Whitetail Landscapes - Hunting & Habitat Management Maximize Habitat and Trophy Buck Management
In this episode, Jon Teater (Whitetail Landscapes) and Moriah Boggess (Whitetail Investments) discuss management strategies for large and small hunting properties. Moriah discusses the starting point of property management and focuses on better nutrition or hunting purposes. Moriah discusses food plots, habitat, and old field management. Moriah discusses maximizing both cover and food, and why balancing their food preferences and creating a wide variety of options increases deer activity and health.
Moriah discusses pine management and how difficult it is to get timber brokers/loggers to consider cutting certain pine stands. Moriah discusses thinning pines and how sometimes reducing basal areas to a very low number allows for ideal forage locations. Moriah discusses the use of fire and herbicide and the timeline associated with either option to ensure vegetation remains in an ideal state. Moriah discusses what security and escape cover looks like across clients’ properties and how to produce more of it. Moriah explains how sanctuaries are developed and where forage stands exist to ensure deer movement is ideal. Moriah explains perennial plants and annual weeds, and why it's important to balance both on the landscape. Moriah explains what plants are most nutritional on the landscape.
Moriah and Jon discuss managing hardwoods for deer, and why implementing Forest Stand Improvement and fire can be an ideal technique for quickly remedy. Moriah discusses economies of scale and size of areas that will be burned. Moriah discusses fire return intervals for ideal conditions for food and cover.
Moriah and Jon discuss the differences in management tactics in the north and south. Moriah discusses maximizing deer on the property versus quality of deer on properties we are trying to manage. Moriah discusses managing habitat versus deer densities. Moriah discusses how to create an ideal environment and what information is critical in our recording keeping to understand if we are reaching a point of having better quality (animals) on the landscapes. Moriah suggests keeping record of body weights, fats on body, and a strategy of overwhelming deer with food to exceed the demands of the resident deer herd to ensure better body conditions throughout the year.
Moriah discusses why he does not become overly concerned with trying to measure the actual deer numbers, and why immigration or emigration is a balancing act but is uncontrollable. Moriah discusses the attractive value of designed and managed hunting properties and why it's important to work with neighbors to help support harvest and ensure numbers in the local areas remain balanced.
Moriah and Jon discuss trophy deer management and quality deer management. Moriah evaluates and explains when to practice quality deer management and the shooting prescriptions that a landowner can apply. Moriah and Jon discuss trophy management and the steps required to reach the point of managing a property. Moriah explains the most important thing to do when practicing trophy or quality management.
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