The Woodsman Perspective

On this episode we breakdown a list of projects and concerns for each month of the so called off season, otherwise known as summer.   We discuss clover varieties and management, vetch, cow peas, and soybeans. Also some CSP projects that we are working on to reclaim some early successional habitat on our farms.  You will hear about a couple of clover varieties that you might not be aware of, Q red and Dynamite from our friends at GoSeed.  Check them out and see the difference for yourself.     https://goseed.com/ https://mossyoakgamekeeper.com/ https://wmsoutdoors.com/  

Turkey hunting has long had some folklore around poaching and the temptation even among the most honest men to cross property lines in pursuit of a gobbling tom. In recent years this has become even more popularized by social media figures and influencers. It's one thing to see this on facebook and instagram, but it isn't just limited to the virtual world. It seems like while the influencers are just playing a make believe character for clicks and likes, many young hunters have taken the message to heart and are not shy about trespassing. Law enforcement statistics confirm what we have seen ourselves, that poaching and trespassing is on the rise. We talk about this frustrating trend and share some stories of our own from the past couple of years.

On this episode we sat down with Casey Shoopman from The Management Advantage and talked hunting, traveling, filming, trapping, and story telling. Casey was recruited off of a combine over 20 years ago to film a hunt for Chuck Sykes with the Management Advantage. That lead to a job offer and a career in the industry. We hope you enjoy this episode and conversation.  @ManagementAdvantage   @Crimmreaper10   @brentlochala686   @groundedbrandoutdoors   @MossyOakGameKeepers ​

On this episode we talk about how hunting on property lines can impact more than just how your neighbor feels about you. With recreational property values soaring, the hunting quality and experience means more today than ever to potential buyers. Shooting houses, deer stands, and feeders on the line are an indication of future problems to buyers, so it certainly does impact the marketability and buyer pool of a property. What can you do to mitigate it, and what are some alternatives?

Several states have seen recent challenges to the long accepted practice of game wardens entering private land without warrants.  The precedent that established this is from a prohibition era moonshining case, where the judge ruled that landowners did not have the assumption of privacy on land that was not inside the curtilage of their home.  In other words, the 4th amendment did not extend protection beyond your yard, even if you owned the land.     Successful challenges have led state Wildlife agencies to look for new ways to enforce the laws, which is vital to protecting the public trust and natural resources.   We dive into it here, on a very "Woodsman" level.   We want to emphasize our support for the Game Wardens and the job that they do.  

I did some bird hunting with Hunter and Johnny Crimm this evening and afterward we sat down with one of the deerhunters that he had in camp. It turns out that Travis Libby is a professional Outfitter in Northern Maine. We discuss their similar approaches and reasons for getting into this business as well as spotlight what both have to offer. Travis operates Libby's Lodge and Cantys and they specialize in bear, moose, & deer hunts but have recently expanded to include spring turkey hunts also. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100060705685008 youtube  @libbyslodgecantys699  Instagram is libbyslodge Website is https://www.libbyslodge.com  

Today we are talking about developing habitat for ducks.  Clay Davis has developed duck  holes on his own properties, and also works with Mossy Oak in and around much of their waterfowl areas.  He has spent the time on the tractor seat and in the blind, and has a ton of knowledge on what works and what doesn't. We also talk about how to minimize reduce pressure on your ducks and how best to hunt it.  The underlying theme from our discussion is that you can add value to  your property by adding a duck hole, you can greatly improve your duck hunting experience by having a private place that you control, and you can also improve waterfowl numbers and production in your area if you manage it properly.   

2025 has been a record breaking acorn crop, and along with that a significant impact on deer harvest. Many hunters across the SE have seen a sharp decline in camera activity around foodplots and feeders. The deer have abundant food adjacent to cover and bedding areas. We discuss the possible reasons, as well as the impact to deer and business. Including a 50% drop in corn sales and a big time slow down for deer processors. What will it mean for deer health? Tune in for more.

Venison is arguably the perfect protein. It's lean, it's clean, readily available, and versatile. On this episode we talk about the standard ways to cook it, the fancy ways, and give you an inside look into a deer processor operation. Families today are more particular than ever about where their food comes from, this alone has led some people to take up hunting. We feel like you should not overlook the value and quality of a good venison meal.

On this episode Chris and I take a look at cutover.  This is the last thing that most people want when shopping for hunting land, especially if they have visions of a legacy farm that their family will enjoy for years.  We are going to examine why that thinking is flawed, and how you could be missing a great value as well as the opportunity to design a property layout economically.  Not only that, but cutovers are absolute deer factories.    We hope you enjoy this one, thanks for listening.