http://StrategicHabitat.com – Habitat Plans and Hunting Setups
Randy VanderVeen – 616-560-7488 – randy@strategichabitat.com
http://HabitatSolutions360.com – Habitat Plans and Hunting Setups
Jake Ehlinger – 517-937-2118 – jake@habitatsolutions360.com
There’s a way to attract and hold nice bucks on most hunting properties well into the hunting season by creating and improving several different types of habitat features. But better habitat alone is not the only solution. Especially in areas of high hunting pressure. These properties need to be setup in a way that allows mature bucks to live and move around during daylight hours without feeling the pressure of the landowners who hunt it. Jake and I both have had the privilege of making a career change into doing something we barely consider work…..helping hundreds of landowners transform their hunting property into a place where they and their family can experience a much higher level of success when it comes to seeing and shooting more mature bucks. We both have our own full-time habitat consulting businesses. Jake started Habitat Solutions 360 about 22 years ago. He was one of the first guys out there to really take deer habitat improvement to a higher level, first on his own property starting in 1981 when there was no internet and very few articles written on the subject. Mine is called Strategic Habitat which I started 9 years ago. For both of us, it’s what we do fulltime. We don’t have any sponsors for any hunting industry products on the side. We only recommend products we use, or is one of the best in its category. Our growth depends on the success of our clients and their word of mouth. Between the two of us we visit about 150 properties a year across 20 different states. Our visits involve scouting the property with a landowner to create a detailed habitat plan and hunting strategy. Some of the landowners have us come back to help them execute parts of the plan such as hinge cutting to create bedding areas, transition zones, travel corridors, and pinch point funnels. Some landowners have us come back several years in a row. This gives us the ability to follow up and see firsthand how deer adapt to different types of habitat around the country. In the last few years, Jake and I have had the opportunity of working together on hunting properties in different states. Usually it’s a case where the landowner already has a habitat plan, but doesn’t have the time or the ability to execute the plan. A common theme we’ve noticed over the years for various reasons is not all landowners actually start the process of cutting the recommended trees according to the plan. On some properties we visit, the landowner had someone else come in to hinge cut trees for them. Unfortunately what we find is either not enough trees were cut in right locations, or they were cut too high or too low for the situation, or the detail work wasn’t completed after the trees were cut. Successful hinge cutting is not just laying trees horizontally. There are several factors that go into creating hinge cut areas which deer will actually use consistently year after year. This is where Jake and I separate ourselves from many in the habitat industry. As a matter of fact, we have found that some our clients who have worked with us in the woods for a day or two to learn the art of successful hinge cutting, go on to do great work on their own properties, and follow up with stories and pictures of successful hunts which is very gratifying. Whether it’s working together in Pike Co Illinois, or West Va, or in the high pressure state of MI, after 2-3 days of hinge cutting together, we both feel very excited for the landowner because we know the detail work we do will translate into mature buck sightings and shot opportunities in the very spots we created which will lead them passed multiple stand sites. For some hunting properties, this service of Jake and I working together may not be a good fit, due to the property layout or habitat type which can limit our ability to fully benefit the landowner. We review each property online before committing to that landowner. Due to the number of landowners we travel to and visit on our own, our schedules limit the number of properties on which we can work together. We are already booking landowners into 2023 so if this is something you’re considering for your property, both of our contact information is in the description box below. Good hunting and good habitat.
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