About Us

A Little Bit About Phil

I grew up on the west coast mountain hunting deer, elk, bears, and birds of all kinds. The Air Force sent me to Alaska right out of high school in the late 80s. Met my wife (from Indiana) up there and we married. Our twin daughters were born and raised in Anchorage. We bought the 77-acre farm we now live on in 2012. Early on my wife referred to it as "deer camp". After almost 30 years of working, hunting, and professionally guiding hunts in Alaska we now live on the Indiana farm full time.

I became obsessed with whitetails about 21 years ago frequently visiting family in Indiana. After buying the farm in 2012 I became obsessed with habitat work and spent 3 days working and learning from Jim Ward. We spent two days on one of his client's properties and one long day working my farm. Jim made me realize you have to look closely to truly see how deer use a property. Since those days spent with him, I've taken Tony Lappratts whitetail boot camp, Jeff Helmers Big Rack Whitetail Academy, Don Higgins's Whitetail Master Course, and completed Deer Steward level 1. Additionally, I've had habitat plans drawn up for my 77 acres by Don Higgins, Jeff Sturgis, and an areal plan drawn up by Jim Brauker. I read everything I can find on the subject! I feel many habitat managers have a cookie-cutter plan for most properties. Put a food plot here, make this a sanctuary, hang stands over the plots and stay off the entire property unless you are hunting.

I feel I specialize in a habitat plan based on the way the property owner wants to hunt not necessarily the way the manager would. We've recently purchased a 50 property just across the border in Illinois. Between our two properties, we are constantly experimenting with new and proven habitat techniques. I'm planning a YouTube series soon based on our two highly modified/modifying properties as well as other properties I've helped improve.