Don Higgins / Higgins Outdoors

10/17/2026

The success stories are starting to roll in from consulting clients. This photo is of Dennis Bartch of Missouri who had this to say -

“Don,
I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for everything. My farm is really starting to come together and produce, and it’s rewarding to see all the hard work paying off. I truly appreciate your help and the part you’ve played in making that happen. Thanks again, Don. I sincerely appreciate everything.”

I also heard from another client this week who wants to remain anonymous so the neighbors don’t find out what is happening on their property since they are out of state landowners. Here is a quote from his text that he gave me permission to share-

“Hi Don! Hope all is well. No need to post these (don’t want some neighbors catching on) but wanted to send them to you. Our first night hunting & staying at our new place that we just built. October 2 on Friday night my dad and I both killed great bucks at basically the same exact time. We are blessed! Thanks a ton for all you have done for us! Your plans have all worked so well & the only regret I have is not calling you earlier than we did 🤣👍”

Many successful clients don’t want me to share their photos and texts which I totally understand and always respect their wishes. It has been a great year for my clients so far including at least one buck over 200”

10/16/2026

Yesterday I picked up Doubting Thomas from Bourke’s Taxidermy and was extremely pleased with the great job Derek did with this buck. When I saw the mount hanging in the Bourke Taxidermy shop, my first thought was “Wow! He is bigger than I remember!” And my second thought was “Man, that mount looks awesome!” Photos just don’t do this buck or this mount justice. Trust me, I have 40+ whitetail mounts and I know what a good mount looks like as well as a bad one. I think I am going to have to move this one up higher to better show off the quality of this mount. I highly recommend Bourkes Taxidermy in Pana, Illinois.

10/15/2026

The dispersal of young bucks starts in the spring right before fawns are born but it carries on throughout the year. In the fall especially the yearling bucks are constantly shuffling around and wandering somewhat aimlessly. I see it every fall where many of the yearling bucks that I have on the property today will be gone and replaced with different yearlings in a couple of weeks. I sure wish I could figure out a way to get the ones I choose to stick around for about four or five years. Shooting resident does who have buck fawns helps keep many bucks close to their birthplace but I wish there was a way to hold those transient ones that I select. The best yearlings often become the better two year olds.

10/14/2026

It seems like there are more and more whitetail consultants starting up every week. I certainly encourage everyone to chase their dreams but I have wondered for years when the added competition would start affecting my business. It hasnt. In fact, the demand just grows every year even thoguh I am trying to slow down a little. The most important marketing lesson that I ever learned after decades of owning several businesses is that word of mouth is by far the best advertising any business can ever have. It doesnt cost anything but it takes time to develop. One happy client or customer talks and shares his story and an unhappy one will talk 10x more. I understand that it is impossible to make everyone happy but I still try within reason and sometimes beyond reason. It sure is gratifying when I get messages like the one below. Making dreams come true is what we do. Your success is our success!

"I initially wanted to follow up with you about a couple of bucks, but I also wanted to drop you a note to sincerely thank you for all you do to educate hunters like myself.
When you visited my Wisconsin farm and we started implementing your plan, I saw immediate results. Hunting improved steadily from the very first season. However, I eventually realized there was going to be a ceiling to that property. I began slowly looking for a smaller farm in Illinois that would allow me to hunt a different herd and hopefully give me a shot at a truly special buck.

When the northern Illinois farm became available, I didn't consider it right away. I was originally looking for a property to own in addition to my Wisconsin farm, so making the jump required a major shift since I ultimately had to sell my Wisconsin farm to make it happen. I loved that property; we had built a home there and made so many great memories. But looking at the Illinois layout, I kept hearing your words about building a large sanctuary with multi-directional access to keep hunting pressure off the borders. When I reached out to you and you told me it could be better than my Wisconsin property would ever become, I took a leap of faith.

You came out before closing, and we implemented your plan immediately after. Just one year later, I am absolutely amazed by what I have seen. During our first fall hunting, each of my top four target bucks presented shot opportunities. Because I was new to the farm and couldn't accurately gauge their ages, we decided to pass on all four of them. Your plan is working to perfection, and this place is now truly my dream farm.

I wanted to thank you, Don. I would have never taken these steps without your guidance, both during your consulting visits and on your weekly podcasts. Growing up as a kid with a love for hunting, I never could have imagined being where I am today."

10/13/2026

If you guys aren’t incorporating fruit trees as part of your habitat plan, you are absolutely missing the boat. Those of you listening to the Chasing Giants podcast know that I have been planting a lot of fruit trees on my property over the past couple of years with plans to plant even more. When I am on my property during the time when the fruit is ripe I rarely see any fruit on the ground. The deer and other wildlife keep it cleaned up as soon as it falls. Here is the important thing about having fruit trees on your property; I have noticed a very distinct pattern where the deer hit the fruit trees before any other food source when they get up in the afternoon and the fruit trees are the very last thing they check before bedding in the morning. Plant whatever species are in shortest supply in your area - apples, pears, persimmons, etc. and plant as many as you have room for. Jay & Loretta Gingerich is a great source for your fruit trees. This video is the buck I shot last season, Doubting Thomas, searching for pears under a couple of pear trees on a morning hunt. I actually filmed him doing this two different days before he went to bed. Guys this is a pattern that I have just recently put together but it is a very strong one. The deer want to get some of the fruit so they head there first in the afternoon and it’s their last stop before bedding in the morning. Game changer!

10/11/2026

Congrats to consulting client Sean Lentz on this early season Wisconsin hammer! It is always my goal for every client to not only tag a giant but to have an opportunity to shoot the biggest buck on their property every season. Your success is my success.

10/10/2026

I shot this buck back around 2019 after getting some great video footage of him that summer. Like all of my bucks, the shot was under 25 yards. In fact, over 90% of all the bucks I have ever shot were under 20 yards.

Recently I have had several hunters comment to me privately about how far some celebrity hunters are shooting at deer with archery gear. One person shared a very interesting thought, “how many bucks would these guys have on their walls if all the ones shot past 30 yards were removed?” That was thought provoking and is an interesting topic that Terry Peer - Chasing Giants Podcast and I will discuss on the next episode of Chasing Giants podcast.

It’s not my place to tell someone else what they should set as their own limit for an ethical shot but as Barry Wensel says, “bowhunting is about “how close”, not how far.” Is someone actually a good hunter or a good shooter????? Big difference and for the record I am a poor shooter but at 20 yards I can get it done. How about you?

10/09/2026

Here is a good tip for you habitat guys to cut down on damage to your trees from mice and deer.

10/08/2026

I try to keep political post on my personal page only and use this page for deer and land management topics but I feel like this election specifically presents a real opportunity for Illinois deer hunters. I don’t know of anyone who hasn’t complained about any number of topics related to our government and the corruption associated with it. And while our complaints are valid, for about half of us, complaining is as far as it goes. We don’t even vote and if we do, many of us are so committed to a political party that we have lost sight of the fact that the party we support no longer represents our values.

Roughly 50% of Christians do not vote in midterm elections. We sit home and allow politicians in office who support things that we should oppose and erode the values we should be fighting for.

Illinois has 2.4 million FOID card holders who should all be voting for candidates who support the second amendment. This group alone could sway every election in the state and yet half of us sit home during midterm elections.

Hunters are a group that always seems to complain about how the state manages our natural resources and yet half of us aren’t even motivated enough to vote.

The moral majority has allowed the destruction of our state and our country because of our own apathy. Our side could win every election if we would all just vote. I get it that both sides have issues and corruption. Step one is getting the party with the least issues in power and then cleaning up that party.

For us in Illinois it starts with electing Darren Bailey as our next governor. Darren Bailey is a Christian gun-owning hunter. He is the polar opposite of what we have had the last 8 years. If you haven’t yet voted, you can go to your county courthouse and do so now through Election Day November 3. We can no longer sit home and allow the radicals to continue destroying our country. We have the numbers to control our own destiny. You have already seen what you are going to get more of if Darren Bailey isn’t elected. Vote for your own future!

Please share to help get out the vote for Darren Bailey.

10/08/2026

I did a short property tour right before season opened to hopefully give other land managers some ideas to contemplate implementing on their own property. Tree stands it’s are a great time to observe and consider projects to take your property to the next level.

Take a tour of Don Higgins’ farm and see how decades of habitat wor...