Tips for Wildlife Management
While recently perusing an issue of Alabama Wildlife I ran across an article that really grabbed my attention, simply because I often fall victim to these traps! Being an outdoors enthusiast as well as an expert-novice (meaning I THINK I know a lot more than I really do) in hunting and land management I find myself asking questions of my land neighbors and other hunters and feel like I’m getting the answers that I need. However, after reading the article I realize I’m probably getting just enough information to make me dangerous! Not that I take full stock of everything I hear, but when it makes even a little sense, I tend to gravitate in that direction, especially if I’d already had the thought.
Now, I’m not saying that our neighbors and fellow hunters don’t know what they are talking about, many of them have been doing what they do a long time, but what I’m saying is that before you start undertaking a management project that can affect your animal population or disrupt the natural habitat for years to come a little more care should be taken.
“A common theme underlying many cases of “mismanagement” is incomplete knowledge or rather the gleaning of tidbits of information from television, advertising, books, magazines or hearsay from friends, family, or co-workers and then using that snippet of information without a full understanding of its intent.” – Alabama Wildlife
I find myself searching for better things to plant for a healthier and more robust animal habitat, which I feel is the responsible thing to do, but you really need to do your research before you spend too much money and time on something that may not bear the fruit you desire due to soil content, climate factors, etc. I recently read an article where a landowner heard that deer really love sawtooth oaks so he cleared 10 acres of mature native oaks (white and red oaks) as well as the existing other mast-producing trees such as persimmon, black cherry, and dogwoods and planted sawtooth oaks! In doing so he removed the native foods the animals typically ate, as well as the roosting habitat for turkeys and the denning sites for squirrels, also disturbing a plethora of other wildlife habitats the stand once provided. He later realized he may have “jumped the gun” based off of the information he had, and that if he would have consulted the proper folks (wildlife biologists, foresters, etc.) beforehand he may have been able to do some things differently and produced far more positive results.
The same can be said of many of the issues we face as land managers and hunters such as predator control, culling of bucks, proper forest management, etc. There are so many factors that need to be taken into consideration when it comes to animal habitat, forest/land management, deer/turkey management, and planting that it would always be in our best interest to lean on and confer with the people that have made these issues their life and profession. These good folks know our areas; they know more about the soil, trees, and proper management techniques than most of us will ever know. When we hear what sounds like a good idea or possible improvement to our properties or animal habitats let’s reach out to our local professionals and ask our questions. Perhaps it might keep me from damaging or disturbing my hunting and property management areas in my attempt to do the “right” or “best” thing as described by my “expert-novice” friends and family!