What do you all consider to be the most beneficial management practices for the turkey flocks? I am speaking of small farms 100 acres or less. Other than leaving nesting areas growed up. Also have often wondered how Twra takes into account the number of turkeys killed each year from farming. It seems that the birds are hatching out later and later each year .every year it seems that I kill 4-5 hens on the nest when I am mowing hay and this is in early June .
-
Help Support TNDeer:
Turkey management??
- Thread starter rthayes
- Start date
Setterman
Well-Known Member
I think lots of birds are lost each year to early hay cutting, but there's really not much that can be done. As far as management, try to create open areas for bugging, roosting areas, and shelter cover (pines). Varying habitats seem to benefit them more then anything else. Also predator management (coyotes, Bobcats, skunks, and coons) is very important.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Practically speaking, it is just not cost effective to manage farms for wild game. The yield that you have to give up from crops/ hay/ grazing pasture to convert to habitat for game would cost you a small fortune.
IF you don't need any income from your farm but would like a small return, I'd convert your fescue hay pastures into native warm season grasses and ensure you have at least one pond (or other year-round water source) per 100 acres. Warm season grasses are cut in July, yield a high protein hay (although significantly less tonnage per acre than fescue) and provide excellent nesting cover and food for all sorts of wild game.
IF I needed more income, but could forfeit 20% production, I would replant only the outer 15-20 yards of my fields in warm season grasses, or at least allow them to go fallow and bushhog (or cut overly mature hay) once annually in the late summer.
but if you are like most farmers, the cost of land and the narrow profit margins precludes not taking advange of every single acre of usable ground.
IF you don't need any income from your farm but would like a small return, I'd convert your fescue hay pastures into native warm season grasses and ensure you have at least one pond (or other year-round water source) per 100 acres. Warm season grasses are cut in July, yield a high protein hay (although significantly less tonnage per acre than fescue) and provide excellent nesting cover and food for all sorts of wild game.
IF I needed more income, but could forfeit 20% production, I would replant only the outer 15-20 yards of my fields in warm season grasses, or at least allow them to go fallow and bushhog (or cut overly mature hay) once annually in the late summer.
but if you are like most farmers, the cost of land and the narrow profit margins precludes not taking advange of every single acre of usable ground.
Already leave the 20yd strip around edges of fields to grow up. Other types of grasses wouldn't be an option as I rely on the current fescue and clover for livestock pasture/hay and replanting would be too expensive. We have really seen the turkey population double if not triple in my area ( Cumberland plateau) in the last 3-5 years and would like to continue to see them thrive.
MickThompson
Well-Known Member
If you are serious, get in touch with a biologist that can tailor a plan to your property and agricultural production practices. They can help you put the "other" acres (forest, for example) on your farm to work for wildlife with minimal investment on your part. There are even programs available to assist landowners with installing them.
If I could only do 1 practice, it would be burning. Burning in August - March creates excellent strutting areas, and even better brood cover as the burned area greens up. Fescue pastures are pretty sorry brood cover, but the birds use the because little else besides wide open woods with no understory is available. Active timber management (thinning, proper harvest) can also be used to increase nesting and brooding cover while enhancing roosting areas and mast production. Give the birds a good place to conceal their nest besides where you plan to mow.
NWSG forage can be of benefit, but they generally aren't cut much later, just at much higher quality than fescue cut because the fescue is growing seed/stalk vs leaf material. The NWSG will far outproduce fescue during the "summer slump" months as well when properly managed. Some of these grasses will grow 8' tall if left uncut. Another advantage is you don't have to fertilize them like you do fescue, orchardgrass, or bermudagrass. NWSG are very drought resistant as well. There is a trade off- you will have to give up 1-2 years of hay production while the NWSG is putting down a strong root system, but you will have some great brood cover during that time. Check out some of Pat Keyser's work at UT for more info on NWSG.
In a perfect world where you could do without the pasture/hay, I would spray it with round up in November and burn 1/3 - 1/2 each year. NWSG and broadleaf plants will germinate from the seed bank and provide all a turkey needs March - August. You could even use clover in the firebreaks.
If I could only do 1 practice, it would be burning. Burning in August - March creates excellent strutting areas, and even better brood cover as the burned area greens up. Fescue pastures are pretty sorry brood cover, but the birds use the because little else besides wide open woods with no understory is available. Active timber management (thinning, proper harvest) can also be used to increase nesting and brooding cover while enhancing roosting areas and mast production. Give the birds a good place to conceal their nest besides where you plan to mow.
NWSG forage can be of benefit, but they generally aren't cut much later, just at much higher quality than fescue cut because the fescue is growing seed/stalk vs leaf material. The NWSG will far outproduce fescue during the "summer slump" months as well when properly managed. Some of these grasses will grow 8' tall if left uncut. Another advantage is you don't have to fertilize them like you do fescue, orchardgrass, or bermudagrass. NWSG are very drought resistant as well. There is a trade off- you will have to give up 1-2 years of hay production while the NWSG is putting down a strong root system, but you will have some great brood cover during that time. Check out some of Pat Keyser's work at UT for more info on NWSG.
In a perfect world where you could do without the pasture/hay, I would spray it with round up in November and burn 1/3 - 1/2 each year. NWSG and broadleaf plants will germinate from the seed bank and provide all a turkey needs March - August. You could even use clover in the firebreaks.
String Music
Well-Known Member
MickThompson":6okwqf3a said:
I completely agree. Burning, thinning and creating opening areas (whether food plots or native browse) and the best.
String Music
Well-Known Member
Setterman":1yejdk1f said:
Varying habitats is definitely the key.
Woodsman10
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2015
- Messages
- 168
- Reaction score
- 30
I think nesting and brooding habitat is the biggest favor. Nwsg are best
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
Good points from the above posts; all great practices.
Not sure where in the state you're located so this may not be practical but we've felled countless cedar trees to create nesting sites...I mean hundreds of trees. Not only are they a solid improvement for nesting from the moment they fall but once light hits the ground all sorts of vegetation grows up through/around it...almost like a trellis and grapevine. Because cedar decomposes so slowly they'll provide years and years of great habitat.
Not sure where in the state you're located so this may not be practical but we've felled countless cedar trees to create nesting sites...I mean hundreds of trees. Not only are they a solid improvement for nesting from the moment they fall but once light hits the ground all sorts of vegetation grows up through/around it...almost like a trellis and grapevine. Because cedar decomposes so slowly they'll provide years and years of great habitat.
