Throughout the next few months, many people are going to be spending a lot of time in the forests for various hunting seasons including deer, bear, grouse, and turkey. Did you know that the success of your hunt may be impacted by how well the forest is being taken care of? Forest management is essential for good wildlife habitat management. Wildlife habitat management means providing the types of plant communities favorable to the wildlife species you prefer. The types of forest stands, their ages, and how they are arranged determines which wildlife species will benefit. This could require manipulating (cutting or planting) tree cover, mowing, food plots, and creating watering holes.
It is a common misconception that human intervention might harm or destroy wildlife habitat, so many people decide not to cut trees or disturb the land. However, this lack of action can actually result in habitat conditions that, in the long run, are unfavorable to the kinds of wildlife they are trying to benefit.
Forest management can keep the forest healthy and productive, while at the same time providing a diverse habitat for a variety of wildlife and producing timber. Depending on what kind of wildlife you are trying to attract, you may want a variety of grasses, shrubs, pole timber, and mature timber. Timber harvests provide forest products and economic return, but are also necessary to maintain healthy woodlands. In areas that are logged periodically, grouse and deer populations are higher now than in the past.
Whatever your wildlife habitat management needs are, our team at Steigerwaldt has years of experience to help you determine the best plan for your land now and for the future. Reach out to Dan Toivonen at [email protected] to learn more.
