Habitat consultants

[sandbur]

Rarely post but feel like I owe the forum at least one.

I’ve been in the habitat game for over 15 years and have read every relative book, forum post and video I can get my eyes on. Have worked with and for a couple big game biologists, went to TLs camp (money well spent) but couldn’t foot the bill to have him out. Have spoke to a couple of the names mentioned in this thread but had decided to pull the trigger on Steve Bartylla’s map eval when it first was offered 5ish years ago. Like the others we had a length phone conversation including discussion of what my goals and limits were. I had some time, lots of drive but limited food and budget. The next yr I killed my biggest/oldest buck. Upped that again this last year and have had a couple of great bucks go down in that middle of that. The $4-500 spent was a bargain. I had a couple of concerns w the plan and a new farmer take over some of the Ag after the plan was revised- Steve emailed or called with my questions. I was nervous because he is a Midwest guy with great bucks discussed on TV and in words; What would be know about high pressure NY? He figured it out and made it seem so simple it was clear he has a talent/ability most do not. Great dude and would recommend anything he does as a result of my experience. I’ve spoke with Brooks but believe Joe Bartylla may now have the business.


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To the best of my knowledge, that last sentence is not correct.


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[homerj]

Pretty sure Jay Gregory is doing the aerial review plans that Steve used to do. https://www.food-plots-for-deer.com/straff-bios/

 

[Dukslayr]

I worked with Brooks on my phone consult and then the plan walk through. I’m not sure that he did the actual plan himself though; I got the impression someone else wrote the plan and he delivered it but I could be wrong.

 

[Tree Spud]

Who is Brooks? Never him/her ever associated with deer habitat management ...

 

[Dukslayr]

Who is Brooks? Never him/her ever associated with deer habitat management ...

He’s who I dealt with at foodplotsfordeer habitat planning website.

 

[Chainsaw]

I hired Steve B a few years back and the results were excellent. In the last three of four years with the plan really only partially in place, I've shot three of our largest bucks taken to date and am actually passing on some 3 1/2 year old bucks that we once considered shooters here. And firmly believe this all resulted from hiring Steve. The property is now running on all gears and surpassing my wildest dreams. Looking out my sun room this morning here were nine deer bedded below our yard out in the open partially covered with last nights snow;the deer here are so relaxed and that's one of the things a great plan(implemented) produces--a more relaxed and huntable deer herd. Steve was worth many times his price. He not only produced a workable plan but taught me the thought process of putting it together.

 

[bigbendmarine]

On the subject of foodplotsfordeer (and again with the caveat I used them when Steve was still over the group), noticed yesterday that Steve actually spoke about the subject on Facebook... sounds like he must get asked quite often / regularly if he's still involved. I don't get the feeling he's trying to throw shade on the current group as much as he's just wanting to be sure no one mistakenly believes he's still actively doing reviews / review work with them. I still don't think I'd hesitate to use them, don't share to disparage anyone. Just thought worth sharing since related and timely to the thread.

PSA​

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I keep getting emails and messages asking about my consulting services, referring to plans I'm supposedly working on and even if I'm serious about hiring you on as an assistant.​

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I'm afraid I do NOT have anything at all to do with any person or company, in any kind of an even loosely defined professional capacity. I'm a 1 man band. If you're not talking to me about a habitat project I want/am working on/or anything of that sort, you're VERY likely being fed a line of baloney.​

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Here's what I can tell you all. www.food-plots-for-deer.com is the plan business formed when I did a few year partnership with Brooks Johnson, ending 3ish years ago, now. I worked with Brooks, and trained my brother, Joe Bartylla and a long time close friend and past management assistant, Ethan Welscher. Since I sold, Joe has broken off on his own, while Brooks has added a couple people and Ethan still works with Brooks and www.food-plots-for-deer.com, at least on a limited basis. I agreed to a non-compete at the time of sale and haven't done an aerial plan or on site eval, since.​

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Bartylla's Whitetail Habitat Plans is the Facebook page that Brooks started, while we were partners, and he apparently continues running it for www.food-plots-for-deer.com, which he now is the sole owner (or at least, I'm no longer part of the ownership). I also stopped having anything to do with that, when I sold out of www.food-plots-for-deer.com​

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Slightly related, sorry. I've got to the point where I simply can't keep up on messages here. So, I don't even look, as it just makes me feel guilty for not replying, as every one of you deserves it. I just can't make the private messages work here, anymore. So, please don't PM me about this, as I just won't see it.​

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To wrap up, I do NOT currently do any consulting, outside of the long term management gigs I do. If someone is telling you I'm involved in any habitat project, hiring, interested in doing plans for you or anything of the sort, if you aren't talking to me, I'd give it 0.3% odds of being true, at the very best.​

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All that said, though I can't speak to the quality of work done by any mentioned since the point of the sale, 2-3ish years back (simply because I haven't seen it). However, they all did great work for the 2-4 years we worked together at food-plots-for-deer (I reviewed every plan I personally didn't do, in detail, when we worked together, them doing the same on mine, as well). I have no reason to believe the quality of any of their work changed at all.​

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Sorry with having to waist your time with this. I just hate the idea of any of you being misled into even 10% of the stuff I keep getting emailed about. You don't deserve it! I'll start including blurbs like this in more of my stuff. At least now, those that read this will understand why....I guess it's a compliment to me. I just wish it wasn't coming at some of your expenses. That disgusts me, Frankly.​

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[Bszweda]

How detail of a plan is the food plot for deer plans? Iam thinking about hiring a consultant. How much does having someone walk the property matter. My thinking is spend the money i save using the online consultant , and use that for hiring a dozer to make the access path and food plots. Has anyone hired a consultant to also perform the work that they were happy with?

Thanks,
Brad

 

[Tree Spud]

Iam thinking about hiring a consultant. How much does having someone walk the property matter.
Thanks,
Brad

Would you hire a real estate agent to do an appraisal of your home based on an aerial view of your property, more importantly would you accept an offer from a buyer based on this?

Post an aerial view here and you will get a ton of free consulting, some which are jug heads who want to increase port counts, but there are some real knowledgeable & successful property managers ... scratch that ... "Hunters" ... who will help you. They understand many things from an aerial based on experience.

The best experienced consultant I worked with is Steve Bartylla, he is on to other fame now. There are many others out there who will give you a "template" plan for a fee without even visiting you. They will take your money and tell you what they have learned here.

 

[Mortenson]

Would anyone shame me for posting up an aerial and asking for tips? LOL. Perhaps a separate forum category?

 

[Buckly]

Post it under Land Tours. An aerial with some supporting info like acreage, goals, number of people that use it and the general neighborhood. Then just let it evolve. That’s what it’s all about here

 

[Tree Spud]

Would anyone shame me for posting up an aerial and asking for tips? LOL. Perhaps a separate forum category?

I thought you already did post your property once?

 

[Mortenson]

I thought you already did post your property once?

Yes, I have a land tour page, although it's not very active. I never actually asked for any sets of eyes to see what I may be missing. Wasn't sure if that was the appropriate place, or to just start a thread about it. Definitely always up for suggestions.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Agree with TreeSpud on this

Follow the forum and know your properties terrain features/topo,etc and how deer use them

Google up Mapping Trophy Bucks for a primer on this subject

bill

 

[Turkish]

An advisor to help you be a more successful hunter? Whatever the quote is, just assume you must also surrender your man-card.

I’m joking. I have considered the “aerial” review by Bartyllas outfit.

 

[j-bird]

You can only tell so much from a picture.... I have met some pretty girls that where a real......not nice!

Many small things like benches, saddles and even density changes in cover are near impossible to see from a picture or a topo map. It is also impossible to pic out stand trees, mast trees or other food sources or even existing deer trails, beds, scrapes and rubs....all pieces of the puzzle. If at all possible, I would suggest a boot's on the ground visit. I had a particular situation where a member on a forum claimed he had no oaks on a certain part of his property.....not to sound egotistical, but he was wrong. They where smaller, but he had them.....if we had suggested some sort of clearing based on a photo alone he could have removed some great future mast trees.

Nothing wrong with posting here and asking for help, just be prepared to answer a lot of questions. You will have to figure out for yourself which ideas are good ones and which ones are not.

 

[ghilliehunter]

You can only tell so much from a picture.... I have met some pretty girls that where a real......not nice!

Many small things like benches, saddles and even density changes in cover are near impossible to see from a picture or a topo map. It is also impossible to pic out stand trees, mast trees or other food sources or even existing deer trails, beds, scrapes and rubs....all pieces of the puzzle. If at all possible, I would suggest a boot's on the ground visit. I had a particular situation where a member on a forum claimed he had no oaks on a certain part of his property.....not to sound egotistical, but he was wrong. They where smaller, but he had them.....if we had suggested some sort of clearing based on a photo alone he could have removed some great future mast trees.

Nothing wrong with posting here and asking for help, just be prepared to answer a lot of questions. You will have to figure out for yourself which ideas are good ones and which ones are not.

Could not agree with Jbird more. I'm the member who he showed the oaks to. It was my first year owning the farm and for "habitat" and didn't have any idea what I was doing. Thanks to jbird for taking the time to assist a newbie!

 

[Big Snow Man]

I agree with J Bird I wouldn’t post a picture of a health problem on a forum for someone to diagnose the problem. You can only cut a a tree once so make sure you get it right the first time. Boots on the ground tells the story.

 

[j-bird]

Could not agree with Jbird more. I'm the member who he showed the oaks to. It was my first year owning the farm and for "habitat" and didn't have any idea what I was doing. Thanks to jbird for taking the time to assist a newbie!

Your welcome....but I didn't do anything more than help you see what you already had. But it would have been impossible to find those tress via a sat image or map. I enjoyed coming up and meeting your family and walking the property. Its like a new puzzle to figure out. Other than finding your new oaks I'm not sure you got much more out of my visit or not....but it cost us nothing more than an few hours of our time....and it was worth it....at least to me.

So for those looking for input...try to find some like minded habitat folks in your area or state and see if they are willing to come over and take a look. It might cost you a few beers and maybe a burger or two, but its far cheaper than hiring an actual consultant. And you may make some new habitat friends along the way. It can be a gathering or just some one-on-one....either way, a different set of eyes could be very interesting. If the folks are close, you may even be able to get some help with equipment or tree and seed orders and the like as well. The old saying is you can never have too many friends....

 

[TreeDaddy]

Other than finding your new oaks I'm not sure you got much more out of my visit or not....

I wager that Ghilliehunter would respectfully disagree......

bill