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As wildlife managers, we understand the significance of hard mast producing trees, particularly oak trees. Their presence is a critical aspect of land management and arguably the best natural forage for wildlife. Oak species belong in the Fagaceae family which can be broken up into two subfamilies: the red oaks and the white oaks, which are also names for individual tree species. These are the most well-known types of oak tree species but there are many other important variations that can slip

Summer is a busy time for the gamekeeper. Turkey season and spring planting are complete, but there’s still plenty to do. Let’s face it…there’s always loads to do for a gamekeeper. Here are a few of the most important. Kill the Competition Keeping ahead of the summer weed cycle and controlling noxious or invasive weeds is a tedious, but essential task. This is especially important in dry or drought conditions since all those vile weeds are robbing moisture, along with sunlight and nutrients from

When blessed with the opportunity to own property for recreation purposes, the journey to create your dream hunting oasis begins. It doesn’t matter if you’ve owned the property for decades or just closed on it, having a plan for quality improvements will expedite your impact on the landscape and the wildlife you hunt. Smaller tasks that will make an immediate impact will likely dominate your initial jobs which can put larger tasks that will make a long-term impact onto the back burner. Unless

Acorns dropping from oak trees and fall food plots often receive a lot of attention from deer, and anything that draws the attention of deer will certainly be of interest to deer hunters! Oak trees and their acorn crops are great to have as part of deer habitat, but sometimes they receive too much emphasis. They are great to have around as a “dessert” for deer and a commercial timber product, but the presence of oak trees is not a prerequisite for an effective deer management program. In fact

The sun has disappeared behind the western treetops, turning individual shadows into one that now covers a carpet of calf-high greenery. The air filled with the deafening hum of crickets and grasshoppers. Movement just inside the wood-line materializes into a doe, her tail spasmodically swishing insects as she stares intently into the pasture. Slowly and stiff-legged, she walks into the open, pausing to glare back into the forest. More movement reveals two tiny spotted fawns, and they rush

No matter if you call them redfish, red drum, channel bass or any one of a handful of local nicknames, Sciaenops ocellatus is a favorite gamefish for nearly all anglers fishing in the salty inshore waters of the South. They’re even the saltwater gamefish of North Carolina, thanks to their incredible popularity in the Old North State. Reds are usually aggressive and willing to attack a wide variety of artificial lures—including topwaters—as well as a slew of natural baits as well. They fight hard

There are two types of wild land – the properties that have feral hogs on them, and the lands that are about to have feral hogs on them. Feral hogs have become a major threat to landowners and wildlife. Landowners have found that once they have wild pigs on their lands, more than likely, they’ll have a hard time getting rid of them. As soon as you get rid of the ones you have others move in. The average wild hog weighs from 50 to 250 pounds and possesses a high degree of intelligence. They have

Clearcuts may not be the most aesthetically pleasing habitat to look at, but they can certainly provide exceptional wildlife habitat if designed and managed properly. Forest management, even intensive timber production strategies, can provide quality wildlife habitat. In fact, little or no timber management often has detrimental effects on the wildlife value of a property. The key in balancing timber management and wildlife value is to maintain good habitat diversity (species composition and age

There seems to be an endless amount of online information on what are the best things to plant for whitetails, but a gamekeeper may still wonder, “What is the best summer food plots for deer on their specific property.” To put it simply, whitetails need a consistent high protein, nutrient-rich food source to be at their peak health and to express their genetic potential in terms of body size, antler growth, and optimum fawn rearing. The Benefits of Planting Legumes Legumes are by far my favorite

In my home state of Missouri, turkey hunting in the afternoon can often seem like that of a basketball player throwing up the game-winning shot as the time clock expires. The buzzer-beater effect has often occurred for many show-me state hunters. Imagine having a gobbler answering your calls; then you look down to see only a few minutes left until the daily 1:00 pm stop time. You are worried that this time restraint could end your hopes of harvesting a mature tom if only you could make the game