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Bill, I envy you and the fact your hunting is fulfilling for you, but we all have a different idea of what fulfills us. Some golfers are all about getting out there, hanging with the guys, and carding a 100 every round. They don’t practice and don’t care if they ever shoot a 95. Sometimes I wish...

Unfortunately, I will lose interest if my ceiling is 150. It's just the way I'm wired. I need to have upside or the perception that there is an upside to stay engaged.

Yeah, I've jumped around a number of times. The first two were significant improvements, but the last ones have been lateral.

I believe my glory days are over. I arrowed a 217" in 2017 and had another smoker to hunt in 2018, which was the last next level buck who's core area included my ground. Since 2018, each and every high potential buck has gone missing.

Yes, lots of factors at play all of which make the chances of the high potential bucks surviving to 5 and 6 years old very slim. Only 3 out 10 bucks have the potential to be above average and unfortunately, they are above average in size at 3 and 4 years old and below average in street smarts.

What do you attribute the lack of next level bucks on your farms the last few years to? I've noticed the same on my farms in North MO. The last next level buck I had was in 2018.

Do you have a lot of dry does in your area? I'm always shocked at the number of does without fawns in MO vs. my old land in WI. Fawn recruitment in MO is far lower. We haven't shot a doe on one farm in MO since we bought it in 2021 and the population isn't noticeably higher if at all. Maybe...

North MO = High Graded

I bought a Deceptor Max last November after a buddy said he liked them over Reconyx. It shoots more blanks in a day than Reconyx shoots in months. I set the sensitivity to low and still shoots at will. Just sent it back to Stealthcam and will be selling the replacement.

I've had their boomless 25 gal ATV sprayer for 6 or 7 years and really like it. As you highlighted, the sump feature in their tank is fantastic.

Good info on burning green. All of it scares the shiit out of me. My one experiend burning CRP was no bueno. My neighbor said he knew how to burn so we went for it. He knew how to burn alright. Burnt up the neighbors pasture and took down a power line. Luckily, the road the powerline was...

I think the guy who owned our farm was sponsored by Stihl. He was a maniac on hedge for fence posts resulting in a lot of treetops and brush piles. I think it would be prudent for us to burn some of the piles in the winter prior to running controlled burn but who has the time.

I'm working with our private land biologist in North Mo right now on timber burns. MFR is the real deal on cattle pasture farms and I'm concerned it will get so thick we can't even get into some areas. Cedars are too thick in some areas as well. It sounds like it's hard to get contractors...

Soil temps may not be warm enough up there for the seed to germinate.

Is the subject area preferred bedding for mature bucks and/or does? If so, I'd leave it as is for sure.

I know a guy that might be selling a real solid one. PM me if you want information.

I tossed a seed mix into my farm yard in North MO 2 years ago and they were part of the mix. They have come back each spring and also come back after mowing. Seems ideal if a guy can manage weeds/grass via mowing and have a perenial stand. I don't see any browsing on them but they are only 10...

Word! Narrow rack and to paraphrase "not likley to blow up and get much bigger". I'll available to take 168" culls. Please dm me.

Maybe this helps explains how Don Higgins's farm holds so many bucks of older age class on it. He had 4 good four years olds on it in 2024. They shot a management one....168", lol! There were also older ones. How does an island of cover hold that many older age bucks. I can't believe that...

And you killed a 150" on one of your first days on it!!!