Deer land management consultant?
Wisconsin
Contributors to this thread:
Hello, my name is Matt and this is my first post (although I have been lurking here for a while). I live in Minnesota, but do all of my hunting in Wisconsin. I have found a lot of great information here, so thanks for that!! Here is a quick “snapshot” of my hunting experience;
I started hunting with a compound bow three years ago (at the young age of 43), and was fortunate to harvest my first deer with a bow in December of 2014. I participated in my first gun opener last year (2015). I decided that although I very much enjoyed the comradery of “deer camp”, and harvesting the biggest deer or my short career with a rifle, I much preferred hunting with a bow. I really enjoy the time and peace of woods, the “intimacy” of hunting with a bow, and the way my heart will jump out of my chest as I watch a deer come within 20 yards. I hunt on private land, mainly using ladder stands 15-20 feet up.
So here is question, my family has acquired a couple parcels of land over the last 10 or so years. A 55 acre parcel in Pierce County, and 42 acres in Burnett County. My average hunting season is usually split 50-50% between the two. I have been considering having a deer land management consultant come in and give me some advice on food plots (where and what to plant), stand locations, bedding locations, and other management practices.
Has anyone ever used one of these “consultants”? I seems like there could be a lot of value there, but I have zero experience with these things. I am not afraid of the work, and do have access to some land working equipment. Please let me know your thoughts, and if anyone has used someone they would recommend. Thanks!!
Contact jeff sturgis or steve bartrylla. $1,000
There are lots of us that do that kind of work. Check with local DNR foresters, sport shops, feed mills, etc to find one in your area.
I will add, don't overlook sound forest management. Whether a clearcut for aspen, or perhaps other sustainable forest harvests; each can pay dividends for wildlife habitat. In the end, foodplots mean nothing if habitat is missing. A consultant forester can turn marginal property into valuable property with prescribed measures.
Sturgis and bartrylla have multiple books on amazon for sale.
Jeff sturgis is probably the best, but Steve knows his stuff as well. Don't get discouraged by those saying you don't have enough land. I'm no land specialist, but I do have experience managing and improving habitat in one of the counties you named. If you need/want any regional help advice. Shoot me a PM.
Their books cover setting up and hunting small parcels.
Thanks for all the responses, any input helps!! I do have concerns about the size of the parcels, and even more concern about the neighboring landowners at one of the locations. Their deer management strategies seem to involve shooting everything that moves. I will look into those books as well. Thanks
If you provide the environment they want and feel safe in, 40-50 acres is enough to hold deer on. Don't be discouraged by the size of the land. Let us know what you come up with if you do hire someone. Good luck.
LHAAKENSON's Link
I recommend Jeff Sturgis. I havent used him for a consultant, but have read his books and agree with his approach. I feel his approach works well for the small landowner, where as some consultants have theories that apply to large land owners. The cost for a consultant would be way cheaper than implementing the wrong practices in my opinion. His website is https://www.whitetailhabitatsolutions.com/. He also had blogs on his website for a taste of his information! I cant speak to Bartylla, but others may have experience with him.
Dont waste your money. This isnt rocket science. Why do you feel you need to "hire" someone to get deer on your property?
Hey Bait....you knew what this thread was going to be about so why even chime in? Did you need some attention? Well....you got it. ATTENTION ATTENTION ATTENTION
Does anyone know if he is related to Denny Sturgis?
Save your money, there is no need to hire someone. Take a little time and do some research. There is plenty of information online, in magazines, books, forums, etc.. You may not get it right the first time, but you will learn over time. I find doing the research, coming up with a plan, and executing that plan as fun as hunting itself. It will be a lot more rewarding when you harvest that big mature buck.
"Sturgis and bartrylla have multiple books on amazon for sale."
I got ahold of the Bartylla book and am about half way through, very interesting and informative, Thanks!
"I recommend Jeff Sturgis. I havent used him for a consultant, but have read his books and agree with his approach. I feel his approach works well for the small landowner, where as some consultants have theories that apply to large land owners. The cost for a consultant would be way cheaper than implementing the wrong practices in my opinion. His website is https://www.whitetailhabitatsolutions.com/. He also had blogs on his website for a taste of his information! I cant speak to Bartylla, but others may have experience with him."
I recently found out that a co-worker of mine had brought Jeff in to look at his property and was very impressed, Thanks!
"Dont waste your money. This isnt rocket science. Why do you feel you need to "hire" someone to get deer on your property?"
Why? Because I feel as though this is not something that is high on my skill set. I have been researching this for awhile now, and although I do feel more comfortable with the material, I have also found that more knowledge creates more questions. I am not afraid of the work, or even the mistakes that are bound to come, but I believe that having a more knowledgeable person help me from the start may save time, (wasted) energy and money in the long run. I see it as hiring a tutor for a school subject that your struggling with, the answers are always out there, but sometimes it helps to have some direction to learn that material. I do appreciate your concern for my money though, Thanks.
"Because it's easier, seems to be a common trait among deer farmers."
This.......not touching this one.
I hunt in pierce county and live in mn. We do sbout 5 acres in food plots. My wife used to dislike me always being gone. My advice is to involve the family and make it fun. Now she loves to drive the wheeler and plant stuff. The best was when we rounded a corner and there was a doe and new fawn eating in the plot my wife planted. She asks me when we can go now. It helps the family understand your hunting stories and locations also. Have fun and work hard.
Thanks Rick, good advice!!
Hi Matt, post aerial photos of your property and I'm sure you'll get plenty of good insight here. A good source for them is https://gis.lic.wisc.edu/coastalweb/www/wisconsin-ims/wisconsin-ims.htm In general, I'd recommend thinking of your properties in terms of 10-20 acre segment s and providing bedding and feeding opportunities within each of these segments. Ideally these segments can be easily separated by land features such as a ridge, stream, etc. The goal is to get one good buck to claim each of your segments. Place your largest foodplot in the middle of your property and designate one of your segments as a refuge area staying out of unless tracking a deer or conducting management activities. Preferably the refuge abuts the primary foodsource on at least one side. One water source should be sufficient for the size of your properties. If you don't have one, provide one (or two). Create a trail system to allow access for both stealthy hunting and management. The trail system and foodplot clearing(s) can be performed as part of a timber harvest and can thereby be essentially free although you may have to entice the logger to grub the stumps for you. You'll just need to lay out the areas to be designated as log landings and skidding trails and then convert them to foodplots and trails when they're done. When conducting timber harvests, remember to keep your property segmented. Don't clearcut the entire parcel or you won't be able too create the edge effect that you could by splitting the harvest into two or three cuts conducted a minimum of 7-10 years apart. This also ensures you have optimal bedding cover over a longer period of time. Timber harvests provide revenue and they are the most beneficial means of providing cover. In general, I'm not a fan of hinge cutting trees as the same conditions can be provided via logging, but hinge cutting can be implemented to create or maintain bedding areas within middle aged timber stands if so needed. Look into enrolling in MFL for both the forestry advice and tax benefits it can provide. Current tax rate for closed MFL is $10.68 per acre, so you'll have determine if that provides you a savings or not (you can view your current taxes on the link provided above). If a tractor and brush hog mower isn't a feasible option, look at purchasing a walk behind DR. Brush Mower. It's a very well constructed piece of machinery and capable of taking down brush 1.5-2" in diameter. Perfect for maintaining trails and foodplots. Don't forget the other wildlife species either. Birdhouses, bathouses, etc. are fun projects that can get the family involved. Plant some apple trees, a raspberry patch or an asparagus patch, something to further connect you and your family to the land. We've developed a tradition of grabbing a couple turnips from a foodplot to cook up (simply chunk, boil, salt/pepper and butter) with fresh venison whenever we butcher deer. Foodplot plantings depend on your deer numbers and soil types but I'd recommend starting with several small areas of clover (I like to add chicory) to provide a spring through fall foodsource. Your other plot(s) should then focus on fall through winter needs. You likely won't have the acreage needed to plant soybeans or corn without excessive damage from deer and you're also likely not in the best of soils either, so I'd pass on planting them. I like to plant a mix of purple top turnips (3lbs/Acre), dwarf essex rape (2lbs/Acre) and daikon radish (2lbs/Acre). Plant just before a forecasted rain in July or even into August (plant in July if turnip bulbs are you're goal). Rotate your foodplots or divide your foodplots so that you can rotate crops within the foodplots themselves (i.e. plant in strips). I've had good luck with Buck Forage Oats as well. All of the species I've recommended can be broadcast seeded and done with minimal tillage if you don't have the means to disc or till the soil. Don't overhunt your foodplots. You'll only get several hunts per foodplot before sightings will drop dramatically. Leave your largest primary plot alone or leave it alone until rifle season when the deer are somewhat rattled anyway. P.S. maintain your property lines. Make it a habit to inspect and mark all property lines annually and to maintain all fences. P/L issues are a common problem amongst landowners. Clearly marked P/L's help alleviate new problems from occurring. Familiarize yourself with invasive species such as buckthorn, honeysuckle and garlic mustard. Buy a backpack sprayer and make invasive treatment a continual project. Make sure you treat invasives in all areas scheduled timber harvests prior to them being cut. Make and maintain a To Do list for your property(s). Draw your habitat management ideas onto your air photos. These items will help you assess and prioritize your land stewardship goals.
If you have any more questions, just ask. If you'd like me to conduct a field review of your property(s) and/or create a formal and complete Management Report we can discuss that as well.
Brian Kronstedt
Wow!! Awesome info, thanks!!