This week we take a deep dive into understanding and hunting bucks in velvet and those heart stopping bachelor groups we love to see. We have a great group of guests: Mark Haslam, a rabid whitetail guy who hunts SC and has years of velvet buck experience, Alan Summerford, an impressive young habitat manager who has perfected the strategy of creating velvet killing areas, and Kyle Lybarger the native plant specialist, helps us understand what natives are attractive right now. Have you ever hunted dropping muscadines? It’s a great discussion. Does deer meat taste better from late summer harvested deer? Listen, Learn and Enjoy.              

Show Notes:
Mark Haslam: https://www.instagram.com/markhaslam/?hl=en
Alan Summerford: https://www.facebook.com/alan.summerford/
Kyle Lybarger: https://www.instagram.com/nativehabitatproject/?hl=en 

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This week’s bonus features Christian Williams of Archery Strong who helps archers stay in the game by relieving pain, preventing injury and building confidence as well as accuracy. Whether you’re a new bowhunter or seasoned, you’ll benefit from Christian’s healthy approach to warming up and strengthening core muscles. Do you know which shoulder exercises to perform to work the key muscles used to draw your bow back? Have you ever thought of warming up? How many arrows is too many? What’s the best practice strategy? This discussion is a great look into how we all should prepare for bow season and a life outdoors. Be more confident and accurate.              

Show Notes:
Archery Strong: https://www.archerystrong.com/ | https://www.instagram.com/archery.strong/ | https://www.facebook.com/archerystrong100/ | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5cc27ip1IOCU34ZMvOBcXA/featured 

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This week we’re are joined in studio by Dr. Blake Grisham of Texas Tech and Courtenay Conring, a hardworking young biologist. These two and others have been working a long term research project on Sandhill Cranes. It’s a very interesting discussion and we learned so much.  Most people don’t understand the various populations of cranes, their migration, pair bonding, parenting skills and how long lived they are. We did know that they are referred to as “ribeye in the sky” and it was confirmed they are in fact delicious. We also learned just how much fun they are to hunt and we were surprised to learn just how wary they are. Sandhill Cranes have a beautiful throaty call and once you have heard one it’s easy to recognize.  We are proud to know these researchers are helping other state agencies understand these wild birds to better manage them.  Listen, Learn and Enjoy.              

Show Notes:
Dr. Blake Grisham: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/nrm/people/faculty/faculty_pages/blakegrisham/grisham.php
Courtenay Conring: https://www.instagram.com/courtenay_conring/
Photo Credit, Joseph Richards: https://www.instagram.com/richardsoutdoorphoto/ | https://www.facebook.com/richardsoutdoorphotography | https://www.richardsoutdoorphotography.com/

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On this bonus podcast it’s an education on how science and technology is helping to enhance seedling survival on super small seeds like clovers, alfalfas and select brassicas. We are joined by Bill Talley of Summit Coatings a long time seedsman who does a great job of explaining the thought process behind coating seed and adding inoculants.  This is a technology that’s made many people wonder what’s going on as the overall seed count is lower, the seed is made heavier, but in the end you’ll have more plants survive. If your into food plots and especially clover, you need to listen and it will help your wildlife farming skills. Listen, Learn and Enjoy.            

Show Notes:
Summit Coatings: https://summitseedcoatings.com/ 

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This week we have one of our favorite guests talk deer hunting with us. Dave Owens of the Pinhoti Project is a rabid turkey hunter, and each fall he manages to wrap a tag around an old bruiser whitetail. Is he equally obsessed? What deer sign does he key in on? What are his favorite setups? Is it feed such as acorns or persimmons? Trails? Near bedding?  We ask the question, what does he think makes him such a successful hunter? He’s a humble guy but we pull out some qualities that we all can apply to our own hunts. It’s a good discussion – one that a deer hunter will certainly enjoy. Does he get revenge with a trivia question? Listen, Learn and Enjoy.            

Show Notes:
Pinhoti Project: https://pinhotiproject.com/ 

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This week we have agriculture/chemical specialist Frankie Williams of Nutrien on the show to help explain the options around plowing. Frankie brings years of big ag training coupled with hands on wildlife food plots experience to help us all improve our farming for wildlife. We talk disc, discing, no till plows, overseeding and many other options. It’s an interesting discussion. Listen, Learn and Enjoy.            

Show Notes:
Nutrien: https://www.nutrien.com/

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This week we take a deep dive in improving the huntability of a property with a Kenny Thompson owner of Plots Plus. Kenny manages a bunch of farms, plants hundreds of acres, creates water holes, funnels, turkey dusting areas and much more. He explains what he does and how access is one of the most important aspects to consider. Along the way we talk clover and we were shocked to learn his secret for establishing the lush thick clover fields that are his trademark. It’s a great discussion that can help anymore enhance a property or simply improve how they hunt. Listen, Learn and Enjoy.            

Show Notes:
Plots Plus: https://www.plotsplus.net/index.html
Top Flight Archery: https://www.facebook.com/TopFlightArchery/

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On this bonus podcast we talk with the Fisheries Extension Professor at Mississippi State, Dr. Wes Neal, about the invasive carp species (including the “jumping” carp we’ve all seen in videos or person) who’s populations have exploded in our U.S. river systems. We talk about them and their close relatives the grass carp, bighead carp, and black carp. We also learn about another well-known invasive fish, the northern snakehead, and how it’s now not necessarily as controversial to some as it used to be. It’s a fascinating discussion to learn how these fish arrived here, what they are doing to the ecosystems and what we can expect in the future. We also discuss how European fisherman revere the carp we seem to loathe. Listen, Learn and Enjoy.            

Show Notes:
More on Dr. Wes Neal: https://www.wildlifefisheries.msstate.edu/people/jwn72 

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This week we all sit mesmerized by Dr. Craig Harper of UT as he explains his twenty-five-year study of fire and how it affects habitat. We’ve all known the importance of dormant season fires on the landscape but Craig explains the importance of fire at other times of the year and the exact benefits. His long study in conjunction with many other smart minds is now being explained and the results are eye opening. He’s even preaching to burn smaller areas and he thoroughly explains why. Want to improve bedding? He has an answer. Want to create fawning cover? Want to create poult bugging areas?  Nesting areas? High protein forbs and forages for a healthier deer herd? You have to listen to this one. We think it may be the most definitive explanation of fire we’ve heard and how using it over the calendar year can help you to accomplish your goals. You might need a notebook. Listen Learn and Enjoy.

Show Notes:
More on Dr. Craig Harper: https://naturalresources.tennessee.edu/craig-harper/

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This bonus episode we are joined by crow hunting expert and world class caller Sandy Brady. Imagine killing 8,000 crows a year and over 400 in one hunt!  Sandy takes it very serious and hunts them hard. He explains his set up style and more importantly explains the black birds vocalizations. He’s also a big turkey hunter and teaches us that the way most folks try to get a turkey to shock gobble is actually the crows alarm call and that may be hurting your chances of seeing that gobbler. That got our attention. We are fascinated by his crow hunting prowess and intrigued to learn how to step up our crow calling game for locating turkeys. Listen, Learn and Enjoy.           

Show Notes:
WildTalker Calls: email - [email protected]

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