early successional habitat

Deer Habitat in a Squirt Bottle part 2: Tools, Teams and Techniques

Jan 27, 2021 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

Removing surplus or non-native trees and shrubs to restore sunlight to the ground, fueling a rebirth of deer forage and cover, is a great way to rapidly improve deer habitat. Dr. Craig Harper of the…

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Deer Habitat in a Squirt Bottle part 1: Add Great Deer Habitat by Subtracting

Jan 20, 2021 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

If I ask you to imagine going outside today and creating some great deer habitat, what do you picture? Did you think of something you could add, like seeds or trees you can plant? Let’s…

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10 Red Flags That Reveal Poor Deer Habitat

Feb 28, 2018 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

Time is not kind to deer habitat. With each hour that passes, the plants growing where you hunt are losing their value to deer. Trees are rising, stretching upwards to fill vacant holes in the…

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The Best Fire Frequency for Deer Habitat

Jan 2, 2018 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

Prescribed fire improves deer habitat, and if it’s practical where you hunt, you should learn to burn. That’s a message we have harped on for years, and as more deer hunters have begun to use…

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Hunt and Gather: Sumac Lemonade and Venison Tenderloin Medallions

Jun 29, 2017 Bruce and Elaine Ingram

As fellow QDMA member Bryce Clingenpeel and I are driving down a rural road in Botetourt County, Virginia on a late July day, he suddenly slams on the brakes, quickly parks his truck on the…

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The 3 Biggest Obstacles to Creating Young Forest Cover

Mar 27, 2017 Tim Russell

Young forest is an important cover type for whitetails. The dense thickets of shrubs, weeds, vines, seedlings and saplings in a young forest provide ample food and cover. For some, creating these conditions could be…

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8 Winter Projects for Better Fall Deer Hunting

Jan 25, 2017 Craig Harper

Unless you hunt in portions of the Deep South, deer season is over. And for those who hunt in south Alabama and Mississippi, you have precious few days left. The end of the season can…

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Get Ready to Use Prescribed Fire

Oct 22, 2014 Craig Harper

A deer and habitat management program can gain considerable benefits from the use of prescribed fire. Here’s my advice on how to prepare for a burn. Before implementing any prescribed fire, it is critical to…

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Know Your Deer Plants: Pokeweed

Jul 31, 2013 Matt Ross

Pokeweed easily has over a dozen different common names, from pokeberry to poke salad to just plain poke. But no matter what it is called where you live, pokeweed is an extremely valuable soft mast…

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Don’t Fear the Reaper: Timber Harvest is Good for Deer

Jul 6, 2012 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

The reaper is coming to my family’s farm in Southeast Georgia, and I couldn’t be happier. It’s a tree reaper, also known as a feller-buncher. It will be joined by skidders, loaders, log trucks and…

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