YtailFreak
Active Member
If any of you killers are interested in coming to my farm and tossing me a different perspective and ideas I maybe haven't thought of yet, I'd gladly do the same in return. For free. Hunters helping Hunters.
I like that. I’ve had quite a few farm tours for free & I know everyone learns. I might have a few this year. Love it when dudes do things for nothing. Why this site exists!!!
smithhunter1975
Active Member
I love this idea. We could all learn a lot!
aysuleiman
New Member
Pricing for such services can vary depending on factors like travel, duration, and the scope of work involved. Considering your expertise and willingness to help, finding a fair balance between value and affordability is key.If you're looking for more insights into industry standards and fair pricing, you might find https://corporateinvestigation.com/digital-forensics/ to be a valuable resource. Their expertise in digital forensics could offer valuable perspectives on setting reasonable rates for your consulting services.Wishing you the best as you navigate this journey of providing valuable assistance to landowners.
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tall@wide
PMA Member
Skip, I think you would be very good at consulting with the all-around knowledge you have. I wouldn't hesitate to charge a competitive fee with Higgins, not many people have the knowledge you have with farms(habitat) and whitetails in general. I think $5-10,000 for a decent size farm would be a realistic fee, especially if you are only doing 2-3 per year.
Windlooker
Well-Known Member
I know there’s a place for experts but does this have to be rocket science? In buying my farms as I’ve mentioned before, I buy with a mix of timber, tillable, crp and RUNNING water.
For bedding I’ve done a few select cut timber projects. Trees 15in and bigger get taken if the proper species. I have a state forester visit to advise me on species, value and tree marking. I do have several bids from different timber outfits. During the harvest I leave the tree tops. My preference. Creates incredible new growth and bedding; while making some money.
I do lease acreage to a local farmer who rotates corn and beans. I do 4 small plots of 2 ac, 1 ac, 1ac and 3 ac respectively. Usually brassicas, turnips, and late season attracting stuff.
I have a spring, that never drys, running north and south that’s feeds Shoal Creek moving east and west. Dont have to explain the value of water.
I do have crp but am considering getting government off my property for good. The nrcs/fsa requirements aren’t that difficult but do change and I simply get tired of their calls.
My access varies. I’ll be honest some of my sets are bullet proof but some aren’t. I hunt em anyway. I’m not going to not hunt a great stand because some deer might see me coming or going. I’ll roll that dice.
That’s it. Works for me.
For bedding I’ve done a few select cut timber projects. Trees 15in and bigger get taken if the proper species. I have a state forester visit to advise me on species, value and tree marking. I do have several bids from different timber outfits. During the harvest I leave the tree tops. My preference. Creates incredible new growth and bedding; while making some money.
I do lease acreage to a local farmer who rotates corn and beans. I do 4 small plots of 2 ac, 1 ac, 1ac and 3 ac respectively. Usually brassicas, turnips, and late season attracting stuff.
I have a spring, that never drys, running north and south that’s feeds Shoal Creek moving east and west. Dont have to explain the value of water.
I do have crp but am considering getting government off my property for good. The nrcs/fsa requirements aren’t that difficult but do change and I simply get tired of their calls.
My access varies. I’ll be honest some of my sets are bullet proof but some aren’t. I hunt em anyway. I’m not going to not hunt a great stand because some deer might see me coming or going. I’ll roll that dice.
That’s it. Works for me.
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So- where I landed…. I’m gonna do 2 for iowa sportsman’s club. They can auction them off. I’ll do the work. They keep all the $. All goes to good cause!!!!!
Im gonna do 2 more where the funds go to other conservation causes. So…. That’s 4 per year & I am keeping zero of the $.
On a side note…. If it’s a dude that’s coming in and saying “put plots here. Grasses here. Stands here. Blinds here” & leaving after 5 hours- to me that’s insanity!!!!!! I’m gonna help take farm to a majorly new level. & there may be farms where I’d tell folks or suggest “u ever think about just SELLING???” As some issues - guys can’t fix SOME things.
Im gonna do 2 more where the funds go to other conservation causes. So…. That’s 4 per year & I am keeping zero of the $.
On a side note…. If it’s a dude that’s coming in and saying “put plots here. Grasses here. Stands here. Blinds here” & leaving after 5 hours- to me that’s insanity!!!!!! I’m gonna help take farm to a majorly new level. & there may be farms where I’d tell folks or suggest “u ever think about just SELLING???” As some issues - guys can’t fix SOME things.
Wildturkey 2
Active Member
What I did is hit the books for tree identification. You probably know where your deer travel on your farm & bed so wor k accordingly and if you look around like I did 1 out 5 farmers have a cat for clearing it just making paths like did & if can run a chainsaw your set don’t over complicate things the deer don’t.
Windlooker
Well-Known Member
One thing I forgot to mention above that is a huge factor is acreage size. You can improve all you want but most deer are gonna cross property lines unless one owns at least a square mile, 600 acres. I bury my plots on the interior, have limited road view etc but we own, control and hunt 300 ac. It’s great hunting but deer go to the neighbors.
Wildturkey 2
Active Member
Well there’s nothing you can do during the rut unless you have thousands of acres & very well managed. They radio collared some bucks minimum distance was three miles max distance was recorded by one buck 26 miles. So I’m going to say somewhere in between.
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
Its really a bonus to get advice from others, but paying a large sum of money for it just doesn’t interest me.
In my situation, there are projects I know I need to do. Cut more cedars, new trails, more stands. I’d love to screen more fields from the road .
But I live 5 hours away, and only have X amount of time and money for all the projects. Another factor is I need the farm to make money /cash rent so I’m not going to lose a bunch of crop acres.
It’s just my approach, my strategy may be different than others.
In my situation, there are projects I know I need to do. Cut more cedars, new trails, more stands. I’d love to screen more fields from the road .
But I live 5 hours away, and only have X amount of time and money for all the projects. Another factor is I need the farm to make money /cash rent so I’m not going to lose a bunch of crop acres.
It’s just my approach, my strategy may be different than others.
Wildturkey 2
Active Member
Might not work for all but a little logging might paid for some timber work logs are going for good price right now just thought I would throw that in .
Windlooker
Well-Known Member
In this country we intentionally make things overly complex with unique language, issues, remedies etc ,claiming that an expert in the field will show the way ie real estate, law, business, stocks and so on. That’s the marketplace. Our job is to wade through the bullshit and find real value. Most things aren’t that difficult with a little common sense, research and effort.
Wildturkey 2
Active Member
Right on you nailed it .
Hawk32
PMA Member
I've sat in hundreds of stands on a ton of farms for 30 plus years day dreaming over and over about what I would do to improve that particular farm to make it into a whitetail Mecca. From stand locations, plots, tree plantings, etc, etc and now I finally have that opportunity to put those dreams to work owning my own piece. No joke when I say I lay in bed at night dreaming and planning things over and over. To me that is what makes it fun. Discussing those plans with buddies and bouncing ideas off each other and then slowly but surely putting those plans to work. I love reading the info people post on here. Don't get me wrong I would love to have someone come in and develop a plan but more so just to compare and possibly improve on my personal ideas.
^^^^ same!!!
& a side note…. Taking farm from “junk” to “great” absolutely can be done!!!! Id say depending on size, it’s generally 1) 50% all habitat stuff, strategy, food, nutrition, etc etc and 2) 50% trigger management”…. Which includes shooting bucks that need to go but not shooting bucks that you deem “tempting but not old enough”. The wild card on both #1 & #2 is neighbors. Which #1 can assist with big time.
Going from garbage to great is generally 2-4 years unless there’s a wild card that’s going to cut your results down at the knees every year (bad neighbor situation). & in those cases…. If it can’t be fixed, IMHO…. Easiest thing to do is move on.
& a side note…. Taking farm from “junk” to “great” absolutely can be done!!!! Id say depending on size, it’s generally 1) 50% all habitat stuff, strategy, food, nutrition, etc etc and 2) 50% trigger management”…. Which includes shooting bucks that need to go but not shooting bucks that you deem “tempting but not old enough”. The wild card on both #1 & #2 is neighbors. Which #1 can assist with big time.
Going from garbage to great is generally 2-4 years unless there’s a wild card that’s going to cut your results down at the knees every year (bad neighbor situation). & in those cases…. If it can’t be fixed, IMHO…. Easiest thing to do is move on.
tall@wide
PMA Member
Agreed. I put neighbors at the very top on whether a farm can be great or not (unless its 1000s of acres). Just being honest, but the 2-4 year old bucks are very easy to kill. They go from one food plot to the next and hit bedding areas via pinches throughout the rut. If neighbors are shooting these young bucks you are doomed, and I recently sold an incredible farm for this exact reason. I'll take a bad farm with great neighbors over a great farm with bad neighbors every time.
Hardwood11
It is going to be a good fall!
Agree Skip.. if a lot of tree planting is involved, it may take 5-6 years for it to really change for the better !
Also remember there’s nothing wrong with learning from trial and error!