In Mississippi’s Yazoo County, the deer grow large and hunting is king. Families like the Ramseys spend generations cultivating both the perfect hunting ground and the sportsman lifestyle for their children and grandchildren.
That’s exactly what is happening right now on a 300-acre plot in Yazoo where Key Ramsey and his sons Chandler and Chaz have set their hopes and dreams for their family’s hunting future.
“We’ve always invested in properties because we love the outdoors and hunting,” says Chandler. “We love being outside and utilizing the land while our investments grow.”
While those investments grow, Chandler and the Ramsey family are watching their hunting legacy grow as well.
“It’s just the memories that are made while we hunt together, especially with friends and my kids,” he says. “I have a seven-year-old little girl and a five-year-old little boy, so hunting and just being outdoors, riding four-wheelers, fishing–that’s just what I grew up enjoying.”
“I want them to enjoy the same thing.”
Locking in the Right Partner
The Ramseys found the perfect plot of land for their hunting legacy and had previously leased it out for agricultural production, but they realized that the wide open spaces were causing deer to move through only during mating season. Optimally, they’d have generations of deer living year-round on the property. But, to accomplish that, they needed to build more native habitat.
“There were already deer here but, with no thickets or anything like that to hold the deer, they were mainly here just during deer season running through,” he says. “We hope to improve that.”
The family found the Ducks Unlimited Forest Flyway Reforestation Program, which would help them build the native habitat they need to secure a stable deer population.
“Flyway Forest is a reforestation for carbon sequestration program, but it also benefits wildlife and natural resources,” says Maddie McFarland, Ducks Unlimited regional biologist. “We’re taking agricultural land and pasture land areas that are free and clear and that have lost their forest land more than 10 years ago so that we can come back and plant native bottomland hardwood species for the benefit of wildlife and also for carbon sequestration.”
The Flyway Forest program capitalizes on carbon market opportunity to fund their core mission of natural resource and wildlife conservation.
For the Ramseys, though, the program unlocked a partnership that guided them toward their land and legacy goals.
“They really helped us throughout the whole process as far as what paperwork they needed, what we were signing,” Chandler says. “They were never pushy about any of it –they just help you along and let you know that they’re here for you too as the landowner.”
“It’s not just all about the program–they want what’s best for everybody.”
As program participants, the Ramseys worked alongside DU biologists to outline future property goals, including leaving trail infrastructure, optimal areas for food plots and potential building sites for cabins.
“Flyway Forest is a good fit in that we handle all of the coordination, the site prep and the tree planting,” McFarland says. “We also handle all of the accounting, the contract admin, the carbon accounting and the long-term monitoring.”
“I think that’s a huge benefit for landowners.”
Locking In Legacy
In the DU Flyway Forests Reforestation Program, landowners can be eligible for $4,000 per acre of cropland or pastureland enrolled in a permanent conservation easement, with money paid out over 20 years. Landowners can be eligible for $3,443 per acre of cropland or pastureland enrolled in a 40-year term contract, with money paid out over 40 years.
For the Ramseys, payments for the program added incentive to meeting their land goals.
“We love this land and we have a vision for when the trees are visible and we can really tell how beautiful the property is going to be,” Chandler says. “We love hunting on it and utilizing it but when you have an income producing section to it, it just adds a whole other value too.”
The real value of the program for the Ramseys will be in the days they can spend here together as a family.
“We’ve done some properties in the past where we’ve added trees and just seeing how much that has improved the habitat is why we want to do that for my kids when they grow up,” he says. “I know this place will be really good and utilized well for hunting.”
If you are interested in the Ducks Unlimited Flyway Forest Reforestation Program to see if that program, or another DU program, could work for you, check your eligibility on their website.
