This week we visit with Matt Martin and get a unique perspective from a guy that has been on all sides of land management.  Matt worked for the NRCS, has been a landowner with a NRCS EQIP contract, and now owns a land management business where as a contractor he works for others trying to develop their land 
 

In this podcast we sit down with Ryan DeSantis of Oklahoma State University to discuss forest health. This episode is all about the importance of active forest management. We discuss this from three major angles!

First we discuss why forests need to be managed for their overall health. Single aged forests are one step away from being devastated, but diverse aged stands can withstand disease or wind damage. Wildlife habitat creation is another main influencer of forest management. Food and cover is created through diverse forests. Lastly, a proper forest functions like an independent ecosystem and stores carbon. This is an important message to share as you learn about how actively growing forests are carbon storing machines! 

Please take this podcast to heart and manage your forests. Every angle suggests it’s importance. 

Time and time again we get asked after we write a management plan what are the next steps. It's a loaded question but the general theme is the same. Start working! Do we do the work ourselves, do we hire contractors? Should we sign up for government cost share? All these questions and more right here on Saw Dust & Fire 

Land & Legacy client Aaron Jordan has had a season to remember! Laying down a 181" Kansas giant is not simple task. This didn't come from accident though, this comes from years of work, planning and habitat restoration. Land & Legacy consultant Kyle Hedges worked with Mr Jordan back in the winter and put together a game plan to start the complete restoration of habitat to not only grow more deer but to harvest more deer, needless to say it's working! 

We've all asked that question when running into a buck  we didn't want to leave our farm. Does he stay and just go nocturnal or does he leave the area completely? That's where today's research and podcast topic are crucial in understanding the  needs of whitetail deer and how we can lay out our farm to benefit ourselves in high pressure neighborhoods. 

You make think you have thick cover but listen in on this podcast to hear  Andy discuss what they found when trying to stalk these deer for the sake of research. Was it a simple patch of grass or tall mature timber? Listen in to hear! 

We recently asked landowners to reach out to us and tell us about your habitat work. Today we are joined with Cole Shealy from South Carolina to discuss his property, the habitat work he’s done and the results he is seeing as well as the benefits of a prescribed burn association that he’s recently helped start.
 

You've heard the talk, scout before season, scout during season, scout while hunting! Blah, Blah, Blah! Most of us don't have the time to scout and play defense with the deer. Good land managers lay out a plan, implement, and reap the rewards. 

Zack and Issac Coy have been working to improve their property for years so we discuss the natural transition from food plots to burning. This is a great podcast to encourage you to start planning your scouting with habitat work! 

There are two things that always coincide with treestands, that is safety and comfort. We can all agree on that at least. Every farm has several locations that are always dependable, each and every season. These are perennial stand locations that may require long sits in the tree safely and comfortably. 

Vertical Treestands is a newly launched and emerging treestand company that is offering new technology to the treestand game. In addition, they are offering a discount code to listeners, use the code LandLegacy20 to get 20% off the new offerings. We sit down and chat with Austin and Frank of Vertical treestands as they discuss the in's-and-outs of the new equipment. You can tell from our conversation that they know treestands and are building a company based around quality products made in America! 

Be sure to check out www.VerticalTreestands.com! 

This week we are joined with Mr Donnie Deaton from the pine thickets of south Arkansas to talk about how to recover from a bad hit on that deer we’ve been targeting. We discuss shot placement, wait times before searching and yep, you guessed it….blood trailing dogs. We even talk about ole Lanky, the dog that chose his human.