What motivates you as a habitat guy/land manager?

[roymunson]

I know we're all obviously habitat guys and land managers on here, but I'd be interested in hearing what each of you is managing towards. More deer on the landscape, bigger deer, healthier animals?
A diversity of wildlife, a diversity of plant life? Bushels of apples? A chance to stay away from your wife?

I want to have a well rounded property, but deep down, my ultimate end goal is to give mature deer (primarily the bucks I want to kill) a safe place to exist, until I can get them killed. There are other benefits that go with that as well. We're creating doe habitat to get us there. We're providing protein and food plots, we're creating sanctuary and hinge cut areas that other animals will benefit from. But I went turkey hunting once this year. And quit at 7:30 because I wanted to run the tractor. Ha!

Just curious as to what it is that motivates everyone to do this. Its obviously not instant gratification. However, when I get to hunt and see deer utilize an edge or a food plot that i conceived in my mind, put in before a rain, and got to watch grow, then a deer comes in and uses that terrain, I get a sense of satisfaction from that. I want to kill giant deer, but I really enjoy watching a group of does and fawns filtering thru a bottleneck to a food plot that I identified.

Might sound arrogant, because really, I can't make food grow, and I can't manipulate deer movement that much, but It puts me in a right frame of mind to watch them do what they're wired to do.

What motivates you?

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I simply want to create more high quality deer hunting experiences. No mast, no ag, poor soil, low deer density, insane winters...on my small 30 acres I am fully aware of my limitations. Managing my land and creating opportunities to 1) simply see more deer and 2) increase the chance of taking a decent buck are my motivations.

 

[H20fwler]

Originally we bought our properties for hunting. It has really morphed into so much more as we got into the habitat stuff.
I get a kick out of all of it now, planting fruit/nut/berry trees working with the shrub strips wildflowers plots native grasses, working with the bee hives and this year the fishing has turned on pretty good.
Also enjoy working with the various nest boxes and just walking around with different family members looking at how things are going or just relaxing alone with the dog at the farm on a day off of work.
Ours was never just for deer with that being top priority, we like to hunt about everything and that within moderation so we don’t spook the place up to much.
So mostly ours is managed for all wildlife along with family fun, that is my motivation.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

ADHD

 

[35-acre]

I started with one thing in mind, and only one thing:

I wanted to have a field like a magazine cover that I would shoot a giant buck in. A field that I could sit each night and see deer and choose "the big one".

Where I am in NY, there aren't field or plots. It's big woods. A successful season is seeing a dozen or more deer and even getting one. That's not because of the deer density but more to the fact that in the big woods they can go anywhere. So having a spot that I knew would draw them and being able to see deer more frequently was my main objective.

Then, I grew some purple top turnips the first year that I had my field put in (after logging)! They were the size of softballs! I think that hooked me into the "I can grow stuff". I started buying trees from the state and planting them on my property. I planted some in my field (apple, pear, chestnut). And one year I had a FANTASTIC crop of buckwheat! The sound of the bees over the field was amazing! At first I though there was a swarm around.

Last year (year 6), I finally shot a doe out of my field. Bear got to it overnight before I could do the recovery. There was NOTHING left of it. Right now, I want that opportunity back. I want to take a deer with my bow off the field that bore from my sweat and blood.

I'm sure that sounds like I'm not in it for the land improvements - I am. I love the fact that the work that I have been doing is bringing more animals to my 35-acres. It's cool to see my seeds grow. The improvements that I've made have changed the land that has been in my family for over 60 years. That's really awesome. But this year - I want a deer off the field ;)

 

[trampledbyturtles]

Seeing the bigger picture.

Enjoying the successes amongst all the beat downs Ma Nature gives me.

Finding peace in the woods in a chaotic world.

Better hunting.

 

[breddick]

Some people do drugs or have to see a psychologist.

I play on the farm.

 

[Tamarack]

All of the above.

 

[Telemark]

I want the land to produce as much as it possibly can, within reason. More variety of plants and animals, higher numbers, and better quality. And everything doing its job in its ecological niche to create a dynamic system that works together for the benefit of all organisms within the ecosystem. I think this provides the healthiest landscape from which to harvest the largest amount of quality food. Trophies are nice, but they are not my focus.

The places I hunt now have a quota set by the government. We don't get to choose which deer we want to take. I think a landscape full of healthy deer gives me the best chance to get all the deer on the quota, and the most food possible.

 

[breddick]

To further that thought, I recently bought a mini excavator to use on the property. I'm a firm believer that if people with severe depression would be issued time on a mini excavator the suicide rate would drop substantially.

 

[jsasker007]

I think I just like to do something where I get to do what I want without having to deal with society and being under some else's control---FREEDOM

 

[SwampCat]

I manage for everything from crawfish and honey bees on up to deer. I prefer to shoot a mature deer, but even more than that, I enjoy my wife or kids or grand kids killing it. It is so foreign to me when I read that someone owns a piece of ground and then stays off of it as much as possible so as not to spook the deer. I would not have bought any land if I thought I had to stay off of it most of the time. I catch crawdads and frogs, hunt for doves, squirrels, coons, possums, deer, ducks, hogs, and turkeys. I trap. I fish in my pond. And I just ride around and look. If we arent hunting or fishing, my wife ride around the place every evening. Yesterday, I bush hogged atv trails all morning. That afternoon, I made a ride around over the trails I had bush hogged. After I got done doing some computer work last night, I took another ride around at 11 pm to see if I could shoot some coons. I was out hunting hogs at 7 am this morning. If human activity on property displaced my deer - there wouldnt be a deer left on my land.

 

[roymunson]

I manage for everything from crawfish and honey bees on up to deer. I prefer to shoot a mature deer, but even more than that, I enjoy my wife or kids or grand kids killing it. It is so foreign to me when I read that someone owns a piece of ground and then stays off of it as much as possible so as not to spook the deer. I would not have bought any land if I thought I had to stay off of it most of the time. I catch crawdads and frogs, hunt for doves, squirrels, coons, possums, deer, ducks, hogs, and turkeys. I trap. I fish in my pond. And I just ride around and look. If we arent hunting or fishing, my wife ride around the place every evening. Yesterday, I bush hogged atv trails all morning. That afternoon, I made a ride around over the trails I had bush hogged. After I got done doing some computer work last night, I took another ride around at 11 pm to see if I could shoot some coons. I was out hunting hogs at 7 am this morning. If human activity on property displaced my deer - there wouldnt be a deer left on my land.

What I learned from this is someday I want your work schedule!

 

[Someday isle]

I had the dream of owning my own property since I was a teenager. When I bought my small property I was looking for a place to hunt deer and enjoy the outdoors with my young adult sons. It’s turned into so much more than that. My sons are at that stage of life where they don’t have much time But the times we spend there together are priceless to Me. Its Only an hour from home so I spend more time out there alone then I do with anyone else. I fell in love with habitat work from the first day. I love to do the work and see the progress. I still love to hunt the most though. A small property between 35 and 36 acres doesn’t let me manage a herd. I work on my property but sometimes I just piddle around. I don’t have big goals of trophy deer. I enjoy harvesting an antlerless deer or a young buck just fine and We all enjoy the taste of venison. If I had a couple hundred acres and was a little bit younger I’m sure my goals would be different. But I love what I have, the opportunities it gives me, and the peace and pride of ownership. I’ve got good neighbors and easy access. My goals are simple and I couldn’t be happier. To me, that’s the best part. We all get to make our own goals, develop our property the way want, and enjoy it the way we choose. Great thread Idea!

 

[bwoods11]

I like the habitat work, growing deer and other wildlife. I really appreciate the time spent on the farm hunting and just improving it (hobby) and the investment part of it ... all factors

 

[chummer]

I simply want to create more high quality deer hunting experiences. No mast, no ag, poor soil, low deer density, insane winters...on my small 30 acres I am fully aware of my limitations. Managing my land and creating opportunities to 1) simply see more deer and 2) increase the chance of taking a decent buck are my motivations.

This is me, add the challenge of growing apples where they, or anything else don’t want to grow.

 

[j-bird]

The longer I do this....the more my motivation changes. When I first started....I just wanted to see and kill more deer, I did that. As things progressed....I wanted bigger bucks, I did that. I never had the intention of growing a "booner" or the like. I knew that wasn't in the cards for me. When my kids took to hunting things changed again. The focus wasn't on my success...but theirs. Things went back to just seeing deer and keeping the kids warm and still long enough to get a shot. They learn to drive the tractor or help plant seed or trees..... I was able to get some of them (those that wanted to) to become more of the process. They saw the circle of life, and understand first hand that some thing die so others can live. They see the cruel world nature can be and how life isn't fair. They see how even hard work may not always pay off.....but they build determination. It has been a good teaching tool for them....and me. One day my motivation will shift yet again...hopefully to the next generation. I now plan more long term projects...like screening and mast trees.

A wise person once said, "The value of a man ins't in what he takes with him when he passes, but instead in what he leaves behind". I hope to leave behind 100 acres or so of land that is a little better than when I found it and hopefully have passed my love of the outdoors and nature to my kids and their kids. The older I get and the more I do this....it's less about me....and more about something bigger and beyond me....

 

[chucker66]

Honestly we bought our land for hunting deer but enjoy it for many other things such as berry picking, cutting wood, hiking and snowshoeing. Also I wanted to have someland to be able to pass down to my kids. My Dad had land he grew up on and we used to hunt on that. He had to sell it due to an evil nasty women he married. I vowed that would never happen to us.

 

[SWIFFY]

I agree with much of the above. Back in the 70's, My dad bought the farm i live on now. He wasnt interested in deer or management. I grew up living out here and as I did, it inspired him to do more things with me and for the farm. Hes gone now... at far too young. I feel a closeness to him when im out there and I think hes up above watching down and me and my girls with a smile on his face as we pick flowers and corn and plant apple trees and now shoot our first buck and our biggest buck, etc. He'd be proud.

There are many times that im frustrated with dumb things like that there arent more big bucks around... but it doesnt take long to sit myself down with a cold one and say, "you dumb bastard, dont forget how good you have it and how lucky you are! Good family, healthy, with good jobs, smart respectful kids, and live on one the most beautiful places on earth that 99.9% of people would kill for... dont worry if this year there aren't that many big bucks!"

I love every seed that goes into overall habitat improvement for all the critters. With that said.... I too am waiting to seal the deal on a big, mature boonie that I have years of history with on my place. Ive been too close, too many times to think it wont happened someday! Till then we'll take what we get and smile about it!

And ill add, the older we all get, i think it feels better and better to GIVE and to be able to GIVE. Land and opportunities are not easy to come by, so it always feels better and better to me to give someone the chance to do something at my place that they maybe otherwise couldnt have done. Thats a good feeling.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

This is me, add the challenge of growing apples where they, or anything else don’t want to grow.

I hear you chummer. I have all but given up on apples. IF they survive the borers I have to worry about bear damage. IF they survive bears I have to worry about moose roaming through and denuding the trees. And even IF I get a tree to a decent size, beyond the reach of moose and deer and producing apples and too big in DBH to worry about borers....I have to worry about bears again climbing my trees and tipping then over.

Wild apples grow like weeds around here so I find I do more management of those than trying to plant anything myself anymore.