Episode 16 - Why Grasslands Matter for Wildlife; Native Habitat with Kyle Lybarger

2026-01-14

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Grasslands built wildlife abundance long before food plots, timber cuts, and fire suppression changed everything. Grasslands shaped North American wildlife long before modern land management and in many places, they’re quietly disappearing. In this episode of Legends of the Wild, Sam Soholt sits down with Kyle Lybarger, a forester-turned-habitat specialist who’s helping hunters rethink how landscapes actually function. Kyle breaks down how fire, grazing, and native plant diversity once created pro...

Grasslands built wildlife abundance long before food plots, timber cuts, and fire suppression changed everything.

Grasslands shaped North American wildlife long before modern land management and in many places, they’re quietly disappearing. In this episode of Legends of the Wild, Sam Soholt sits down with Kyle Lybarger, a forester-turned-habitat specialist who’s helping hunters rethink how landscapes actually function.

Kyle breaks down how fire, grazing, and native plant diversity once created productive ecosystems that supported whitetails, turkeys, quail, waterfowl, and pollinators year-round. The conversation goes beyond theory, digging into practical lessons from prescribed burning, restoring native prairies, and managing land in ways that work with natural systems instead of against them.

Listeners will learn why grasslands are among the most threatened ecosystems in North America, how invasive species quietly undermine hunting habitat, and why native plants outperform food plots over the long haul. Kyle also explains how small-scale habitat work (whether on three acres or three hundred) can dramatically increase wildlife use without constant inputs of fertilizer, seed, and labor.

From waterfowl habitat and ground-nesting birds to deer movement and seasonal forage, this episode connects the dots between conservation-minded land stewardship and better hunting outcomes. It’s an insider conversation for hunters, anglers, and land managers who want healthier ground, more resilient ecosystems, and wildlife habitat that lasts.

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Get more from Field & Stream: https://www.fieldandstream.com/

Get to know your host, Sam Soholt: https://www.instagram.com/samsoholt/

Check out Kyle Lybarger’s work: https://www.nativehabitatproject.com/our-team

Join the F&S 1871 Club and experience a membership dedicated to the outdoor culture of sporting traditions, storytelling, and the conservation of our lands: https://www.fieldandstream.com/1871-club/

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