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.   

These days everyone has a seed blend with a fancy bag and marketing tagline. Do you really know what is in there, and should those things be in same bag to be planted with the same methods? With cereal grains requiring up to a 1" seed depth, and clover no more than 1/4", how to you plant them both from the same bag and get a successful stand? Often times seed blends serve as an insurance policy for seed companies. The more varieties that are in the bag, the more likely that something will turn green and grow. But for the price, could you do much better putting your own blend together and planting separately? This is the second in a series of two podcasts that we recorded with MDWFP Assistant Coordinator of the Private Lands program, Pierce Young. We think you will enjoy it

Pierce Young has been around deer his whole life. Early on in his career he was instrumental in the success of the deer tagging program that was conducted in NE MS across 27,000 acres of private land. He has worked along side many of the best deer researchers in the world, including Drs Steve Demarais and Bronson Strickland. Now Pierce is a biologist and assistant coordinator of the MDWFP Private Lands program. They work as consultants for private landowners across the state of Mississippi. On this episode we discuss the theory of management bucks. You'll hear a few things that might surprise you, but depending on what your goals are and a few other factors, you might need to be shooting a few young bucks each year.

A well trained retriever can add enjoyment and efficiency to your hunting. A great family pet and companion adds a whole lot of smiles and love in your home. You can have both, and our friend Tyler Cofield of  @MarlenGundogs  has made it his mission to develop his line of British labs into just that. We discuss this and more on this episode. Also with dove season approaching we get into some of the dos and don'ts when it comes to working your dog on a hot dove field. You can follow Tyler on his social media outlets  @MarlenGundogs  on IG and Facebook

In this episode of Storytime with Uncle Chris we hear about the time they discovered someone had "borrowed" a skidder from a logging job. Chris and the logger followed the tracks back to a nearby house and confronted the suspect. Sometimes you just have to reevaluate the situation, and pick your battle. This encounter could have gone south, but in the end it was a positive for everyone.

Dave Owens, creator of The Pinhoti Project, sat down with me and talked about social media, calling championships, and conservation. Dave recently won his second Grand National Title at the NWTF in Nashville this year, and is an active participant and supporter of the various state calling contests. Social media figures, or influencers, often get blamed for the increase numbers and reduced opportunities on public hunting land. While some of this has been warranted, there are also cases where these figures have leveraged their large following and influenced national politics. Earlier this year when Mike Lee authored legislation that would have forced the sale of millions of acres of public land, Dave and others used their platforms to push back successfully against this legislation. While we are quick to criticize those who are in the public eye and have large followings, we should also give them credit when this considerable influence is used for good. My audio is really bad through the webcam, apologies in advance.

The term Co-op has become synonymous with farm supply, feed, and seed.  But do you know why it's called "the co-op"?   These organizations came to existence out of necessity and from local farmers and landowners coming together to leverage their collective buying power.   It is more than just a name, and odds are there is one in your community.  We sat down with Jeff Hays, the manager of Lowndes Farm Supply to discuss the Co-op difference and the evolution of the farm supply business over the years. Including the challenge of keeping it local while competing with large franchises and internet business. We encourage you to go visit your local Co-op, it is more than just a name. 

Landlocked properties are more and more common as land and estates are fragmented.  There are a lot of misconceptions around access, easements, and what the adjoining landowners must do to provide access to landlocked tracts.  Jay Nichols is our good friend and an expert real estate attorney.  Jay and his father have worked with landowners in Mississippi for decades and have seen just about every access and easement situation imaginable.  We sat down with Jay to talk through the types of easement, what rights landowners have and how to go about legally accessing land that does not join a public road.   As usual, we get some great stories along the way.  

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural and forest land managers to enhance their conservation efforts. It helps producers adopt new conservation practices and maintain existing ones, compensating them for improved resource management. Eligible lands include private agricultural lands, non-industrial private forest land, and associated lands. We mention CSP and other programs all of the time because they are great ways for land owners and managers to offset the cost of doing projects that improve wildlife habitat, not just on their property but these improvements often reach beyond the property lines. Mitt has consulted farmers for decades through his company, Southern Ag Consultants. He brings this knowledge and experience to landowners through Midsouth Resource Management and Wildlife Investments consulting. Interested in any of the cost share opportunities? Connect with Mitt to learn more www.wildlifeinvestments.com   www.mrmpros.com   or on Instagram and Facebook 

Clover is a high protein legume that whitetail deer and turkeys love to eat.  Additionally it fixes nitrogen in the soil, and when maintained it will return year after year without replanting.   It is no wonder that clover is at the top of every land manager's list when it comes to food plot plant varieties.   But there are varieties and practices that can be implemented to fine tune your approach with clover to maximize deer utilization, plant production, and economic efficiency.   Mitt unpacks much of this as we discuss clover varieties, practices, and herbicide treatments for clover.  We spend some time discussing red clovers as well.  Mitt was one of the original hosts of the Woodsman Perspective Podcast along with Brent and Chris.  He is a crop consultant, entrepreneur, and land manager.   Mitt operates a land management and consulting business, Midsouth Resource Management, and has recently  partnered with Dr. Bronson Strickland and Moriah Boggess to form Wildlife Investments, a team of professional game biologists specializing in data-driven land and wildlife management.  www.wildlifeinvestments.com www.mrmpros.com 

On this episode we look back at lessons learned, observations made, and some good stories from turkey season 2025.   From an unlikely double on a property that has never held spring turkeys to a single season grand slam thanks to a chance gas station meeting, this one has some good stories that you should be able to relate to!    

Dr. Bronson Strickland is the foremost authority in whitetail deer research right.  He is also our friend.  Over the years we have had a great relationship with Bronson centered around the mutual love for whitetail deer and a desire to properly manage habitat in a way that maximizes the overall herd health as well as antler production.    On this episode we will be  talking about summer foodplots and deer nutrition.  We also discuss Bronson's transition from MSU to private consulting.  He and Mitt Warldaw along with some of the best consultants in the country have formed Wildlife Investments.  In case you are just getting into hunting and  habitat management, here is a short bio on Dr. Strickland: Bronson Strickland holds BS, MS, and Ph.D. degrees in wildlife biology and management from the University of Georgia, Texas A&M-Kingsville, and Mississippi State University. He has been a co-director of the MSU Deer Lab since 2006 where he researched white-tailed deer biology and management and habitat management. Bronson’s strengths are buck population management and the habitat management techniques used to promote the production and harvest of the best bucks. Bronson is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and was given the Al Brothers Deer Manager of the Year Award by the Quality Deer Management Association in 2019, the Lee Gladfelter Memorial Award by the Pope & Young Club in 2019, and the Joe Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Deer Association in 2024. https://wildlifeinvestments.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553479625266

Precision shooting has become a popular off season sport among hunters. Many of the traditional hunting rifle manufacturers now offer models specifically for long range shooting in calibers that are very versatile for hunting. Pair that with affordable high quality optics, and you can be ringing steel at 500 yards with an over the counter package. This isn't just for the off season though, there are plenty of good applications for this in deer hunting and management. We discuss this and more with our guest Matthew Dalton. Matthew works the gun counter at Outlaw Sporting Goods in Columbus Ms. He has a lot of experience shooting long range precision, and is clearly very knowledgeable. We hope you enjoy this one.Links: Outlaw Sporting Goods Columbus:  https://www.facebook.com/p/Outlaw-Sporting-Goods-100082043934045/ Howa Rifles: https://www.howausa.com/rifles/ Ruger American: https://www.ruger.com/products/americanRifle/overview.html The Woodsman Perspective Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the_woodsman_perspective_/                                               Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083308630488                                                Youtube  https://www.youtube.com/@woodsmanperspectivepodcast  

While economic development and community growth is generally good for the population, the local economy, politicians, and quality of life in general, there is always a cost to nature and wildlife. These losses remind of how important it is to manage and protect the land and wildlife where you can. Also it is a reminder that habitat loss creates scarcity, which drives up the value in recreational land. Florida is arguably one of the clearest examples of urban encroachment destroying wildlife habitat, particularly of the Osceola turkey.  

Drones are everywhere, and while some still see them as toys there are some real advantages to them. Our own Brent Lochala has been flying drones for over 10 years and has an FAA part 107 license to operate them commercially. We get into some uses for them for owners and managers, some you are aware of and some you may not have thought of. From deer herd analysis, progression monitoring, flood control and drainage, to pine beetle damage survey, there are great uses for these unmanned aerial vehicles. But as we know, this technology has potential to push the envelope on hunter ethics.

The use of technology and tactics that create a perceived advantage, or shortcut, is one of the most divisive things in the hunting community. It's in every aspect of it whether it is baiting for deer or reaping turkeys. Technology such as cellular enabled game cameras and thermal drones have brought it another level. The use of live scopes for crappie fishing is a great example of that. These tools, in my opinion, make it even more important for us outdoorsmen and conservationists to self regulate in the best interest of the resource. Our good friend and the giver of Woodsman badges, Lennis Crimm joined us to talk about this. He is a lifelong and very accomplished fisherman. Enjoy

Whether you are planning your summer food plots, picking up sheds, or calculating your cost per pound in venison, just about everything in hunting and habitat management comes back to numbers. This is something that we always come back to in our discussions about whatever project we are working on, so we bet that you have too. While at first it can seem to complicate things, especially if math isn't your thing, it actually helps to take the guesswork out and makes us all more efficient. So whether you are calculating seed rates or trying to decide to drive or fly on the next trip, numbers ultimately determine what you do.   Enjoy

Within the ranks of turkey hunters, there are people who are specialists. We are going to highlight those specialists with a series of podcasts. The first one that we are featuring is "The Technician". We all have one in our circle, at least I hope we all do. Our friend Matt Kilpatrick is a technician. A cabinet builder by trade, he has an uncanny sense of craftsmanship and an eye for detail. He is the type of guy that will not trust the success of his hunt to someone that he doesn't know in a factory loading his shells, or making his mouth yelpers. So, he does it himself. We discuss handloading TSS, making mouth yelpers to specific standards and custom for his pallet. In typical Woodsman Perspective form we tell some stories and have some laughs along the way. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed do in it.

Hardwoods are key to any recreational tract and wildlife habitat.  Dudley Phelps is the resident expert and tree nerd on the Mossy Oak Gamekeeper podcast, and we were excited to sit down with him and talk oaks, acorns, and hardwood management.   Dudley has a wealth of knowledge, not just on these things but all things wildlife and  hunting.   We grilled some venison tomahawks and had a great conversation, even though someone left the front door open and we were freezing by the end of the podcast. We hope you enjoy! www.nativnurseries.com   Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries www.mossyoak.com/watch-listen/podcasts Mossy Oak Gamekeeper Podcast   

This throwback Thursday is a great conversation with Steve Brown, owner of Brown & Co outfitters.  Steve is one of the best turkey hunters to ever do it, hands down.   He has killed multiple world slams with archery equipment, guided decades ago at Westervelt lodge, competed in the Grand National calling contest and twice winning the Mississippi state championship.   Turkey hunters will enjoy this one from the archives.  We have killed a few turkeys with our bows, so we know just enough to appreciate the difficulty of it.   Enjoy