Hollow Property. We discuss how and why we got money in our pockets to clear 6.5 acres for food plots, cut cedars, and create bedding areas! Don't miss out on this busy podcast! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

On this week's hunting podcast, we cover the "how-to" successfully use the Redneck Soft-Sided Camo/Ghillie Deluxe Blinds in various hunting scenarios. This hybrid blind has proven to be an effective tool in our arsenal over the past few years. From early season bow hunting to late muzzleloader season and even the quick spur the moment hunts, this blind has covered the basis. Some of the key features that make this blind versatile in these many situations include the vertical and horizontal window design, steel frame, water-resistant cover, brush in straps, and ability to sit on the ground, mount to a trailer/sled, or even a 5 or 15 ft. tower. Follow along to see how each one of these features plays a role in making successful and comfortable memories in the field. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

We throw it back to old faithful, property evaluations! This week, we break down a 130-acre property in southwest Michigan. This state is known for its high deer hunter numbers, strong hunting heritage, and large QDM co-ops. With these different aspects all influencing the herd health, habitat, food plots, and hunting success, the discussion throughout the podcast gets deep. This landowner has a strong work ethic that will propel him to succeed with the recommendations we offer. We discuss things like, food plot strategy, woody browse, timber management, thermal cover, harsh winters, invasive species control, and reducing antlerless deer numbers. There are lots of great points to take away and apply to your own property no matter its location. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This is a special podcast this week. We've had a client send in a trail camera video of a fascinating encounter with a bobcat and a rabbit. You know the outcome, the bobcat wins! You can check out the clip on our Facebook page. Many important points can be made about this encounter that was caught on trail camera. By now, we all know that if one thing changes in the ecosystem, it will cause a change to something else down the line. This week we go boldly into the topic of predator and prey relationships as well as the strong influence that habitat plays in this relationship.

We ask that you listen with an open mind and consider the science and factual information that is presented. This is a complex topic, but one that hunters and landowners need to understand fully. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This week is a special week as we have in-depth discussions with whitetail deer hunters from Western Michigan. We thought this would be a perfect time to interview the founders and members of Crockery Creek Cooperative on the podcast. This Co-op has proven successful in just a few short years, listen as the founders discuss their proven success and share the hard-learned lessons. Members then join us for an open discussion conversation regarding habitat, hunting strategy, co-op benefits, community outreach, and overall hunting heritage.

This podcast was a blast to record as you will be able to tell, however, the main message to take away is that coming together as deer hunters sharing a common goal produces desired results. If you have ever considered starting or joining a QDMA Co-op, then this podcast will give you the boost to take action! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this week's podcast we cover a variety of topics regarding habitat management, food plots, and Praire Hollow property updates. As quickly as turkey season came and went, food plot season approached just as fast. We have the RTP Genesis Drill on site and planting ahead of the rain. Growing season is an extremely exciting time for us.

In addition, reviewing our food plot strategy and timber work occurring on the home base, we pose the question, "Is your habitat adequate enough?" Fawning season and nesting season for quail and turkeys is here. Does the property you hunt even have the habitat available to raise these young and recruit them into the population? We review the common misunderstandings and habitat requirements necessary for fawn and poult survival. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this week's podcast we switch gears from turkey season to begin preparing for deer season. The list of tasks to be completed is long, but we focus our discussion on preparing treestands and ground blinds. This includes trimming lanes, checking tree stand straps, planning entry and exit strategies, removing safe lines, and removing blind covers from your Redneck Blinds. These tasks can be overlooked easily, but the devil is in the details when it comes to success year in and year out in the deer woods. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

During this week's podcast we review our second film of the year. This trip down to Mississippi was spent turkey hunting with friends and consulting on their property. Although the turkey hunting was slow, the consultation is packed full of great information to help any hunter managing their hunting property in the Deep South. We cover topics like pine plantations, clear cuts, and thinned pines.

In addition, we review all of the recommendations needed to take the Bennett Property to the next level. In another scene, Matt, a local landowner is terminating the cool-season grass on his family's 20-acre property. In this podcast we talk about why removing this grass will help the habitat and hunting even on this small hunting property. Enjoy. Learn. Share #ForLoveoftheLand

During this week's podcast, we get VOCAL! Watch the volume because we break out the calls and demonstrate the common turkey calls and calling sequences we use to bring longbeards into range. We've talked turkey hunting strategy for weeks, but here is the "how-to call turkeys" episode.

We start soft, executing the perfect tree yelps of a hen still on the roost. Then we discuss and provide examples of yelps, clucks, and our preferences of locator calls. Remember to practice practice practice these calls before entering the field. Consider what you can do to best mimic a natural progression of a turkey waking up and meeting up with a gobbler. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Following up last week's podcast, we continue with the theme of learning from past mistakes, by devoting our time to common land management failures. We discuss the most common mistakes we see revolving around the setup, management, and implementation of plans for recreational/hunting properties across the country.

Some of the topics we cover include food plot design, road system establishment, sanctuary development, pond construction, regionally specific techniques and much more. If you are new to property management or have been working properties for years, this podcast will give you topics to consider! Get the most out of your property and the natural resources on it by downloading this podcast. Remember to start with a solid habitat management plan and see it through! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Ever think you've been hunting "call shy" gobblers? This week we debunk that term and share with you the reasons why that term may not be applicable. In addition, we share with you the techniques to use to ensure that longbeard will close the distance.

Plus, we are blessed to be tagged out in Missouri now! We break down these two hunts out of the same field, the same morning, but drastically different strategies! This week is action and information packed! Share with your turkey hunting buddy. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

No matter where you are at in the country, there is a good chance that you may be thinking about food plots! Planting season has started in the deep south, while the northernmost regions may still be in the planning stages. Therefore this is a great time to discuss common food plot failures to avoid.

This week we cover many of the scenarios that hunters find themselves in when their food plots don't turn out as expected. We discuss the ways to avoid these failures and ensure better success for the years to come. Some topics we cover include, weed control, lack of soil moisture, seed to soil contact, seeding rates and much more! Don't miss this information packed podcast devoted to food plot! Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

In this weeks hunting strategy podcast, we discuss our recent success in hunting strutting turkeys in the Midwest. Opening day in Missouri was cold and windy, but with the proper steps taken, we were still able to remain successful in tagging a tom. The morning's slow progression and unresponsive toms gave us the direction we needed. Our last strategy of the day paid off big as Seth Harker punched a tag on a great turkey as he showed off in the decoys.

The next morning Matt was able to repeat the success as a bird pitched off the limb and strutted his way in before the sun was up. This success early in the morning can be attributed to scouting in advance! Listen as we break down these two hunts and why these two separate hunts resulted in filled tags. Enjoy.Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

In this week's podcast we devoted our time to review the details of Film 1 and the habitat renovations at the family farm. Prior to downloading the podcast, be sure to watch Film 1 on our Facebook and Youtube page. This film will give the visual for the areas we discuss in full detail on the podcast this week.

During scene one, we review the stages of an ongoing renovation project at Adam's family farm. We walk you through the process of turning an abandoned pasture back into an oak savannah that will benefit the cattle and be dynamite bedding/nesting/escape for wildlife. We are maximizing the acres on this multi-use farm. Plus, we cover a recent real estate transaction that takes an over-looked 80-acre property and we provide suggestions to put it on the map! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

We are proud to be adding to the podcast that we produce each week. This additional podcast will be fast-paced and devoted to sharing hunting strategies that are fresh and current for quick turn around use in the field. This first week we are discussing our tips and techniques we use to remain successful during early turkey season.

It is not uncommon to see turkeys still in larger flocks or sorting out dominance. We discuss how we can use this to our advantage and portray dominance of another bird with proper decoying strategies. In addition, calling to longbeards and boss hens early season takes specific strategy to close the deal. We share our tips and common calling sequences we use at this time of the season to bring a gobbler into range. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #FroLoveoftheLand

It is easy to get caught up in the simple mindset of land management. During this week's podcast, we share a new perspective on how to consider managing the resources wildlife require on your property. This mindset involves managing sunlight. This may sound radical or off the wall. However, the sun is the source of energy, that is required to sustain life. If we want to be the best habitat managers we have to understand how light is utilized on each individual property.

The more sun that is able to reach the ground means the more energy and resources that are available to wildlife. If the sun's energy is caught up in just closed canopy forests, then you are not capturing and storing that energy in areas accessible for many game species. Take time to listen to this podcast with an open mind, it may change the way to visualize a property and the resources it calls home. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Food plots are without a doubt are a huge avenue for success during hunting season. In many regions of the country, most hunting efforts are focused around areas planted for wildlife. Food plots should be integrated into any hunter or land managers plan, but deciding where, how, what to plant then becomes the question.

During this week's podcast, we discuss with Stratton Seed Company their involvement and introduction into the food plot world. The companies history and large distribution in the agriculture world will allow them to make a big splash into the food plot market. Stratton Seed Company will be working with us to develop specific seed blends for spring and fall mixes. Their current glyphosate-resistant soybean hits right in the middle of the soybean spectrum. These soybeans have traits that make them browse tolerant without sacrificing pod production. You get the best of both worlds! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

For more information regarding the soybeans, seed blends, or becoming a dealer, email hnorth@strattonseed.com

As spring rolls around we are preparing for big things here at Land & Legacy. We will soon be releasing videos for everyone to enjoy. With that anticipation building, it was fitting to have Zach Schermer with Slate & Glass productions on the podcast today. Zach makes his living with a camera in hand. He shares his story how hunting and habitat management has impacted the way he views land.

Zach's stories and perspective is unique, but his passion for what he does drives him to shoot some incredible footage. We are looking forward to Slate & Glass and their high-quality production. We have to admit, we get off on a tangent on hunting heritage and the values of deer camp! We hope you enjoy this laid-back campfire setting podcast! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

No matter your field of expertise, there is something that you just can't do without. Some that might be a hammer, others a computer. For us, it's quality map. As everyone knows not all maps are created equal. We use a map from the very start to begin looking into a property. This initial aerial image of a property will help guide future decisions across the landscape.

Considering all of this, it only makes sense for us to partner with Hunterra Maps. These maps are second to none. They are practical, functional, and high quality. In addition to talking about the importance of maps, we throw some thought-provoking "would you rather" questions! Don't miss out on how this week's podcast as we cover everything maps and the role they play in habitat management.

Don't forget the code "legacy" to receive a discount on your next Hunterra Maps

When you think future plans for your property or hunting heritage, what does that include? Have you considered the impact that will have? Will it benefit the overall habitat or just a single wildlife species? Its time we consider our focus and efforts beyond just checking trail cameras.

The topic this week is conservation. Conservation that goes beyond just buying hunting licenses, guns and ammo. What do we do as hunters do that leaves a lasting impact. If we make the right decisions now, the work we do will have lasting effects. These positive impacts will produce results that our children will be happy we did. Time to think long term in our habitat management practices. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Hold on to your caps, this week we cover a variety of topics and disclose some exciting announcements for us here at Land & Legacy! Of course, we are going to discuss habitat management, so we include our top choices for management practices to be implemented at this time of the year. March is not a time to kick back, rather get out there and be diligent while working in the habitat preparing for the fast-approaching growing season.

In addition, we both break down the how and why we got here! We often get asked how did you guys get to where you are now? The answer breaks down the history of our passions, our thought process, and devotion to improving and understanding the natural resources. But, we saved the best for last as we reveal a few new projects we will be working on during 2018! Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Over the past few months, Land & Legacy has been traveling the country working with landowners and hunters on properties of all shapes and sizes. This has provided us with many opportunities to see what obstacles hunters face when managing the habitat. We happily share these insights with you to provide listeners with a new perspective on what others in your shoes may face.

In addition, we take time to complete a property break down of our most recent consultation here in Missouri. This 275-acre parcel has some great features, but the landowner still faces some access issues. The best time to hunt this property is during the late season, the food plots have been a great success, but the landowner wants to step it up. Therefore, we make our suggestions and layout a management plan that will provide him with the right steps to take the property to the next level. Don't miss the opportunity to follow along as we share our thoughts on another deer hunting property. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

You may be wondering what in the world is a monoculture and how does it relate to hunting? This week we cover the basics of a monoculture and how habitat becomes less productive when devoted to monoculture crops. When managing land, it is important to make each acre as beneficial as possible. In this podcast, we discuss the pros and cons associated with planting monocultures on a property managed for wildlife.

Diversity within the habitat can be strongly correlated to holding wildlife within the boundary of your property. It is critical to provide the necessary habitat game species require for each month of the year. Be sure to critically evaluate your habitat, make the changes it needs. Identify monocultures and follow along with the suggestions included in this week's podcast. Remember, better habitat, better hunting. Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

In this week's podcast, we discuss the value and long-term benefit of timber management. Devoting time to improve a timber unit will accomplish many important goals most land managers share, improving the land, improving habitat, and increasing the value of the natural resource. Neglecting the timber is not a recommended practice, however many areas across the county are simply left unmanaged.

If your property is majority timber, our goal is to share valuable information regarding timber stand improvement practices that will encourage you to dive deeper into managing these areas. In many cases, the simple hack-n-squirt method can be used to drastically improve the timber and habitat. No excuses for cabin fever, it's time to get active and complete some timber stand improvement projects. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Grab your saw and safety gear, after this podcast you will be rushing to the timber to work on creating some dynamite bedding areas. Deer love diversity, so we give them what they want. It's time to educate ourselves on what cover deer truly prefer and how we can create it with a chainsaw.

Over the past few years there has been some misinformation out there floating through social media about creating bedding areas. The focus has been on hinge cutting, but doing so and limiting its positive impact on wildlife. This week we cover the basis of how to hinge, flush cut, and treat undesirable species to promote desirable cover for years to come! Be sure to share with your hunting buddies!

Enjoy.Learn.Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This week we take our prescribed fire talks even deeper. If you missed the Prescribed Fire: The Basics podcast a few weeks ago, be sure to check it out as we build upon that information this week.

The use of prescribed fire in the timber can easily provide the wildlife with more food and cover on a yearly basis. To create this productive landscape, you will have to create fire lines, watch for snags, and learn understand how fire reacts in areas of terrain. This podcast is designed to educate land owners, hunters, and conservationist to use prescribed fire to increase habitat for wildlife.

Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

In this day and age of “trophy hunting”, antlerless deer hunting doesn’t get the glory it deserves. In many cases harvesting does falls to the wayside, but in all reality, harvesting does will improve buck hunting.This week we dive deep into the science behind doe management and the importance of harvesting antlerless deer. Kip Adams of the Quality Deer Management Association joins us and explains QDMA’s position and efforts to advocate harvesting the appropriate number of does each season.

During the podcast we address questions like, when is the best time to harvest does and what age structure should you be targeting? Our hope with this podcast is that your sights for 2018 will not only include bucks, but the necessary number of does too. Time to turn our focus on overall herd health! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Ever been tight on cash, but still want to make your hunting property better? Yes, we know that feeling all to well. Over the years we have experimented and seen different tactics being used across the country. These are habitat management techniques that save money, but still provide a great return on the work being completed.

2018 can be the start of extreme habitat improvement on your property. Follow along as we share our tips on habitat techniques that don't break the bank. These cost saving techniques will improve the habitat and hunting within your property boundaries. Get started today! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

When consulting on properties we come across every situation possible. Each property is unique in not only the features the property possess, but what we refer to as "hunter management". Along with improving the habitat and layout of each property, we must consider how the property is currently being hunted. From this information, we can begin to make suggestions and improvements on the strategy used to hunt each property in the future.

Access to and from stands is paramount! This week we cover the details of a recent consulting trip. These real life examples of a hunting property in the Mid-West will assist you in thinking outside of the box on your hunting property. It's not to soon to begin planning and executing a better hunting strategy for next deer season. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

When we talk about habitat management, few techniques can hold up to the power and efficiency of using prescribed fire. Throughout history many natural landscapes depended on the presence of fire to sustain, rejuvenate, and restart the productivity of the area. Knowing this, you must stop and wonder, why have we stopped using this tool to manage habitat for wildlife?

In this podcast we cover the history, benefits, uses, and commonly asked questions regarding prescribed fire. Understanding and implementing a prescribed fire regime on your property will vastly improve the habitat, therefore improving the hunting. Even public ground hunters should have extensive knowledge of how prescribed fire can benefit the habitat. Doing so will provide you with the advantage of how to effectively hunt these areas, and when they are most beneficial to deer, turkeys, and other game species.

Often times the best teacher for the future is looking back in time. Adam sets down to discuss the history of the landscape and habitat with his 93 year old grandad who spent his life working on agriculture and hunting and fishing. Listening to the changes he's witnessed will motivate you to conserve the native habitat on your land.

Time to shed light on the cedar trees. Excuse the pun! This highly debated topic will be sure to open your eyes on facts regarding true thermal cover. Cedar thickets are often referred to as a big buck sanctuary, why is that? Perhaps, the only benefit is security because hunters avoid these thickets. Have you ever asked yourself, is that quality cover?

Despite the countless hunter observations, our stance remains the same on dense cedar thickets. Time to crank up the chainsaw and get to cutting. The eastern red cedar is taking over states like Oklahoma and doing so at alarming rates. Download as we share facts about their history and our hunting strategy with cedar thickets! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

We are rapidly approaching a timely window to accomplish habitat management projects. In preparation for this window, it's an appropriate time to sare the facts. We often get asked to assist in prioritizing projects on various properties. This podcast will get you started in the right direction for reaching the lands potential.

Follow along as we share the numbers behind decisions we make while consulting. Be sure to have an aerial of the property you hunt ready with pen and paper. There are 5 habitat types covered in the podcast, mature forest, young forest, young forest with fire, old field management, and food plots. With each habitat type covered, we share how much tonnage is produced on a yearly basis. As always diversity and layout of these features is key. Don't miss this one. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

There is no denying that the image of hunting has changed over the last 30 years. Despite many changes during this time one thing has remained the same, Ronnie Cuz Strickland. This man's devotion to the hunting heritage and support of ALL hunters has been undeniable. Cuz's genuine hunting stories will draw you in and encourage you as a hunter. Be proud to call yourself a hunter!

Recently, Cuz has joined the Board of Directors with the Quality Deer Management Association to further advance the mission of preserving the hunting heritage. The union of Mossy Oak and the QDMA has put our hunting heritage in great hands. We hope this podcast will inspire and encourage you to take a stand with us. The outdoors is a gift, helps us pass it on! Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

Have you punched a buck tag yet? How much time remains in your deer season? We know one thing, deer season and opportunity is far from over! Late season is often an underestimated time to fill buck tags. During this week’s podcast we break down the strategy we deploy to make post-rut hunting successful whether you hunt in the timber or crop country.

Like most things in life, success is often directly correlated with preparation ahead of time. Preparing for late season can be no different. To ready yourself and the property for late season, we encourage all hunters to prepare food plots, prepare trail cameras, and be able to interpret approaching cold fronts. This type of preparation often results in incredible late season hunting action. However, what happens if you are ill-prepared, you didn’t anticipate having time off during the holidays to hunt? We supply the answer to the problem as well. No matter the situation, if tags remain unfilled, this podcast will give you the information you need to cross paths with a hit-list buck during the late season. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand.

As hunters we often get caught up in all of the preparations, details,and practice required leading up to a shot opportunity. We tend to forget to educate ourselves on the skills required after a shot is made. Blood trailing game successfully is an invaluable tool to have as a hunter. Poor shot placement is going to happen at some point in your hunting career. It is important to know that blood trailing is not about being able to spot the smallest drop of blood on leaves. It’s about knowing what each drop of blood means and how it dictates your next move, whether that be pursue, wait, or back out.

In this podcast we cover valuable material, explaining what the common findings along a blood trail mean. In addition, we break down the common shot locations, heart shot, double lung, high shoulder, liver, stomach, hind quarters, and describe what each blood trail will leave, how long to wait before trailing the deer, and pace at which they should be followed. Tracking lethally shot game does not always result in a recovery. Knowing when and how to take up the trail determines if and when you will recover the animal. It is important to educate yourself on post harvest techniques. Be confident in your knowledge of how a wounded deer will react so you can wrap a tag around the prize. Enjoy.Learn.Share #ForLoveoftheLand

Memories, Family, Tradition, Heritage, and Deer Camp! These are all the ingredients it takes to have an enjoyable time while hunting. This past weekend was opening day of firearms season in the state of Missouri, an important day for ALL hunters. This week we share our personal stories of deer camp and family tradition revolving around firearm season. These are sure to get some laughter going and take you back to the good ole days!

One thing to keep in mind during this podcast is an open mind. Opinions can vary largely from hunters regarding firearms season. However, we share some perspective and insight on three commonly held stances among hunters pertaining to gun season. We encourage you to share with other deer hunters. Hunters need to unite and support one another no matter what weapon they prefer to hunt with or what caliber of bucks they choose to shoot. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

This week it comes full circle in the deer woods. Sweet November is here and we have got a deer hunt to share. The first week of November took us to the crop country of North Central Kansas. As we arrived we began taking inventory of the action we were seeing from the treestand. These observations continued to provide insight of the progressing rut in the area. With this information we were able to make educated decisions on where to hunt, how to hunt, and when to hunt.

Our approach in Kansas was to adapt to the constant change in pre-rut activity. Each day presented new findings and insights. Ultimately, on the third day of the hunt we got aggressive and moved in. That evening was packed with rutting activity, from grunting, chasing, snort-wheezing, to scraping activity. It was a whitetail hunters dream, that ended in arrowing a Kansas stud. The strategy behind the hunt was planned yet, constantly evolving as the rut activity increased daily. This is a story of success in the strategy and we share the strategy with you! Trust the system! #ForLoveoftheLand

To no surprise we as hunters know that everything changes at some point in the deer woods. However, it is the anticipation and game plan that often separates successful hunts from failures. It is important to know ahead of time what your next move will be or you will get left behind. This week's podcast is all about our recent hunting stories that drive us to re-examine and prepare for changes that are about to occur. We give our perspective on how to approach consistency and inconsistencies in deer movements. Plus, what can be done to combat changing patterns. If you own a property, lease a farm, or hunt public ground, we've got the information for you!

We are rapidly approaching that time of the year when whitetails get more vocal. If we are smart and observant to the details, we can use this to our advantage. However, there are certain times and situations when calling would result in a disappointing outcome. The last thing we want to do is to educate bucks when calling to them. We look for a bullet proof setup that will allow us to be vocal and not be concerned with deer circling downwind. You may be surprised with just how effective the right calling setup can be. Also, don’t underestimate the effectiveness of calling to does and bucks during the late season.

We welcome back this week Kip Adams of the Quality Deer Management Association to discuss his latest trip to Michigan, representing free range whitetail deer hunters at the Chronic Wasting Disease Symposium. As hunters it is our duty to stay educated on the most recent state of science to make sound management decisions. Whitetail deer are an incredible resource, it's time to educate ourselves. One thing leads to another and we cover the importance of our hunting heritage with Kip, who is a great steward, teacher, father, and outdoormen. Plus personal stories of success, failures, all things revolving around preserving our hunting heritage, and what the QDMA is doing to protect it. This podcast is informative, inspiring, and thought provoking. Enjoy. Learn. Share! #ForLoveoftheLand

The last few weeks we have covered topics regarding topography and many different aspects of property architecture. During this podcast it’s time to put it all together. We selected a random portion of public ground in the mid-west and started the process analyzing it for a destination hunt. Listen as we share our candid thought process, having never looked at the land prior to the podcast. Be sure to follow along with the maps on our social media pages. It’s real, it’s informative, and insightful.

This week the finer details come out! When bowhunting you have to be on the “X”. That can be tough when an area lacks defined features, like hilly terrain, creeks crossings, or fences. If they aren’t present, then you have to take matters into your own hands. Follow along as we share the tools in our land management toolbox for becoming a property architect. The solutions are powerful and may surprise you!

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

No longer is hunting hilly terrain a bust! This week we break down common terrain features found across the whitetail’s range. Terrain features consistently determine how deer and other game will travel throughout the landscape. Understanding the ins and outs will change the way you hunt and manage. Follow along as we share what conditions are best to hunt each terrain feature! From the public land hunter to the land manager this podcast is for you!

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Season is open and success came quick! We review the hunt and why it was a success on opening night. In addition to sharing the success we dive head first into reviewing a recent property consultation. Every property has it’s unique challenges and characteristics that we consider when laying out a property from top to bottom. This tract in Kansas was full of twist and turns. Follow along as we put the pieces together to turn simple transition area in to a dynamic hunting farm!

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Things aren’t always what they seem…. This week we cover a hot topic in the hunting world, coyotes! This could be one of the most disliked creatures to a deer hunter, but are those feelings warranted? We often jump the gun and begin pointing blame fingers when things don’t go our way. Listen with an open mind as we cover in depth the real issue between coyotes and deer, the answer may surprise you!

Enjoy. Learn. Share

Most hunters are always looking for ways to improve your hunting. This week we talk with Seth Harker a good friend and partner with Land & Legacy. Over the years Seth has not only grown, but harvested some incredible bucks. How you may ask? Seth used his hunting observations and allowed them to guide him on what his properties were missing. There is so much to learn during this podcast. As season begins to open in your area, take notes on your observations from the stand this fall and use them to guide your way to improve habitat.

Every season offers new opportunities! This fall is no different as we make a big announcement in future. New opportunities is what makes this time of the year so exciting to call yourself a hunter.

There is a lot of thought and planning that goes into selecting bucks that make our hitlist. In this week’s podcast we develop our hitlist for 2017 and based on our summer trail camera pictures on two properties we will be spending a lot of time on this fall.

When building your hitlist be sure to include all the bucks that you will be happy to harvest. Let’s make hunting and harvests an enjoyable experience for all. In addition, we share some helpful management tips to use on hunting leases. A lease can offer unique challenges, so we discuss our plans on a leased tract of land in Kansas.

Food plots are a hot topic in the world of habitat and wildlife management, so we talk species varieties and pounds per acre. Sometimes it’s important to consider the benefits not only to the wildlife but also the soil. Tune in to also hear what we look for in choosing our early season approach. You don’t want to miss it!

On this week’s podcast we dive in deep! It is time to stop and consider the purpose and drive behind what makes you an outdoorsmen or women. This podcast will likely challenge you and hopefully cause you to reflect. Nature and the outdoors is a powerful medium that can change moods, feelings, emotions, and a long list of other things. Have you ever wondered how and why? Or, even what it all means to you? We share our thoughts, stories, and reflections on this topic. Be sure to share with fellow hunters to get their feelings on the matter.

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

ForLoveoftheLand

What gets you pumped for hunting season? For us, planning and planting our fall food plots gets us in the mood. There is a distinct method to the madness! This week we cover why, how, what, and when we plant our fall food plots. There are lots of things to consider when selecting the most attractive and hardy forages that keep critters coming all season long! This podcast may make you reconsider your food plot strategy.

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

ForLoveoftheLand

This week’s podcast we cover the latest and greatest research when it come to habitat management for wildlife. We recently spent time at the Quality Deer Management Association’s National Convention in New Orleans. There we heard, Dr. Craig Harper, share some groundbreaking news that him and his team had discovered. This information will shape the way you look at your property, it’s soils, and the vegetation available to deer.

Within the research, they discovered that no longer is a property limited by its soil quality when they are managing native, early successional plant communities, aka “old-fields”. Native plants whether you are in the fertile lands along the Mississippi or the rough country of West Virginia, produce the same nutritional levels! Many of the native plants also meet the requirements for deer to reach their full potential.

If you desire the local deer herd to be the best it can be, here is your answer. Are you managing these resources on your property? Download here, and we will show you how to get the most from your hunting property.

Enjoy. Learn. Share.

ForLoveoftheLand

This week’s podcast is a special one with a very special guest! Lance Thorton of Bass Pro Shops shares his extensive knowledge about bowhunting and competition archery. Lance started his bow hunting career at the ripe age of 6. His passion for hunting encouraged him to excel and be the best archer possible.

Nowadays Lance is representing the USA in the upcoming World Archery Competition. In this podcast we cover techniques to better prepare you for bow season. There are tons of excellent tips to make that shot count this coming season. Share with your buddies and leave a review on itunes!

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

If you like the campfire storytelling atmosphere then kick your feet up and enjoy! Willie Urish the founder of the quickly growing Facebook Group called Habitat Managers joins us to talk hunting and habitat management. Part of our duty as outdoor enthusiasts and conservationist is to educate and help others make a larger positive impact on our hunting heritage.

Willie and his vision for the Habitat Managers page was designed to do just that. If you aren’t already a member be sure to join this group and share your experiences with others from across the county making a difference and leaving a Legacy!

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

Check out this amazing deer hunting property! Follow along with steps 1-10 as we dissect this property and share our habitat management strategy. This property has several unique features making our plan even more critical. Don’t miss the chance to “virtually” walk beside us as we move around the property.

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

This week we catch up with Kip Adams from QDMA to talk about the challenges and advantages of having multi-use properties. If you have ever hunted on or around cattle or you can easily relate. This brainstorming session is a great source for improving odd areas and making the most out of the land! Cattle and hunting can work together!

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

On this podcast, we walk you through the year in the life of a whitetail buck and the biological/physiological changes that occur during the year.

Once you understand these changes it will help you manage your property to improve the weak areas. Ultimately, this information and understanding of a bucks needs each month of the year will make you more successful each fall.

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

Looking to improve the hunting and habitat on your land? Listen up! We walk you through step by step of a 40 acre southern Missouri property and discuss exactly how to improve the habitat and hunting.

This client wanted larger deer and more opportunities to harvest target bucks. We break it down to share with you our thought process to make this 40 acre tract more productive.

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

Tune in to learn the techniques Adam and Matt use to be more successful on public ground! Some of the best spots maybe out of reach for most hunters or right under your nose. This podcast is loaded with information on how to hunt public ground and the importance of thinking outside of the box.

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

Never give up on a property just because of the size. There are several things you can do to improve the habitat and hunting on small pieces of land. In fact, these farms can offer success year after year if hunted and managed correctly, tune in to find out how!

Enjoy. Learn Share!

Adam & Matt

Matt Ross from Quality Deer Management Association joins us to discuss his thoughts on hinge cutting, clear cuts, and many other techniques for timber management. These practices can have a huge positive impact on your hunting property and hunting success for years to come.

Be sure to get a professional help before diving head first into managing the timber. Time to focus efforts on the majority of many properties we hunt.

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

We kick this week off with a list of projects you can be doing now that turkey season is wrapping up. Growing season food plots, trapping, and everything else you can do to prepare for deer season! Plus, we dive into the myths and facts of whitetail fawns and things you can do to ensure their survival. As you guessed, habitat is the key!

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

Ever wonder how you can manage the habitat to benefit wild turkeys? Listen up to hear how you can improve the habitat to ensure many more season of chasing turkeys! Some of the techniques we recommend are easy and extremely cost efficient. Plus, get the final recap for the Spring 2017 turkey season, it ends in a BANG!

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

Adam and Matt discuss several topics this week from the devastating floods in the Midwest to ways we can improve habitat to prevent future flooding. Plus the new CWD regulations to hit the Southwest, Missouri area. We also share a helpful website app that allows you to build and experience with different seed varieties to reach your goals on your food plots.

Enjoy. Learn. Share!

Adam & Matt

Adam and Matt discuss a turkey hunting update from this past week and a recent consulting trip with a somewhat rare habitat! Despite it’s rare occurrence, it is highly productive for wildlife and easily managed. Listen to hear some of the rare species that this landowner could enjoy on his property.

Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Adam & M

Adam and Matt discuss the Missouri turkey season opening day hunts as well as the preparation they’re going through to prepare for spring food plots. Listen up to hear the professional ideas and opinions on what to plant in your food plots!

Don’t think of your food plots as just forage opportunities, keep an open mind for ways to improve many features of your land by selecting the right species!

Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Adam & Matt

Ever wonder what management projects you need to do during the spring? Find out what projects Adam and Matt work on during the spring of each year! This is a critical time for deer, turkeys, and many other game species. Follow along to make sure your property doesn’t fall behind this spring!

Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Adam & Matt

Listen up! This week we bust out the turkey calls, time to understand what each call means and how you can use them to bring a bird into range. Each calls communicates a different message, make sure you are broadcasting the right information during each situation. Best of luck this spring turkey season!

Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Matt & Adam

This podcast covers everything about finding shed antlers and what can be learned with each antler. Tune in to find out why, where, and how you can expect to find antlers based on current conditions. Save yourself time and figure out how deer are using the environment based on the time on specific times of the year!

Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Adam & Matt

Just because this property means so much and is going to be amazing, we stretched out our explanation another week! From a timber harvest to food plots, to prescribed fire, and much more this property will go from minimal production to optimal habitat for a variety of species. Don’t be afraid of change on your property, instead watch how the wildlife respond to the land and wildlife improvements you make!

Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Adam & Matt

Welcome Home! This is part 1 of a two week explanation of what our “Home Base” looks like. This land has been abused and left alone for many years when it comes to proper habitat management.

This 600 acre tract is going to be getting a facelift over the next few years. We have huge plans for the natural features of this land. We talk about what this area historically looked like and that’s our plans to restore it back to the original state which is highly productive for wildlife.

Enjoy.Learn.Share!

During this podcast Adam and Matt discuss their turkey hunting strategies to be more successful this spring! Every hunt can throw different scenarios at you. We discuss our tactics and ways we pull that longbeard into range. We are always pumped for turkey season and the chase that begins at daybreak each morning. Follow along and share your turkey hunting buddies! Enjoy.Learn.Share!

The creation of Land & Legacy: Follow along to see how both Adam and Matt got their start in the outdoors! This passion started years ago at a very young, but different up bringing merged together to form a strong business focused around land and wildlife management while being conservation minded. These backgrounds are important to understand as it lays the foundation for Land & Legacy.

Enjoy.Learn.Share!

Adam & Matt

I am very excited to add the Land & Legacy | Hunting and Habitat Management podcast to the Nine Finger Chronicles podcast feed. Adam Keith and Matt Dye specialize in land management and are full time land consultants. Keep an eye out for more podcasts from the L&L crew every week.