Don Higgins / Higgins Outdoors

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Don Higgins / Higgins Outdoors

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06/08/2026

We got up this morning and saw this fawn laying just 20’ outside our bathroom window. I really wasn’t surprised as we have a lot of deer activity close to our house. Every year I find at least one shed antler in our yard; This spring I found two.

When we started building our new house a lot of folks questioned the location. “Do you think it will affect the deer on your property?” Was a question that I heard a lot. Obviously the location of the new home had very minimal impact. We regularly see deer in our yard.

I tell my consulting clients that “deer will accept humans and human activity as long as the humans stay where they are supposed to”. I believe that how a property is managed is as important as the habitat on the property. Deer, and especially mature bucks, are not going to spend much time where they experience danger or feel threatened. I could easily do all of my doe management from my patio but I will never do that because they would catch on very quickly and I would then see very few deer out my windows.

06/05/2026

Did a short walk to check out the habitat this evening.

Photo 1 - the miscanthus clumps are showing up nicely among the switchgrass. It’s crazy to think that the misguided purists won’t give miscanthus any credit as a great addition to many properties. I’m consistently seeing quail within and around my miscanthus screens.

Photo 2 - the apple crop looks fantastic on most varieties this year. The specialty varieties offered by bloom a little later than many others making them less susceptible to late frosts during bloom.

Photo 3 - the early bloom species like this butterfly w**d are bringing some awesome color to the pollinator plantings on the farm.

06/04/2026

With many whitetail land managers now planting Generation-2 soybeans for their incredible drawing power, we hear a lot of comments regarding browse pressure on young soybean plants. This can be a real challenge when establishing a soybean plot. Managers use a variety of methods to address heavy browse pressure including higher seeding rates, sprays, and electric fences with varying degrees of success. The extra effort sometimes required to establish soybean plots is well worth it once hunting season begins.

In this photo of a young soybean plant, the cotyledon is circled. If a plant is browsed off above the cotyledon it can recover and continue to grow into a productive plant. However, if the plant is browsed off below the cotyledon it will die. Keep this in mind when making management decisions concerning browse pressure.

05/28/2026

In light of recent life changing events, I have had plenty of time to slow down and reflect on a lot of things. The word “loyalty” keeps coming to mind as so many folks have reached out to offer prayers and words of encouragement. Loyalty is something that I strongly value. When I see certain people or hear their name, I instantly think “loyal”, some because of the loyalty they have displayed and others because they have none. I notice and note a persons loyalty which is something that I value above most other traits. I am blessed to know a lot of loyal people but I have also been exposed to a few snakes. Anyway just a random thought as I scroll through social media this morning and as I see posts from folks I know sometimes the word “loyalty” instantly comes to mind and sometimes it’s just the opposite.

05/24/2026

I have to shake my head at some of the nonsense being spewed by young people with a whole lot of online knowledge but next to zero real world success. As a wise man one told me -

“Knowledge without mileage is worthless”

I am sure there will be plenty who will disagree with me today but in the future will realize how little they knew and how foolish they were. I know because I was once there! The older I get the more I realize how little I know.

05/22/2026

If I could only plant one thing in my food plots it would be soybeans hands down. To be more specific, it would be Generation-2 soybeans. Deer will readily consume soybeans from the time they germinate until the last grain is consumed in the winter and in the late season is when they really shine. There is absolutely nothing that will pull in deer during the winter like soybeans … NOTHING! With that said, deer absolutely do prefer some soybean varieties over others.

If someone is bashing soybeans as a food plot option, one of four things is the reason- they have no experience with soybeans, they planted the wrong soybeans, they have sold out to a seed sponsor that doesnt offer soybeans, or they are simply putting out click bait.

05/20/2026

Six days after planting and the Gen-2 soybeans are starting to pop. I got lucky this year and planted them at the perfect time for the weather we have had. The ground should stay moist on top for at least a couple of more days allowing for great germination versus having it dry out and crust over. These plots still have a long ways to go before fall and a lot can happen between now and then but hopefully these soybeans will help get the local deer herd through the winter. What a land manager does this spring will actually go a long ways towards setting his bucks up for the 2027 antler growing season. The food they have available next winter is critical with grains being the foundation of a good winter feeding program. Gen-2 soybeans and Nutricrave corn are my winter favorites.

05/17/2026

So let’s talk about shed antlers. I have seen multiple posts of bigger bucks and then in the comments someone will post a picture of a shed antler that they have from the buck. I have always had a policy that if I have a shed antler and/or trail camera photos of a buck that someone else shot, I give that successful hunter the shed antlers and trail camera photos without getting anything in return. I do this NO MATTER THE PERSON and No MATTER THE BUCK or SIZE OF THE ANTLER. It literally doesn’t matter if it is the biggest antler I ever found or if the person is someone I don’t really care for. The only thing that would ever stop me from doing this is if I knew or suspected the buck was taken illegally or unethically. I have just always thought that a bucks shed antlers should be with the mount and in possession of the hunter who killed it. I know this probably sounds weird or extreme to many but in my mind it simply is part of the golden rule - do unto others … Now let me say that I know for certain that others have shed antlers from some of my biggest bucks but I have never asked for those antlers and never will and I hold no hard feelings towards those folks who possess those antlers. Sometimes what we perceive to be “the right thing to do” is not the same thing that others perceive it to be and that is OK.

So what say you? If you found a giant shed antler and someone else ended up shooting the buck, would you give them the antler and expect nothing in return? I suspect I am in the small minority on this topic.

05/14/2026

It looks like we are going to have a great apple crop this fall. Most of my trees are loaded with fruit. I have well over 100 apple, pear, persimmon and chestnut trees that are big enough to produce fruit and that many more young ones on my property that will soon be producing. Not only are these trees great for hunting strategy as you will see when we release the Doubting Thomas video, but they are also an important part of my whitetail management strategy. I want to have as many different food sources as possible to allow deer to balance their diet for maximum health and production. Each food source will have a different nutrient profile than others. I also want to provide food sources in abundance that deer cannot find on other properties in my neighborhood. This keeps them home more while also creating some good hunting opportunities. Fruit trees help me accomplish several different objectives on my property. The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best time is today.

05/13/2026

“Should I plant Gen-2 soybeans regular blend or the northern blend?”
This is a question that we get a lot and this year I am mixing them and planting both. There are some advantages to this approach.

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Gays, IL
61928

Website

http://www.higginsoutdoors.com/, https://www.realworldwildlifeproducts.com/

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