Land & Legacy - Habitat + Hunting

Adam Keith 7:47 PM (0 minutes ago) to me In this episode from the Land & Legacy podcast, the conversation zeroes in on how timber management directly impacts turkey populations—and why most properties fall short simply because the woods are too closed and stagnant. A major takeaway is that turkeys thrive in open, diverse timber—not mature, shaded forests. The guys emphasize that many landowners mistakenly believe “big timber” equals good habitat, when in reality, closed-canopy woods limit sunlight, suppress understory growth, and ultimately reduce the insects and ground cover that poults depend on for survival. The episode breaks down how to correct th...

Does Burning Create More Turkeys? It is widely known the value that prescribed fire can play in habitat management for wild turkeys. However, we commonly see folks burning during improper timing, frequencies, and/or in areas that are not ready for fire, meaning unthinned timber. Fire in closed canopies may actually in some cases make turkey habitat worse. During this podcast, we discuss the proper steps and directions for those looking to improve the habitat with fire for turkeys. Brooding cover, nesting cover, and overall better foraging opportunities for adult birds are all topics of discussion. We hope this podcast...

Most landowners overlook a simple yet powerful strategy—you can dramatically improve deer habitat and hunting success by strategically logging and creating early successional growth. In this episode, Adam Keith reveals the surprisingly straightforward approach that transformed one two-acre oak-hickory stand into a deer magnet in just four years.
Amid hectic farm life, Adam shares behind-the-scenes details of a fascinating logging experiment—leaving mid-story trees to optimize deer bedding and forage while minimizing habitat disturbance. You’ll discover how a gentle, targeted clear-cut, followed by prescribed burns and native grass establishment, can boost wildlife movement, increase browse, and turn y...

The NWTF is doubling down on science-led conservation strategy

A dedicated research leadership role signals a new era of coordinated, national-scale research

Investments in research and partnerships are driving data-backed wildlife management decisions

Conservation is not just about wildlife—it’s about preserving outdoor traditions and ecosystems for future generations

During this week's podcast consultants Matt Dye and Brady Bradley discuss a wide range of habitat topics. They are playing 'Where's Waldo?' in the realm of where all the Land & Legacy Team has been during the last few weeks of consulting. The team covered a wide range of states, topographies, and ecosystems from sandy soils to rocky ridges. Habitat is going in the ground across the country. We also review some common mis-conceptions about deer herd dynamics, heavy equipment, food plot techniques, and habitat enhancement features that many landowners face yearly. This podcast will make you think and consider...

In this weeks episode Kyle and Frank discuss prescribed fire. They cover the basics of how fire timing, techniques, and weather conditions affect the outcome of the prescribed burn.

We’re coming to you from the NWTF National Convention with Dr. Brett Collier to break down the latest in wild turkey research. We dive into the hot-button issues surrounding turkey declines, tackle some of the more confrontational opinions in the conversation, and take a hard look at what the research actually says about predators.

It’s an honest, science-driven discussion about where turkey management stands today — and where it may be headed.

We’re discussing the highly debated topic of duck migrations and why places in the south have seen drastic changes in duck numbers.,, or are they? We’re talking with Scott Hicks of Whitetail Properties who’s been a long time duck hunter and what he’s seen in the world of waterfowl. Is it the weather, the flooded corn, or too many hunters?

Lets compare the structure of four commonly found habitat features on the landscape and see how they measure up in hiding a bedded deer. We're diving into the timber to look at cedar thickets, a bedding thicket, a thinned forest, and a closed canopy forest.

During this podcast we review the dramatic transformations that TSI can provide to a recreational property. This often is the missing piece to many farms. They have drastically underperforming timber stands with regard to wildlife value. Yet, the goals of the farm are to enhanced it for wildlife. We bring in and sight multiple research projects discussing the value of TSI for improved forage production, then transition to discuss at length our anecdotal experiences. We cover some of the topics below in this podcast: -develops desirable layers of forest -understory, mid story, and over story - slow progression of a...

Have you ever wondered if the neighbors are baiting? Isn't that illegal? What are you supposed to look for if you aren't allowed to bait? Adam and Matt sit down with Alan this week to discuss the problems both legal baiting and illegal baiting offer. Ask yourself if given the power to outlaw baiting nation wide or keep it which would you do?

Our first ever Wealth Strategy Service Workshop held in Sioux City, Iowa August 7-8th. This event will teach you how to develop a strategy and detailed plan that transforms land into a living business that generates income, reduces taxes, and creates a legacy you can pass down for generations to come. This offering is an extremely undervalued event considering the price! You will learn about our step by step process and plan development phases that we walk clients through to set them up for success and create a legacy for your family . We have several highly professional guest speakers...

Our first ever Wealth Strategy Service Workshop held in Sioux City, Iowa August 7-8th. This event will teach you how to develop a strategy and detailed plan that transforms land into a living business that generates income, reduces taxes, and creates a legacy you can pass down for generations to come. This offering is an extremely undervalued event considering the price! You will learn about our step by step process and plan development phases that we walk clients through to set them up for success and create a legacy for your family . We have several highly professional guest speakers...

Ever wonder why southern Iowa is considered the big buck capital of the world? Here’s your chance to go behind the curtain and see what Adam and Matt consider the best farm in the country! This farm doesn’t just grow them, they are successfully harvesting 190” and bigger year after year! This could be a one time only opportunity to see inside the giant buck factory of southern Iowa! Only 20 spots available! Sign up today before it’s booked! Join us for Hands-on demonstrations with Adam, Matt, Greg and Kasey from HuntWorx. Live Q&A to discuss your specific question...

Spend an entire weekend with Mike & Shawn from Heartland Bowhunter, along with Matt & Adam from Land & Legacy discussing all things whitetail from a land management perspective while also implementing hunting strategy. Our Whitetail Workshop is designed to equip land managers with the skills and knowledge to create and maintain thriving habitats for whitetails and turkeys. Through in class study and hands-on lesson, participants will learn to enhance their land with strategic food plots, prescribed fire, water holes, timber stand improvement, diverse plantings and much more. We’ll cover how to plan and execute a habitat management strategy that attracts and su...

Alan and Adam sit down to discuss things we've learned over the years that can help you from having to learn the hard way. Isn't it great when we can learn from someone else's mistakes so we don't have to make them ourselves? A huge part of Land & Legacy is assisting landowners from making costly mistakes and this podcast highlights some of our biggest regrets in land management.

For years we have watched landowners pour cash and resources into land and only profit from the recreational potential that comes along with owning land. But there is a better way to own land and turn that land into a business. We have been behind the scenes building a team to help launch a service that will help landowners develop a land owning strategy that will create a legacy. If you've ever struggled to understand how you can develop a strategy and detailed plan that transforms recreational land into a living business that generates income, reduces taxes, and creates a...

Matt Dye discusses herd dynamics and deer densities on three different recreational farms across three different states. He highlights the importance of balancing herd density with habitat improvements. As this is the only way to see the farm's full maximized value. Farm 1 in Ohio, 959 acres, has a high deer density of 196 deer per square mile, necessitating a reduction from 295 deer to 110 per square mile over four years. Farm 2 in Kentucky, 580 acres, has a lower density of 111 deer per square mile and requires a similar reduction strategy. Farm 3, a 1500-acre timbered farm with high fencing, has a one-to-one buck-to-doe ratio and...

This week, we break down Matt's buck harvest from this fall on a 7.5 year old buck. This deer never was top of the chain and seemed to evade us when it came to encounters over the past few years. But, he was not shy on trail camera. A few years ago, a late season scouting mission connected some vital dots to the lease property. A small overlooked island in a river bed turned out to be a huge corridor and funnel. For years now, it has become one of the hotspots for monitoring bucks working scrapes as they transition from...

Year after year, season after season, next year will be the year that you start shooting does like you should. Forgetting that you are slipping further and further away from really growing bigger bucks. The pursuit of trophy bucks gets in the way so much during the season that you are so consumed by an objective of a single deer that you get further away from accomplishing the original goal. This is what we call the trophy buck death spiral. It's time to be honest with yourself and shoot does like you need to. If you are doing habitat management...

On this podcast we are joined by HuntWorx own Greg Glesinger. Greg is known for pursuing huge whitetails in the midwest. Year after year he and Kasey Morgan are toe to toe with 6-8 year old mature whitetail bucks. These pursuits test so many skills that a whitetail hunter must have. This year however, tested patience and persistence as they went after a buck named The Natural. What made this year such a grind, perhaps it was the 80 acres of standing grain in the field due to a broken combine or maybe it was just the rut needed to take...

One this week's podcast we are joined by Land & Legacy consultant Alan Summerford. He discusses his recent success in the field with his son Reid in Alabama. They went on a terror during the week of Thanksgiving harvesting three bucks! Most would wonder how frequent these deer were on trail cameras to encounter this many target deer in one week.... the answer will surprise you. These deer were not frequent and these hunt strategies were very different as one area is peak rut, while the other area is 4 weeks away from peak rut! How was this done, you may ask...

On this week's podcast we are joined by Mark Williams of WTP. He and his team have been developing deer management neighborhoods across the country. We have teamed up with them to help develop plans for these tracts of land to better the habitat within these communities. These opportunities are popping up in states like Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky. These tracks of land offer increased opportunities to have like kind neighbors. When buying random tracts of land, you are playing neighbor roulette. You just never know exactly what you are getting, sometimes it works out, other times is is...

This week we are joined by Zeke Barrett of Whitetail Properties as he connects on a large home body buck on his property in North Arkansas. This story is a connection between quality land management and a solid hunting strategy! Habitat management successes don't always happen overnight, but sometimes they do. This is just the tip of the iceberg for Zeke on this home farm of 200 acres. If you want to share in the success and learn about your farm, contact us at www.landandlegacy.tv We would be happy to work with you as well!

It’s the time of the year when bedding thickets really shine! However, it doesn’t take years to develop these areas… maybe just weeks or months. We have the receipts to show you! We’ve had several success stories and new bucks swing up in daylight cruising the downwind side of less than one year old bedding thickets. It’s the easiest way to get ahead in your hunting strategy! Arrange, place, and build cover in the right areas respective to access and topography and you will win! Enjoy November and the sweet success of putting deer on your back forty

The client success stories are rolling in, one after another! This story comes to us from South Carolina, the land of the pines! So if you manage in pine country, listen up. After several years of intense habitat management Jesse Furr connected on a beautiful 8pt buck in a small kill plot, adjacent to a bedding thicket that had been burned and exploded with new early successional cover. This setup was not accidental! With proper planning and execution of the plan comes results. We hope this story of a successful hunt opens your eyes to the possibilities of managing habitat...

This week is the story of Chubbs! The hunt and management if the property are woven together tightly. You will hear how 1 year old bedding thickets and a timber harvest was this deer's demise. It's Hard to pass the best of the young deer when they sport trophy caliber racks, however it pays off when they get another year of age on them. Chubbs was a prime example of study, plan, implement, and execute!

It is here, we have arrived. The pre-rut phase is imminent. Are you Ready? If not, this podcast will prepare you for weather fronts, morning hunting, calling to whitetails, decoying, accurately identifying target bucks, and letting you know likely places the mature bucks will daylight in the coming weeks. This podcast is a must listen to maximize your effort in the field during the next two weeks of hunting. Get out there, be sharp and focused!

Its' your last chance to get your cameras set before all scraping activity breaks loose! The peak of scraping and mature buck intel is coming. This podcast will prepare for whats next! You will get more from your trail cameras when you have them place appropriately. A buck should be active on multiple camera locations as he traverse a farm. You need multiple locations to help triangulate his range/movement patterns. Then strike!

Topography breakdown is here on the podcast. We show you through onX some awesome features you should be looking for on your hunting property. We discuss in detail treestand access, hunting thermals, wind direction, wind speed, morning vs evening hunting in areas with topography and much more. You will learn an immense amount about how deer use topography features as they traverse the landscape. You will see areas that they avoid and others they use regularly all influenced by terrain. Learn this and study it, it will help you become a better deer hunter and manager.

Hang on to your treestand seats.... we take a deep dive this week into why topography is such an influential part of habitat management and hunting strategy. There is nothing that predicts and dictates what deer do more than topography. From influencing what native vegetation grows where, to how thermals work, and the path of least resistance.... topography takes the cake! If you want to become a better deer hunter and land manager, learn how to read topography! Once you've mastered that, then you can begin to understand how it impacts vegetation growth, moisture and how wildlife react to it...

It goes without saying there are always things evolving or changing in the whitetail world. Early season may be the biggest change though. From testosterone changes, to territory changes, to food sources and then to minor pressure movements and often time drought conditions. These variables can be placed into two categories, Macro and micro variables. The Macro variables are the variables that all whitetails are having to consider or are being influenced by, these changes are more physiological than environmental like the micro variables. These variables alter, influence, and predict how deer will then move on the landscape. Therefore they...

We are back this week at the Farm Progress Show in the John Deere Booth talking about green and yellow John Deere equipment and how to properly install food plots with various pieces of equipment. Not every food plot gets planted the same way, the approach varies greatly depending upon the starting point. Are you starting with timber, or an old log landing, or perhaps an old field is being converted into a food plot. Follow along as we go step-by-step on how to properly get that food pot plot planted. Skid steers, tractors, and the various implements can get...

This week we are recording live in the John Deere booth at the Farm Progress Show in Illinois. This event is huge in the agriculture world so this week's message is inclusive to owners of all different land-use types. From Ag-land, to timber production land and even cattle pastures, we talk to producers of different crops and how to expand operations and value land with some outside of the box thinking. It is easy to become singular minded when an operation is dependent upon success to hold the land, but oftentimes that singular focus can also be the thing that...

August: What is the bird doing? What is the bird eating? How do I create what the bird is using? Growing season burning- What does it accomplish for a turkey now and in the future? Soft mast foraging opportunities- Diet review, hard seed/grass seed production flock congregation- amalgamation poult production, over the hump! Sept: What is the bird doing? What is the bird eating? How do I create what the bird is using? Hard mast production and foraging opportunities begin TSI- Best time to complete- Are logging operations good for turkeys? Understanding roosting locations/ advantages

Deer season is just around the corner. Are you prepared or are you behind? This week we discuss 7 key points that you should be considering as we draw very near to deer season. From food plots, to treestands, trail cameras, and more we cover the fine detail points of each that will ready you both mentally and physically. It's time to get actually ready and ahead of the curve. As hunters is easy to be very reactive in your approach and hunting strategy. This podcast is designed to reverse that and make sure you are proactive in your approach. Don't...

Deer season is upon us!!! Multiple states now have velvet seasons, but even if you don't have a velvet season it's time to start getting an inventory of the bucks on your property. On this episode Alan and Brady break down the strategies for targeting early season bucks. This episode focuses on how to find velvet bucks, and how to get them into bow range. --Trail Camera strategies --Where to place stands --Food Plot strategies that can be implemented now --Water holes

During this week's podcast Matt and Adam cover the long list of top priority items to get completed for the month of August if you are a deer hunter and land owner. In addition, we discuss bachelor groups of bucks and if you have them how to keep them, plus if you don't how to attract bucks once the bachelor groups break-up into fall home ranges. August is the make or break month for food plots. It's time to make the critical decision to know if you terminate and move on or if you just overseed for the fall. We...

In this episode, Matt Dye discusses the establishment and management of alfalfa as a food plot crop. He emphasizes the importance of proper soil preparation, planting techniques, and weed control strategies to ensure a successful alfalfa stand. The podcast also highlights the nutritional benefits of alfalfa for wildlife, particularly deer, and its versatility throughout the seasons. Matt shares personal experiences and insights to encourage listeners to consider alfalfa as a reliable food source for their properties.

In this episode of the Land of Legacy podcast, host Matt Dye introduces a new format that combines video breakdowns with podcast content. He discusses a client's hunting property, focusing on access strategies, the importance of discipline in hunting, and the benefits of converting crop land to CRP for improved habitat. The conversation emphasizes the significance of road systems in property management and concludes with a look at future opportunities for hunting and land management.