The Woodsman Perspective

Good friend and exceptional turkey hunter, Hunter Crimm joins us to talk about trapping and his efforts to help improve his turkey numbers on leased lands that he hunts and manages.  Hunter has trapped for  years and shares his experience and stories with us.  

Last episode we had former game warden Bo Harris in to talk about poachers.  As often happens, we got to telling stories and went down a few rabbit trails.  I saved a few of the stories and insights and patched them back together for a follow up episode.  Hope you enjoy. 

Whether you own land or lease land, you have an investment of time and money in making it the best that it can be.   One of the most frustrating things is to have a poacher sneaking around taking advantage of your land and efforts.  Get to know your local game warden and have a line of communication with them.  On this episode we talk with a former warden from our area, Bo Harris.  We hit on the f...

Our friend and logger Tim O'bryant AKA Cotontop3 on the socials sits down with us and we talk past, present, and future of logging particularly in the Southeast.   Tim and his family have logged in Mississippi and Alabama for 4 decades.   Like we always do, we go back in history for stories as well as discuss what the future looks like for the industry.  On this episode you get an inside look from...

On our 20th episode we sit down with Jason and Brian Hollis of Hollis Farms.  The Hollis family has been growing and killing big whitetails and longbeard turkeys for more than 4 decades.  We talk about how it started, with their dad Joe Hollis and his vision, not only for land and deer management but his vision for raising boys and creating a legacy.   Jason and Brian are passing this legacy on to...

Chris and Brent talk about a project that Chris did back in 2015.  Although his farm was producing great deer numbers and some quality bucks, Chris felt like it was lacking in cover nesting habitat.  Listen as he talks about the process of identifying the right area and taking on a project that would seem counter intuitive to most hunters and landowner, especially almost a decade ago.  

For episode 18 we talk with GO Seed cofounder Risa Demasi about the incredible attributes their patented seed, Fixation Balansa clover.  We have been growing it in places for several years and it is one of our favorites.  Fixation's tolerance for wet feet, nitrogen fixing properties, tonnage and palatability make it an exceptional whitetail forage option.  You can learn more at www.goseed.com or f...

MLB MVP Roy Oswalt sits down and talks with us about developing hunting tracts, killing giant whitetails, with a few stories in between.  He and Chris even share a tale about a road trip in Argentina.   Roy's approach to land development and whitetails is similar to his major league baseball career. He is intense, and constantly raising the bar. 

Opening day of dove season is more than just a regular opener.  It is the official kick off of hunting season in the south.  It also coincides with the beginning of football season and the long Labor day weekend holiday. When you combine all of those elements, you've got the makings of a great southern social event.  On this episode we take a step back and discuss the traditional southern opening...

We get a rundown of what all Chris does this time of year to manage his farms and prepare for fall.  We talk herbicide, clover, planting, drainage and road maintenance, doves, ducks and second place travel ball trophies.   Can't get American Joint vetch, join the crowd.  We'll touch on that and on the way out we mention a great tract of land that Brent has listed for sale.  Thanks in advance to al...

What happens when a Mississippi boy has an unbridled passion for archery, turkey hunting, and people?  We sat down with Noxubee county native Steve Brown to find out for ourselves.  Steve has combined these three passions in a way that is hard to do justice with words.  Steve has completed 8 world slams on wild turkeys with archery equipment, spends countless  hours guiding clients to help them ch...

Spring has always been turkey time for us. This year more than ever there is unprecedented attention on the wild turkey and its apparent decline.  We wade into this topic from 3 perspectives, discussing the hype, hunting, responsibility, and reality.   With firsthand experience managing turkeys and turkey habitat, Mitt and Chris point out that turkeys are in fact doing very well in places.  This s...

For our 12th episode we bring in Jack Robertson. As an owner and developer of the Hogeye Camera system Jack is in the fight against the wild hog as much as anyone.  Not only are they leaders in the advancing technology to get rid of hogs, but he travels extensively to help private landowners, farmers, corporations, and government organizations understand and eliminate wild hog invasions.  If you'v...

On episode 11 we bring in a very respected member of the trapping community.  Chip Davis is one of us, a woodsman and habitat manager from the Ms Delta area that happens to have nearly 40 years of trapping experience.  He has also served twice as president of the Mississippi Trappers association as well as served on state and national trapping boards.  Chip not only brings the boots on the ground...

The old fashioned deer camp is a dying tradition.  Not just the hunting club or lease, but the club where you have a camp cook, cabins and a bunk house, and the infamous skinning rack.  We talk with guest Shane Grantham who lives this lifestyle with his family as they are now 3 generations deep in the Dancing Rabbit hunting club in east central MS.  

In the first episode of 2023 we briefly discuss the Christmas freeze and the foodplot recovery so far.   That leads us to unpack a few things about how much deer actually depend on winter plots here in the south as well as the undeniable efficacy of feeding corn, for better or worse.  It's an open ended discussion this time, we hope you enjoy. 

We address the question of when to harvest does, but take a deeper dive with a discussion about whether to harvest any does or not.  What goals you have, and the specifics of your property may dictate that you do not take any does in a particular season.  How your actions create a culture on your property and how that culture impacts hunting quality.  

A first hand story of a fall from a climbing stand, complacency, and God's grace and healing on the road to recovery. 

We get a behind the curtain look at commercial deer processing from our own Chris Herring.  In addition to being a forester and land manager, Chis owns 2 commercial deer processors and tells us what goes on behind the scenes, how your deer is processed individually, as well as some common issues that could lead to mix ups and how to avoid them.  

 This week we discuss some fundamentals to setting up a hunting tract.  Things to consider when prioritizing projects, things you might not have thought of, and how to take advantage of cost share opportunities.   As recreational values outpace timber value, its important to look at your property through a different lens to realize the full value of it. 

On this episode we step back from the technical management topics and we focus on what our purpose is for doing the podcast.   While we have a common purpose of sharing knowledge and experience, we discuss some different perspectives around that.  From the desire to invest in the next generation the way others have invested us, to pushing back against trends and culture shifts in hunting social me...

Every hunter out there has their own way of preparing food plots.  In many cases we do the things we do because that's the way that we've always done it. Some hunters are highly technical and are always looking for a new tool or technique to maximize their efficiency and production. Others have traditions and memories of the camp work day, or planting greenfields with your father or grandfather.  ...

We take a deep dive into nutrition this week, specifically in the native plant community.   Through herbicide application, burning, or tillage or perhaps a combination of all three you can unlock native nutrition on your property. 

The guys dive right into growing mature bucks, and go a step further in breaking down how to identify those all stars bucks with the genetic potential to reach 150" status.   Chris, Mitt, and Brent share their perspectives on this and more from first hand experience.  So, whether you hunt upland tracts, bottomland hardwoods, large ag, or small tracts of leased land, you are in the right place.