Articles

The “winter to spring transition” and its affect on flock dynamics. Whether wild turkeys have survived winter’s bitter cold, a balmier southern version, or something in between, Nature’s promise of winter’s end triggers big changes in turkey flocks. Habitat and forage needs also evolve as the next season approaches and turkeys prepare for every turkey hunter’s happiest time of year—spring! This issue’s column discusses how turkeys alter their social behaviors, flock dynamics, and ranges in

Eastern wild turkeys ( Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) are the most abundant and widespread of the four subspecies commonly occurring in the U.S. Their range covers most of the eastern half of the U.S. from Maine south to Florida, west to Minnesota and south across the eastern fringe of the Plains States to eastern Oklahoma and Texas; and in western Washington. EASTERN WILD TURKEY DESCRIPTION Wild turkeys are the largest members of the order Galliformes - chicken-like birds - with males ranging

The benefits of buying land may be simple to understand, but that doesn't mean owning land can't come with its own unique complexities. Case in point: easements. Let's say you purchase some land for you and your family to hunt on. Your name may be on the deed, but that doesn't mean others may not have a legal right to use the land as well. For instance, the land may feature an easement that allows a local utility company to make use of the property. At the same time, if property you own is

A conservation easement is placed on a property to protect resources associated with it. It is a legally binding agreement between a landowner and a qualified government agency that prohibits certain uses or development of the land. Essentially, a conservation easement protects the land for future generations. Whether it's to protect endangered wildlife or limit future residential and/or commercial developments, conservation easements are becoming more popular due to their tax benefits

As a landowner, you may ask yourself the question our network of rural land and property specialists is asking daily: “How much is my land worth?” With the rural land market experiencing unprecedented activity due to high demand from buyers wanting more space and a desire to escape, land prices have increased over the past several years. With several economic forces placing some downward pressure on that demand, such as rising interest rates, it’s likely there’s a significant amount of people

A delicate subject, BioLogic’s Austin Delano says the trickiest thing about wetlands management is knowing when to let nature take its course. “One of the things we can do to actually hurt wetlands is to try and do too much,” said Delano. “Wetlands can really work for recreation and hunting with very little manipulation. Wetlands can be very easily disturbed, and when trying to manage them effectively, traffic should be controlled. Less is often more when it comes to managing wetlands. “Another

Honestly, you can’t put a monetary value on the importance of wetlands. Of course as sportsmen, we count on wetlands to provide habitat for the game we pursue and the fish we catch. But these aquatic sanctuaries have other purposes as well. According to Austin Delano, Habitat and Wildlife Consultant for Mossy Oak BioLogic, wetlands are paramount for both pollution and flood control. “They are nature’s giant filter,” Delano noted. “They look nasty and they smell nasty, but one-acre of wetlands

A few years ago a friend called and asked me about his idea of attracting more ducks to his farm. “All we need to do is build a levee across that little slough near Pine Creek,” he said. Drawing more mallards to his land sounded like a good idea to me, but I told him there may be a hoop or two to jump through. What he didn’t know was that you cannot dam or block a creek that is marked on a USGS map as a “blue line stream.” That’s because any work occurring in the floodplain of a stream

When duck and goose hunters are purchasing steel shot there are a few numbers on the box that we look at, speed and payload. For most, it is velocity or density. Waterfowl hunters are constantly bombarded by ads such as “Speed Kills” or our pattern density “Drops Ducks Like Rain.” So which numbers mean more to you and why? Do you prefer more density or higher velocity? I am not a physics guy for the most part, but have done a fair amount of research to be informed rather than just opinionated

The seminars I once did were called, “The Dynamics of Duck Hunting.” But now, I have changed what I speak on, and the seminar is called, “Positioning for a Shot.” The people who come to my seminars think I’m talking about positioning the boat or positioning the decoys to get shots at incoming ducks. My seminar is really about positioning the ducks, so the hunters can get their shots. I start off by telling people you may enjoy calling ducks and sky busting. But, I’m accustomed to having someone