Author: WM Pro

Texas Landowners Awarded for Wildlife and Habitat Management

Wildlife habitat management is a good thing for wildlife, but hard work can pay off for landowners, too. Though most landowners involved in wildlife management do so for their own satisfaction, it never hurts to be recognized for a job well done. Revitalization efforts on two Texas ranches in two different ecological regions of the state have earned a Houston couple the 2013 Leopold Conservation Award, Texas’s highest honor for private land conservation. Recognized for their stewardship were Jack and Jan Cato, who in 2004 and 2006 received regional Lone Star Land Steward awards for what they have done to restore their two properties – the Buckhollow Ranch in Uvalde and Real counties on the Edwards Plateau and the Stockard-Sirianni Ranch in Frio County. That ranch is located in the South Texas Plains ecoregion.

The Leopold award, given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, is conferred each year by Sand County Foundation, an international non-profit organization devoted to private land conservation, in partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) as part of its Lone Star Land Steward Awards program. In Texas, the Leopold award is sponsored by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Fund for the Environment, Silver Eagle Distributors and the Lee and Ramona Bass Foundation. Continue reading Texas Landowners Awarded for Wildlife and Habitat Management

Wildlife Management in Kerr County, Brown County

It looks like there will be a chance for land managers in Kerr County and Brown County to learn more about wildlife management. The focus of the trainings will focus on habitat enhancement for wildlife.Two interagency range and wildlife management field days for landowners, land managers and brush control contractors operating in possible endangered species habitat have been scheduled in late May. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will conduct the meetings in cooperation with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Texas Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative and the Texas Section Society for Range Management.

“Both field days will follow a similar agenda but are tailored for their specific site,” said Brian Hays, AgriLife Extension associate director, Texas A&M Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, Gatesville. “Registration for each site will last from 7:45 – 8:15 a.m. followed by the programs which should conclude by 4:15 p.m. The first field day is set for May 29 at the Muse Wildlife Management Area located on County Road 478 about a mile and a half north of Farm To Market Road 1467 in northeastern Brown County. Continue reading Wildlife Management in Kerr County, Brown County

Range & Habitat Management to Mitigate Drought

Landowners interested in habitat management for wildlife and/or range management for grazing animals should consider attending the Holistic Management International (HMI) field day that will take place in Boerne, Texas, on May 10. This is for Texas landowners that are interested in long-term, sustainable grazing of livestock into the future. Since proper grazing management go hand-in-hand with habitat for wildlife, you can’t go wrong here if you want to do good for the critters found on your property, too!

Habitat Management – Spring Creek Ranch Day Announcement

HMI: Our Spring Creek Ranch day is part of HMI’s new Open Gate On-Farm Learning Series. Open Gate is an action-based approach to learning. You — and the group — have the opportunity to identify common problems and discuss common solutions in a friendly atmosphere. With experienced facilitators and producers on hand, the goal of the day is to identify and solve a current problem — and to create a forum for sharing practices, ideas, advice, and solutions to that problem. The process: small groups of people come together to work on something that is real and current, and each person gets individual time from the others. When you leave at the end of the day, you’ll take away practical ideas on how you can increase profit, production and performance for a sustainable ranch operation. These strategies will also help with whitetail deer management and improve habitat. Continue reading Range & Habitat Management to Mitigate Drought

Deer Management for Wildlife Diversity, Wildlife Management

If enjoy wildlife and native plants then it may be time to revisit deer management. Let’s face it, not every landowner has the same passion for white-tailed deer that many others do. They still however desire to have wildlife on their property. Some have never hunted and may never have plans to hunt deer. In fact, the thought of removing any wildlife from their property may seem counterintuitive to their goals of attracting wildlife. It is important for any landowner to understand that in order to provide the habitat necessary to attract a variety of wildlife you will likely have to become involved in deer management as part of an overall wildlife management program.

This does not mean that landowners must manage for trophy bucks, but all property owners should be concerned with deer population management. One of the biggest culprits of poor habitat conditions is the white-tailed deer. Deer eat plants and there is only a limited amount of them on a given piece of property. If deer populations are allowed to grow beyond the lands capacity to support those animals then you will begin to see a reduction in biomass, or plant material such as leaves and stems. Over just a short period of time this can greatly alter the habitat — the habitat used by both deer and other wildlife species. Continue reading Deer Management for Wildlife Diversity, Wildlife Management

Wildlife Management: Distance Surveys for Whitetail Deer

Wildlife Management Topic: “Aerial Vertical-Looking Infrared Imagery to Evaluate Bias of Distance Sampling Techniques for White-tailed Deer.”

Researchers: Jared T. Beaver, Craig A. Harper – University of Tennessee; Robert E. Kissell, Jr. – University of Arkansas; Lisa I. Muller, Peyton S. Basinger, Matthew J. Goode – University of Tennessee

Deer population monitoring is an important consideration when managing white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Distance survey sampling has been used to estimate population density, and has been applied to ground thermal infrared sensing (ground imaging) and spotlight surveys to overcome limitations with these techniques. However, surveys are usually along roads, which may violate a critical assumption of distance sampling and bias density estimates. Continue reading Wildlife Management: Distance Surveys for Whitetail Deer

Deer with Long Hooves – Foundering in Whitetail

There have been a number of times when hunters and landowners have encountered deer with long hooves. White-tailed deer are candidates for a variety of ailments, but foundering in deer can happen for a variety of reasons. In fact, deer with longer than normal hooves is not uncommon at all. From what I have seen through the years of deer hunting and management is that foundering can result from several factors.

Ranches out in West Texas or game ranches that feed lots of corn tend to produce deer with hoof problems. Also, years with drought or even those with especially high temperatures and high winds tend to dry out the land. Foundering often occurs purely because grain intake is too high for whitetail deer. Deer that live solely at spin-cast feeders will consume too much corn. This is especially common when natural foods are in low availability. A deer’s diet should consist primarily of forbs and browse , but these foods can become very limited in areas with high deer densities or during extreme dry periods. Continue reading Deer with Long Hooves – Foundering in Whitetail

Giant Alberta Grizzly Bear Killed!!!

Most hunters dream of shooting something of epic proportions. A giant Alberta grizzly bear would fall into that bracket! Here is a story of two elk hunters that were out trying to coax in a lonely bull when their calling was so realistic (or sickly?) that is it attracted a big ole grizzly bear. I can not verify whether or not the story is real, but the giant bear photos look very much real!

These two hunters were calling elk in the Saddle Hills south of Woking , Alberta, when this big grizzly bear slipped in on the caller. The shooter spotted the bear about 8 yards from the caller and dropped him with 5 shots out of his 338 Win Mag. Continue reading Giant Alberta Grizzly Bear Killed!!!