Land & Legacy - Habitat + Hunting

Latest Episodes:

The Future of Land Management - Wildlife CO-OPS Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

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

Youth Hunting - The Difference Between Boys and Girls Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

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

Let the Food Plot Planting Begin Apr 07, 2020

Show notes

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

We Are Losing Quail Habitat at Alarming Rates Apr 07, 2020

Show notes

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

You think CRP is Good? Just Wait! Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

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

What Makes a Larger Impact? Managing Coyotes or Antlerless Deer Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

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

Don't Use Whitetail Deer As Your Habitat Meter Mar 24, 2020

Show notes

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

The Importance of Nesting Cover for Turkeys and Quail Mar 24, 2020

Show notes

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

Friends, Films, and Coffee with Nathaniel Maddux Mar 17, 2020

Show notes

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

How To Increase Usable Space for Whitetail Deer Mar 17, 2020

Show notes

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