By Jody Holdbrooks
Bow season is staring us in the face in Alabama, and my food plots haven’t had a sprinkle on them. I’ve seen no bucks on my game cameras of any size. Sometimes, getting everything to work out the way you imagine is not in the books. Preparation is an important word for any hunter/land manager, but sometimes, no matter how much we prepare, we must rely on luck and experience.
That’s why signing on with Whitetail Institute was a no-brainer for me. I cherish working with the researchers who started it all. My first wildlife job out of college was with Whitetail Institute, and I’ve returned to help educate folks and better the brand. We have a great crew here that works solidly as a team. I have three simple yet important goals for the next few years. First, I want to attend various consumer events, such as deer shows, and promote our products across the country. We’ll also be revising our field tester program. In fact, we’ll test this spring to better our products and work on new products year-round. Testing these products across the country lets us fine-tune blends and select the most attractive, palatable forages. That preserves our success as leaders in the food plot industry. Finally, Whitetail Institute is starting a consulting service that will ensure our customers take their property to the next level.
Shows After COVID
hit in 2020, Whitetail Institute was forced to stop attending deer shows and
hasn’t really been on the scene the past few years. We did a few shows in 2022,
but we’ll be back in full swing in 2023. Trade shows let me meet land managers
and answer questions. We’re excited to get back out and talk with our current
customers, but I love to introduce new hunters and managers to food plot basics
and get them started. I enjoy receiving calls or seeing them the next year and
hearing success stories. And I really love to see food plot managers get to the
point when they teach others. We’re here to educate folks and introduce new
people to hunting, but the same can be said for habitat management and deer
management.
Consulting
and Field Testing Whitetail Institute will introduce its consulting
service, conducting private- lands consulting for food plots and overall land
management. We will come to your property, spend the day looking at your land
and provide sound management practices to fit your budget. I was hired to start
this program and help hunters with land management. During the visit, we’ll
study maps and features to maximize your property’s potential. Our consulting
staff is unique because of the real-world experience. Consulting team members
Dr. Carroll Johnson and Dr. Joyce Tredaway are Ph.D. agronomists and weed
scientists who know weeds and soil science at a level that teaches me every
time I’m around them. Here’s what will happen when I visit your property.
Soil testing:
We’ll
take soil samples on your food plots, analyze them and tell you how to
incorporate the right amount of lime, phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen and other
nutrients that will help amend your soil. We’ll also set your property up on
the PlotPerfection app and help you get started with a management plan for your
food plots. PlotPerfection is a great tool that lets you store your food plot
management info and keep a personal database to log your activities. It’s been
a lifesaver for me while keeping up with several properties.
Food plot layout: I’ll give my advice on
your food plot locations and sizes. We’ll discuss the best strategies and food plot
and stand locations to improve your habitat quality and hunting success. Timber
stands: If you have timber land and recreational property, we’ll examine
what we can do to better manage your timber investment to improve wildlife and
work with your forester to determine a plan that matches his timber management
goals.
Seed recommendations: I will provide forage
recommendations for your food plots (after getting results from the soil
testing). We will offer a plan with fall and spring plantings that will help
you achieve the proper nutrition to supplement natural vegetation and give
bucks, does, and fawns the nutrition they require. Again, we’ll examine your
soil test and provide exact recommendations for lime and fertilizer on each
food plot.
Field testers program: Any property I step on
will become part of our prestigious field testers program. You will have the
opportunity to test seed and help us decide what passes the tests of palatability
and soil tolerance. You will also test seed blends before they hit the market.
We would also love to feature your success in the Whitetail News and on social
media.
Conclusion Hunters, land managers
and recreational property owners are looking for one thing: better-quality
white-tailed deer. We want the preparation we put into our properties to be
successful. That can mean anything from a first-time food plotter to the
veteran biologist. We want to see the research and hard work produce a trophy buck.
Whitetail Institute’s main goal is for hunters throughout the country to have success,
and we have the team to get you there. Whether you use hand tools, sprayers, a
four-wheeler or large ag equipment, we’re here to get you started and walk with
you through the management experience. Contact me at (800) 688-3030 or jody@whitetailinstitute.com.
I would love to look at your property and help you take it to the next level.
