Driftless Deer Habitat by Design LLC

05/13/2026

This newly created food plot presents exceptional potential for early and late season attraction due to its prime location. To fully optimize its utility for the current year, the existing blind will be relocated and a soft edge will be added to enhance seclusion. Spanning approximately 1.20 acres, this first year plot is expected to yield roughly 5 tons of available forage, perfectly complementing the other recently established plots on the property. For expert guidance on maximizing your food plots' total tonnage, please visit www.driftlessdeerhabitat.com to initiate the creation of your ultimate big buck sanctuary.

05/11/2026

As spring is in full swing, it's an ideal time to start planning for the upcoming hunting season. Despite designing new properties and revisiting existing ones to ensure years two and three of the design go according to plan, I still have a few openings available for the year. May is an excellent time to start the process of making this season your most successful yet. Visit www.driftlessdeerhabitat.com and schedule a complimentary consultation call today.

05/06/2026

These photographs demonstrate the significant impact a year can have. During the initial walkthrough last year, we discovered a hidden orchard on this client's property. We successfully integrated it into the design, creating an ideal staging area for deer to congregate before moving to the agricultural fields at night. Prior to the plot's establishment, only four of the 16 trees blossomed and produced fruit. This year, all 16 trees are in full bloom. The rye broadcasted into the food plot last year has reached nearly a foot in height and has already suppressed the majority of w**d growth for the upcoming year. Simultaneously, it has added essential nutrients and over 2,000 gallons of plant-available water this year alone. This ensures not only that the fall plantings will be drought-resistant but also that the apple trees will experience reduced stress, leading to increased fruit production and attraction. If you have questions about enhancing your property, soil, and hunting success, visit www.driftlessdeerhabitat.com to schedule a complimentary consultation call and discover how to make this upcoming fall your most successful yet.

04/27/2026

I would like to extend my gratitude to everyone who reached out to me regarding my previous post. Out of the numerous questions I received, I have compiled a summary of the top three inquiries.

1. Why is the waterhole not located within the food plot?

The primary reason is that water should be utilized as a tool to define a specific movement pattern. Mature bucks, in particular, tend to stage at a low-pressure water source before entering a high-pressure feeding area. This strategic placement enables me to hunt the same daylight movement of mature bucks from multiple locations, wind directions, and times of day.

2. Why did you prioritize the waterhole and bedding areas over the larger food plot?

In this specific design, the agricultural field was still under contract to be rented out. To ensure that all improvements could be completed within three years, focusing on the water and bedding areas was the best option to achieve immediate results while setting the stage for year two.

3. What will you be planting in the food plot?

This 1.25-acre food plot will be divided into two sections, incorporating a late-season brassica blend and a fall greens/grain blend. A total of 17 different varieties of seed will be used to produce approximately 10-12 tons of available forage from late August to early April. The availability of this preferential food source throughout the season and winter will naturally attract mature bucks, creating a season-long opportunity to consistently tag target bucks.

If anyone still has questions regarding this design, or would like to start unlocking their properties full potential go to www.driftlessdeerhabitat.com today!

Whether you have a few acres or hundreds of acres, we will design your property to give you the best hunting experience possible. We look at every property as unique. With our 3-year commitment, we will be there with you throughout the entire process. Our goal is that after the 3rd year, when our co...

04/23/2026

Year three of any design involves making final adjustments and adding finishing touches to the design.

In this particular setup, one of the blinds has been converted into an elevated blind featuring a tunnel of miscanthus grass for safe entry and exit. This new blind offers bow range shot opportunities throughout the year.

Apple trees will be strategically placed at each end of the plot, with each group of trees providing fruit throughout the season. Due to the plot's smaller size and north-facing orientation, the trees must be positioned to receive adequate sunlight without shading the plot. The placement also encourages deer to stage within bow range before entering the heart of the plot, allowing for safe exit from the blinds.

A bedding area with accompanying trails will be added to ensure that any movement favors the client's hunting strategy, increasing the overall success rate for targeting trophy bucks.

The stand near the right corner of the design presents a low-risk, high-reward opportunity, covering any missed wind opportunities while providing an all-day, all-season hunting opportunity for mature bucks.

I will have one final post on this specific design, addressing the most frequently asked questions. In the meantime, if you have questions about this series, please visit www.driftlessdeerhabitat.com and sign up for a free consultation call to discuss the challenges you're facing on your property and the solutions we can implement to resolve them.

04/21/2026

Year two of the new waterhole features two key modifications to the waterhole location itself. Firstly, the tree stand will be replaced with an elevated blind that provides an optimal vantage point, while carefully selected terrain features ensure the blind remains concealed. This new location offers secure and safe access at all hours of the day.

The primary reason for not installing a blind in year one was due to a limited availability of elevated blinds, with other locations taking priority.

The remainder of year two will focus on converting an agricultural field into a holding plot, designed to encourage daylight movement. This plot will reinforce the natural movement to and from the waterhole, while providing multiple vantage points and wind directions for hunting.

The accompanying images illustrate the design, including the agricultural field that will be converted into a holding plot, promoting mature buck movement throughout the season.

Yellow shading indicates switchgrass, orange shading represents fir trees, green shading denotes a food plot, and the yellow line in front of the fir trees signifies switchgrass.

My next two posts will provide an overview of the design plans for year three, followed by a detailed breakdown of the design. If you have any questions in the meantime, please visit www.driftlessdeerhabitat.com to schedule a complimentary consultation call and discuss how to optimize your property for success.

04/15/2026

Part three of the new waterhole setup.

Map key:
Blue area: bedding
Yellow line: trails
Green area: cleared area
Red dots: wild apple trees
Blue dot: waterhole
Pink dot: tree stand
Red lines: 30 yards from tree stand
White lines: 38 yards from tree stand
Yellow area: switchgrass
Black line: access

The first picture shows the overall design and flow of deer movement of this new stand location. It's important that each bedding area has a similar but separated route. This ensures that each bedding area is its own area while also making sure that to or from water, deer can easily access it, whichever area is either preferred or the best area for the current wind/thermals.

Picture two is a closer look at the trail systems that have currently been made. These trails are not the only trails that will be used, but are the trails that I will keep maintaining. All of these trails have been carved through buckthorn thickets, and it's because of that fact that the deer will continue to use them. Buckthorn is incredibly invasive, and I am in no way promoting it; however, it's unfortunately here to stay. I do not plant it or recommend planting it in any capacity, but deer also love to browse it, and because it grows fresh shoots quickly, it can sustain heavy use. These trails are now secure and can be heavily browsed throughout the fall, which adds another reason for deer to use the waterhole in front of my stand.

The final picture shows the exact placement of the waterhole, apple trees, and yardages from the stand. The red lines are exactly 30 yards, and the white lines are exactly 38 yards. The majority of the deer movement will be centered around the waterhole in between the apple trees. That's why all of my shooting in that area is under 40 yards. I personally like to shoot a deer between 30-40 yards with a bow. That's why this specific area was made for the main flow of deer movement to be between those ranges. The green area is 40 yards long, and 35 of those yards are within my desired shooting range broadside.

Nothing on this year one design is random. Every trail, every bedding area, every stand, and projected shot opportunity is calculated to ensure the highest probability of a successful hunt. If you have any questions about this year one design, go to www.driftlessdeerhabitat.com to sign up for a free consultation call, where we will discuss the steps it takes to start turning your hunting property into a paradise for mature deer all season long.

04/08/2026

Part two of the new waterhole setup involves strategically positioning it between five distinct bedding areas and nighttime food sources,allowing for optimal hunting opportunities during morning, midday, and evening. In the first year, the primary objectives will be eradicating buckthorn, ensuring the wild apple trees produce fruit for the first time, creating secure pathways to and from the area, and installing a waterhole. The buckthorn will be terminated utilizing a method I started to develop over a decade ago, which guarantees a clean and secure environment that fosters daytime movement of mature bucks. If you are struggling to manage buckthorn on your property, visit www.driftlessdeerhabitat.com to schedule a complimentary consultation call, where we can discuss your property's challenges and develop solutions to create a paradise for big bucks.

04/06/2026

Great new waterhole set up with wild apple trees included.Full breakdown coming soon!

03/10/2026

Congratulations to the winners of our complimentary raffle at the Wisconsin State Hunting and Fishing Expo.
Tim O- Tactacam 3.0
Amanda B- Sitka Backpack
Nate P- Sitka mask and gloves
We had a great time discussing deer with over 400 attendees at the show. For those we did not have the opportunity to converse with or would like to continue our conversation, please visit www.Driftlessdeerhabitat.com and schedule a complimentary consultation call.

Whether you have a few acres or hundreds of acres, we will design your property to give you the best hunting experience possible. We look at every property as unique. With our 3-year commitment, we will be there with you throughout the entire process. Our goal is that after the 3rd year, when our co...

02/25/2026

Attendees of the Wisconsin State Hunting and Fishing Expo in Green Bay, Wisconsin, are invited to visit booth 249. Whether you are interested in signing up for a 10 percent discount on property design services, entering our complimentary raffle, or simply discussing deer-related topics, we welcome your visit. To learn more about our services prior to the event, please visit www.driftlessdeerhabitat.com for detailed information.

Whether you have a few acres or hundreds of acres, we will design your property to give you the best hunting experience possible. We look at every property as unique. With our 3-year commitment, we will be there with you throughout the entire process. Our goal is that after the 3rd year, when our co...