Habitat Consultant Reviews

[Garrett S]

For those of you who have used a habitat consultant- could you share some of your thoughts, experience and reviews? There are some old threads on here but nothing new.

Would be great to share-
Whom, your goals, experience and outcome
Area of the world, property size and type (wooded, ag, etc)
Thoughts looking back in retrospection

Thanks

 

[Bszweda]

just something to think about are you looking to have them help execute the plan ( machinery and availability to perform the work). The well known consultants are booked years out and might not be able to assist. The consultant I went with is more local, and is helping me manage my property. My goal is shooting deer in the 140 range. Too me having someone that would help with the plan was important vs a well known consultant. I'm year one into the plan. I am tackling a few things a year as my budget allows.( I'm spending a lot of money making these improvements and it makes me question myself as I feel I could go on multiple outfitted trips each year instead ). I plan on keeping this property for a long time, and not up sizing. If I was only going to keep my property for five years I don't think it would make sense. I had one property that I spent money for a consultant then realized my neighbors was a trespassing /poaching and didn't want to feel with it. Id definitely wait one year with out making any changes to get a feel for the property and how it hunts.

 

[Tree Spud]

You may want to consider Joe Bartylla ( Steve Bartylla's brother) a call. I worked him and Steve on reviewing my property and liked their suggestions.

l https://www.whitetailhabitatconsulting.com/

 

[Garrett S]

You may want to consider Joe Bartylla ( Steve Bartylla's brother) a call. I worked him and Steve on reviewing my property and liked their suggestions.

l https://www.whitetailhabitatconsulting.com/

Interesting. I had Steve prepare a plan for me on the family farm some 7-8yrs ago and wish he was still doing it. Great guy and insight. I didn’t know his brother was in the game or in conjunction with him. Will check out the link.

I suspecting you were happy with what the prepared?


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[Howboutthemdawgs]

@WeedyJ used land and legacy. He seemed pleased. They seem like they work hard for their clients.

 

[SD51555]

For those of you who have used a habitat consultant- could you share some of your thoughts, experience and reviews? There are some old threads on here but nothing new.

Would be great to share-
Whom, your goals, experience and outcome
Area of the world, property size and type (wooded, ag, etc)
Thoughts looking back in retrospection

Thanks

I had a couple a long time ago. They really weren’t even about my property. What they were, were solid reviews of fundamentals of how to set up a property. And they were totally worth it.

Depends what you already know. If you’re flying blind, it can be a great value. If you know the fundamentals, probably ain’t gonna be worth it.


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[TreeDaddy]

The best " bang for the buck" ( sorry,couldnt resist) came from a plan from Brooks Johnson

He calls it "the skeletal plan" based on aerial photos for 100$ I highly recommend this one.

a 20 minute video covering some fundamentals that i had not really emphasized thus far

Specifically,access based on wind direction and where deer bed should determine where to make improvements( plots,feeders,etc)

The more expensive aerial plans break down when they start talking specifics without actual boots on the ground

One high dollar aerial eval recommended corn/soybeans in marshland and clover in a pond as as both land types appeared to consultant as open pasture from aerial view

bill

 

[Ruttin1]

The best " bang for the buck" ( sorry,couldnt resist) came from a plan from Brooks Johnson

He calls it "the skeletal plan" based on aerial photos for 100$ I highly recommend this one.

a 20 minute video covering some fundamentals that i had not really emphasized thus far

Specifically,access based on wind direction and where deer bed should determine where to make improvements( plots,feeders,etc)

The more expensive aerial plans break down when they start talking specifics without actual boots on the ground

One high dollar aerial eval recommended corn/soybeans in marshland and clover in a pond as as both land types appeared to consultant as open pasture from aerial view

bill

I agree with this. I had the skeleton plan done as well.
Talked to Brooks on the phone. He was very helpful and the suggestions were spot on I felt. For $100 it’s a great value and way to get started.
Haven’t implemented everything because it was year one with the property, so I didn’t make a bunch of changes. This winter I will start implementing the plan.


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[SwampCat]

Our G&F has private lands biologists that will come to your land for free. They probably arent there so much as to straight up improve your deer hunting as they are to improve your habitat. NRCS can also help. I cant really see how someone who doesnt know all the logistics of the area - flooding, predation, presence of hogs, local hunter effort and choice, fawn recruitment, deer density, nearby land types and uses - I have owned my place for 20 years and still learning it.

 

[Garrett S]

I did use Brooks for an intro plan- love that LiDAR he uses to identify bedding locations.


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[TreeDaddy]

I did use Brooks for an intro plan- love that LiDAR he uses to identify bedding locations.


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I wish i could find a good user friendly LIDAR app

bill

 

[Garrett S]

I hear ya Bill.

I’ve spent a bunch of time trying to crack that nut (using different apps, KMZ files layers) to no avail.

 

[Tree Spud]

Interesting. I had Steve prepare a plan for me on the family farm some 7-8yrs ago and wish he was still doing it. Great guy and insight. I didn’t know his brother was in the game or in conjunction with him. Will check out the link.

I suspecting you were happy with what the prepared?


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Yes I was.

 

[Garrett S]

I wish i could find a good user friendly LIDAR app

bill

Anyone with OnX should check it on the computer (not phone) … there is a beta of a new feature and you can guess what it is.

What a Christmas gift.

 

[bwoods11]

You can see habitat consultants showcase a farm and then make changes to the property on YouTube.

I watched a few yesterday and they have good ideas, but most involve big spending, blinds, dozers, box stands, new plantings and leaving huge food plots.

Most people can’t afford that ! They could tell everyone leave 10 acres of corn and beans for late season deer and sound smart … but that’s a lot of cash today !!

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

As said above…there’s enough info between YouTube and podcasts that it’s not a mystery on how to improve a property. A lot of what will be told is total overhaul $tuff. Sure it’s what will make your property the best it can be…but if we all had that kind of money we would just buy bigger properties!

 

[Garrett S]

Agreed.

Leaving 10ac of beans and 10ac of prime switchgrass and shrub bedding would have great deer anywhere…. Whether the Midwest or a mall parking lot in Jersey.

My two struggles are access and having faith/confidence I won’t screw up an investment I barely can afford as is. Gray matter struggles…

 

[SwampCat]

Down here at my place, ten acres of beans would attract all the hogs and ten acres of switch would give them the thick cover they like. It would be a hog paradise.

 

[Buckly]

Agreed.

Leaving 10ac of beans and 10ac of prime switchgrass and shrub bedding would have great deer anywhere…. Whether the Midwest or a mall parking lot in Jersey.

My two struggles are access and having faith/confidence I won’t screw up an investment I barely can afford as is. Gray matter struggles…

As was mentioned above, dozers and stuff are expensive. If you’re on a limited budget then it might be best to just hunt the place smart for a few years and see what it gives you.. If your budget improves, fill the largest holes in the bucket first. I would say on your property access roads would be my first project .

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Down here at my place, ten acres of beans would attract all the hogs and ten acres of switch would give them the thick cover they like. It would be a hog paradise.

The headaches hogs seem to cause you sound almost as bad as trying to improve a whitetail property in prime wolf country.