As a steward of the land and obsessed bow hunter, I find
that I enjoy time out in the woods even more when I get to share it with my
family and friends. With seasons lasting for months and the endless thinking of
how you are going to outsmart the big bucks, it’s really important to step back
and make sure you enjoy some of that time with your family both in the woods
and in the stand.
There really isn’t anything better than getting the chance
to share something you enjoy so deeply with someone that is close with you.
Being a Realtree United Country Land Pro, I am involved with land year-round
with clients and developing the properties I hunt. I always try and figure out
ways I can incorporate my family and friends with all of the things I do to
make the land better. There is so much to teach and share about improving
habitat and wildlife to our families and to our neighbors.
Things to Do on Your
Land with Your Family
When developing your land for better hunting and wildlife,
make sure to consider how to make it enjoyable all year long. Hunting land can
be a great place to also hike and adventure, build forts with your kids or
enjoy biking on trails. It is not just hunting season that should be shared its
year round work and play on the land as well!
There is no point in having land if you don’t know how it
fits in with your family and quality time with them. I like to have loved ones
be a part of the work and observations of walking the trails, planting food
plots, checking trail cameras, and sitting in the stand on cold fall evenings.
I strive to consider how to incorporate my family into the
development of land and getting the most enjoyment out of the land so I am on a
mission to help others (my clients) find the right land for their legacy. This
allows them to not only grow mature whitetails on their property, but also ride
and hike with their kids on the awesome trails that get created and maintained.
There is a way to compliment the year-round recreation with the goal of growing
mature bucks.
My wife and I are passionate about the outdoors and we are
both designing our lives so we can incorporate that into everything we do. So,
naturally, I work with land clients to help them get the most out of their land.
It just hunting land, it’s the family’s land. Hunting big bucks with your
kiddos, catching fish with your grandkids in your pond or building forts with
your wife and kids next to the river that runs through your property; you
really can do it all.
Stay Involved in the
Off Season.
Don’t be afraid to involve your loved ones in the habitat
and land maintenance side of the off-season. It is a great way to spend time
outside and help others learn about all of the things that help make land
better for wildlife, land sustainability and how to enjoy it. It is really easy
to get lost in the grind of hunting and with seasons that can drag on. Remind
yourself that there is something bigger than just sitting in the tree. One day,
I’ll even educate my children on wildlife and woodsman-ship. I look forward to
hiking around our beautiful trails with my wife and talk about our big goals and
involving all of my loved ones in the process.
Final Thoughts
- Make sure to incorporate your loved ones into all the parts of the land and enjoy it together.
- Build your hunting property in a way to enjoy other activities (ponds for fishing, biking trails, forts, etc.).
- Show your family and friends all of the habitat improvements and take them along for the work.
- Teach them about woodsman-ship (tree identifications, building fires, and so much more).
- Take them hunting!
We spend way too much time inside and looking at screens.
Take the time to enjoy your property, not just for hunting, but for
recreational opportunities all year round!
