Mark Bergmanis
Mark’s passion for the outdoors began in the duck blinds of Fountain Grove Wildlife Area in northern Missouri at the age of 5, when he bagged his first (and last) coot. Under the guidance of his dad and older brother, he honed his wing shooting skills hunting state managed areas and islands along the Mississippi River. Mark has fond memories of the hunting trips to Pharrs Island when they would launch the 13-foot V-bottom, powered by 6-horse Chrysler, to navigate amongst logs and barge traffic on the Mississippi at 4:30 in the morning in hopes of bringing home a few ducks. A great amount of character building took place in those early years.
At the age of 9 he was introduced to deer hunting in Livingston County along the Grand River drainage. The following year he carried a 20 gauge on whitetail hunts in Monroe County… and the hook was set for life.
Mark spends a good amount of time hunting primarily private land in northern Missouri. As the manager of a 350-acre Saline County tract, he has seen the deer grow from a 120” average to the mid-150s and 160s. Occasionally they spot a 180-190 class specimen. Over a period of 6 years, tremendous progress has been made on that particular property. All agricultural production ceased in 2006 to take advantage of the Federal Crop Reserve CP25 Program. Timber edge feathering and the planting of warm season grasses helped to improve the habitat and holding capacity of the property. Capping terrace drainages provided waterways for the benefit of all wildlife. Clover, turnip and corn plots added greatly to the draw factor and helped to grow bigger deer on the property. Timber stand improvements were implemented in 2010, along with native species tree plantings for increased sanctuary cover.
In 2008 Mark was recruited by Whitetail Properties to help hire, train and mentor Brokers and Agents. “The model we started out with has gone through a few transitions, and today we can all proudly state that Whitetail Properties is the national recreational real estate company. Every day we strive to improve the way we do business, at all levels. In addition to helping our clients achieve their land ownership goals, we produce one of the best television shows in the outdoor industry to help convey Quality Deer Management Association principles across the U.S.”
Mark’s love for land and desire to help others manage and grow big deer fostered a natural transition to become a Land Specialist for Whitetail Properties. Today Mark enjoys assisting buyers and sellers achieve their goals through the comprehensive national marketing campaign offered by Whitetail Properties. If you are looking to buy or sell land in NW Missouri, he is available to help you from start to finish.
QDMA Level I Certified - May 2011
BA Degree - Business Administration - Drury College, Springfield, MO - 1986
