Habitat Improve your hunting land!

Whether you're planting your first food plot, working on forest stand improvement, or preparing for a prescribed burn, the NDA has the information you need to help you be successful. We rely on the latest research and experts in their field to bring you the most reliable, up-to-date information on managing your land for the benefit of white-tailed deer and other wildlife.

Habitat

One Type of Plant is the Greatest Source of Deer Nutrition. Here’s How to Grow It.

May 21, 2025 Mark Turner

After analyzing over a thousand deer forage samples from 25 states, I learned there’s only one type of plant that consistently meets a deer’s nutritional needs. However, most hunting properties aren’t producing enough of them…

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Habitat

Top 5 Map Layers for Habitat Management You’ve Probably Overlooked

Apr 23, 2025 Matt Ross

Two of the biggest limitations in managing deer habitat are a lack of knowledge and time. Not everyone has formal land management training or experience, and we all do our best to balance life’s other…

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How to Take a Food Plot Soil Sample

Apr 2, 2025 Cheyne Matzenbacher

A soil sample test can be the difference between a quality deer food plot and a failed food plot. This simple test can save you time, energy and of course money by determining your actual…

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4 Important Lessons Learned From Managing and Hunting a Small Property

Mar 26, 2025 Brian Grossman

Purchasing a small hunting property has been one of the most rewarding decisions I’ve made. Not only is it nice to occasionally hunt right out the back door, but being able to implement changes to…

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Hinge, Girdle, Fell or Leave? A Guide to 50 Tree Species in Deer Habitat Management

Mar 12, 2025 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

So, you read an article or watched a video about Forest Stand Improvement for deer habitat, and now you’re standing in the woods ready to work. You hold a chainsaw in one hand and a…

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Do Deer Use Hinge-Cut Bedding Blocks? New Study Results Out

Feb 26, 2025 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

Dr. Craig Harper and his students at the University of Tennessee seem to love fact-checking untested but long-held assumptions about deer habitat. Their scientific work confirmed some popular theories and crushed many others. The latest…

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Beat Cabin Fever: 8 Offseason Tasks for Deer Hunters

Feb 19, 2025 Brian Grossman

Deer season may be over, but if you’re like me, the itch to be in the woods hasn’t gone away. Instead of sitting around waiting for next fall, though, this time of year is perfect…

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5 Takeaways From My First Growing-Season Prescribed Fire

Feb 12, 2025 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

With a growing body of science urging deer managers to diversify the timing of prescribed fire, I planned and lit my first growing-season fire on June 14 last year. It was a success, and I…

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5 Easy Steps to Better Deer Forage and Cover

Jan 22, 2025 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

One of the easiest ways to quickly improve forage and cover for deer is to remove a plant that doesn’t belong here. Whether it’s a non-native tree, shrub or vine, the space and resources it…

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A Guide to the Most Important Weather Factors in Prescribed Fire

Jan 7, 2025 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

Prescribed fire is a fantastic deer habitat management tool, and nothing is more important when using it than ensuring a safe, effective and contained burn. By planning and waiting to burn under the right conditions,…

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