Land & Legacy - Habitat + Hunting

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 o...

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 pla...

 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 selectivit...

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 p...

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...

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...

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 w...

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 cy...

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...

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'...

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...

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 mos...

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...

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...

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 opportuniti...

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,...

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. The...

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 accomplis...

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...

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...

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 r...

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...

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 ev...

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 intimat...

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 br...