Hunting late summer bucks is for die hard hunters. Sometimes, you have them pouring into fields at dusk and other times you can only find bucks on early morning trails. This week I cover what bucks are doing, both physically & behaviorally, and how to pursue them.

Thank you for the support of SEWT. Good luck this season.

Concealment, accuracy, and pressure are the main factors to control with stand setup. I discuss 5 simple tactics to minimize presence and maximize deer observed and harvested. Implement now for success this Fall.

Thanks for listening. Instagram: @southeast.whitetail

If your goal is to grow and harvest the best antlers your land can yield, this topic is for you. Doe management is crucial to every whitetail program and effectively filling tags is vital. I discuss issues and mistakes that interfere with management goals and disrupt deer movement. Topics that directly impact growing, observing and filling buck tags.

Thanks for listening!

Joe Hamilton, Legend of Conservation.  Part 2 of 2.

The profound success story of whitetail conservation could not be told without Joe Hamilton.  He spearheaded a movement in the South that expanded across the country forever changing the landscape of herd health and habitat quality.  The ripple effect of Quality Deer Management and Mr Joe’s career work is staggering.

Joe has a long and storied history in the outdoors which is well documented in his book: "Firepot Stories".  A fascinating read and highly informative of the revered white-tailed deer.  

Joe Hamilton, Legend of Conservation - Part 1 of 2.

The profound success story of whitetail conservation could not be told without Joe Hamilton. He spearheaded a movement in the South that expanded across the country forever changing the landscape of herd health and habitat quality. 
I met Mr. Joe years ago at Rose Hill Plantation sometime in the early 2000's. I was thrilled to shake his hand and to be invited on such a hunt by the Morrison family. I've never been one to follow hunting media shows or celebrity type hunters. QDMA was the content I consumed and Joe is a figure that I've always admired and respected.  
Several years ago I connected with Joe Hamilton again.  Joe joined us for a mentored hunt at my family farm for a memorable weekend and since then we have stayed in touch. When I started Southeast Whitetail, Joe was at the top of my list to interview and showcase his dedication and career work with conservation. Thus, I asked Joe to film the first episode of Southeastern Sit-down Series: Joe Hamilton, Legend of Conservation.  
Joe has a long and storied history in the outdoors which is well documented in his book: "Firepot Stories".  A fascinating read and very informative of the revered white-tailed deer.  
Thank you for listening to the interview and a very special thank you to Mr. Joe Hamilton. He opened his home to me and I greatly appreciate his time. 
Below are career highlights and the numerous recognition awards.  
Career:
Native of Elizabethtown, NC.
BS Degree in Forest Resources 1971 - UGA
MS Degree in Wildlife Biology 1978 - UGA
SC DNR 1979 - 1995
Founded QDMA in 1988 and has been involved with various roles & positions still to this day.
Ducks Unlimited 1996 - 2000
Awards & Achievements:
1975 - NC Wildlife Federation Conservationist of the Year.
1982 - Julian C. Greene Award presented by the White Lakes Chapter NC of Ducks Unlimited.
1984 - SC Wildlife Federation Harry Hampton "Woods & Water" Conservation Memorial Journalism Award for Excellence in Natural Resource Reporting.
2000 - Deer Management Career Achievement Award presented by the Southeastern Section of the Wildlife Society.  
2004 - Inducted into "The Keepers of the Hunting Spirit" in Melbourne, Australia. 
2005 - Outdoor Life Conservation Award.
2005 - Professional Wildlife Management Award by the SC Chapter of the Wildlife Society. 
2011 - Budweiser Conservationist of the Year. 
2012 - Induction into Gary Mason's "Legends of the Outdoors".
2013 - The 2013 Award for Extraordinary dedication to Preserving & Protecting South Carolina's Environment & Natural Resources. Presented by the Governor and General Assembly.  
2015 - UGA's Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources Distinguished Alumnus Award.  
2021 - Outdoor Life listed Joe as one of five individuals who have most influenced how sportsmen hunt & fish on a national scale.  
2022 - The Order of the Palmetto Award presented by SC Governor Henry McMaster.

What can cameras actually tell us about movement and herd dynamics? This week I discuss feed vs. passive sites. The pros and cons of each and how to establish a camera program to meet your hunting goals throughout the season. Thanks for listening!

Hunt clubs are the backbone of southern hunting culture. The Southeast is private land dominated and thus will always maintain clubs throughout each state. Topics discussed - hunter & deer management, land work, penalties & fines, when hinge cutting works, how to kill more deer on leases and consistently see more bucks.

Thanks for listening.

Back in the climber with a new episode. I took some time off but I'm back weekly with new guests and topics. This episode I discuss summer buck scouting, farmers, mowing, predators, late summer / early fall patterns, property maintenance and keeping tabs on seasonal growth.

Let me know guests you would like to hear and topics to cover. Thanks for listening!

You're managing the herd, not individual deer. This week I dive deep into what segment of the doe population is best to meet various management goals and what benefits each age class offers for harvest.

- Old vs. Young?

- With Fawns or Without?

- Single or Within a Group?

- Early Season, Breeding Period, or Late Season?

- Challenges to Overcome

Thanks for listening!

Culling does work and it certainly has a place for deer managers and hunters but it may not be what you're thinking. This isn't culling like our grandfathers once did.

This week I'm launching a new series on various Quality Deer Management topics. The goal is to shed light on the principles & practices. QDM can be implemented on small and large tracts.

Thanks for listening!

Summer is mostly killing time until the season opener but there are many hunt techniques to implement now to see and kill more bucks this Fall.  Get out there, get sweaty and increase your odds of filling tags.  I don't consider myself having much of an ego but I am highly confident when it comes to my deer management and hunting style.  

Thanks for listening. 

Jacob & Nick return to the show for a high level breakdown of dove fields.  From soil samples and seed beds to prepping the field to hunt and everything in between.  This is a deep dive by two highly experienced land managers to better your fields, produce higher quality food and attract more birds.  

We cover planting equipment, sprayers, seed selection, soil bed prep, weed control, deer depredation management, desiccating fields, and many proven techniques from years of experience from Nick & Jacob.  

Thank you for listening and good luck on opening day.   

This week I breakdown my skinning shed from backing in with a deer to quartering up the carcass after hanging in the walk-in cooler.  A place to hang and skin game is one of the best investments and value-add improvements you can make for your property.

Over time we've added tools and various methods to streamline the process, yield better results all while recording herd data to more efficiently harvest and manage deer.  

Thanks for listening and please consider leaving a 5 Star review.   

Trial and error is how you become proficient with managing your land. Experiment with seeds and planting practices but you must always ask why things didn't go as planned.

On this episode I cover 10 ways I failed at producing successful food plots. Thanks for listening and please subscribe, follow and leave a 5 Star review!

Whether you have 20 or 2,000 acres, growing and selling timber is an excellent route to generate cash. Funds for capital improvements and property carrying costs. Tree farms don't have to be wildlife wastelands. You can easily blend active timber rotations with healthy wildlife populations while increasing your huntability.

Develop a working forestry plan and build value, along with robust game usuage. I cover navigating foresters, timber / land consultants, direct sales, contracts, diversifying age classes and many more topics.

Thanks for listening.

Rick joins the show this week to discuss his passion for bowhunting on both public & private land.  Rick hunts Alabama, Florida, Kentucky and Illinois.  I'm pumped to showcase his content as it's a different perspective from my own.  Rick is a highly successful hunter and thoroughly enjoys the grind of the pursuit.  

Rick is the host of the Southern Game & Tackle Podcast and is on the Board of Directors for Project Savior Outdoors.  Read his article and his full bio at www.southeastwhitetail.com.  

https://www.southerngameandtackle.com/

https://www.projectsavioroutdoors.org/

Thank you for listening and please consider leaving a 5 Star rating and review.  

Release mallards have become increasingly popular throughout the Southeast.  But what detrimental effects do these farm raised & genetically altered birds cause for wild ducks?  How is this style of "hunting" negatively impacting waterfowl conservation?  A wildlife geneticist, Dr. Philip Lavretsky from the University of Texas at El Paso joins the show to discuss these topics and his passion for duck hunting.   

Jacob Lazarus from last week's episode is also on the call as he brought this topic to light.  

Let us know your thoughts.  What have you noticed with your local ducks?  Do you think there should be regulations for farm raised mallards? 

Lab: https://www.utep.edu/science/lavretskylab/

Donations page: https://givingto.utep.edu/conservation

Thanks for listening and please leave a 5 Star rating and review.  It greatly helps the show going forward.  

A private land manager in Lowcountry South Carolina, Jacob shares his success with regenerative food plots mixing both cool and warm season plantings.  He has kept meticulous observational notes from his years of trials and experiments.  

If you plant supplemental food plots in the South, you need to listen to Jacob's results.  Truly remarkable and I will certainly be implementing this setup on my farm.  

We also cover off-season scouting, an upcoming National Deer Association event and a very impactful waterfowl conservation issue on the East Coast.  

Thank you for listening and please consider leaving a rating and review.  It helps keep this show going.  

This week Grant Fisher from SC joins the show to discuss his passion for pursuing birds across the South. From private to public land, Grant consistently kills turkeys using his perfected hunt tactics and knowledge of terrain features. This was a great conversation with a conservation minded hunter.

Thanks for listening and please leave a 5 Star rating & review.