The Woodsman Perspective (Brent Lochala)

For our 12th episode we bring in Jack Robertson. As an owner and developer of the Hogeye Camera system Jack is in the fight against the wild hog as much as anyone.  Not only are they leaders in the advancing technology to get rid of hogs, but he travels extensively to help private landowners, farmers, corporations, and government organizations understand and eliminate wild hog invasions.  If you've seen those videos of a trap dropping on an unsuspecting sounder of  hogs, you were probably watching a Hogeye camera system.  Check out www.hogeyecameras.com to see more on their products.  You can follow them all social media platforms as well.  Instagram is @hogeye_cameras and facebook is Hogeye Trap Cameras.  

Jack also hints to an upcoming cost sharing program here in Mississippi that we will be following closely!  

MLB MVP Roy Oswalt sits down and talks with us about developing hunting tracts, killing giant whitetails, with a few stories in between.  He and Chris even share a tale about a road trip in Argentina.   Roy's approach to land development and whitetails is similar to his major league baseball career. He is intense, and constantly raising the bar. 

The rut has passed and now bucks are coming in recovery mode.   Now it's time to protect those bucks that you've been watching and hopefully they don't leave for a late rut doe or for food and get shot in the last few days of season.   Chris employees what he calls "Defensive feeding" to hold deer on his property and keep them fed and in a low stress situation so that they don't have to leave.  Fertilizing food plots, increasing supplemental feed, and reducing pressure, and ramping up camera surveys are part of this late season practice.  

On this episode we step back from the technical management topics and we focus on what our purpose is for doing the podcast.   While we have a common purpose of sharing knowledge and experience, we discuss some different perspectives around that.  From the desire to invest in the next generation the way others have invested us, to pushing back against trends and culture shifts in hunting social media platforms, and the unified goal of seeing the best management practices applied across the landscape to improve the quality of wildlife and insure the sustainability of these resources that we treasure so much.  We are conservationists and woodsmen, that defines our purpose on this platform. 

On this bonus episode we talk with Steve Brown and Scott Branton to find out the history behind the annual gathering of The Tenth Legion. This group was started by a dozen turkey hunters and named after the unofficial cult that Tom Kelly created in his book, The Tenth Legion. The group has grown to approximately 75 members. This invitation only event is special to all of these members, and I see why. This is a group of conservationists, woodsmen, callers, call makers, writers, story tellers, all passionate about the wild turkey. I hope you enjoy this episode.  @springlegion   @turkeysfortomorrow 

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 

In the first episode of 2023 we briefly discuss the Christmas freeze and the foodplot recovery so far.   That leads us to unpack a few things about how much deer actually depend on winter plots here in the south as well as the undeniable efficacy of feeding corn, for better or worse.  It's an open ended discussion this time, we hope you enjoy. 

The tools and timing of disturbance will determine the results.   Mitt Wardlaw, serial entrepreneur and land management expert understands this as well as anyone in the world.  On a scientific level and from practical application, Mitt can explain these differences and tactics so that we can all understand them.  

We discuss the fire, tillage, herbicide and what timing will yield what results.  A MSU grad and accomplished crop consultant, as well as one of the founding "Woodsmen" of this podcast, we are glad to have him back in the studio with us.

We also get him to tell us a little about his latest venture, Wildlife Investments.  Mitt, Bronson Strickland, and Moriah Boggess along with some of the best researchers in every field of wildlife and habitat study have come together to offer landowners unprecedented expert consulting.  

@midsouth_resource_mgmt 

@wildlifeinvestments 

Pat Davidson is not only a tax expert, but he is also a hunter and landowner. Chris helped Pat purchase and set up a tract that would serve as a multi-use property for his family.   We talk about that process and then we get Pat to discuss several things that land owner should consider when buying or selling.   He covers 1031 exchanges, Capital gains, and basis.   This one is full of good information if you are in the market as a buyer or seller. 

Every hunter out there has their own way of preparing food plots.  In many cases we do the things we do because that's the way that we've always done it. Some hunters are highly technical and are always looking for a new tool or technique to maximize their efficiency and production. Others have traditions and memories of the camp work day, or planting greenfields with your father or grandfather.  

  We are a little bit of all that, and our system is all about maximizing efficiency while still enjoying our time on the land and sharing it with family and friends. 

Behind almost every grip and grin hero photo of a hunter with a giant whitetail there is usually a string of hurt feelings, strained relationships, and sometimes even criminal activity.   The bottom line is that giant whitetails will make otherwise good people do things they would not normally do.   This often results in damaged relationships, lost leases, and in some cases more trouble than the deer was worth.  We have a guest with a story about how a giant buck came between friends, family, and cost them a lease that they had for more than 2 decades.   

  We also tell a couple of other stories of our own, and a story about a friend of ours who hunted hard for a buck more than 15 years ago.  The deer was killed by another hunter 4 miles away.   

We hope you enjoy this one, it is something that all deer hunters can relate to.  

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 

Spring has always been turkey time for us. This year more than ever there is unprecedented attention on the wild turkey and its apparent decline.  We wade into this topic from 3 perspectives, discussing the hype, hunting, responsibility, and reality.   With firsthand experience managing turkeys and turkey habitat, Mitt and Chris point out that turkeys are in fact doing very well in places.  This success could be replicated on a larger scale, or could it? 

We make several references to studies and commentary previously discussed on The Wild Turkey Science podcast as well as The Mossy Oak Gamekeeper podcast.  We encourage you to listen to those as well.  We also mention our friends at Apex ammunition, the are local guys to our area that make an exceptional product.

The old fashioned deer camp is a dying tradition.  Not just the hunting club or lease, but the club where you have a camp cook, cabins and a bunk house, and the infamous skinning rack.  We talk with guest Shane Grantham who lives this lifestyle with his family as they are now 3 generations deep in the Dancing Rabbit hunting club in east central MS.  

These days with the technology available most of us have an intimate knowledge of the deer on our hunting tracts.  We are always hoping watching for the deer that is an all-star, or has the potential to become one if we can keep him alive a few more years.  When we identify that special deer, we find ourselves making decisions and planning around that one single deer.  From working as hard as we can to protect and nourish him, to eventually working to pattern and kill him.   It can be a roller coaster, and some are better at it than others.  Our friend Brandon Huerkamp has proven to be one of the best around at growing, identifying, and putting an arrow in mature super star bucks.   We talk about the process, tips, and stories with him. 

We get a behind the curtain look at commercial deer processing from our own Chris Herring.  In addition to being a forester and land manager, Chis owns 2 commercial deer processors and tells us what goes on behind the scenes, how your deer is processed individually, as well as some common issues that could lead to mix ups and how to avoid them.  

Killing big, trophy whitetails or any other species requires that you hunt them where they live.  We spend the majority of our time developing properties to grow big whitetails.  The other side of that coin is for the hunter to travel where big whitetails live.  Doing so can be intimating if you are new to it.  Trey Williams has been helping hunters make that hunt of a lifetime a reality for a long time.  With properties in nearly every midwestern state and Canada, Trey has seen more than most of us will in a lifetime.  He doesn't advertise, he doesn't accept everyone who inquires, but he does put his hunters in a great camp environment and in a position for a successful hunt.   He shares some insights of what hunters should expect, look out for, as well as some dos and don'ts .  We hope you enjoy   

We take a deep dive into nutrition this week, specifically in the native plant community.   Through herbicide application, burning, or tillage or perhaps a combination of all three you can unlock native nutrition on your property. 

We get a rundown of what all Chris does this time of year to manage his farms and prepare for fall.  We talk herbicide, clover, planting, drainage and road maintenance, doves, ducks and second place travel ball trophies. 

 Can't get American Joint vetch, join the crowd.  We'll touch on that and on the way out we mention a great tract of land that Brent has listed for sale. 

Thanks in advance to all our buddies we name drop on this one, including Brian Hollis, Jason Hollis, Bobby Cole, Hunter Crimm, Hometown Realty, Tim Brooks (our buddy from the corps), and I'm sure I'm missing someone.  

Last episode we had former game warden Bo Harris in to talk about poachers.  As often happens, we got to telling stories and went down a few rabbit trails.  I saved a few of the stories and insights and patched them back together for a follow up episode.  Hope you enjoy. 

A short podcast on the annual debate of whether trapping is an effective means of turkey predator management.  Especially when compared to efforts in the area of habitat improvement.  Sometimes trapping might be the only thing that a lease holder, club member, or someone hunting by permission can do.   

As a teaser to an upcoming episode with Mitt, we reached back into the archives and pulled this monologue of Mitt talking disturbance.  Specifically how the timing of disturbance determines what the plant response will be and how to intentionally use this to maximize plants and forbs and still have enough grass to carry the fire that is needed to maintain early successional  habitat.     You can find more on Mitt by following  @MidSouthResourceManagement   and on Instagram Midsouth_resource_mgmt as well as Wildlife Investments

Opening day of dove season is more than just a regular opener.  It is the official kick off of hunting season in the south.  It also coincides with the beginning of football season and the long Labor day weekend holiday. When you combine all of those elements, you've got the makings of a great southern social event.  On this episode we take a step back and discuss the traditional southern opening dove hunt and the social aspect of it.  We have special guest Bob Phillips of Columbus MS in with us to discuss his families long tradition of hosting large annual dove hunts.  Bob and the Phillips family have been hunters, land managers, and involved in the outdoors for generations, and as you'll hear that isn't going to change any time soon.  

On this episode we sit down with Bart Chancellor and Chad Smith.  They are handlers for two of the most famous and skilled dogs in Mississippi.  Bart's dog, Smoke and Chad's dog Si are known all over state and are legendary in many camps.  With over 2000 recoveries between them they have seen more big bucks and happy hunters than most of us ever will.  We were glad to get them in to talk with us about the blood tracking services, these two great dogs, and tell a few stories along the way.  

For episode 18 we talk with GO Seed cofounder Risa Demasi about the incredible attributes their patented seed, Fixation Balansa clover.  We have been growing it in places for several years and it is one of our favorites.  Fixation's tolerance for wet feet, nitrogen fixing properties, tonnage and palatability make it an exceptional whitetail forage option. 

You can learn more at www.goseed.com or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GoSeedCo

The guys dive right into growing mature bucks, and go a step further in breaking down how to identify those all stars bucks with the genetic potential to reach 150" status.   Chris, Mitt, and Brent share their perspectives on this and more from first hand experience.  So, whether you hunt upland tracts, bottomland hardwoods, large ag, or small tracts of leased land, you are in the right place.  

We are back at Hunter's shop to talk coyote trapping.  Hunter walks us through what you need to get started and some tactics to help you be successful.  

You can find all of the products we talk about at F&T Fur Harvester's  www.fntpost.com 

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On this episode we have our good friend, neighbor, and all around woodsman Caleb Westmoreland in to talk about a doe he took on a bowhunt this year. It will blow your mind how old this deer is, and the story of how we know exactly how old she was.

Our good friend Dr. Kenny Edwards is on the show today. Kenny's passion for hunting whitetails began at an early age on the farm in Crawford, MS and grew throughout his time in the Navy, med school and through his career as an orthopedic surgeon. A few years ago he was looking for a farm to buy and develop as hunting tract. We discuss that process with Kenny and get some great insight on the details and relationships that make the difference when buying (or selling) a tract of land.

Whether you own land or lease land, you have an investment of time and money in making it the best that it can be.   One of the most frustrating things is to have a poacher sneaking around taking advantage of your land and efforts.  Get to know your local game warden and have a line of communication with them.  On this episode we talk with a former warden from our area, Bo Harris.  We hit on the frustrations of having poachers, and some stories from the past that we can all relate to and Herring story with a goat that we didn't see coming when we started recording. 

This week we invited our good friend and lifelong bow hunter Slade Fancher.  Slade made his living for nearly 2 decades selling, tuning, fixing, and setting up bows.  From hunting whitetails in central Mississippi to Elk out west, Slade has a lifetime of experience in bowhunting and archery.   We cover a lot of bowhunting history and stories in this one.  We'll have a follow up with Slade and get really technical soon. 

Waterfowl impoundments are a great way to add value to your property, not to mention that shooting ducks on your own private spot is one of the most fun things you can do.  Chris tells some basics from seed varieties and timing of draining and adding water as well as some experiences that he's had over the years. 

Good friend and exceptional turkey hunter, Hunter Crimm joins us to talk about trapping and his efforts to help improve his turkey numbers on leased lands that he hunts and manages.  Hunter has trapped for  years and shares his experience and stories with us.

On this episode we recap turkey season and discuss early summer work.  From foodplot planting, plant varieties including natives with their crude protein content to the frustration that many of us are feeling with unhulled vetch. 

We address the question of when to harvest does, but take a deeper dive with a discussion about whether to harvest any does or not.  What goals you have, and the specifics of your property may dictate that you do not take any does in a particular season.  How your actions create a culture on your property and how that culture impacts hunting quality.  

On our 20th episode we sit down with Jason and Brian Hollis of Hollis Farms.  The Hollis family has been growing and killing big whitetails and longbeard turkeys for more than 4 decades.  We talk about how it started, with their dad Joe Hollis and his vision, not only for land and deer management but his vision for raising boys and creating a legacy.   Jason and Brian are passing this legacy on to their own sons now.  They also have a successful Youtube channel with more that 80K followers.   They are on facebook and Instagram, Hollis Farms 

Follow them here:

https://www.youtube.com/@HollisFarmsMS

http://www.hollisfarms.com/

Chris and Brent talk about a project that Chris did back in 2015.  Although his farm was producing great deer numbers and some quality bucks, Chris felt like it was lacking in cover nesting habitat.  Listen as he talks about the process of identifying the right area and taking on a project that would seem counter intuitive to most hunters and landowner, especially almost a decade ago.

On episode 11 we bring in a very respected member of the trapping community.  Chip Davis is one of us, a woodsman and habitat manager from the Ms Delta area that happens to have nearly 40 years of trapping experience.  He has also served twice as president of the Mississippi Trappers association as well as served on state and national trapping boards.  Chip not only brings the boots on the ground knowledge, but experience in advising those who make policy.  This talk is thought provoking in areas of ethics, management, and recruiting new trappers.   He can be found hosting other podcasts occasionally at www.trappingradio2.com and is the owner and developer of the Expand-a-pan.  

Also check out the find a trapper resource at www.mstrappers.com this is a great resource for landowners who would like to add trapping to their management plan but may not have the time to do it themselves.   

Enjoy!

On this episode we are joined by Jared Lewis and Boomer Brown with Apex ammunition.  We get some background on the Apex beginnings as well as their growth.   But what we really wanted to talk to them about is how they have revived an area NWTF chapter and banquet.  It's a good story about taking initiative and making it happen.  Check out @Apex_ammunition and @j_lewisphoto on Instagram for more. 

What happens when a Mississippi boy has an unbridled passion for archery, turkey hunting, and people?  We sat down with Noxubee county native Steve Brown to find out for ourselves.  Steve has combined these three passions in a way that is hard to do justice with words.  Steve has completed 8 world slams on wild turkeys with archery equipment, spends countless  hours guiding clients to help them check off the most difficult of boxes for the ambitious turkey hunter, and has more great stories than a book store.  We had a good talk about this and more, we hope you enjoy it.  His instagram is BrownandCompanyoutfitters

A first hand story of a fall from a climbing stand, complacency, and God's grace and healing on the road to recovery. 

On this episode we talk about the Noxubee Farm Supply racoon round up. We discuss our strategy, the acres we covered, and our opinion on the backlash not only from nonhunters, but most vehemently from the coon hunting community. We have coon hunters that hunt the ground we trapped and hunted during the round up, there are still plenty of coons to tree. We all have our particular species that we are passionate about, and we should respect each other as well as nature and the resources. The teams in the roundup were spread out across more than r 20,000 acres & 6 counties. The population was not wiped out, we are still getting pics of coons on cameras we are running for deer herd inventory. We are still trapping some of the properties. The pics made it look a little more dramatic than it was. We also talk about turkeys and how we try to help sustain populations where we hunt. It's a combination of habitat management and self control when it comes to hunter harvest. Make all you can, take as few as you can. It's really that simple.

Our friend and logger Tim O'bryant AKA Cotontop3 on the socials sits down with us and we talk past, present, and future of logging particularly in the Southeast.   Tim and his family have logged in Mississippi and Alabama for 4 decades.   Like we always do, we go back in history for stories as well as discuss what the future looks like for the industry.  On this episode you get an inside look from a logger, a timber buyer, and a realtor, and all three of us are hunters and conservationists.  We discuss the challenges for landowners when they need to get small tracts cut, evaluating the timing and methods of cutting, and the trend in recreational value of land versus timber value. 

You can folllow Tim on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@cotontop3

and the Woodsman Perspective on youtube at 

https://www.youtube.com/@woodsmanperspectivepodcast

 This week we discuss some fundamentals to setting up a hunting tract.  Things to consider when prioritizing projects, things you might not have thought of, and how to take advantage of cost share opportunities.   As recreational values outpace timber value, its important to look at your property through a different lens to realize the full value of it. 

On this episode we talk with Dave Owens of the Pinhoti Project about his approach to turkey hunting, traveling, and trends. We don't get too deep into techniques, because each situation is different with turkeys. But we do talk about some of the similarities that are found in turkey hunters. Me, Chris, and Hunter took Dave on a trap line with us before we recorded, so he had gotten to see Hunter in his element trapping coyotes, bobcats, and beavers. He also got to see Chris in his, observing foodplots, getting sick about ruts in roads, and telling stories about white tigers and carnivals. We hope you enjoy, Dave Owens is a class act. If you have been living under a rock and don't know who he is, go find him at www.https://pinhotiproject.com/ , or on Facebook and Instagram Pinhoti Project.  @pinhotiproject   @brentlochala686 

The turkey hunting circle is relatively small, and inside is an even smaller circle of turkey callers. This tight knit group is made up of some of the biggest names in the hunting industry, and some names you've never heard unless you follow the calling contests trail. From Matt Van Cise, Ronnie Cuz Strickland, Bob Dixon, the Drury Brothers, to names like Ray Eye, Jami Linder, Paul Butski, Walter Parrot. We are hopeful that there is a resurgence of popularity in competitive calling. Our guest, Terence Williamson has been in this group for over 30 years. He has won Grand National title in Friction calling and Team Calling in Friction. He has worked to bring calling contests back to the NWTF Chapters, and get the Alabama state championship back in the Tuscaloosa Chapter.  @jamilinder1146   @MossyOak   @BoneCollectorTube   @pinhotiproject   @official_NWTF 

Our friends at Noxubee Farm supply in Macon, MS are putting on a Racoon Roundup later this month so Chris and I went down to get more info.  We ended up setting up in owner Ryan Bostick's office and filming a podcast.  Ryan is a lifelong conservationist, hunter, and a veteran.  We think you'll love this conversation.  

Get more details on facebook at www.facebook.com/noxubeefarmsupply

On this episode we cover the "other" method of dove hunting. You don't hear much about this because there is a perceived gray area as far as legality. The regs allow for hunting doves on areas that have been top seeded for wildlife food plots or for erosion control. There are some things that you can not do, and probably shouldn't say, but you can have a great hunt without the expense of planting acres of sunflowers or other crops. Check your local regs, and we certainly do not condone breaking or stretching any laws, you can do this legally. We hope you enjoy

Late summer droughts in the south stress our deer, arguably as much as the long cold winters in the midwest and northern states. Planting and feeding during this time becomes somewhat of a toss up, or maybe an art. We talk about some of those challenges and more. Thanks ‪@HRAgriVideos‬ for the hat. We mention a few of our friends on this one, I hope I don't miss anyone but thanks ‪@MidSouthResourceManagement‬ and Mitt, Lowndes farm supply, ‪@MossyOakGameKeepers‬ ‪@farmingforwildlife‬ ‪@Kubotatractorcorp‬ ‪@GOSeed‬