Anybody ever use a habitat consultant?

[Natty Bumppo]

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.

70 to 80 year old sugar maples are not that old for sugar maples. What's their DBH? I'll echo what wiscwhip said with one exception...almost no deer value. Deer will eat fallen sugar maple leaves in the fall.

I have many large, old sugar maples on my land, but I keep them and I enjoy them. I have a small sugar shack and my family and I enjoy the rich tradition of "suragin" each spring. We take walks through the sugar bush each fall and enjoy the beauty of the fall colors. In the spring wild turkeys roost in the maples. So yes, almost no deer value. But mature maples add value to our lives in other ways.

Here's what I did. I thinned parts of my land that had many sugar maples...took out competing black cherry, yellow birch, and red maples. Left the mature sugar maples scattered throughout. That really opened up the canopy and within a few years the stem count went through the roof...lots of browse and lots of cover, with the added benefit of your own maple syrup.

Making maple syrup is a lot of work! But that's another thread....

 

[Tap]

Anyone ever used a habitat consultant? If so was it wort it? To sum it up I am on the fence about it. Ihave alot of reservations and doubts about it.

I have not personally used one, but I got to tag along with a friend and the consultant he hired.
I was not impressed in the least.

 

[Tap]

I have not personally used one, but I got to tag along with a friend and the consultant he hired.
I was not impressed in the least.
I'm glad it wasn't my money.

Oh, and I almost forgot about how the day of the tour started. We met at my friends home and proceeded to sit in the house and drink coffee for a couple of hours "chatting" about stuff that had nothing to do with what he was being hired for. It was driving me nuts.
I was losing confidence in him before we even got any mud on our boots.

 

[ghilliehunter]

Seeing earlier comments regarding resources like the state DNR; worth the price as its free. I did learn some things and it was worth the effort. However, I've learned a lot more from JBird on this site.

 

[Tree Spud]

Seeing earlier comments regarding resources like the state DNR; worth the price as its free. I did learn some things and it was worth the effort. However, I've learned a lot more from JBird on this site.

If you are looking at the DNR to learn about habitat mgmt relative to deer hunting ... you are soon to experience real confusion & disappointment.

Their focus will never be your focus ...

.

 

[soavejas]

Oh, and I almost forgot about how the day of the tour started. We met at my friends home and proceeded to sit in the house and drink coffee for a couple of hours "chatting" about stuff that had nothing to do with what he was being hired for. It was driving me nuts.
I was losing confidence in him before we even got any mud on our boots.

Just my thoughts but I feel like you should name the consultant. That way you may save someone else the trouble of hiring him and/or the consultant could have the opportunity to defend themselves.

Just my opinion though, it may not be shared by others.

 

[sandbur]

I may have posted this before, but I can't remember...

I read everything I can find from Steve and put lots of trust in what he says as he knows habitat like my habitat.

That said, I have learned a lot from a group of experienced friends that have walked the property with me. I pick up a little bit from everyone of them. I think about it before applying what they say, as each perspective and habitat is different.

DON'T OVERLOOK HAVING 3-5 EXPERIENCED LANDOWNERS/HUNTERS OVER FOR A WALK THROUGH. Give them an aerial photo and ask them questions. One little comment from them can make the difference. Brooks, Stu,and many others have made a difference.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I'll add ( to what Bur is saying ^^^ ) that you guys on here have made great contributions too, over the internet. Sure - you haven't walked everyone's land, but the ideas you put forth from experience - good and bad - have helped many of us. Planting another idea or thought in someone's mind is often very helpful.

For me personally, I've learned a ton from you guys about food plots and fruit trees. Natural habitat - I was already pretty involved in, with logging, re-planting, creating bedding/security/thermal cover, stump sprouts, etc. But the knowledge I gained from this forum on fruit trees and food plots is a HUGE boost to my camp's advancing at a more rapid pace. You saved me - and my camp - a batch of time and effort !!! Saying " thank-you " seems so inadequate.

 

[Tap]

Just my thoughts but I feel like you should name the consultant. That way you may save someone else the trouble of hiring him and/or the consultant could have the opportunity to defend themselves.
Just my opinion though, it may not be shared by others.

Fair enough. But I will edit/delete my post(s) before I name him.
The OP asked if anyone had hired a consultant. I stated that I had not actually hired one but I had experience with the service he supplied.
That one experience may not be typical of his service.
I agree with what Mo said above... "But there are some people that are not leaders, and need to have someone give them a plan, good or bad, that they can follow." Maybe some people would be happy with the product for the price.
But after being active on a couple different forums, I saw very little of his service that I felt was not already available by educating myself from the thousands of posts from helpful people (and that includes the consultant) on these forums.

Now, whether the actual recommendations made by him were worth the price is quite subjective and results are not easily defined or proven. Some clients may get a wealth of benefit, while others may learn little or nothing for their money. I was the latter (although I admit I was not the guy footing the bill). And my impression of the level of satisfaction from the guy that DID pay the bill, was tepid at best.

I do stand by my criticism of the slow start in the morning of the property tour. Part of the fee was paying for him to actually walk the property. Sitting at the dining room table for hours was NOT providing the service that was paid for.

EDIT: I removed some of my earlier post (#86).
However, I have not changed my opinion of the service he provided, but maybe that was just me. The next client may think it was a fantastic service. I thought it was way overpriced for the end product. Maybe he just had a bad day.
No all consultants are created equal, and no 2 properties are alike. So do your own homework. INSIST on references before you deice whether a particular consultant is worth spending a few thousand dollars on.

 

[tylorklein]

One thing that made my experience positive was that the forester was upfront about what to expect and the goal for the day. At the truck before we started walking he said he viewed his job as our personal naturalist for the day and he lived up to that with lots of interesting info about the various plants (beyond just trees) and how they interact with each other and wildlife. Considering the state basically paid me to do it I certainly got my money worth.

 

[j-bird]

Seeing earlier comments regarding resources like the state DNR; worth the price as its free. I did learn some things and it was worth the effort. However, I've learned a lot more from JBird on this site.

Thanks John, You simply asked for my opinion when we looked at your place and that was what you got.....my opinion. Hopefully you got some ideas to ponder and a little different perspective as well. I will say this. If you learned anything from that visit, you learned you have more oak in that bottom that you thought!!!:D

 

[j-bird]

I don't think we need to toss anyone under the bus - not what I was after. I do think we need to think for ourselves and realize that members here and even consultants all have different experiences. WE, OURSELVES, need to determine which works best in our situation and not follow blindly, just because person X says so. The most valuable tool we have is between our ears.....

 

[ALwoodsman]

I have really considered getting a photo eval done by Steve. I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on a lot of the habitat work but am having trouble on setting up my property to really effectively hunt it. Really it would probably be good sometimes just to get some outside opinion on how to hunt or layout a property. I have hunted it all of my life but sometimes seem to get stuck in a rut if that makes any sense.

 

[Shad DeBoor]

I used a Private Land owner Consultant for the land I bought last February in New Boston, Missouri. I didn't really get as much out of it as far as knowledge goes as I thought I would have but I did end up getting money from them to do a TSI and prescribed burn. They are coming back here soon to see if I qualify for any other programs such as free seed and tree's, they might also help take a small water hole I have on the land and turn it into a little pond. I think I learn more on here reading than I would ever have just listening to the consultants talk. Over all it is great experience such as getting the farm going but I have ran into people on here such as Jordan Selsor and MoBuckChaser which have helped me out more in such a short time that I have been on here.

 

[Shad DeBoor]

Just wait until old Selsor and Buck set foot on your place........You better have your fricken note book ready! LOL

I really can't wait Buck, There is a chance Jordan and I are heading up to walk the land Monday if everything plays out right.

 

[Shad DeBoor]

I will be in the hot tube with 3 women monday, Sorry I have to pass for now.......

Can we stop by and visit? LOL

 

[BJE80]

I will be in the hot tube with 3 women monday, Sorry I have to pass for now.......

Bros before hoes? lol


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[BJE80]

i have the one wiener rule in the tub at a time at old bucks place!

As many boobs that can fit though.........

So you can have one other guy aside from yourself Gotcha.










I kid Mo. hahhahaha


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[BJE80]

Learn how to count stud!

Someone has to give you a hard time once I awhile.


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[alldaysit]

I have really considered getting a photo eval done by Steve. I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on a lot of the habitat work but am having trouble on setting up my property to really effectively hunt it. Really it would probably be good sometimes just to get some outside opinion on how to hunt or layout a property. I have hunted it all of my life but sometimes seem to get stuck in a rut if that makes any sense.

I will be getting one done at each new property I purchase in the future. If I was determined to keep my property for a long time I would also get one done. I'm thinking of possibly selling next year, for additional acreage.


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