Habitat Management & Home Range Original Power Point Created by: Andy Harrison Modified by the GA Agriculture Education Curriculum Office July 2002

Habitat Components Three requirements for Whitetails: Brush Cover Water Deer thrive in areas of natural disturbance This habit was well understood by American Indians Disturbances include: tornadoes, fires, and hurricanes Disturbances allow for new growth

Browse Natural Succession Succession: a stepwise, unidirectional process in which one ecological community prepares the way for and is replaced by another. Example: destruction of old growth forest prepares way for new growth  Plants that were not growing now have the opportunity to grow.

Cover Allows deer to remain hidden until darkness In northern climates allows for protection from the elements In hotter climates provides shade from the sun

Water Some believe a half gallon of water is required per day Important for digestive processes Sources: Ponds Streams Succulent vegetation Water needs to be available within ½ mile distance

Arrangement of Components Edge Interspersion

Brush Also called “browse” Whitetail usually prefer “forbs” weeds More palatable and nutritious Not available throughout year Production tied to rainfall Browse is always present May not be equal to forbs in nutrition but is a consistent source of food

Browse ( Brush ) Includes baby trees and shrubs Deer pick and choose plants that provide optimum nutrition Quality determined by: Plant species Time of year Age of plants Rainfall Light reaching forest floor

Edge Occurs when the needs for certain types of food and cover come together For example, where the edges meet

Types of Edge Inherent – natural transition between habitat types, includes: Transition from upland to bottom land Interface between forest and lakes Drastic soil type changes

Types of Edge Induced Edge – occurs after the actions of man have changed the forest Clear-cut forest adjacent to uncut forest Soft Edge – overlap between two entirely different habitat types Brush type plants between forest and fields

Edge Species The whitetail is an “edge species” - the amount of edge affects both the quality and quantity of the deer on the property.

Interspersion How the habitat is arranged on the landscape Corners – where three or more habitat types meet Corners are the #1 place to harvest deer

Openings Openings provide high quality forbs and cool season grasses Optimum size - greater than five acres is less attractive to deer Shape - a long narrow power line or pipeline opening regardless of size

Opening Size - maximum distance across should not exceed 100 yards In daylight, deer are reluctant to venture out of cover. 10% of management area should be maintained as permanent openings Must be mowed annually; usually late summer Must be fertilized in spring with a balanced fertilizer In the summer, apply ammonium nitrate

Standard Management Practices Planned disturbances: Fire Mechanical Herbicide

Fire Wild – occur either through man’s carelessness or naturally occurring (such as in the case of a lightning strike) Prescribed – well planned; least expensive disturbance compared to mechanical and herbicide Best to perform late winter or early spring – minimizes impact on new vegetation

Fire Interval between burns depends on soil and climate Dry climates – less frequently Wetter areas or heavier rainfall areas – more frequently Site index – soil’s ability to grow trees  High index equals a greater potential to grow forage

Basic Rules Never burn at interval less than every other year When in doubt, burn when woody vegetation is between 4 & 6 feet Firebreaks - should be 12 ft or more Permanent firebreaks are useful for supplemental feeding Do not burn adjacent areas in same season

Additional Benefits of Burning Keeps vegetation in reach of deer Releases nutrients Produces new succulent growth sprouts

Disadvantages to Burning Public sentiment – may lead to restrictions Smoke – particularly near highways or metropolitan areas Must have adequate sunlight reaching ground

Thinning Timber Allows sunlight to reach forest floor Basal area – total area within an acre covered by trunks of trees Must maintain 70 – 80 sq. feet per acre of basal area Intensive forestlands – 150 sq. feet per acre can have no forage

Intermediate Treatments Aimed at maintaining cover production as succession proceeds Example: maintaining growth of feed stuffs until the main replacement forage grows in.

Mast Production & Wildlife Stand Improvement Not all hardwoods are alike: Some better than others Distribution is important Some are sporadic and unreliable

Factors That Influence Mast Diversity of mast producing species White oaks Red oaks Age of stand production – usually 25+ years Density of trees - crowded crowns are the low producers Site fertility and index Recent fruiting habits

Fertilization Has positive effect on native forage Adds phosphorous & nitrogen Soil test to check pH should be performed Can add lime if necessary Apply fertilizer to: Road sides Permanent openings

Streamside Connection Evolved in association with drainage Makes excellent landmarks for travel Early travelers navigated along rivers Deer stay closer to drainages in the summer and fall and farther away in the spring and winter

Streamside Management Zones Also known as SMZ’s They are treated as separate management zones

Home Range Estimates Determined by focusing on movement habits in your house Can be determined by grid mapping of movement Core Activity range – a well defined area of routine activity or movement

Home Range Size Can range from 100 acres to several thousand Buck’s range size is often 2X larger than doe’s Home range maximizes in the fall and during the rut season Home range size increases as animal becomes older The land required is dictated by the deer but also by management objectives

Application of Habitat Size of management area Food plots – 1-5% of area Cover – 30% of area Permanent openings – 10% of area The rest of the area should be for food production Timber Range management Mast Production