Wildlife Management

This timber stand has been thinned to a low density. An annual prescribed understory burn is completed on a large portion of the tract each year. In addition, annual disking is completed in some areas. The thinning allows more sunlight to reach the forest floor. The burning and disking promote the production of natural legumes, seed-bearing plants and cover plants. The cover present is a mix of escape, brood-rearing and hesting cover. The result of these collective management activities is quality deer, turkey and quail habitat with high volumes of forage and plenty of cover

For the owner who is primarily interested in wildlife management and providing quality hunting experiences, forest management is a tool to reach their goals. Those owners who simply manage a few small food plots are missing huge opportunities to improve their wildlife habitat and hunting experiences. Movie buffs will remember the line, “If you build it, they will come”, from the movie “Field of Dreams”.

Wildlife management is about this simple, if you provide habitat that meets the needs of the preferred species, they will come. Quail need escape, nesting and brood-rearing cover first, food second, and a large area of contiguous habitat. If you provide these things, you can still have enhanced natural quail populations. White-tailed deer primarily need forage, as they can utilize cover better than quail, from a much greater distance or at night. If you provide increased forage levels and manage the herd populations and sex ratio, you can grow big deer and maintain healthy herds. Turkeys like open areas, need nesting and brood-rearing cover, and prefer bottomland hardwoods at certain times of year.

If you provide for these needs, your wildlife populations will prosper. Forest management activities directly affect the forage availability, cover, and timber stand types and therefore affect the wildlife habitat quality. Timber harvests affect the amount of sunlight reaching the forest floor and generally increase forage production and ground cover. Chemical herbicide treatments and prescribed burning can release and favor legumes and seed producing plants.

Forest fertilization can increase the volume of wildlife forage produced. Harvest scheduling, planning, and placement can affect the timber stand types, amount of transition area, and the use of timbered areas by wildlife. At Dougherty & Dougherty, we understand the effects of our forest practices, and the impacts of these practices on the primary game species. We use these forest practices to help private landowners to meet their wildlife habitat goals. If you need some assistance with your wildlife management, feel free to contact us.