prescribed fire

The Best Timing and Frequency of Prescribed Fire for Deer Habitat

Jan 28, 2026 Mark Turner and Craig Harper

Prescribed fire is the most effective and efficient tool to manage and improve deer habitat in most areas. Fire can be used to improve food and cover in ways that other practices cannot, and fire…

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Firebreaks First: How to Plan a Safe Prescribed Burn on Your Property

Jan 21, 2026 Brian Grossman

Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools we have for improving wildlife habitat — but it’s also one that can go wrong fast if it isn’t planned carefully. During my time with the…

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5 Ways Hunters Drive Wildlife Diversity Just by Working for Deer

Jul 23, 2025 Ben Westfall

Deer are North America’s favorite game species, and millions of hunters take to the field each year to pursue these magnificent creatures. But they are also a keystone species, meaning that they help define their…

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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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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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The Block System of Deer Management at Virginia’s Fraley Family Farm

May 1, 2024 Bruce Ingram

On August 9-12, the next NDA Deer Steward 2 course will be held, this time at the Fraley family farm and at the Preserve at Crooked Run in Botetourt County, Virginia. The approximately 10,000-acre contiguous…

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How to Use Growing-Season Fire in Hardwoods for Better Deer Habitat

Apr 24, 2024 Craig Harper and Mark Turner

More land managers are using fire to manage habitat for deer and other wildlife today than at any time in the past century. And for good reason. There is no other tool that can improve…

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Book Review – Guidebook for Prescribed Burning in the Southern Region

Mar 26, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

To learn to use prescribed fire for deer habitat management, there’s no substitute for participation in a well-run burn. Reading about fire, taking an indoor training course, and even watching videos won’t fully prepare you…

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Prescribed Fire Near Power Lines Could Zap Your Wallet

Feb 16, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

When you’re writing a prescribed fire plan for your hunting land and considering all the sensitive nearby areas that should be protected from smoke and flame, don’t forget power lines. Mixing fire with electrical lines…

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Avoid Prescribed Fire Injuries With These Tips from a Physician and Woodland Firefighter

Jan 24, 2024 Lindsay Thomas Jr.

In the checklist of things you do to prepare for conducting prescribed fire on your hunting land, I had never included anything related to first aid, physical fitness or personal health and safety – until…

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