10/28/2026
I’m grateful to have the opportunity to share a little about my journey from the hunting and fishing industry into land real estate.
My years spent guiding hunters and fishermen taught me a lot about land, wildlife, hard work, and, most importantly, taking care of people. Those lessons continue to shape the way I approach real estate today.
A big thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way, and to Dennis Prussman Real Estate & Land for taking the time to share my story!
Whether you’re buying, selling, or just exploring your options, I’m always happy to talk land.
We don’t just sell the lifestyle. We live it ourselves.
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How Taylor Heithold turned a career in hunting and fishing into a different kind of advantage in real estate.
Most real estate agents learn how to guide people through a transaction after getting their license.
Taylor Heithold had already spent years guiding people before he ever sold a piece of land.
Only his clients weren't looking for farms or recreational properties.
They were looking for deer, ducks, fish, and the occasional adventure.
And as it turns out, those two professions have more in common than you might think.
From a Finance Degree to the Great Outdoors
Taylor graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in finance. But instead of following a traditional business career, he headed to Montana to attend Swan Mountain Wilderness Guide School.
He'd always loved hunting, fishing, and the outdoors. He wanted to make a living doing something he genuinely enjoyed.
What followed was more than a decade guiding hunters and fishermen, along with operating his own outfitting businesses, including a fishing guide service in South Carolina and a snow goose hunting operation in South Dakota.
He met people from all walks of life, spent countless hours studying wildlife and habitat, and learned what it takes to deliver an experience people are trusting you to provide.
But land brokerage was never far from his mind.
"I always knew that I was going to get into land brokerage when my guiding career came to an end."
Today, Taylor works with Mossy Oak Properties Milliken Advisors Realty Group, helping buyers and sellers of recreational, agricultural, timber, and rural properties.
And he brought some valuable experience with him.
Every Piece of Land Has a Story
When I asked Taylor what guiding taught him that makes him a better land agent, his answer caught my attention.
"Every piece of land has a story, and you have to take the time to understand it."
He explained that there's much more to evaluating land than studying acreage and property boundaries.
How does the property lay? Where's the water? What's the timber like? How does wildlife use the property? What could it become?
"There's a lot more to land than what you see on a map."
Years of guiding gave Taylor the ability to look at a property through the eyes of someone who will actually use it.
That's valuable experience when you're helping someone make what could be one of the largest investments of their life.
But understanding the land was only part of what guiding taught him.
The other part was understanding people.
The Little Things People Remember
A hunting guide can know every trail and every place a deer might bed down. But if he doesn't communicate, prepare his clients, and follow through on his promises, they're probably not coming back.
Taylor learned that lesson in the outfitting business, and he applies it to real estate today.
"When someone puts their trust in you and your business, it's your responsibility to communicate clearly, set expectations, and provide all the details they need to feel comfortable and prepared."
I came across a testimonial from one of Taylor's land clients that illustrates this pretty well.
The seller lived out of state and needed help getting a property ready to market.
Taylor arranged to have trails cleared. He even personally mowed the grass around a barndominium to make the property more presentable to buyers.
And throughout the process, he kept the seller informed.
Now, mowing grass probably isn't something most agents consider part of their job description.
But sometimes the things clients remember most aren't the big marketing campaigns or the fancy presentations.
They're the little things you didn't have to do, but did anyway.
You Can't Just Sit Back and Wait
When I asked Taylor what advice he'd give another real estate agent, he talked about building trust, staying in touch, and doing what you say you're going to do.
But one statement stood out.
"You can't just sit back and wait for things to happen. You have to create opportunities, stay in front of people, and be willing to put in the work behind the scenes."
I think that's worth remembering.
We often see another agent's listings, sales, or success without seeing everything that happened to make those things possible.
The conversations. The preparation. The follow-ups. The extra effort when nobody's watching.
Taylor summed it up simply.
"Building trust and doing the little things right goes a long way."
What I Learned From Taylor
Taylor still enjoys the same things that drew him into the outfitting business years ago.
Give him an unexpected day off and you'll likely find him fly fishing a mountain stream, striper fishing on a lake, or chasing woodcock and grouse with his bird dogs. Preferably with family and friends.
"Any day spent outdoors with good company and a little adventure is hard to beat."
What I appreciate about Taylor's story is that he didn't abandon his previous experience when he entered real estate.
He found a way to make it valuable.
And the lesson goes well beyond land brokerage.
Whatever business you're in, knowing your product matters. But knowing how to take care of people matters just as much.
Taylor spent years learning both.
He was guiding people long before he was selling land.
And in many ways, he's still doing exactly that.
About Taylor Heithold
Taylor is a Certified Land Specialist with Mossy Oak Properties Milliken Advisors Realty Group. Licensed in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, he specializes in recreational, agricultural, timber, and rural properties.
He earned a finance degree from North Carolina State University and spent more than a decade in the hunting and fishing outfitting industry before entering land brokerage.
Learn more: https://www.mossyoakproperties.com/agent/taylor-heithold/
Agent Success Series features experienced real estate professionals sharing the knowledge, experiences, and lessons they have gained throughout their careers.
