SIL hunter
A good 3 year old buck
Thanks Bill,
Anybody ever use a habitat consultant?
- Thread starter j-bird
- Start date
Bluecollaroutdoors
5 year old buck +
You can use that website listed above or he is Steve Bartylla on Facebook or Bartylla Aerial Design on Facebook or a private message here. Go the the food-plots website its your best bet.
I shared a message with him this week and he is indeed still in the business.
I shared a message with him this week and he is indeed still in the business.
Steve Bartylla
5 year old buck +
This times 1000000000000. I mean, seriously, if you are in a position that you need to choose between spending that $ on anything important and deer, go the important route every time.
chummer
5 year old buck +
I shouldn't tell you that it gets to -30 here too.
Steve Bartylla
5 year old buck +
Sorry, I'm at the point where I just can't do everything I need/want to anymore. So, as much as I love spending time on the forums, keeping tabs on so many of your grounds and simply BSing with friends, I've decided to shift that time to my own Facebook page (just kicking out a Tip of the Day there). Nothing overly dramatic behind it, just shifting time resources.
Yes, I still offer aerial reviews. In fact, myself and 2 people I've spent years training do them and all 3 of us now review each plan before they go out the door to the client. I still offer a 100% unconditional money back guarantee if unhappy for any reason at the end of the phone review. In 25+ years, only 1 person has ever took me up on it (and that was the day before I told him it'd be done by, an hour before I sent it to him, because he thought it took too long, despite me telling him up front it'd take 4 weeks...I gave him his finished plan to keep and his money back), but it is 100000000% sincere and legit.
I hope none of you are offended if I don't give a sales pitch. If you want a plan you can get it on the same site Bill linked (www.food-plots-for-deer.com). If you are torn on it or leaning no, don't get it. Not trying to be a smart #@$, just being sincere. I see it as pretty much that simple. If it was me, I'd do exactly what this thread is already doing. Don't take anything I say seriously, or anyone that hasn't had one done by me, for that matter. Ask those I've done them for what they think. They know WAY better than anyone else if it's worth it or not. everything else is pure, 100% speculation or a possible sales pitch by me.
Two things of note, though:
1) Just because you're in MFL DOESN'T mean you can't do all this stuff. The foresters that oversee the contracts are generally great ppl that want you to achieve your goals. talk to them upfront, before you start cutting trees, and I've yet to have any of them tell me or my clients no to anything that's proposed.
2) Foresters and DNR ppl can be great resources for looking at a property and telling you what can be done to improve the ground. Just remember, they're trying to improve it for timber value and/or wildlife use. The strong tendency is for them to improve your ground's timber value and overall value for wildlife. That's great and typically helps hunting some by default. Just be sure you then take their suggestions and massage it in a way that helps you as a hunter every bit as much as it helps the wildlife and timber value. Those are 2 completely different things. Far too many of the improvements I've seen them suggest over the year spread deer too evenly over the entire ground, making it next to impossible to hunt high odds, low impact stands (you NEED dead areas to access hot areas of deer concentrations....when they are everywhere, there are no concentrations or dead areas)....I'm NOT trying to discourage anyone from using biologists and/or foresters. They can help a bunch. Just be cautious in how you implement those improvements and always remember that what you don't improve can be every bit as important as what you do.
Good luck and I hope all of my old friends had magnificent Christmases, surrounded by loved ones. If anyone wants to contact me, bowwriter@yahoo.com or https://www.facebook.com/steve.bartylla is about the best ways. Nothing personal, Bill, but I'm trying my best to stay off of the forums. They're like crack to me and hard to resist, frankly, because of such an impressive collection of ppl tore up with this stuff and how soooooooo many, such as Bill, are share their knowledge so freely, expecting nothing in return. Forums really are fantastic resources, but I just can't afford the time on them anymore.
Yes, I still offer aerial reviews. In fact, myself and 2 people I've spent years training do them and all 3 of us now review each plan before they go out the door to the client. I still offer a 100% unconditional money back guarantee if unhappy for any reason at the end of the phone review. In 25+ years, only 1 person has ever took me up on it (and that was the day before I told him it'd be done by, an hour before I sent it to him, because he thought it took too long, despite me telling him up front it'd take 4 weeks...I gave him his finished plan to keep and his money back), but it is 100000000% sincere and legit.
I hope none of you are offended if I don't give a sales pitch. If you want a plan you can get it on the same site Bill linked (www.food-plots-for-deer.com). If you are torn on it or leaning no, don't get it. Not trying to be a smart #@$, just being sincere. I see it as pretty much that simple. If it was me, I'd do exactly what this thread is already doing. Don't take anything I say seriously, or anyone that hasn't had one done by me, for that matter. Ask those I've done them for what they think. They know WAY better than anyone else if it's worth it or not. everything else is pure, 100% speculation or a possible sales pitch by me.
Two things of note, though:
1) Just because you're in MFL DOESN'T mean you can't do all this stuff. The foresters that oversee the contracts are generally great ppl that want you to achieve your goals. talk to them upfront, before you start cutting trees, and I've yet to have any of them tell me or my clients no to anything that's proposed.
2) Foresters and DNR ppl can be great resources for looking at a property and telling you what can be done to improve the ground. Just remember, they're trying to improve it for timber value and/or wildlife use. The strong tendency is for them to improve your ground's timber value and overall value for wildlife. That's great and typically helps hunting some by default. Just be sure you then take their suggestions and massage it in a way that helps you as a hunter every bit as much as it helps the wildlife and timber value. Those are 2 completely different things. Far too many of the improvements I've seen them suggest over the year spread deer too evenly over the entire ground, making it next to impossible to hunt high odds, low impact stands (you NEED dead areas to access hot areas of deer concentrations....when they are everywhere, there are no concentrations or dead areas)....I'm NOT trying to discourage anyone from using biologists and/or foresters. They can help a bunch. Just be cautious in how you implement those improvements and always remember that what you don't improve can be every bit as important as what you do.
Good luck and I hope all of my old friends had magnificent Christmases, surrounded by loved ones. If anyone wants to contact me, bowwriter@yahoo.com or https://www.facebook.com/steve.bartylla is about the best ways. Nothing personal, Bill, but I'm trying my best to stay off of the forums. They're like crack to me and hard to resist, frankly, because of such an impressive collection of ppl tore up with this stuff and how soooooooo many, such as Bill, are share their knowledge so freely, expecting nothing in return. Forums really are fantastic resources, but I just can't afford the time on them anymore.
That is just ugly!
Steve B.
I can certainly understand the time constraint issues, as I can never seem to get enough of it myself to do what I'd like to get done on my property. Thank you for all the time you've spent up til now helping so many of us on the forums.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I can certainly understand the time constraint issues, as I can never seem to get enough of it myself to do what I'd like to get done on my property. Thank you for all the time you've spent up til now helping so many of us on the forums.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Steve Bartylla
5 year old buck +
Satchmo, it's sincerely been my pleasure. Most all of you have done so much more for me than you realize. It's sincerely the least I could have done. I'm still trying. I'm just doing it in a more focused way that doesn't have the tendency of taking up more and more and more time. I'm trying to be more disciplined, if that makes any sense, but that's unimportant. The point is, THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sincerely. Words don't do it, but that's about the best I got, unfortunately.
Tree Spud
5 year old buck +
Steve ... Surprised you did not pull back sooner. You have contributed a lot of knowledge without any expectation, not many would do that.
Appreciate all you have shared and good luck in the future.
.
Steve Bartylla
5 year old buck +
Well, not many have as truly great a group of ppl supporting their work, for so dang many years, either. It seriously is the very least you all deserved in return. I'm not being modest or anything silly like that. It's just the simple truth of the matter.
ALwoodsman
A good 3 year old buck
Good information. I have had 2 different foresters and a biologist on the property. They give some great advice but it does not help as far as low impact hunting.
tylorklein
A good 3 year old buck
My site visit is scheduled for Friday am (should be nice and frigid) so I'll share my first impression after that. The MN cost share application process for the plan cost was super easy.
tynimiller
5 year old buck +
Thoroughly loved reading through this post, and Steve's perfect answers. I'm a small fry in the game, if one even would say I'm in the game. I simply tacked "consulting services" to my site a few years back due to emails and questions regarding it.
I've come to just thoroughly LOVE discussing all things whitetail, and in many respects at least in my own opinion would consider myself a child compared to some of the men in the "habitat" game...which is one of the reasons I don't charge insane amount of money, as I just personally like many of you here have expressed feel for the most part aren't worth it.
Open dialogue with like minded habitat addicts on sites like this, discussions with locals that are as well and thoroughly grabbing every free resource you can I 100% believe a motivated man or woman can truly begin to build and create a much better whitetail world on their properties and the biggest cost to them being the seed, gas for saws and TIME/SWEAT/BLOOD.
However, like some have said bouncing ideas on eyes that look at different properties for a full time living or even part time can be beneficial for sure. Off-site consulting gigs is something I do 90% of the time and feel so long as the hunter is committed to gaining knowledge or already has some knowledge a boots on the ground visit often times isn't useful for them...now granted a day spent on the property usually means I'll fire up a saw and work it with them so there is that value but if you know how to hinge, plant and the basics really not worth it IMO and I've refused many a request or done it for an extremely reduced price.
JBird, you are an Indiana fella, there are quite a few of us habitat guys and I would bet if you reached out to a handful of guys that you're having a property day and will provide lunch and water there is always a few that LOVE discussing and talking deer and deer habitat all day!
Blessings!
I've come to just thoroughly LOVE discussing all things whitetail, and in many respects at least in my own opinion would consider myself a child compared to some of the men in the "habitat" game...which is one of the reasons I don't charge insane amount of money, as I just personally like many of you here have expressed feel for the most part aren't worth it.
Open dialogue with like minded habitat addicts on sites like this, discussions with locals that are as well and thoroughly grabbing every free resource you can I 100% believe a motivated man or woman can truly begin to build and create a much better whitetail world on their properties and the biggest cost to them being the seed, gas for saws and TIME/SWEAT/BLOOD.
However, like some have said bouncing ideas on eyes that look at different properties for a full time living or even part time can be beneficial for sure. Off-site consulting gigs is something I do 90% of the time and feel so long as the hunter is committed to gaining knowledge or already has some knowledge a boots on the ground visit often times isn't useful for them...now granted a day spent on the property usually means I'll fire up a saw and work it with them so there is that value but if you know how to hinge, plant and the basics really not worth it IMO and I've refused many a request or done it for an extremely reduced price.
JBird, you are an Indiana fella, there are quite a few of us habitat guys and I would bet if you reached out to a handful of guys that you're having a property day and will provide lunch and water there is always a few that LOVE discussing and talking deer and deer habitat all day!
Blessings!
tynimiller
5 year old buck +
One further thought...I'm more likely to trust someone willing to share when they either don't have first hand experience with something (like say grafting apple trees or even hinge cutting or water hole creation) than not...some consultants will BS their potential clients or claim to know it all...sorry there are so many "great" ways to make your property better no ONE way is the only way.
I always share on my site, in videos and to "clients" about the works of Jake Ehlinger, Jim Ward, Sturgis, Brauker, Woods, Higgins and more.
I'll use a thing my baseball coach said that fits this discussion as well but I'll tweek it to fit:
Picture me taking out a baseball.....
I take a pen and put a tiny dot on the baseball
I take a big tipped sharpie and put a dot on top of that tiny dot....
Then Circle that dot with a dime sized circle.....
The tiny dot shows what most hunters/clients know about this habitat/deer hunting thing....
The sharpie fatter dot is what I guess I know....
The circle what guys like Higgins and Sturgis and Steve Bartylla know....
The baseball however is EVERYTHING there is to know.
I'm going to grasp and claw and observe from every possible dot or circle that outside what I might know.
I always share on my site, in videos and to "clients" about the works of Jake Ehlinger, Jim Ward, Sturgis, Brauker, Woods, Higgins and more.
I'll use a thing my baseball coach said that fits this discussion as well but I'll tweek it to fit:
Picture me taking out a baseball.....
I take a pen and put a tiny dot on the baseball
I take a big tipped sharpie and put a dot on top of that tiny dot....
Then Circle that dot with a dime sized circle.....
The tiny dot shows what most hunters/clients know about this habitat/deer hunting thing....
The sharpie fatter dot is what I guess I know....
The circle what guys like Higgins and Sturgis and Steve Bartylla know....
The baseball however is EVERYTHING there is to know.
I'm going to grasp and claw and observe from every possible dot or circle that outside what I might know.
Last edited:
tynimiller
5 year old buck +
What?
B
BJE80
Guest
tynimiller
5 year old buck +
LOL I am seriously not following but what's newBrad?! Finally starting to recognize some of the fellas on this site! Scoot told me about it forming and kept wanting to swing in more!
Last edited:
tylorklein
A good 3 year old buck
Forester visit today was very informative. He helped identify some trees I never would have (hickory, yellow birch, butternut). Also helped understand the current condition of the woods and where it is lifecyclewise. He also explained log grading at a high level by showing examples
and we found a few large high 1 / veneer red oaks, which is great. Sounds like some cutting would definitely make sense but I guess it may take a couple years to arrange/ complete.
As people noted, he favors timber focused practices so wasn't a big advocate of hinging but he was very honest and clear about that and said he'd recommend cutting / manging stump sprouts v. Hinging to get similar effect without using as much surface area.
Definitely worth the time and small cost though for several hours of great info and questions.
and we found a few large high 1 / veneer red oaks, which is great. Sounds like some cutting would definitely make sense but I guess it may take a couple years to arrange/ complete.
As people noted, he favors timber focused practices so wasn't a big advocate of hinging but he was very honest and clear about that and said he'd recommend cutting / manging stump sprouts v. Hinging to get similar effect without using as much surface area.
Definitely worth the time and small cost though for several hours of great info and questions.
tylorklein
A good 3 year old buck
Forgot to ask; sugar maple is the predominant species, moat in the 70-80 year old range (big trees) is there any deer value to these? I may need to get some syrup taps.
wiscwhip
5 year old buck +
Zero deer value, unless you hinge them or cut them down, then you will have browse from the tops or stump sprouts. Your "value($$$)" would come from the syrup, but it is work and you must either be prepared to cook the sap down yourself or have a buyer nearby for the raw sap.
