On this episode of Michigan Wild, host Nate Rozeveld welcomes Jake Bollinger, a passionate hunter and habitat manager. They discuss the excitement surrounding the upcoming gun season, family traditions related to hunting, and the importance of processing deer personally. The conversation shifts to hunting access, land management strategies, and the significance of creating wildlife-friendly habitats. They also explore deer movement patterns, the use of technology in habitat management, and the value of community knowledge sharing in hunting. The episode continues with a captivating story about Jake's buck from the current season, which was shot in late October after making an aggressive move because the farmer drove by on a UTV.

Jake knew about this buck and was able to put the puzzle pieces together by finding scrapes and understanding how deer like to bed on his property.  After making the shot the recovery was unique and Jake was in uncharted territory after not hitting the buck ideal. He discussed the challenge of tracking and recovering his deer, particularly after a gut shot, and how waiting until the following morning was critical to recovering his deer. 

Overall you can sense the passion Jake has for hunting and improving the landscape. He isn't afraid of some sweat equity and is always learning and attempting new strategies. He is very relatable to the majority of hunters who find themselves hunting the family farm or own their small piece of heaven. Leaving behind the property better than he found it is the driving force and he is already looking forward to starting habitat improvements this upcoming year.

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Interested in being a guest on Michigan Wild? Send an email to [email protected]or send a message on Instagram @michiganwildpod.

In need of a tracking dog? Reach out to Find It Fred, Tony and his dog are top notch and Tony is passionate about helping fellow hunters.

Looking to add a food plot or change up your food plot strategy check out vitalizeseed.com and the Habitat Podcast.

Check out Wildlife Legends Taxidermy for any of your taxidermy needs.