Removing stress from wildlife allows them to express more of their genetic potential. As managers we don’t improve genetics of free-ranging wild creatures. That requires knowing the pedigree (the sire and dam for several generations) which is totally impractical in free-ranging wild populations.

The best we can do is manage the population and habitat so each individual can express their full genetic potential. For example, a mature buck that’s limited to consuming hardwood twigs and fescue won’t produce as large of antlers or body size as that same buck if it was consuming soybean forage during the summer and soybean pods (and other forages) during the winter.

Managers can reduce the stress deer and other forms of wildlife experience by improving the quality of food, cover, and water and reducing the number of predators (should the predator/prey populations be out of balance). The natural world is dynamic. That is to say the balance of the number of critters in relation to the amount of quality food, cover, water, and predators is always changing!

Freezing wet conditions will make survival very tough on newborn fawns.

We’re expecting a significant change later this week at The Proving Grounds. There’s a good chance of snow in the forecast! I heard on the radio that snow hasn’t been recorded in May in my area for more than 100 years. The cold conditions that are associated with this storm will certainly be very stressful for deer that have begun to shed their winter coat and replace it with the shorter, thinner summer coat. Staying warm will cost critters a lot of energy.

There are probably a couple of newly born fawns at my place. Most fawns are born during late May/early June, but there are always those that are born a few weeks earlier or later than “normal.” Freezing wet conditions will make survival very tough on newborn fawns.

Most fawns are born during late May/early June but there are always those that are born a few weeks earlier or later.

Likewise there are probably a few turkey poults that have hatched already. Cold wet conditions will likely result in a 100% loss of those early born poults.

We can’t change (or even accurately predict) the weather. We can manage the habitat to provide quality food, cover, and water to help wildlife survive such storms. It’s critical to manage the wildlife populations so that there is more food than required during good conditions – as bad conditions will always occur.

We manage for very high quality native forage and cover at The Proving Grounds. There’s plenty to eat, fresh water to drink, and great cover for wildlife to seek during this arctic blast. Such storms have probably occurred before weather records were kept and they’ll probably occur again. That’s why quality habitat management is critical for allowing wild, free-ranging deer to express their potential. As managers, we can have an impact on the habitat quality and the amount of genetic potential the local herd expresses. We can’t impact the genetic quality of wild, free-ranging deer. I’m glad we can’t – that’s what makes them wild!

Growing Deer together,

Grant

Grant and Adam have been busy turkey hunting this week so the writing of the blog falls to me! In considering topics I immediately knew I would not write about turkey hunting but quickly realized that I should write about what I do know – what to do with that turkey once it is “in the bag!”

Raleigh harvested a gobbler in the 2013 youth season.

When Grant and I first got married he learned that my cooking was often an “experiment” as I like to take a base recipe and “experiment” with my own ideas. Most of our meals were prefaced with “I hope this is okay. It’s kind of an experiment.” Fortunately most of my experiments turn out well! Over the years I have experimented with the venison, wild turkey and other wild meats Grant has harvested for our freezer.

I’ve become a competent wild game cook. By no means is my cooking gourmet. As a busy working mother I default to the easy recipes instead of the more complicated, fancy recipes.

Cooking wild turkey can be a bit of a challenge. Most hunters prize a “mature” tom as they are usually more challenging to hunt and a better trophy of bigger spurs and a longer beard. Being “mature” equates to old which equates to tough meat! Marinating and/or slow cooking in the crock pot are my preferred ways to turn a tough, old bird into a delicious meal for my family!

Last year I experimented with a new recipe for cooking wild turkey.  Grant loved it! He said that this is his favorite way for me to cook the turkey, second only to deep frying breaded turkey nuggets.

Grant’s Favorite Wild Turkey Recipe

Serves 6

3 10 ounce cans green enchilada sauce

15 – 30 ounces chicken broth (enough to cover turkey breast)

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 turkey breast (2 lbs or larger)

2 to 3 strips uncooked bacon

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional; to taste)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Serve with: warm flour tortillas and salsa

Mix all ingredients except turkey, uncooked bacon, cilantro, lime juice, tortillas and salsa in a 4 quart or larger slow cooker. 

Add turkey wrapped in bacon strips. 

Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours or until turkey is tender. Remove turkey to a cutting board. 

Stir cilantro and lime juice into mixture in slow cooker. Shred turkey in bite size pieces; return to slow cooker.

Can be served as a soup/stew or use a slotted spoon to separate meat from liquid and serve burrito/taco style rolled up in flour tortillas with your choice of toppings: cheese, sour cream,  shredded lettuce, or salsa. Accompany with refried beans, rice, salsa and chips. (If you choose to use the meat for a burrito/taco the remaining liquid makes a base for Mexican soup!)

Slow cooking in the crock pot is one of my favorite ways to turn a tough, old bird into a delicious meal.

(The idea for this recipe is based on one for a Mexican pork dish I modified for venison that I call Venison Pozole.)

If you would like to try something new this year, check out these great recipes on the NWTF website or on the Bass Pro website.

Let us know your favorite recipes for cooking wild turkey by posting them on Grant’s Facebook page!

Enjoy!

Tracy Woods

The hillsides here at The Proving Grounds are slowly getting that green tint to them, the creek is flowing fast, and the gobblers are playing their song every morning.  Spring is in the air here, FINALLY! Last year when Missouri turkey season opened, we had plenty of foliage and green leaves. This year’s opening day will be very different. Spring green up is occurring later than it has the last couple of years and the turkeys seem to be on that same schedule.

Spring green up is occurring later this year.

I’ve been asked several times lately if I’m still seeing a lot of birds in large flocks or winter to early spring flocks. The answer is yes and no. From running the Reconyx cameras to driving across the country side, I’m seeing a lot of birds in large flocks. I’m also seeing the occasional single tom out strutting in a field, but the majority of birds are still in groups. What does this mean? If you ask any turkey hunter who’s spent much time chasing turkeys they will tell you that calling to flocks isn’t nearly as effective as calling to lone gobblers. And why should it be?  When a gobbler has an entire flock around him why would he leave them for one hen he can’t see?  “Henned up” turkeys can also be indicated by their lack (if any) of gobbling when they fly off the roost in the morning. It will be difficult calling turkeys until they split up and we start finding more lone toms.

Calling to flocks isn’t nearly as effective as calling to lone gobblers.

With the Missouri turkey season opening soon I thought I would discuss our strategy. Since we’re seeing more flocks than usual for this time of year, our game plan has changed. As much as I enjoy “running and gunning” for turkeys, it probably won’t be on the agenda for opening day this year. Hunting henned up toms that don’t gobble much is more like deer hunting. First we scout with ears, eyes, and Reconyx cameras to find the location where they are most active. Then we move in before sunrise to either a blind or a tree that we have previously picked. Finally, we generally use decoys and keep our calling softer and less aggressive. To me this type of turkey hunting is far less exciting than my favorite running and gunning style, but it can be just as effective if the cards are played right.

We’re only days away from one of my favorite events of the year! I can’t wait to wake up, pull on my LaCrosse boots, and head out in search of a gobbler. Good luck to all the hunters out there and stay safe!

Daydreaming of long beards and long spurs,

Adam

In most states April is the beginning of turkey hunting and warm season food plot planting season! Both of these activities are very dependent on the weather!

Research has shown that more turkeys are likely to gobble when it’s a warm sunny day. Overcast, rainy, or snowing conditions tend to result in fewer turkeys gobbling. It’s tougher to hear turkeys gobbling on windy days.

I’d like to hunt every day, but I have tasks that must be completed so I can hunt. So, I try to schedule the days I get to hunt on the days the weather conditions are the most favorable. I’m not aware of any accurate long-term weather forecast (if you are please let me know). The most reliable forecast I’ve found that doesn’t include any advertisements or hype is from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center. I often check their website and look at the cool maps on the 3-7, 6-10, and 8-14 day forecast.

Last week I used these forecasts to change the days of a scheduled turkey hunting trip to Nebraska. I avoided a couple of windy/snowy days and arrived two days later to sunny 50+ degree weather! The turkeys responded well and I was able to tag a 28 pound tom with my Prime bow!

Research has shown that more turkeys are likely to gobble when it’s a warm sunny day.

I’m also very interested in the soil temperature this time of year. My clients and I plant corn when the soil temperature is about 50 degrees and soybeans when it’s about 60 degrees. I use a soil thermometer at my place but use data collected daily by universities in many states when helping others determine when to plant. For example, the soils are still a bit cold to plant in Iowa based on data Iowa State University publishes daily on the web.

We are preparing to plant soybeans for wildlife at one of my projects on the North Carolina coast. Even though I’m in Missouri, I can check the soil temperature and help the guys onsite determine when to plant by checking the North Carolina State University website.

Weather has a huge influence on deer and turkey activity and the success of food plot crops. Check out the sources above before planning your next hunting or habitat management activity!

Growing Deer (and turkeys) together,

Grant

I receive a lot of questions like this one from Kyle…

Once again it is spring and I am eager to make it up north to my proving grounds to start my spring and summer habitat projects. I have been fall planting a brassica mix for a couple of years and love the success I have had with it. I even got my first buck with a bow two years ago. This past year I got my second buck, a true dandy 5 year old 8 point. I have more land I want to plant this year. Are the brand name seeds more attractive or better to plant than the clover, wheat or brassicas I buy at the local feed mill? Is there a difference other than a huge mark up on price? A lot of companies say they specially design their product for deer. Is that a marketing gimmick or is there a benefit?

Unfortunately there’s not a simple “yes” or “no” answer to Kyle’s question. I’m sure some  food plot companies do create fancy names for their food plot seed products and hike up the price. Others offer quality seed varieties that are more drought resistant, cold tolerant, etc.

One way to check is to read the seed labels. By law, all seed products must be labeled with the varieties and germination rates. If the variety is called something like “big buck turnips” then it’s probably more marketing than value. Another term commonly on food plot seed product labels is VNS – which stands for Varity Not Specified. It’s a good sign that there may be more marketing than value to a product when the bag is beautiful but the label states it’s composed of VNS seeds.

I plant the majority of my food plot acres in crops I have tried before. Eagle Seed has actively selected traits such as maximum forage and bean production, drought resistance, browse tolerance, etc.

I like to experiment with forage varieties that are new to me (but not necessarily new). I usually dedicate a small percentage of my food plot acres to such tests to see what works best on my land. However, the majority of my food plot acres will be planted with a variety/crop that I have tried before or that has been researched by a trusted university.

To my knowledge, no forage variety that’s marketed for deer has been tested by more universities that Eagle Seed forage soybeans. Eagle Seed is a family owned company that’s literally been breeding and researching forage soybeans (not just production beans relabeled as forage soybeans) for more than 40 years. That’s why their forage soybeans often grow to six feet tall when planted in good conditions while normal production beans planted at the same site only grow three feet tall.

The family that owns Eagle Seed has actively selected traits such as maximum forage and bean production, drought resistance, browse tolerance, etc. Simply stated, they’ve been crossing soybean varieties and selecting for these traits for decades before most other food plot companies were in business.

So, I suggest you do what I do – carefully read the labels, do some research on Google, talk to other food plot farmers and then make the best choice for crops that meet your objectives and growing conditions.

Growing Deer together,

Grant

He stood only 45 yards away in a small clearing where he had spent the entire morning strutting and gobbling. Shooting hours for the day were coming to a close and I knew the time was now or never. I let out a soft yelp and as he raised his head I squeezed the trigger.

“Larry Long Spurs” was my arch nemesis during the 2005 and 2006 spring season and I hunted him almost every chance I could get. He didn’t always roost on our farm, and he wouldn’t gobble every morning, but on this particular hunt I had been lucky enough to roost him the night before. I was waiting for him the next morning when I heard his first gobble ring out breaking the morning silence. Being a novice turkey hunter in those days I made a few mistakes that I paid dearly for. The first mistake was my original setup. I had setup too far back and had to use the entire morning to crawl within range.

I use the Caldwell Stable Table and Lead Sled to pattern my shogun in preparation for the upcoming turkey season

The second mistake, a mistake that to this day upsets me; I didn’t test my gear before heading into the woods. In those days I weighed 120 pounds soaking wet but I wouldn’t allow anyone, especially my friends, to think I was too small for a 3 ½” turkey load. I was a little man with way too much gun power, so there was nothing pleasant about shooting my turkey gun at anything other than turkeys! That is where I went wrong. I let the fear of getting kicked by the gun prevent me from patterning my gun. I had found a cheap box of shells in a catalog and bought them to use on turkeys. When I hit the woods to hunt a turkey I wanted more than any other bird before, I had no idea how my shotgun patterned.  BIG MISTAKE!

As turkeys scattered and I gathered myself from the initial shock of the gun blast, I jumped to my feet and ran to the opening where he had been standing. I found nothing: no Larry Long Spurs, no feathers, and no more faith in my shooting ability. I had blown the only chance I would get at him and all I could do was wonder what went wrong. Returning to our cabin I decided to shoot my shotgun and see what kind of pattern I was shooting. I can summarize my findings by saying that at 45 yards a beach ball would have had a good chance of survival.

Today, not a season goes by that I don’t take the time to pattern my shotgun. All fear of being kicked into submission is gone now that I use the Caldwell Stable Table and Lead Sled. No more are the days of leaning against a tree and hoping I could get the results I wanted before shooting more than a few times. Patterning my shotgun went from being a dreaded activity, to an enjoyable time in preparation of the upcoming season. Top that off with Winchester Double X turkey ammo and now I have complete faith in my gear every hunt.

It’s that time of year to get out and pattern those shotguns! Don’t make the same mistakes I did! Always remember to be safe and good luck turkey hunting!

Daydreaming of long spurs and long beards together,

Adam

It’s March 14th and we’re almost a month away from Missouri turkey season! Most people who know me know that I am absolutely obsessed with spring turkey hunting! I love the months of March, April, and May for many reasons: the fishing is picking up, the woods are greening up, the morel mushrooms are popping out of the ground and most important the turkeys are doing their spring rituals! One of the biggest reasons I love chasing turkeys every year are the memories from past years that resurface every time I’m out there. My first turkey with my father (on what is now my favorite place in the world to chase turkeys), my first turkey taken when hunting and calling by myself, my four bearded turkey killed moments before getting completely soaked in a thunder storm and so many more. Reasons for having so many memories are due to the fact that I was turkey hunting with my dad years before I was a deer hunter.

Adam shared a successful morning hunt with his father and brother.

Thinking back to the early days of turkey hunting, I can’t help but look at the amount of change that has occurred. Early in my career you went to locations where turkeys were known to roost and you waited to hear a gobbler then you made your move. It’s 2013 now, and although season is over a month away my scouting has already started, thanks to our Reconyx cameras. Yesterday we began setting our Reconyx cameras to time lapse. We do this so we can scout over fields where turkeys are likely to be active, but still out of range of our motion sensors. Common trail cameras without the time lapse feature would most likely miss an old tom that was strutting a hundred yards away in the field. We position our Reconyx cameras to overlook our food plots and then set the time lapse interval to every 15 minutes. Once this is done we now are scouting our food plots without even getting out of bed in the mornings.

The time lapse feature on our Reconyx camera captured images of turkeys strutting.

With our Reconyx cameras set up with time lapse on our food plots we are officially scouting and preparing for the first day of turkey season. When that first day arrives we will hit the woods with complete confidence on where and when to go!

Turkey seasons are already open in some states and are soon to open in others. Always stay safe and best of luck to all!

Daydreaming of long beards and long spurs!

Adam

I’m receiving lots of questions on Facebook about how, when, and what to plant in food plots this spring. Warm season food plots are a very important deer management tool unless there are lots of production soybeans grown on or next to your hunting property!

The bean pods produced by these Eagle Seed forage soybeans are providing quality food for the local deer herd.

However, deer are currently storing minerals and preparing for antler development! Throughout most of the whitetails range it’s still too cold to plant  for spring food plots to be productive. Food that was produced during the last growing season such as commercial ag fields, etc., were likely harvested months ago. So deer in ag production areas often don’t get enough to eat during the time from when the soybeans and corn are harvested until the next crop is planted and germinated.

The trend is true in timber or non ag production areas. Deer in these areas often rely on food that was produced during the past growing season by native vegetation or food plots. Deer certainly survive in these areas with limited food available. However, I want deer to thrive and express most of their antler and fawn production potential – not just survive.

This doe and young buck are seeking trace minerals during the late winter. It’s important to keep a source of quality trace minerals out year round.

That’s one reason I plant forage soybeans and keep Trophy Rocks out this time of year. Eagle Seed forage soybeans produce tons of forage that is high in protein during the growing season and produce grain that deer consume during the winter (non growing season). Soybean grain is high in oil (fat) content as well as protein. This provides an excellent food source throughout the winter. Trophy Rocks include 60+ trace minerals – and trace minerals are necessary for deer to express their full potential.

Whether you hunt in ag production or timber country – consider what deer are eating from now until when the warm season crops germinate. This is a critical time for antler and fawn development!

Growing Deer together,

Grant