Dream Dirt … Two Whitetail Hunting Land Auctioneers

Jason and I are not new to chasing gobblers but this year we have decided we are going to up our game a little bit and have decided that this year will be all archery equipment and no blinds!  Yes we know many have done it before but we haven’t and we all know its a challenge that many avoid.  No more, for us its bare bones equipment this year consisting of nothing more than a stool, bow and arrow, camoflage and calls….  As I type this just a smidge less than a month before season starts I’m excited just to be out in the woods.  We were afraid this winter might have a drastic effect on the turkey population here in the Loess Hills but so far things seem to be holding in there but we did find several dead turkeys while shed hunting last week.

Here in the Loess Hills we have the fortune of being on the very farm where some of Iowa’s turkey’s were re-introduced in western Iowa.  The Eastern Turkey has adapted well to our oak-hickory forests and thrives here.  Iowa’s turkey population began to return when the Iowa DNR returned the first turkeys in Lee County in 1966.  Over the last 30 years Iowa’s turkey population has grown from those original restocking sites.  Last year the Iowa DNR estimated that west central Iowa had the best turkey population in the state of Iowa and it was apparent here last year.  Our turkey population has exploded and it makes for some amazing Spring Turkey hunting! 

Elmer Smith, Jason’s father recently spent some time out chasing gobblers with his camera and sent us these photos.

Thanks for the pictures Elmer, that new camera is awesome.  We may enlist your as an official DreamDirt photographer!  Best of luck in the turkey woods this year everybody:)  Be safe and we’ll see ya out there!

Sean Wuller of Big N J Industries has been a good friend for a long time and we’ve watched his product from clear back in the days of research and formulation to the huge success it has become today.   Sean is the vice-president of our QDMA branch and has the same whitetail hunting affliction we do.  He is passionate about growing bigger bucks and healthier herds.  He’s a pretty good natured fella too!

Besides the opportunity to spend some time shed hunting today we had Sean over to deliver a supply of his BB2 product and get the feeders filled.  Its been a tough winter and food is scarce right now.  On top of that bucks are just heading into antler development and the opportunity to have additional nutrients available for them is a bonus.  Seans product has proven effective across the entire United States with some of the biggest names in outdoor TV programming using it. 

Melting snow always signals a new year for the whitetail hunter.  The complicated matter of new antlers is upon us and we all know bucks will be recovering from the long winter and currently in the worst shape of the year.  The added nutrients from BB2 will not only help them recover quicker, but it packs their bodies with antler building minerals needed.

The Boss Buck gravity feeders work great with this granular feed.  We’ve used battery powered casting feeders before with very little luck.  Changing batteries was a pain and deer had no control over the feeders.  With the gravity feeders deer can feed when they want to and the amount they want to.  We really have had much more luck with keeping these upright as well.  The heavy construction makes them almost indestructible and heavy enough to withstand higher winds.  If you get them with the feed they offer you can steak them down to withstand all winds.

Seans cool Rig!  Bigger Bucks, Bigger Bone!

After the work was done we were able to play a little bit and do some shed hunting and goofing off in the woods.

No shed hunting excursion would be complete without an expert to help you figure things out in the woods.  Chad’s son Brant helped us figure out why the bark was missing off the trees and also indicated we were probably close to some antlers based on what he was seeing. 

I also learned from Brant that you have to be patient and walk slowly to find sheds.  Of course a pair of binoculars (Bi Knock Le Ears) is a tremendous help.  Even if you are not always sure which end to look through! 

Check out Big N J at www.BigNJIndustries.com on the internet. 

Jason and I have been able to live a dream in large part because our wives Brandi and Nicole were willing to support our pursuit in the beginning and quite frankly follow after us and clean up our messes along the way.  They are always there to help out with auctions… and believe me, they usually get the worst jobs.  They are always there to take care of the children, make sure we don’t miss appointments and they put up with dead deer heads in the deep freeze.  Come September they know and accept they probably won’t see much of us until the middle of winter.  When we have to be on the road they are always back home ready to handle everything that comes up.  We have the best Valentines two men could ask for and we want them to know it!  Thanks girls, you two are amazing women and we hope that one day we can pay you make for helping us achieve our dreams.