"It's not ours, it's just our turn"... Doug's the best!

I love Doug Duran. "What's the time table" is exactly what I was thinking when Mark asked him what he thought about the goals. As as Wisconsinite, keep having that dude on MeatEater content! He's been there and done that.

Born and raised in Michigan, cool that Steve grew up here and shares the same hunting ethics and commitment. Great job on the show. Best show out there

Good to see Doug hunting with the crew again. The man is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to land management

From Meateater to Das boats these episodes engage me even more. You All Rock!

Being from Michigan... I feel your pain, stick with it. Remember - "a bad day in the woods is a better day than not being in the woods" ;) BK

I respect that you put your failures and successes out for the world to see, because it shows that even though you might not have succeeded, you tried nonetheles. Keep these videos coming, I am waiting for more!

I've been loving this series, keep'em coming!

Any deer seen are a bonus. Many times I hunt by Hanover, in Jackson county, and see nothing but squirrels. Eventually, a meat-eater learns not to be picky beyond their means and takes some of what is readily available. That is why I took the first two deer I saw during gun season - to process them myself for my family's use. They happened to be a 4-point and a big doe. I was every bit as pleased as I was with the ten-point (18.5" spread) that I took with a crossbow last year.

Anyone watching that has not bought or rented, Stars in the Sky: A Hunting Story. It is a must watch just an FYI.

Thanks for making these. It made me get my hunter safety, combo tags and hunt Brighton and Waterloo Rec. Areas so far. No luck yet. I did discover that I am not hill fit! Yet!

Mark, you've given me an entirely new goal in life - to buy a small farm and manage it just like you are doing with this piece. Read Sand County Almanac for the first time this year too, thanks for bringing that title to my attention. Can't wait to see the next one. Keep up the good work.

I really enjoyed this episode - some of my faves from the Meat Eater series are when there's no bounty from the hunt except for knowledge and wisdom. Keep 'em coming!

Love this series! Not every hunt comes away with a prize and I like how y'all showed that. It's more about getting in nature and this project of how to be a good steward of that nature is pretty awesome and inspirational!

Another great instalment, can't wait for the next one. Thank you to all the guys and gals working on this project.

Loving this series! Keep up the good work. It seems to be all about education, consistency, and time.

Really digging this Back 40 series. Gives me something else to watch and learn from since I've seen all of the Meateater episodes. Curious where they're at in Southern Michigan. That's where I live.

I don't hunt. I have never shot a gun. I do however love the approach of Meat Eater in explaining hunting. It's a wildlife program where sometimes they hunt successfully. I feel like I learn more about the world of the animals than actually hunting. I'm considering trying hunting one day with my FIL but would first need some fire arms training. Keep up the great content.

Looks like you are on the right track. Keep up the good work. Awesome videos which remind me I'm not the only one struggling in the woods this year.

I find myself looking forward to each new vlog's arrival and am not sad you guys didn't harvest a buck. Congrats on the content.

This is so cool! I hunt on my in laws place 80 acres. They don’t keep up with the land and they have know idea how important it is to keep up with it like this. With the help of this show next year hunt will be epic!

Last time I was this early, I spooked a buck walking in.

TLDR for most. I've come up skunked the past 9 whitetail seasons in Minnesota. A few were probably for lack of effort on my part, others I was just so close to a shot, but couldn't responsibly take it. Two years ago--took the shot, hit the buck, tracked it over 500 yards, in the dark, but never recovered him. That one made my heart hurt and I felt terrible for the animal. Around the same time I started watching Meat Eater. I can't tell you how much the show, the people in front of the camera, behind the scenes, the Instagram stories and tips, and the overall push from your crew just telling people to get out there in nature, go prepared, be smart, pursue your game and don't give up helped me stay in the game. This year between work and kids, I had one day to hunt. I went out on a Sunday at 4:00pm during the first weekend of MN firearms on a patch of public land 20 min from my house. It was cold hell, 25 mph northwest wind (nothing moving) I decided to walk and hunt it into the wind, see if I could get lucky and jump a deer. I started out 10 steps, wait two minutes, 10 more steps--repeat. I made it about 150 yards from my truck, snuck up on two does in a thicket right across a small creek, took two shots and had two deer down. I was not looking for a giant just meat for the freezer--I got the double, tagged out, and was back home by 7:00pm--It never happens like that! There was no cold, no suffering, no heartache, I just went out, put myself in a place where I knew there were deer, and used the elements to my advantage. Thank you Meat Eater for the advice and encouragement, we've been eating back-straps, tenderloins and all the primo cuts for the past few weeks. There is no better feeling for a hunter in MN to get it done before the snow flies and know I'll have a full freezer for the cold ass winter ahead.

Mark: remember, hunting is fun. Relax, worry less, enjoy your time in nature. Channel some of Doug's positivity. Have fun!

Am ready for next one. I can't say anuff how much I love this show so cool . And real life. It takes so long to see next show . And my son goes daddy is on yet. Everyday. And that's weeks. I get a kick out of it what's that tell ya all. Thanks guys God bless. .

Great video and congrats on your progress. What really caught my eye balls though was the Two Hearted Ale. You’ve got great taste my friend. Cheers.

Hell yeah, great episode. Looking forward to the next one!

Good show. I appreciate that Mark understands the amount of work that goes into developing/maintaining a property like that. Someday I hope to do a similar project but for waterfowl hunting.

Doug nailed it on the head, "If it tends to be with nature vs if it tends to be against nature..." As an engineer I use that as my guiding principal when there is not a well established path. But of course, you need to know what is natural to apply it.

Crushin a Two Hearted! Great beer! Great episode! Love the content and am looking forward to the next episode!

Can't wait for the next installment! Keep em coming!

LOVE THIS SHOW! Hope it continues year round!

Mark, stay patient and keep up the great work.

Keep at it, it will pay off. I live in the kalamazoo area just started getting into archery and want to hunt, love the content thanks for spreading knowledge

really enjoy this series

Love this show.... inspiring!

Great to see Doug Duran on this show. Bell's Two Hearted and venison chili, that will make a everything better!

So awesome, i know you will reach your goal!

Awesome average guy videos. Thanks

Love this series, its a dream of mine to do something similar. Really cool you are considering Aldos words and lessons

I have land south of Battle Creek and there isn't a lot of deer on our 120 acres so don't feel too bad. There hasn't been a whole lot of shooting either. Now about 45 minutes straight north of you there are TONS of deer! I will see 30-50 of them on my drive home from A2 every night.

Love the project and the Michigan content.

Great video guys I'm learning a lot from your videos

Im from Wisconsin i hunt the driftless and i love Doug!!!!

Love it, keep it coming!

Best content out there!

Why isn’t Steve in every episode. He is the bomb. The voice overs just aren’t the same without Steve and his poetic insight

Great Stuff here ! Keep it going

I was typing a long response and KZfaq went to another video and I lost everything. So this one is shorter. I would recommend a few things: agricultural burn to remove thick grasses and underbrush as well as invasive species, large food plots of; clover, soybeans, peas, perhaps some alfalfa, and maybe even some field corn. Check your water access on the property, it appears to have creeks on the property but are they flowing to provide clean water with easy access? Salt lick areas to increase mineral intake? Also, let the property rest for a year. You are hunting yet you have just barely started to catalog and know what is on the property.

Two Hearted - you have good taste my friend

Watching this channel makes me want to hunt more and make more videos!! Texas Jungle is a big fan of Meat Eater!

Love it.

A bad day of hunting is Better than a good day in the office.

Wooo hoooo Doug!!!!!!!!

I'm going to keep commenting until you guys come on out! I have 500 acres in the Arkansas River Valley and I'd love for you guys to come check it out! Maybe give us some tips or do a show on how to set up a larger property for the best hunting possible! Please at least send someone out to scope it out!! We're just 1/2 a mile from the Arkansas River and borders the bottom land that grows corn for animal consumption! This could be incredible! Please Help!!

Great work cant wait to see it pay off. I had a great year in the U.P hope you have the same....

Have you considered making some elevated platforms for the ground blinds? Don't need to be very high but enough to have good visibility for a distance and a good shooting angle.

How many times did you have to move that beer around to keep it out of the shot and if I guess it will you buy me one? 🤣

Mark, I saw you were using a ropeman on your tether. I dont believe the ropeman is rated for shock loads. May wanna change that to a prussic knot there. Not being 'that guy" just dont want you to get hurt if something goes wrong. However ropeman on a linesman belt is so handy.

Makes me feel better about being skunked opening weekend, barely.

Permaculture (food forest) would fit in nicely with these land management goals.

'Fucking crossbow? Alright dude, I guess....' said the normal guy.

Keep up the vids!! Would love to see you get a buck!

He's drunk at the end lol

Reminds me of my season 50 hours in the woods this season and not a deer to be seen

Is the 4 brown areas a good idea of what 40 acres are ?

What kind of drone are you guys using for the aerial shots?

Wind waist comfort

Where are you getting those OnX hats? I want one and they're not on the website.

Mark, have you been watching the "How to kill a buck" episodes from MeatEater? They have some great content

Are yall hunting in the mornings? it looks like yall are exclusively hunting the evening.

When are you updating season 8 of MeatEater?

Hi how many acres do you own where you are hunting?

Is that Barefoot Pink Moscato Bubbly on the fridge?

Seems like those Michigan bucks know when people are out there...

Man i want that hat Mark has on I cant find it anywhere I assume its an On X hat???

theyre in that standing corn all day. mix it up and do a morning hunt

What was the almanac mark rereads? Is it a local almanac or is it a book title?

You guys need to get Jeff Sturgis from @WhitetailHabitatSolutions up there.

Great content. Just know. Y’all are doing great. I would be peony’s to own that land. Keep being selective. The deer will increase I promise you that.

Blame it on Steve and Janis and their squirrel hunt. Lol

Come on Mark pour that Two Hearted in a glass and drink it properly! ;)

I RECCOMEND GETTING A TABLET FOR YOUR TRAIL CAM SO YOU HAVE MORE TO SEE

Hey what is that blue clamp on the safety rope?

Year 5 deer hunting, skunked again and yet to get my first deer. Anyone in the same boat?

if I have good cover or a decent ground blind... you er your ass i’ll be out there in the rain as long as it’s not extremely cold. i’ve killed a few deer when it was raining... or right after the rain, when they come out to feed.

You guys should have out Mark or Terry Drury

Does everyone have a weird buddy named dan?

my old man said that you hunt deer in rain

That isn't at all what my imagened Doug Deren looks like.

I feel like Mark is too hung up on “getting the big one”

I still say you need to get with a restoration ecologist. Hopefully you have already done that. When I do habitat plans I look at all the properties around me. Also I can tell from looking at your grassland that it is completely lacking in diversity. Goldenrod is great, but it shouldn't be a near monoculture. A good mix of forbs and grasses is ideal for providing cover and forage for deer and other wildlife. Also, I like Doug, but there is no way I would leave buckthorn on any property. I don't think he was promoting it because he followed up with supplementing natives. There are plenty of native shrubs that would be much better, witch hazel, American hazelnut, and several dogwood and Viburnum species. Most of the food items that deer consume are native browse and soft and hard mast. Ag fields and food plots are great, but from what i can see from the aerials in the videos it appears to be your typical midwest, heavily fragmented, agricultural dominated landscape. Food may not be the biggest concern in your area. Also I would love to see more of the wetland areas of your farm. For us this is one of our most heavily utilized areas for deer. Last note: invasive species management is key to increasing diversity. Good luck!

Honestly where you are is your greatest asset. Good dirt makes good crops. Makes good deer. Stick with it. Love Doug. But he's still a democrat so I'm suspicious. You're doing everything right. Let them farm and they will come