On this episode we discuss the management strategies to create the most limited resource available for wild turkeys in 2023. This critical collection of herbaceous plants and bare ground, are in limited supply and must be created intentionally if you want wild turkeys in the future. 

Kyle and Matt discuss the different ways you can create this cover from transforming fields or timber. If you’re actively trying to promote turkeys, this is a must listen. Brood rearing cover will the impact that improves turkey reproduction. We see it time and time again, the farms that have good Turkey populations, have adequate brood rearing cover available. Time to transition old fields, food plot edges, crop fields, and thinned timber into brooding cover by offering herbaceous broadleaf plants and bare ground. 

If you learned more about turkeys from listening, please share! 

This week we discuss management practices that benefit ground nesting birds and deer.  Deer are able to thrive in a variety of habitat but turkey and quail rely on specific habitat types to exist.  In this roundtable discussion with returning guest Chuck Mays & Daric Denney we talk about practices that are helpful to both animals and can possibly save you time and money while giving you a bigger return on the landscape.

Put your listening ears on for this one! We have a heavy hitter coming at you as we interview Dr. Marcus Lashley and Dr. Will Gulsby from Wild Turkey Science Podcast. We review in great detail the recent podcasts revolving around the essential habitat needed for reproduction of the wild turkey. 

To no surprise the conversation quickly gets to the importance of early successional vegetation on the landscape for nesting and brood rearing cover. It was found in a recent research project that 45% of the hens selected only 7% of the landscape consisting of the early successional cover and shrubland. Not surprisingly, there was a 38% success rate in these areas for nests, which is pretty exceptional for maintaining and growing turkey populations! 

After covering these staggering numbers, we then shift the conversation towards baiting and the implications it has on the landscape and how it largely impacts predators in a very positive way. Baiting is not a practice that we would support or suggest if you are interested in producing more turkeys on the landscape. 

We hope you share this podcast with everyone who cares about the wild turkey. 

It's 2023 and there is an overwhelming amount of content to consume, only one problem, it all contradicts the other. So how do you know which viewpoint to follow? SHould you listen to this person opinion of this other persons?  Our advice, do what's right for you farm's ecosystem and use research backed advice to get the maximum results! 

As more landowners shift to thinking about habitat work, more questions pop up; Do I need a consultant? Do I need a contractor? How do I choose someone? What work needs to be done? How do I determine what’s the most important? Which practice is best?

The best answer is, it depends! Lol This week we dive into some of this and discuss the in’s and out’s of several practices and how to make some of these decisions.

We added to the Woodlands this year, and it's something we're very excited about! 

Simple yet effective is the name of the game. From a business perspective it’s, a supply vs demand scenario. Have species demand early successional vegetation, yet the supply is very limited on most landscapes. 

In this podcast, we walk you through step by step of how to implement the technique of old field management. The most important aspect is effective termination of cool season grasses. From there, you burn the thatch, spray invasive species, and let the sun and seed bank do the rest. 

Don’t overlook this dynamic, yet effective tool land management tool. If you want to reproduce turkeys on your farm, you need to consider promoting early successional plant communities. 

With the ongoing turkey decline and quail numbers completely nonexistent in several areas these days, it’s so encouraging to see more landowners doing habitat management practices to help restore numbers. This week we discuss what we are seeing and some of the reasons more landowners are jumping on board.

We're discussing the recent Forestry Management Plan we put together for our home farm the Woodlands and how we're managing for wildlife even though it's timber. This podcast will make you see the forest in a different light and how you can manage for long term results. #Forloveoftheland

After a long day in the field Matt and Frank review a land and wildlife habitat consultation from central Kansas. This farm ground in the Great Plains region can be good, but it has its limitations. 

Adequate cover for whitetails is limited. So it’s time to break the mold and start with a new mindset to really up the value of cover for whitetail deer. But deer isn’t the only objective, we’ve got bobwhite quail, pheasants, and waterfowl to consider on this farm as well. 

We stretch the limits and push hard for creative habitat plans. This consultation was no different. To get different results, you just manage differently!