Episode Details

How to Increase Land Value Through Habitat Management | 100% Wild Podcast Ep. 461

In Part Two of our special Cultivating Value series, powered by Buck Land Funding, we move from the financial side of land ownership to the "boots on the ground" work that actually creates equity. Matt Drury and Tim Kjellesvik sit down with farm managers Wade Robinson and Forrest Bonin to discuss how strategic habitat improvements like prescribed burns and Timber Stand Improvement (TSI) can transform a standard property into a high-value hunting destination. The crew breaks down the "60/40 Rule" for safe fire management, the importance of timing burns to favor warm-season grasses over cool-season chokers, and how to use fire to eliminate invasive species like Ironwood and Cedar.

The conversation then dives deep into the world of TSI, debating the merits of hinge cutting versus girdling or hack-and-squirt methods. You'll learn how to strategically allow sunlight to hit the forest floor, stimulating the native browse and thick bedding cover that holds mature bucks. Whether you are setting up a "forever farm" or looking for the best ROI on a land flip, these management secrets from the Drury Outdoors team provide the blueprint for maximizing both the habitat quality and the financial value of your property.

00:04:26 – The 60/40 Rule: Ideal humidity and temperature for prescribed burns.

00:06:40 – Establishing Burn Lines: Using brush hogs and tillers for safety.

00:08:00 – Head Fire vs. Back Burn: Controlling the speed and depth of your fire.

00:15:30 – Essential Gear: Drip torches, backpack blowers, and "flappers".

00:19:30 – Timber Burns: How to kill Ironwood and invasive brush without scarring oaks.

00:23:20 – Night Burning: Why high evening humidity makes fire easier to control.

00:32:00 – Timber Stand Improvement (TSI): Eliminating less desirable species for sunlight.

00:36:20 – Hack-and-Squirt & Girdling: Killing trees without the mess of hinge cutting.

00:40:40 – The Hinge Cutting Debate: Instant cover vs. organized chaos.

00:45:30 – Access First: Why property layout dictates food plot and bedding placement.

00:50:30 – DeerCast Maps: Sharing map objects and managing permission levels.

00:57:40 – Logger "Impressions": Lessons learned from timber harvests and ruts.

For more information on Buck Land Funding. Please contact Shawn Ryan (610) 909-9073

https://www.firstbankers.com/bucklandfunding

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