Wildlife Investments

Do big bucks always have big antlered offspring? How much of a buck's antler size is affected by his sire? Are spikes genetically inferior? We're diving deep into antler heritability, buck breeding values, and antler genetics in this third and final buck culling podcast. Dr. Randy DeYoung of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville is joining us and sharing lot's of information about buc...

We're picking up where our last episode left off on the topic of deer culling for genetic improvement. Donnie Draeger is joining us to discuss the iconic Comanche Ranch high-fence culling study that went to even greater extremes to test whether deer herd population genetics can be improved. He and Bronson discuss the logistics of conducting a study of this scale, the results, and what contributed to the challenges they face in impr...

Long debated in deer hunting stories, the subject of wild deer culling for genetic improvement is a debate that never dies, but there is a lot of sound research that has examined this question. This is the first of a three part series reviewing the results of genetic culling research. On this episode we're joined by Dr. Mickey Hellickson to discuss foundational deer culling research that he helped lead on the famous King Ranch look...

The opener of gun season no doubt alters deer movement, but does it make deer movement nocturnal? This is a common claim among hunters and there is certainly a lot of anecdotal evidence reported from the deer woods on the subject, but what does science say? Dr. Marcus Lashley, Dr. Bronson Strickland, and Moriah Boggess discuss a research project that measured deer activity in Mississippi before and during rifle season. The results ...

Why can't you grow big bucks on your property? High grading might be the problem and you may not even know you're doing it! Selective buck harvesting is necessary when managing for age structure and trophy potential, but it opens the door to high-grading. Dr. Bronson Strickland, Bonner Powell, and Moriah Boggess explain why antler-based harvest rules often backfire. Thankfully, they also give some simple strategies to minimize high...

A historical winter storm ripped across the southeast in late January 2026, leveling some forest stands and severely damaging others. This is a pivotal point for these properties, as landowners must decide how to best manage stands after this catastrophe. Dr. Brady Self, an extension forestry professor for Mississippi State University, joins Bronson, Bonner, and Moriah on this episode to discuss the damage and parameters that shoul...

How many deer are on the property you hunt, or state you live in? Do we really need to know these numbers to effectively manage deer populations? Deer management is saturated with talk about deer population estimations, but seldom do you hear discussion on why we monitor populations and more importantly what information we need to do so. Bronson, Bonner, and Moriah discuss these questions and how they approach deer population monit...

If you're wondering how to tweak management on your property for better quality turkey habitat, look no further. Drs Marcus Lashley and Will Gulsby talk with Moriah about the most common issues they see on properties and how a few simple tweaks can greatly move the needle for turkey management. From prescribed fire to food plots, brooding plots, and more, the guys discuss some clear achievable improvements you can make on your prop...

In habitat management we talk a lot about the benefit of forest thinning on forage and cover production, but how do you accomplish this while not hindering future timber value? The short answer, is that context is important and there are always tradeoffs to consider. On this episode we're joined by Jonathon Stoll, our professional forester, to discuss the pitfalls of aggressive thinning and what you should consider when deciding be...

You may have never considered how psychology might be intrinsically linked to deer management, but it is. On this podcast Bronson and Moriah discuss a psychological phenomenon called the Dunning-Kruger Effect, and specifically how this psychological bias affects all of us. From taxes, car repair, and highway driving to fine-scale deer movement, the guys discuss how they consider this bias in deer management and life.

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