Interesting discussion with Don Higgins on the Land Podcast

[RobertT]

Can someone point me towards the podcast that has Don all up in his feelings?

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Can someone point me towards the podcast that has Don all up in his feelings?

The original post in this thread linked the podcast that started it.

 

[RobertT]

The original post in this thread linked the podcast that started it.

Who was the guest talking shit?

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Who was the guest talking shit?

I’m sorry, now that I started listening to it it seems you must be talking about the most recent chasing giants? In that case I don’t know who is saying mean things.

 

[Brian662]

Who was the guest talking shit?

The Huntr podcast or something like that had Jon Eberhart on. Jon has shot X amount of P&Y bucks on public land in Michigan, Jon said basically, Don isn't sh*t. He said there is way less skill killing private land groomed whitetails who haven't seen pressure versus public land deer in pressured states. Don responded on Instagram, claiming he doesn't know Jon(didn’t use his name), has never met Jon, and will take the high road from here on out.

I'm assuming that's what you're referring to.

Seems like a Days of Our Lives soap opera at this point with these guys.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Poor John must not be getting enough attention lately or something.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Poor John must not be getting enough attention lately or something.

He’s a world class d bag

 

[H20fwler]

I totally get the frustration of trespassers and neighbors killing everything that comes by.
I even understand the misconception of ownership some guys get with certain deer after passing on them a couple years and having thousands of pics of them but….HF is HF I don’t care how big the enclosure is.

At that point deer are just livestock, of course they can get big and old so can cattle in fenced in enclosures. And of course deer health and feed can be controlled just like any farm animals. HF is more than likely the reason we have all the crazy deer diseases we do now and it promotes the spread to wild herds.

Shooting a free range 3-5 year old wild buck of any rack size is a trophy. Even more so on public land. I would rather shoot a nice 120 any day on my place than a huge buck behind a fence.

If the day ever comes that I need to fence my ground I’ll raise cattle instead.

IMO deer farms and big outfitters pimping hunting is what is ruining the traditions and sport and looks terrible to the non hunting public.

 

[hillrunner]

The Huntr podcast or something like that had Jon Eberhart on. Jon has shot X amount of P&Y bucks on public land in Michigan, Jon said basically, Don isn't sh*t. He said there is way less skill killing private land groomed whitetails who haven't seen pressure versus public land deer in pressured states. Don responded on Instagram, claiming he doesn't know Jon(didn’t use his name), has never met Jon, and will take the high road from here on out.

I'm assuming that's what you're referring to.

Seems like a Days of Our Lives soap opera at this point with these guys.

Sounds like someone was jealous that somebody else was getting a little too much attention.

 

[Bszweda]

I think Jon is a great hunter, and didn't watch the HUNTR podcast yet. However I think he's ignorant stating that killing big bucks on private land non high fence is't sh*t. I think building a fence around neighbors could technically be a slippery slope to high fence hunting. Private land hunting requires an extreme amount of patience and WORK to get the desired outcome. Everyone sees a 30 second clip of a private land owner shooting a giant and they think it's easy, but what they don't see is all the work that goes into it. I think being a successful public land hunter vs private both require a lot of work just different kinds. I think public land hunters out of Ignorance, Jealousy, or resentment give private land hunters a lot of crap. However what I often like to ask is what the public land hunter is doing to improve habitat or wildlife. Are they just taking from wildlife without giving back?

 

[H20fwler]

We here on this site for the most part all own land. And we do all we can to make it as attractive to wildlife as we can, many of our goals are different and many change their perspective goals as they go along.
There is no doubt in my mind that the things I have done have created a place that deer and turkeys want to be in more than it was before I started.
Back when I used to lease my places before I bought them I would see some deer, now I see lots of deer. The property holds deer now and the ripple effect of my projects has benefited all the wildlife in my direct area. I’m sure it is the same with everyone here in one way or another.
My personal goals morphed from mainly deer hunting to more about the habitat and the soil… something I want to leave in as good as shape as I can for my grandchildren to have and enjoy.

I know that most people can’t afford to buy property to hunt or spend their money on other things, lots of that is personal life choices and sacrifices. I’m sure it is harder hunting on public than non pressured private.

I totally agree that the year round work we put in is every bit as hard as anyone ever does with public scouting/hunting/traveling. Some way way more than others on both sides of it.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Hate seeing stuff like this even associated with the word hunting: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgkpBEOpO5O/?igshid=NzNkNDdiOGI=

 

[Hoytvectrix]

However what I often like to ask is what the public land hunter is doing to improve habitat or wildlife. Are they just taking from wildlife without giving back?

They are doing the same thing that all people who hunt private land that they don't do anything to - support conservation efforts when buying a license and tags. I hunt both private and public land and I think that's an interesting but somewhat worrying line of thinking.

 

[Baker]

Ive been privileged to be a landowner all my life both thru inheritance and properties I have bought. Been infatuated and passionate about whitetails since I first saw a deer track...maybe 60 years ago? My relationship with deer has evolved over time as is true for many . At first I simply dreamed of seeing a deer. Then shoot deer. then kill an 8 pt. And the trail led to where I am now. Still passionate. Still infatuated. Today I am far more interested in what is best for the deer on the lands I am blessed to be a steward of than the hunters.

I own high fenced properties. I own low fenced properties. I built high fences around property where that would be the best thing for the deer. And without reservation or emotion the fence was the best thing that could have happened for the deer. The low fenced properties I own because of scale , location and circumstance didn't need a fence to support the deers well being.

I have cattle on my high fenced property. I have cattle on my low fenced properties.I have deer on the high fenced property and deer on the low fenced property. The cattle behave like cattle. The deer behave like deer.In fact the only difference between the deer behavior hi fence vs low fence is the deer on the low fenced property are far more mellow. They simply haven't been so pressured and perverted by man to become paranoid schitzophrenic psychotic vampire animals .

The deer on the low fenced property are managed identically to the deer on the hi fenced property. They respond to the management in the same way. They have the same health issues, mortality issues, predation issues, etc irrespective of a fence. They are the same challenge to hunt irrespective of a fence. I could go on. I've learned a lot thru this comparative taking the emotion out of it and observing realistically.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I could see how low fenced deer in an area with minimal human pressure would be more mellow as they can come and go more freely and never feel confined by a fence if there is something in their area that makes them feel uncomfortable. A lot of the commercial high fence "hunting" operations are nothing like Baker's farm and are simply put and take shooting yards of less than 100 acres where bucks (and bulls and whatever else) are bought and released to be shot.

My main issue with high fences is they take what was the public's wildlife and turn them into private property. The put and take shooting yards marketed as hunting give hunters a black eye though too.

 

[H20fwler]

Here in Ohio the landowner owns the deer in any HF enclosure and can do whatever they want with them, low fence or no fence the public owns the deer and all game laws apply.

 

[omicron1792]

I could see how low fenced deer in an area with minimal human pressure would be more mellow as they can come and go more freely and never feel confined by a fence if there is something in their area that makes them feel uncomfortable. A lot of the commercial high fence "hunting" operations are nothing like Baker's farm and are simply put and take shooting yards of less than 100 acres where bucks (and bulls and whatever else) are bought and released to be shot.

My main issue with high fences is they take what was the public's wildlife and turn them into private property. The put and take shooting yards marketed as hunting give hunters a black eye though too.

I have a buddy with a high fence. I can say a couple of things.

They spend thousands of dollars a month on feed for the deer.

Most of the deer in the fence were bought and imported and bred in the fence.

I want public land hunters to always have a place to hunt. But they don’t spend 1/100th of time, effort, money, sweat equity of people with a fence do.

Also, it’s a fallacy that they just build a fence and hunt the deer in that fence that used to be free range deer. They buy 25k breeder bucks and does That populate their property.

I don’t own a high fence. I probably never will. I could have with my property and didn’t. But I know no better land and animal stewards than my friends with high fences. Not even close really.

And to add my buddy does all his hunting outside the fence on 400acres of free range land. He has never killed a deer inside his fence. He needs too, they are overpopulating. But it’s all about managing the deer that is his hobby.

 

[Baker]

I have a buddy with a high fence. I can say a couple of things.

They spend thousands of dollars a month on feed for the deer.

Most of the deer in the fence were bought and imported and bred in the fence.

I want public land hunters to always have a place to hunt. But they don’t spend 1/100th of time, effort, money, sweat equity of people with a fence do.

Also, it’s a fallacy that they just build a fence and hunt the deer in that fence that used to be free range deer. They buy 25k breeder bucks and does That populate their property.

I don’t own a high fence. I probably never will. I could have with my property and didn’t. But I know no better land and animal stewards than my friends with high fences. Not even close really.

And to add my buddy does all his hunting outside the fence on 400acres of free range land. He has never killed a deer inside his fence. He needs too, they are overpopulating. But it’s all about managing the deer that is his hobby.

I know lots of places that have done what your buddy did. I'm ok with it. For me I only have the deer that were on the property when I fenced it. Nothing ever introduced. La. or Mexico. I have found that with enhanced nutrition over time I can make profound improvements in the genetics. That coupled with allowing deer to reach full maturity is very powerful. But it does take time , discipline, and commitment . Some folks like to move faster than that.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

I have a buddy with a high fence. I can say a couple of things.

They spend thousands of dollars a month on feed for the deer.

Most of the deer in the fence were bought and imported and bred in the fence.

I want public land hunters to always have a place to hunt. But they don’t spend 1/100th of time, effort, money, sweat equity of people with a fence do.

Also, it’s a fallacy that they just build a fence and hunt the deer in that fence that used to be free range deer. They buy 25k breeder bucks and does That populate their property.

I don’t own a high fence. I probably never will. I could have with my property and didn’t. But I know no better land and animal stewards than my friends with high fences. Not even close really.

And to add my buddy does all his hunting outside the fence on 400acres of free range land. He has never killed a deer inside his fence. He needs too, they are overpopulating. But it’s all about managing the deer that is his hobby.

I'm sure he is a great steward to his pet deer and the land they live on, but he's taken away that land and habitat from the public's wildlife. One could argue it isn't any worse than any of the countless things that could have been done to eliminate the habitat but doesn't mean I have to like the idea. That and there is just something off-putting to me about taking the Shaquille O'neils and Brittany Greiners of deer, mating them, and feeding them a diet like they are a roided out body builder bulking for the mr Olympia comp.

 

[omicron1792]

I'm sure he is a great steward to his pet deer and the land they live on, but he's taken away that land and habitat from the public's wildlife. One could argue it isn't any worse than any of the countless things that could have been done to eliminate the habitat but doesn't mean I have to like the idea. That and there is just something off-putting to me about taking the Shaquille O'neils and Brittany Greiners of deer, mating them, and feeding them a diet like they are a roided out body builder bulking for the mr Olympia comp.

I like your style Gypsy. It’s not my style to do that either.

Was more of fact that they work hard at what they do.