Building Whitetail Utopia Article by Steve Bartylla

[Steve Bartylla]

MO, does a person really want a lot more members here? That's an honest ?. I could sure plug this place in an article or two, but that'd be up to John, and I'd think hard about what that may mean. Bigger isn't always better, for business or as a resource. At the pace this is slowly growing, the "fun factor" and solid info have both stayed, without the need for babysitting. I'm not sure if that'd be the case or not after a mag plug or 2, but I'm game either way John would want me to play it. He deserves at least that much for making this forum.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

I quit buying and therefore reading the hunting rags years ago....same as everyone else...nothing new other than the advertisements of the latest "celebrity" endorsed crap. However if there was a magazine with consistently quality driven articles about habitat improvements i would reconsider. I'll shoot Gordon W. a message on the FB and let him know that I would like to see more Steve B habitat articles in NAW.

I really do agree with MO that there are is a decently significant number of guys like us....and guys that would become more like us if they just were consistently exposed to information on habitat improvements in the form of articles in their favorite mags.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

MO, does a person really want a lot more members here? That's an honest ?. I could sure plug this place in an article or two, but that'd be up to John, and I'd think hard about what that may mean. Bigger isn't always better, for business or as a resource. At the pace this is slowly growing, the "fun factor" and solid info have both stayed, without the need for babysitting. I'm not sure if that'd be the case or not after a mag plug or 2, but I'm game either way John would want me to play it. He deserves at least that much for making this forum.

my thoughts exactly and a good call.

 

[foggy]

MO, does a person really want a lot more members here? That's an honest ?. I could sure plug this place in an article or two, but that'd be up to John, and I'd think hard about what that may mean. Bigger isn't always better, for business or as a resource. At the pace this is slowly growing, the "fun factor" and solid info have both stayed, without the need for babysitting. I'm not sure if that'd be the case or not after a mag plug or 2, but I'm game either way John would want me to play it. He deserves at least that much for making this forum.

This is John's site and its certainly up to him on how he wants to "proceed".

Personally, I like the smaller number of contributors and the very informal group here. A bigger site would require more moderators and we may need to clean up some of our topics and behavior.......as some topics could (and would) get hairy.

I like the way you can call a spade a spade here. OTOH I have seen sites where you only "qualify" for certain areas after having posted x number of posts and being around for a year or more. This could have merit if the site grows huge. (could call it the DARK ROOM.....hahaha)

As a matter of history for any newbies here: When a few of us were banned from the dark side's site for our quite vocal issues with deer numbers and the "Assn" management's viewpoints. Others were tired of some of the posters "over there" or some of the politics of the dark side. John was gracious enough to get this site underway at that point. I think we all appreciate John's efforts here. Kudo's John.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

MO, does a person really want a lot more members here? That's an honest ?. I could sure plug this place in an article or two, but that'd be up to John, and I'd think hard about what that may mean. Bigger isn't always better, for business or as a resource. At the pace this is slowly growing, the "fun factor" and solid info have both stayed, without the need for babysitting. I'm not sure if that'd be the case or not after a mag plug or 2, but I'm game either way John would want me to play it. He deserves at least that much for making this forum.

I think if John did not want any new members, that part of this site would be closed. Since it is not closed........

 

[shawnv]

The longer it takes the "trolls" to arrive, the better!

 

[phil@thesidehill]

i just shot Gordon W. a message on FB advocating for more Steve B articles and more habitat articles in general.

 

[j-bird]

"LIGHTBULB"

How about Steve B. gets his own blog/thread here and he can post "Steve B.'s Monthly dose of wisdom" or some BS like that?????

 

[BOC]

Helluva an idea right there! Make it happen powers to be!

 

[MoBuckChaser]

"LIGHTBULB"

How about Steve B. gets his own blog/thread here and he can post "Steve B.'s Monthly dose of wisdom" or some BS like that?????

For free?

I'll buy that!:D

 

[Greta&Gus]

So I looked on the north american whitetail website to see if I could find a link to the article and I could not. I did find 10 articles about boomer bucks that guys shot.

Steve, what do you believe is the most important thing most small land owners are missing for killer nicer bucks and what do most small land owners do wrong?

 

[THunter]

MO, there's still the 3rd part to come in that series. In the 3rd part, I put together a couple fictitious plans, trying to illustrate how to tie it all together with goals and limitations.

The question of if it ill be more is really up to you guys. Gordon, the editor of north American WHITETAIL is torn on if there is the interest in those type of pieces. If he gets a bunch of emails expressing interest in turning it into a column, he's going to have my do a regular column on it, where I take 1 topic and tear it apart. If not, the 3rd part is the end.

If you want it to be a column, you can email Gordon and let him know. One of these addys is good, the other is bad, but I can never remember which. So, I always send to both.

Gordon Whittington <gordon_whittington@primediamags.com>;Gordon Whittington <gordon.whittington@imoutdoors.com>;

For what little it's worth, dipper, I stopped writing for QDMA's mag after that first piece I did for them over a year ago. There were several reasons behind it, but really low pay was a big one. We all need to pay the bills somehow.

I'll email Gordon.

 

[MoBuckChaser]

I'll email Gordon.

Use this email, the other is no good.

gordon.whittington@imoutdoors.com

 

[sandbur]

So I looked on the north american whitetail website to see if I could find a link to the article and I could not. I did find 10 articles about boomer bucks that guys shot.

Steve, what do you believe is the most important thing most small land owners are missing for killer nicer bucks and what do most small land owners do wrong?

The endless articles about someone shooting a big buck is why I dropped NAW. Just not my cup of tea, I guess. I enjoy a nice buck and will shake the hunters hand, but things have just gone too far and it is leaving our youth with unrealistic expectations.

I would like a good habitat magazine, but am not sure if it would sell and if the material would be relevant with all of our various habitats. There is also the question of how in depth to get in a magazine-there are newby's and those with more experience (and also those of us with STRONG opinions).

The information and the people on this site is great!

 

[MoBuckChaser]

The endless articles about someone shooting a big buck is why I dropped NAW. Just not my cup of tea, I guess. I enjoy a nice buck and will shake the hunters hand, but things have just gone too far and it is leaving our youth with unrealistic expectations.

I would like a good habitat magazine, but am not sure if it would sell and if the material would be relevant with all of our various habitats. There is also the question of how in depth to get in a magazine-there are newby's and those with more experience (and also those of us with STRONG opinions).

The information and the people on this site is great!

I and a lot of people like reading these magazines. Take Playboy or Penthouse, same thing, you just have to stare at a good rack between articles once and a while! Just sayin.......

 

[sandbur]

Certainly for youth in MN anyway. ;)

I don't have a problem with magazines and big buck articles. I don't find them appealing, but they obviously do appeal to many others. If they didn't...the magazines would either change or go under.

Not too many folks want to pay for a magazine to read an article on how a hunter filled his tag on a yearling forkhorn.

I kind of agree with the comment about not for youth in Minnesota. It's true and sad. But large portions of our state will never produce the amount of big bucks that southern Iowa or Mo's area can . Too much winter, too many wolves, too short of growing season, and too strong of other hunting traditions.

 

[shawnv]

I could be wrong, but how many times can a magazine publish the same material regurgitated over 30 years and into the future???? I'm thinking to keep print fresh, they need to be filled with buck stories and I do enjoy them, although I read enough of online now there is little need to read it in print. However id in print, they go into detail on how they killed that buck then they have my attention.

What I love most is seeing are property breakdowns, techniques an so on because there are so many variables to that degree plus being a land steward is more rewarding that just knocking down a deer. I would stack magazine on magazine if there was one just devoted to just habitat improvements.

The best would be to see what the property was before, what the changes were followed up by how those changes allowed this and that buck to be killed here, there and there.

Also emailed GW.

 

[bwoods11]

I quit buying and therefore reading the hunting rags years ago....same as everyone else...nothing new other than the advertisements of the latest "celebrity" endorsed crap. However if there was a magazine with consistently quality driven articles about habitat improvements i would reconsider. I'll shoot Gordon W. a message on the FB and let him know that I would like to see more Steve B habitat articles in NAW.

I really do agree with MO that there are is a decently significant number of guys like us....and guys that would become more like us if they just were consistently exposed to information on habitat improvements in the form of articles in their favorite mags.

Try gamekeepers by Biologic

The editor is Todd Amenrud of Ham Lake, MN

Todd and I are friends from the old Hunting Pro-Mos days. We used to do sports shows and promote Biologic and Wildlife Research Center before they were big names. Todd helped them become huge in the outdoor industry.

He is now full time with Biologic.

Good magazine...habitat, food plots, tree plantings. Land management Advertising yes it does have that.

Todd probably has shot more P&Y bucks than anyone I know in MN with his bow. Good resource. Check it out.

 

[sandbur]

Kirt=that sounds good. Is the magazine nation wide or more Regional?

does upper Midwest have it's share of information?

 

[bwoods11]

Kirt=that sounds good. Is the magazine nation wide or more Regional?

does upper Midwest have it's share of information?

It is nationwide. Quite a bit of information from the Midwest. Also, a lot in the south.
Mossy Oak is based down south. Definitely plenty of advertising as they would like to push Biologic, but also good information. I will be submitting an article this summer on transforming a pasture/marginal tillable farm into a hunting farm.....Just have to find time to finish it.