Questions for developing, sustaining wildlife addressed

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

June 12, 2003 -- Wondering where the quail are in East Texas? Do you know how many acres it takes for a covey of quail to thrive? What about the home range for a doe or buck? Ever question how many acres it takes for a whitetail to sustain life?

These questions were answered during a recent wildlife field day at the Point-N-Rise Ranch near Marshall.

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Biologist Bobby Eichler, the loss of quail population is often attributed to fire ants, but equally key is the loss of nesting habitat.

"Farmers have eliminated the nesting habitat by burning and mowing their bunch grass and dead (grass) growth in the field," Eichler said.

To answer the quail question above, it takes 40 acres for just one covey of quail to thrive. Quail also need food, cover, water and space for a good habitat.

The May 27 event was sponsored by the Harrison County Extension office as a way to explain how landowners to manage their property for different species of wildlife.

Brian Hill, Harrison County Extension agent, told the audience three different aspects of managing land: preservation, conservation, and management standpoint.

Preservation, according to Hill, would be to leave the land alone. Conservation is to use the resources wisely, and from a management standpoint, there are a broad array of practices, such as to increase populations (of animals) or decrease populations.

Once a landowner utilizes the three different aspects, and the land is available for wildlife activities, Hill said.

Many landowners are interested in developing their land for wildlife, namely, according to Hill, because "people are willing to pay to hunt, fish, etcetera."

"So where do you begin," Hill asked. "You take inventory. Ask yourself, do you have the (necessary amount of) land? What species are currently on the land? What is the land suitable for?"

Then there is the question of "where do I get the money?" There are programs, such as a cost/share program, available through the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). The NRCS can provided assistance through the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) or the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). The agency can also make recommendations for wildlife habitat management.

When it comes to the animal populations, Eichler said a landowner can help them by planting a food plot for supplemental feeding.

How many acres do you plant for deer?

Eichler said, "Between 2 and 5 percent of the total land. For example, if you have 1,000 acres, and you plant 3 percent, that would be 30 acres. Of the 30 acres, plant 60 percent in a spring food plot and 40 percent for the fall/winter food plot."

The answers for the deer questions are: It takes one-eighth of an acre of food to sustain a deer's life and the home range for a doe is 60 to 400 acres, for a buck it is 240 to 880 acres.

Wondering what to plant in the food plot? Some suggestions presented at the field day were wheat, oats, clover and elbon rye for deer. Turkeys will eat millet, Egyptian wheat and pearl millet.

"Food plots are not the silver bullet," Eichler said, "just a part of good management."