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# Higgins Outdoors

 

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## Posts

- [Drawing the Line](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/drawing-the-line/) - Yesterday I did something that I have never done before as a deer hunter. I hauled several 250-gallon totes of water and emptied them into the last remaining waterhole in the creek that runs through one of my hunting properties. This year’s drought in my local area has this creek drier than in was during
- [The End of an Era](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-end-of-an-era/) - Roughly 25 years ago my whitetail passion led me to acquire a small herd of captive whitetails. My goal at that time was simply to learn as much as possible about whitetail deer in an effort to become the best deer hunter that I could possibly be. Yesterday I hauled off the last 4 captive
- [Age Over Score? Yeah Right!](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/age-over-score-yeah-right/) - I hear various versions of it all the time from fellow deer hunters - “age over score”. Yeah right! I am not buying it for a second. 99.9% of all deer hunters are going to shoot the largest antlered buck they can no matter how old it is. That’s just a fact, no matter how
- [Extreme Stand Access](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/extreme-stand-access/) - I dont think it is any secret among successful big buck hunters that stand access is extremely important. You could have a stand located in what you think is the best spot in the woods but if you cannot access it without being detected by deer then the location is pretty much worthless for hunting
- [Is This For Real??!!](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/is-this-for-real/) - It is slowly starting to sink in now. After tagging my two target bucks on back-to-back hunts in mid-October the rarity of the accomplishment is slowly starting to hit home. For any bowhunter to kill two bucks of this caliber in the same hunting season would be a tremendous feat. To do it on back-to-back
- [The Chase 2018 - Up and Comers](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-chase-2018-up-and-comers/) - Mark my words, there are going to be more giant bucks killed in Illinois this season than we have seen for many years. This might even be the year that Mel Johnson’s world record archery typical is dethroned, although it might not be an Illinois buck that does it. There is good reason for my
- [Understanding Antler Growth](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/understanding-antler-growth/) - I see it every year, someone posts a trail camera photo of a buck in velvet early in the summer and hunters start throwing out opinions on how much more antler the buck will grow before fall. The common idea is that a bucks antlers will continue to grow until about mid to late August
- [Trail Camera Season Starts in 3 .. 2 …1 ..](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/trail-camera-season-starts-in-3-2-1/) - In my opinion trail cameras have had a bigger impact on hunting success than anything that has come along since I started chasing whitetails back in the 1970s. They allow deer hunters to scout multiple properties at once, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Without a doubt, trail cameras have helped put me in
- [The Chase 2018 - Biding my time](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-chase-2018-biding-my-time/) - Alright! Alright! I hear you!!!! A lot of you have been asking about an update to the blog series “The Chase 2018” so here it is! To be honest I have not had much to talk about so that’s the reason for the delay in writing this latest blog entry. I had located some really
- [Coyotes and Whitetails](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/coyotes-and-whitetails/) - The debate rages on among some deer hunters about whether coyotes are a threat to deer and whether having coyotes on a property has a negative impact on the deer hunting there. When it comes to all things whitetail I always try to keep an open mind and not jump to conclusions. It is the
- [Building Buck Motels](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/building-buck-motels/) - I am currently knee-deep in my busiest season of the year. Since mid-December I have been on the road every week to numerous states doing seminars, attending trade shows and doing consulting visits to client’s properties. This puts me in contact with hundreds of deer hunters every week and some weeks it is thousands. The
- [CWD – Liberalism Hits the Deer Woods](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/cwd-liberalism-hits-the-deer-woods/) - In the last two weeks I have been getting tagged daily in social-media posts regarding CWD. It seems that many in the hunting community have recognized and appreciate my outspoken position on this topic. This is probably due to the fact that very few within the hunting industry will speak out about the way some
- [The Chase 2018 - The Final Chapter](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-chase-2018-the-final-chapter/) - “Did you kill a nice buck this year?” That’s a question that I get asked dozens of times at every outdoor show I attend every winter. A year ago everyone already knew the answer as I had just killed 2 world-class bucks that I had named Smokey and Trump on back-to-back hunts. The fact that
- [Hunting's Forgotten Words](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/huntings-forgotten-words/) - For the past 3 days I have been running a chainsaw on my farm in an effort to improve the bedding cover. I prefer to do my habitat work a month or two earlier than this but my consulting business has exploded to the point where I don’t have a free minute during the winter
- [Do Deer Minerals Really Work?](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/do-deer-minerals-really-work/) - I have to laugh at a lot of the posts I see on social media regarding deer minerals. It’s either someone claiming they see a noticeable increase in antler size once they started using a product that doesn’t even have the minerals needed for antler growth or it is someone promoting a “home brew” that
- [Putting 400" in the Rear-View Mirror](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/putting-400-in-the-rear-view-mirror/) - Since tagging 2 bucks that totaled 400" on back-to-back hunts last October I have been asked countless times how I will ever top that and what my goal will be for next season. I know that I will never top last seasons unbelievable week in mid-October so that blessing will never factor in to the
- [Hold Off on Those Trail Cameras!](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/hold-off-on-those-trail-cameras/) - It seems like social media has been abuzz in the last week or so with deer hunters putting out their game cameras. I understand the strong desire to get out and have a look at the racks this year’s bucks are growing. Making your move too soon however might come at a cost. I probably
- [Consistent Mature Buck Success Is In the Details](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/consistent-mature-buck-success-is-in-the-details/) - If you have spent much time on social media you already know that there are millions of “experts” on every topic known to man. Deer hunting is no exception. For the record, I don’t consider myself an expert at anything and when it comes to hunting mature whitetails I am simply a student looking to
- [2019 Buck Forecast](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/2019-buck-forecast/) - Last year about this time I went out on a limb and predicted that the 2018 hunting season would see some fantastic bucks shot around the Midwest. I said that a lot of hunters would kill the best buck of their life in 2018 .. and it happened. I based this prediction on two things;
- [Deer Hunting’s “Big D”](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/deer-huntings-big-d/) - I think we all know a deer hunter who is more successful at tagging mature bucks than 99.9% of all the other hunters who are also passionately chasing these elusive critters. Just what is it that sets these hunters apart from others who are trying desperately to match their success? For many years I thought
- [Updated 2019 Buck Forecast](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/updated-2019-buck-forecast/) - In Mid-August I put out my “buck forecast” for the 2019 season. I did the same thing last year when I predicted a banner year for giant bucks. Little did I know that in early November Luke Brewster would shoot a new world-record non-typical roughly 10 miles from one of my hunting spots. Back in
- [2019's Ultimate Goal](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/2019s-ultimate-goal/) - Typically when hunting season opens I like to have a large-antlered mature buck picked out to target. Some years everything falls into place and I have a giant on one of the multiple properties that I have access to hunt. Other years I am left doing management work by culling out older bucks with antlers
- [Targeting Individual Bucks](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/targeting-individual-bucks/) - Last year I posted this photo on social media of a 5 ½ year old buck that I predicted I would kill this season. That wont happen even though the buck is still alive. The story behind this buck is interesting and worth sharing as there are some lessons for those deer hunters tracking individual
- [The Fork-Tined Buck](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-fork-tined-buck/) - A little over a week ago I was blessed to attached my first Illinois buck tag to an old warrior that I knew very well, a 6 1/2 year old buck I call "The Fork-Tined Buck". He was a buck that I had a lot of history with. Lets take a look back at the
- [The 5 Best Whitetail States](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-5-best-whitetail-states/) - Every fall untold thousands of deer hunters travel to other states to hunt whitetails. Why would they do this when they almost always have whitetails close to home in their own states that they could hunt much cheaper? Well the answer is very simple and plainly obvious; many deer hunters want to hunt where they
- [The QDM Myth](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-qdm-myth/) - Every year I interview dozens of potential consulting clients and over time I have noticed some trends in the way typical deer hunters think. Sometimes these common thoughts are a bit misguided and can cause a deer hunter to have a mindset that holds them back from reaching higher levels of success. One of those
- [Good Hunter? or Good Property?](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/good-hunter-or-good-property/) - Hunting is a unique activity as it is often done in solitude. There are no bleachers full of screaming fans watching our every move. Often it is just one person alone in a remote setting. This is actually why I love hunting. I am a loner by nature and when I am hunting I am
- [Big Bucks are Easy!](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/big-bucks-are-easy/) - OK, now that I got your attention with the title of this article I will confess that it is a bit misleading. Any deer hunter knows that consistently tagging giant mature bucks is a bit tougher than simply consistently killing “bucks”. On the other hand, I think a lot of folks in the hunting industry
- [2020 Antler Growth Forecast](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/2020-antler-growth-forecast/) - I understand that it is way too early to make a prediction about antler growth for this season but I have made a couple of observations that I feel are worth sharing. For the record the past two summers I have shared observations/predictions that proved to be right on the money. In the summer of
- [Michael Jordan's Big Buck Tips](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/michael-jordans-big-buck-tips/) - Like a lot of you I watched the ESPN series on Michael Jordan called The Last Dance. Being a basketball fan born the same year as MJ, I followed his career from the time he was a freshman in college. I have also closely observed other highly successful people over the years to learn what
- [Summer Management Thoughts](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/summer-management-thoughts/) - One of my favorite summer chores is mowing the clover firebreaks on my property. It gives me a chance to not only observe what is happening on the property but also to think about things. Yesterday while mowing this particular strip of clover a few thoughts came to mind which caused me to stop and
- [2020 Velvet Buck Review](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/2020-velvet-buck-review/) - Recently on my social media I posted a photo each day of bucks that I photographed this summer on my trail cameras. This proved to be very popular so I am going to share a little more info here about each of those bucks as well as some other photos of them. Let me start
- [To Rope a Buck](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/to-rope-a-buck/) - Recently I made a social media post about moving my game cameras from summer feeding areas to fall rutting locations. This is a process that I do every year in September as bucks shed velvet and many start shifting their range. I mentioned in my post that some of these cameras get moved to “rope
- [Smokey - From 2-Year Old to 200"](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/smokey-from-2-year-old-to-200/) - This story actually begins back in 2004 when I shot a buck scoring 214” that quickly became surrounded in controversy. After shooting the buck I was accused of wrong-doing and had the buck confiscated despite the fact that I shot him 100% legally. To make a long story short, I had to hire an attorney
- [The Chase 2018 - Year of the Giants?](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-chase-2018-year-of-the-giants/) - I have made some bold predictions in the past regarding deer and deer hunting, some of which proved accurate while others were slightly off-base. I am about to make another one that I am as confident in as any I have made. Here goes – The 2018 season is going to see a dramatic increase
- [Whitetail Brotherhood????](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/whitetail-brotherhood/) - Recently I had someone ask me a question that was apparently a whole lot easier for me to answer than they thought it would be. “What if someone shot a big buck that you were after and after it was shot the buck ran onto property that you own or lease; would you let them
- [Trumps Last Stand](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/trumps-last-stand/) - Back in the second week of October I was contemplating writing my next blog post regarding my pursuit of the buck I called Trump. At that time I had not yet filled either of my Illinois buck tags and had hunted for Trump several times without laying eyes on him. In fact I was starting
- [Supplemental Feeding and CWD in Illinois](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/supplemental-feeding-and-cwd-in-illinois/) - Supplemental feeding of deer was banned in Illinois several years ago when CWD was confirmed in the state. It has been long enough now that some Illinois deer hunters have bought into the idea that supplemental feeding is a bad thing. The commonly promoted theory is that when deer are concentrated at a feeding location
- [The Chase 2018 – part 1](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-chase-2018-part-1/) - This time last year I was documenting my quest for a buck I named “Trump” through this blog and I had a lot of folks say that they enjoyed following along on that series of blog posts that spanned over a year. I ended up killing Trump as well as another buck I named Smokey.
- [The Chase 2018 - part 2](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-chase-2018-part-2/) - The sun was barely clearing the eastern horizon on another scorching hot July day as I slipped from my truck with a couple of trail cameras. I had just gotten permission to hunt a new property a couple of days before and was anxious to get the cameras out to see if the giant buck
- [Hunting One Specific Buck](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/hunting-one-specific-buck/) - As we mature as deer hunters we all go through various stages, each of us starting as a green beginner. Then with success comes the desire to shoot bigger bucks so we raise the bar and start seeking something more. For me personally, I remember those first seasons when any deer would do, even a
- [Are You Getting the Most from Your Hunting Property](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/are-you-getting-the-most-from-your-hunting-property/) - A few decades ago the American dream was to own a home. Generations of our ancestors toiled to pay off a mortgage on a single-family dwelling sitting on a small parcel of land. If their bills were paid and they had food on the table, they considered themselves blessed … and they were! We live
- [Taking Inventory](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/taking-inventory/) - It is now early January and in some states hunting season is over while in others like my home state of Illinois we still have a couple of weeks left. So what are you doing right now to improve your odds of tagging a mature buck? Many hunters have already put whitetails on the back-burner
- [Chasing the Whitetail Dream](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/chasing-the-whitetail-dream/) - Have you ever wondered what it takes to consistently kill mature whitetail bucks? Lots of hunters kill really great bucks each hunting season but the hunters that do it year after year on bucks that are truly mature (5 ½ or older) are very rare. Have you ever wondered what it is like to build
- [The Best Time to Kill a Buck](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-best-time-to-kill-a-buck/) - Several years ago I wrote an article titled "The Best Time to Kill a Buck". The lesson I shared in that article is worth repeating here because like a lot of good information regarding hunting mature bucks, it hasn't changed. So when do you think is the best time to kill a mature buck? Most whitetail hunters
- [Summer Habitat Work - Tree Plantings](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/summer-habitat-work-tree-plantings/) - By now anyone that is even halfway serious about habitat management already has their spring food plots planted. In fact those plots are likely well-established and hungry deer are already visiting them on a regular basis. With the ideal planting time for fall-planted food-plots still several weeks away, many think we are at a dead period
- [Chasing "Trump"](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/chasing-trump/) - I am more excited for this hunting season to get started than I have been for several years. It has become increasing difficult over the years to even find a buck that gets me excited but that is not the case this season. In July I captured a series of trail camera photos of a
- [Trump vs Trump](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/trump-vs-trump/) - When you name your 2016 target buck "Trump" it is bound to cause a stir and bring on a lot of questions. When I decided to share my quest for "Trump" through this blog I didn't intend for things to turn political. I guess that is impossible this fall with a presidential election unlike any before
- [So You Want to be on a Pro-Staff](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/so-you-want-to-be-on-a-pro-staff/) - The hunting industry has changed big-time in the last 20 years but those trying to become a part of it have not always changed as quickly. Many who are striving to be a part of pro-staffs and work with outdoor companies in various ways simply have the wrong ideas and wrong approach. The purpose of this
- [Trump Wins Round One](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/trump-wins-round-one/) - My quest to tag a giant 6-year old whitetail buck I named "Trump" is starting to heat up. With the month of October now half-way over I thought it was time for an update. After all, the most common question I seem to get asked lately is "Have you seen Trump yet?" Thus far I have to
- [Trump Makes an Appearance](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/trump-makes-an-appearance/) - My quest to tag a 6 1/2 year old buck named Trump has proven to be quite a challenge. The story has garnered a lot of interest as I regularly get asked about "Trump" and questioned about when I will be writing my next update. Well here it is. To quickly recap for those who
- [The Worst is Yet to Come!](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-worst-is-yet-to-come/) - I think by now even the most ardent Illinois DNR supporter knows that the Illinois deer herd has dwindled. Even non-hunters recognize the Illinois deer herd is but a fraction of what it once was, and that is in terms of "quantity". The battle for the "quality" of the deer has already been lost although
- [Can We REALLY Age Bucks from Photos?](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/can-we-really-age-bucks-from-photos/) - You can hardly get on the internet during hunting season without seeing a photo of a whitetail buck someone has posted with the question, "How old is he?" Whats amusing is that some hunters really think they can accurately age bucks based off of photos. Even the QDMA has gotten in on the action by showing photos
- [Should We Cull Yearling Bucks?](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/should-we-cull-yearling-bucks/) - I bet the title of this article surely will fire up a boat-load of internet experts .. and that was the intent. My previous blog entry titled "Which Buck Should I Shoot?" brought them out of the woodwork and had them spewing more knowledge than one of average cerebral capacity could possibly consume and contain.
- [Are Aerial Photos Over-Rated by Deer Hunters?](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/are-aerial-photos-over-rated-by-deer-hunters/) - I just returned from visiting a property for a client in Indiana. As I always do, I studied an aerial photo of the property before the visit to get a better idea of how the property lays out. Besides looking at aerial maps, I also always ask a series of questions before my consulting visits to
- [The Lakosky Incident](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-lakosky-incident/) - I have spent the last few days visiting properties across the Midwest as part of my consulting service and thus have not been connected with social media. Last night I logged onto facebook for the first time in a few days to find numerous posts and messages regarding hunting celebrity Lee Lakosky who was apparently
- [Trump Wins!](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/trump-wins/) - The giant 6 1/2 year old buck I named Trump got the best of me last season. I expected it really. In fact in reviewing my previous blog posts about my quest for Trump I noticed something interesting. In my first blog on this topic I gave myself a "less than 25%" chance of tagging
- [Trump Returns!](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/trump-returns/) - I have been very surprised at how many people have told me they enjoyed following my blog posts last year about a buck I am chasing that I named Trump. It seems like I am always being asked when I am writing my next “Trump blog”. Well to be honest, the reason I haven’t written
- [#1 Key to Killing Big Bucks](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/1-key-to-killing-big-bucks/) - Every deer hunter dreams of shooting a big buck although some won’t admit it. Some of us even dream of doing it every season. It is this dream that pulls us from a warm bed on a cold morning and causes us to spend way more time and money than we should. It seems that
- [Next Season Starts Now!](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/next-season-starts-now/) - Now that hunting season is over for another year, what are you going to do right now to get ready for next season? For those who are serious about tagging mature bucks year after year there is no "off season". Literally every week of the year we are doing something to help us increase our
- [Of Thieves and Determination](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/of-thieves-and-determination/) - For many years now my goal each hunting season has been to end the season as a better hunter than I was on opening day. This is a very simple goal and by remaining a student of the whitetail rather than thinking I know it all, I have achieved it to varying degrees each year.
- [Hiring the Right Whitetail Consultant](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/hiring-the-right-whitetail-consultant/) - In the interest of full-disclosure let me say right out of the gate that I AM A WHITETAIL CONSULTANT. People pay me to visit their hunting properties and develop a plan to make their property the very best that it can be for killing big mature whitetail bucks. Right now we are in the heart of
- [My Favorite Food Plot](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/my-favorite-food-plot/) - Earlier this week I sprayed all of my foodplots, which are located on 4 different properties in preparation for planting in the next few weeks. I get asked all the time what my favorite food plot is and I never hesitate to answer ... "SOYBEANS!". Soybeans are attractive to deer from the time they germinate
- [It's Trump Time!](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/its-trump-time/) - My quest to tag a giant whitetail buck I have named Trump will shift to a higher gear on Saturday when the Illinois archery season opens. If you have been following my blog entries you will remember that Trump is a 6 1/2 year old buck that I have gotten trail camera photos of for
- [Rut Timing - Does it Really Change?](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/rut-timing-does-it-really-change/) - Every year hunting magazines highlight their "rut forecast" and tell us what to expect in regards to the timing and intensity of the coming whitetail rut. Some outdoor writers use things like moon-phase to determine not only the timing of the rut but the intensity. They have even come up with terms like "trickle rut" to
- [Is This Years Weird Rut Signaling a Rough Winter?](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/is-this-years-weird-rut-signaling-a-rough-winter/) - Over my more than half a century on this planet I have seen Mother Nature do things to take care of her own that simply could not be explained away. For example, I have noticed that in the fall preceding bad winters, the bur oak trees on our farm would be loaded with acorns. It
- [Extreme Whitetail Management](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/extreme-whitetail-management/) - There are a lot of deer hunters "managing" properties for better deer hunting. For many this means little more than shooting some does and the biggest buck on the property every year while letting the younger bucks grow up. There is nothing wrong with that approach if the herd can stand to have some does harvested.
- [Food Plotters Beware!](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/food-plotters-beware/) - The sight of a giant buck standing in a lush green food plot during daylight hours is one that many hunters dream of. It is this dream that causes many of us to spend countless hours and way more money than we should planting and caring for our food plots each year. In fact, this
- [Bill Would Allow Supplemental Feeding in Illinois](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/bill-would-allow-supplemental-feeding-in-illinois/) - Illinois deer hunters have long yearned for the opportunity to utilize the myriad of products marketed to deer hunters. Using these products is legal in many other states but in Illinois it is illegal to use them but legal to sell them. Illinois State Senator Chapin Rose has introduced legislation that would allow the use
- [A Deer Hunters Greatest Tool](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/a-deer-hunters-greatest-tool/) - Most people who know me well would say that I am a quiet person, regardless of how my writings may cause some to think otherwise. I am one of those folks that could drive from coast to coast without a radio because my mind is always dissecting various issues and topics. Nobody ever learned a
- [CWD - The Most Important Question](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/cwd-the-most-important-question/) - Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has become a hot topic within the deer hunting community in recent months and especially in Illinois. Earlier this year Senate bill SB-2493 was introduced which would make it legal to supplemental feed wild deer in Illinois outside of hunting season on private lands only. After a series of changes the
- [With IDNR, Freedoms are not Free](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/with-idnr-freedoms-are-not-free/) - Over the years I have avidly expressed my disdain for the whitetail biologist at Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Often times I loosely used the terms “DNR” or “IDNR” but in reality I was always referring to the states deer biologists. I recognize and appreciate that most IDNR employees are high-character people who care about
- [The Chase 2018 - The Sixth Sense](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-chase-2018-the-sixth-sense/) - Last week I was scouting some new property that I had just gotten permission to hunt when I stumbled upon one of those spots that just screams “BIG BUCK HONEY-HOLE!”. I didn’t need to stomp up the place looking for sign, I immediately knew this place had the “it” factor. I quickly found a place
- [The Illinois Covid-19 - CWD Connection](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/uncategorized/the-illinois-covid-19-cwd-connection/) - Let me start by asking a question – Do you think the Illinois state government has over-reacted to the current covid-19 situation? I believe most people think so. Illinois residents are facing orders that are the most restrictive of any state in the union and in many cases these orders make no sense at all.
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## Pages

- [Home](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/) - Welcome toHiggins Outdoors If you are passionate about taking your whitetail hunting success to the next level, you are at the right place! Learn More Chasing Giants Podcast Chasing Giants with Don Higgins and Terry Peer, has become one of the most successful hunting podcasts available. Learn More Whitetail Master academy The internet’s most robust
- [Turnkey Hunting Properties](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/turnkey-hunting-properties/) - Don Higgins works with a couple of business partners purchasing tracts of land and developing them into prime hunting properties. Most of these properties are in Ohio. The properties listed below are in different stages of development and will be offered for sale in the future. Don designs a plan for each property as if
- [Ohio Jackson County](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/ohio-jackson-county/) - Ohio > Jackson County 383 Acres Located about 8 miles west of Oakhill, Ohio, in my opinion this property is the best one we have ever offered. Half of the property was clear-cut about 8 years ago and has grown up into some fantastic bedding cover. The other half is predominately pines that could be
- [360 Hunting Blinds](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/360-hunting-blinds/) - Higgins Outdoors is a dealer for 360 Hunting Blinds. These well-built blinds are extremely quiet and offer an unobstructed view with no blind spots. If you plan to purchase a hunting blind you really need to take a close look at 360 Hunting Blinds. Higgins Outdoors offers a discount on 360 hunting blinds for our consulting
- [Ohio Scioto County](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/ohio-scioto-county/) - Ohio > Scioto County 75 Acres This 75-acre Scioto property is now ready for its new owner to step right in and start hunting. It is at the end of a dead-end road so traffic is very minimal. We have cleared two food plots on the property totaling 8 acres and installed feeders and blinds.
- [Don's Seminars](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/dons-seminar-schedule/) - Don’s Seminars Don Higgins has become a much sought-after seminar speaker amongst church groups as well as groups focused on whitetail deer hunting and habitat. Don has spoken at a wide variety of events and his down-to-earth approach is well received by the audiences that hear him. He will customize a power-point slide and video
- [Podcast](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/podcast/) - CHASING GIANTS WITH DON HIGGINS AND TERRY PEER Unlike any other hunting podcast, Chasing Giants with Don Higgins is hosted by a whitetail hunter and land manager with an unmatched resume. Don has been hunting whitetails for nearly 50 years and has over 500 articles published in every major hunting magazine. He has also written
- [Whitetail Master Course](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/whitetail-master-course/) - Whitetail Master Course Don Higgins has suspended the Whitetail Master Class on his home farm for a year or two, as he is in the process of implementing some major projects that will change the property significantly. He will continue to offer some remote classes on past consulting clients properties. Have you ever wanted to
- [About Don](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/about-don/) - About Don Higgins On a frosty November morning back in 1979 a 9-point whitetail buck walked into Don Higgins life and forever changed it. When he squeezed the trigger on his grandpa’s Remington 12-guage, the slug found it’s mark and at the same time God lit a passionate fire in Don’s heart for whitetails that
- [GENESIS Drills](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/genesis-drills/) - G-Series No-Till Grain Drills PH Outdoors G-SERIES no-till drill was developed with the hunter & wildlife manager in mind. The G- SERIES is a true, no-till drill that will plant a variety of seeds and blends, into the ground, even in the toughest soil conditions. The G-SERIES features tempered cutting discs, spaced at 7.5 inches
- [Whitetail Land Consulting](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/whitetail-land-consulting/) - Don Higgins has become a well-respected whitetail hunting and land management authority who regularly shares his knowledge through magazine articles, books, seminars, podcasts, and one-on-one interactions with other passionate whitetail hunters. The choice is yours, you can fall for the gimmicks and hype that some are peddling or you can learn from someone who has
- [Caleb Gehman](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/caleb-gehman/) - Caleb Gehman Caleb Gehman has joined the Higgins Outdoors “Dream Team” of consultants, specializing in properties located in the Northeast states. Last winter Caleb traveled with Don Higgins as he consulted on properties in numerous states including New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. This experience helped him fine tune his habitat knowledge while also learning
- [David Elliot](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/david-elliot/) - David Elliot Don Higgins has brought on David Elliot to the Higgins Outdoors “Dream Team” as a consultant who will specialize in properties located in the southern states. David has accompanied Don on numerous consulting visits to properties in five states so he is well versed in the strategies and techniques that makes our clients
- [Wes Delks Land Consulting](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/wes-delks-land-consulting/) - Wes Delks At the age of twelve, Wes Delks, received a trail camera for Christmas that he promptly put out and checked the very next day! To his surprise there were two young bucks fighting in front of the camera and a fire was lit for whitetails that burns hotter with each passing day. Throughout
- [Don Higgins Land Consulting](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/don-higgins-land-consulting/) - Don Higgins don@higginsoutdoors.com (217) 273-2825 There is likely not another whitetail consultant anywhere that can match Don’s resume as a whitetail land manager, success as a whitetail bowhunter, or the success of his past consulting clients. This combination of factors has made Don the most sought-after consultant in business today, bringing in more requests for
- [Ohio Washington County](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/ohio-washington-county/) - Ohio > Washington County 174 Acres This 174-acre property is at the end of a dead-end road and is absolutely overrun with deer and turkeys! During the fall of 2023, I had 12 cell cameras scattered over various properties in 3 states, with only one of those cameras being on this property. That one camera
- [Andy Andreas](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/andy-andreas/) - Andy Andreas Higgins Outdoors is always looking to expand our unequaled team of qualified experts to help the serious whitetail hunter and land manager take their success to the next level. Andy Andreas has joined our team to consult with landowners looking to develop the very best wildlife fruit orchards on their property. Don’t confuse
- [Derek Burkholder](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/derek-burkholder/) - Derek Burkholder Don Higgins started working with Derek a few years ago as Derek was a co-founder of Tagout Technique. A habitat company that manages hunting properties for clients. Derek did the work to implement Dons plans on numerous properties in the northern Indiana and southern Michigan region. Don became impressed with Dereks attention to
- [Terry Peer Land Consulting](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/terry-peer-land-consulting/) - Terry Peer Many will recognize Terry as the co-host of the Chasing Giants podcast with Don Higgins where he doles out solid advice to those looking to better manage their property or kill mature bucks. Terrys strong business sense has been an integral in the growth of Chasing Giants as well as Real World Wildlife
- [Bobby Worthington](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/bobby-worthington/) - Bobby Worthington As a whitetail bowhunter, Bobby has few peers living or dead. In fact, Don Higgins once said that if he were forced to name the best deer hunter on the planet, he would say “Bobby Worthington”. This lofty compliment comes with good reason. Bobby has had more whitetail bucks featured in North American
- [Ohio Morgan County](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/ohio-morgan-county/) - Ohio > Morgan County 430 Acres This 430-acre Morgan County, Ohio property was just acquired by our group in late 2023. We have a lot of work to complete on this one before it is ready for sale. I can tell you that on our initial tour of the property in early fall, I saw
- [Contact](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/contact/) - Contact Us Thanks for your visit to my website! If you have any questions please use the phone number or email to the right to contact me! Don Higgins (217) 273-2825 don@higginsoutdoors.com Socials Facebook Youtube Instagram
- [Real World Wildlife Products](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/real-world-wildlife-products/) - Real World Wildlife Products is owned and operated by a group of extremely dedicated whitetail hunters and land managers. Our desire to have the very best habitat and food plots on our own properties led us to start Real World Wildlife Products, a company dedicated to the highest quality products possible. Real World Wildlife Products is
- [Wildlife Specific Fruit Trees](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/wildlife-specific-fruit-trees/) - Higgins Outdoors is a huge proponent of offering a diversity of food sources for the deer and other wildlife on your property. This food diversity should include both soft and hard mast trees whenever possible. With so many consulting clients and others asking our advice on a good source for these trees, we decided to
- [chasing-giants-podcast-episodes](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/chasing-giants-podcast-episodes/) - 2021 Chasing Giants Episodes
- [GENESIS 10 - 10' NO-TILL DRILL](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/genesis-10-10-no-till-drill/) - GENESIS 10 – 10′ NO-TILL DRILL-120″ WORKING WIDTH-WT 4,719 L Part #: 122.300.000 Mfg: RTP OUTDOORS Price: $26,334.31 Description: Genesis 10 – 10′ No-Till Drill – 120″ working width – 16 planting rows with 7.5″ Spacing and 15.3 Bushel Capacity Seed Box. Weight = 4,719 lbs. Calibration Mulitplier 41. Optional wheel kit (weight = 800
- [GENESIS 8 NO-TILL DRILL](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/genesis-8-no-till-drill/) - GENESIS 8 NO-TILL DRILL-96″ WORKING WIDTH-WT 2,625 LBS Part #: 122.248.001 Mfg: RTP OUTDOORS Price: $19,549.54 Description: Genesis 8 Light No-Till Drill – 96″ working width – 13 planting rows with 7.5″ Spacing and 12 Bushel Capacity Seed Box. Weight = 2,625 lbs. Optional wheel kit (weight = 500 lbs.) includes hydraulic cylinders, hoses and
- [GENESIS 8 HD - 8' NO-TILL DRILL](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/genesis-8-hd-8-no-till-drill/) - GENESIS 8 HD – 8′ NO-TILL DRILL-96″ WORKING WIDTH-WT 3,803 LBS Part #: 122.248.000 Mfg: RTP OUTDOORS Price: $19,549.54 Description: Genesis 8 – 8′ No-Till Drill – 96″ working width – 13 planting rows with 7.5″ Spacing and 12 Bushel Capacity Seed Box. Weight = 3,803 lbs. Calibration multiplier 52. Optional wheel kit (weight =
- [GENESIS 5 NO-TILL DRILL](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/genesis-5-no-till-drill/) - GENESIS 5 NO-TILL DRILL-60″ WORKING WIDTH-WT 1,768 LBS Part #: 122.153.001 Mfg: RTP OUTDOORS Price: $15,470.80 Description: Genesis 5 Light No-Till Drill – 60″ working width – 8 planting rows with 7.5″ Spacing and 8 Bushel Capacity Seed Box. Weight = 1,768 lbs. Optional wheel kit (weight = 330 lbs.) includes hydraulic cylinders, hoses and
- [GENESIS 5 HD - 5' NO-TILL DRILL](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/genesis-5-hd-5-no-till-drill/) - GENESIS 5 HD – 5′ NO-TILL DRILL-60″ WORKING WIDTH-WT 2,593 LBS Part #: 122.153.000 Mfg: RTP OUTDOORS Price: $15,470.80 Description: Genesis 5 – 5′ No-Till Drill – 60″ working width – 8 planting rows with 7.5″ Spacing and 8 Bushel Capacity Seed Box. Weight = 2,593 lbs. Calibration mulitplier 85. Optional wheel kit (weight =
- [GENESIS 3 - 3' NO-TILL DRILL](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/genesis-3-3-no-till-drill/) - GENESIS 3 – 3′ NO-TILL DRILL-36″ WORKING WIDTH-WT 1,235 LBS Part #: 122.095.200 Mfg: RTP OUTDOORS Price: $10,404.65 Description: Genesis 3 – 3′ No-Till Drill – 36″ working width – 5 planting rows with 7.5″ Spacing and 4.8 Bushel Capacity Seed Box. Weight = 1,235 lbs. Calibration multiplier 136. Optional wheel kit (weight = 300
- [Testimonials](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/testimonials/) - Testimonials “I hired Don to come out late last winter to help me lay out a plan for our property. I did a lot of research on land consultants and I felt Don was the best fit for our needs. We are in West Central Wisconsin and have hilly ridgetops with bottom land ag fields.
- [Real Estate](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/real-estate/) - Recreational Real Estate https://youtu.be/3vPACmJysrk Don Higgins is now a real estate broker with Buy-A-Farm Real Estate Company and brings a unique resume to benefit both buyers and sellers of recreation real estate in Illinois. For the seller, Don will tap into his extensive list of contacts to find you a buyer. Don has spent nearly
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- [Sample Page](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/sample-page/) - This is an example page. It's different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there! I'm a bike messenger

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- [Turnkey Property Page](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/?elementor_library=turnkey-property-page) - Ohio > Scioto County 75 Acres This 75-acre Scioto property is now ready for its new owner to step right in and start hunting. It is at the end of a dead-end road so traffic is very minimal. We have cleared two food plots on the property totaling 8 acres and installed feeders and blinds.
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- [Turnkey_template](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/?elementor_library=turnkey_template) - Ohio > Scioto County 75 Acres This 75-acre Scioto property is one we acquired in the summer of 2023 and is accessed at the end of a dead-end road. It is one that we feel has a world of potential for the buyer with a limited budget or a hunter who hunts alone most of
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- [HS_Fruit_Trees](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/?elementor_library=hs_fruit_trees) - Wildlife Specific Fruit Trees Years of research went into these highly disease resistant fruit trees with the whitetail deer in mind. Learn More
- [HS_Turkey_Properties](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/?elementor_library=hs_turkey_properties) - Turnkey Hunting Properties Designed by Don Higgins for the serious whitetail hunter. Learn More
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- [HS_WMA](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/?elementor_library=hs_wma) - Whitetail Master academy The internet’s most robust and detailed video breakdown of how to become a better whitetail deer hunter! Learn More
- [HS_Chasing_Giants](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/?elementor_library=hs_chasing_giants) - Chasing Giants Podcast Chasing Giants with Don Higgins and Terry Peer, has become one of the most successful hunting podcasts available. Learn More
- [HS_Higgins](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/?elementor_library=hs_higgins) - Welcome toHiggins Outdoors If you are passionate about taking your whitetail hunting success to the next level, you are at the right place! Learn More
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- [Genesis Page Template](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/?elementor_library=genesis-page-template) - GENESIS 3 – 3′ NO-TILL DRILL-36″ WORKING WIDTH-WT 1,235 LBS Part #: 122.095.200 Mfg: RTP OUTDOORS Price: $8,571.02 Description: Genesis 3 – 3′ No-Till Drill – 36″ working width – 5 planting rows with 7.5″ Spacing and 4.8 Bushel Capacity Seed Box. Weight = 1,235 lbs. Calibration multiplier 136. Optional wheel kit (weight = 300
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- [Chasing Giants Hat](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/product/pre-order-chasing-giants-hat/) - Asio camo hat with black mesh and orange stitch logo This is a Mesh Back Cap: - 65/35 Cotton/polyester - Asio camo with black mesh - Unstructured, six-panel, low-profile - Pre-curved visor PRICE INCLUDES SHIPPING
- [Chasing Giants Truck Decals](https://www.higginsoutdoors.com/product/chasing-giants-truck-decals/) - Chasing Giants truck decals - 12" x 9" $9.50 each postage paid

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