Transcript Food Plots on MN DNR Lands Greg Hoch Prairie Habitat Team Supervisor “The central thesis of game management is this: game can be restored by.

Food Plots
on MN DNR Lands
Greg Hoch
Prairie Habitat Team Supervisor
“The central thesis of game management
is this: game can be restored by the
creative use of the same tools which
heretofore destroyed it – axe, plow, cow,
fire, and gun.” (Leopold 1933)
We are currently developing a new Directive and Best
Management Practices for food plots
Agriculture and wildlife management are constantly changing as is
the landscape
Need to periodically review our management
in light of new science, technology, and practices
pollinator issues in recent years
pollinator BMPs >> food plot BMPs
How can we use the best of both ag and wildlife to help
meet the DNR Mission?
We want to use agricultural practices, but in a way that most benefits
wildlife and won’t be detrimental to soil and water
While we are using the same agricultural tools, we have very
different objectives/goals
There’s not a lot of food out
there through the winter
Food Production for Wildlife Management
Isley (1993) – 4 purposes of food plots on DNR lands
1)
2)
3)
4)
Provide nutrition
Keep wildlife near cover
Reduce depredations on surrounding ag land
Provide recreation
Tranel, Bailey and Haroldson (2008) 7 function of food plots on DNR lands
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
Provide winter food
Providing food and loafing areas for migrants
Depredation abatements
Holding wildlife on public and for hunting or viewing
Grassland management
Reproductive habitat
1) Provide winter food for resident wildlife (pheasant, turkey, deer, elk)
maintain healthy body condition through the winter
enhance survival
2) Provide food and loafing areas for migrants (geese and ducks)
3) Depredation abatement (deer and waterfowl)
concentrate wildlife on WMAs to minimize crop damage on surrounding land
4) Hold wildlife on WMA
concentrate wildlife for hunting, photography, viewing
5) Aid in grassland management
firebreaks
6) Reproductive habitat
nesting for waterfowl, gamebirds, and songbirds
Food plots are very popular with many hunters
Food plots are also well liked by some wildlife
STATUTORY LANGUAGE
Subd. 8.State wildlife management area; purpose; resource and site
qualifications; administration.
(a) A state wildlife management area shall be established to protect those
lands and waters which have a high potential for wildlife production and to
develop and manage these lands and waters for the production of wildlife
Current Food Plot Practices
DNR Division of Wildlife
manages 1715 WMA Units
1,330,520 acres
33,280 acres in food plots
2.5% of area
Region
1 (Northwest)
2 (Northeast)
3 (Central)
4 (Southern)
TOTALS
GRAND TOTAL
CFA (acres /plots) Food Development
18408 (123)
621 (62)
399 (10)
0 (0)
4230 (77)
244 (53)
8529 (517)
849 (90)
31566 (727)
1714 (205)
33280 (932)
What are we growing
corn, soybeans, wheat primarily
In MN, 93% and 95% of corn and beans are GMO
Focal species
pheasants, deer, turkey, waterfowl, elk
recognize benefits to non-game species
Planting Methods
DNR staff
CFA – local producers plant food plots
as payment, they harvest 2/3 to ¾ of plot
Site Selection and Planning / Criteria for Food Plots
Look at WMA as well as surrounding lands
Is a food plot needed? To meet which objective(s)?
Where should they be within the WMA?
How large/small should they be?
use some calculations in combination with field observations
North Heron WMA
North Marsh MWA
Windom Work Area
Food Plot Review and Planning
Last week, DNR Commissioner signed Op Order 135 - CFAs
Area managers will review 30% of food plots annually on rotational
basis
At the same time, will review objectives for each plot and determine if
they are being met
Results may include:
1) Restoring some food plots to native vegetation
2) Shrinking some food plots
3) Expanding or adding food plots
4) Moving the food plot within the WMA
Any newly established food plots will use these same criteria and have
measurable objectives
PROPOSING
Phase out neonic or other insecticides (in line with USFWS and DNR FOR)
GMOs – reviewing EPA documents
USFWS and DNR For guidelines
Soil Health
cover cropping
no-till or most conservative conservation tillage methods
Fertilizers
what type, how much
healthy soils should eliminate much of the need for chem fertilizers
COVER CROPPING AND SOIL HEALTH
2015 year of soil – a good time to start this process
Well outside the comfort zone for wildlifers
lot of reading and talking to a lot of people
Cover crops
to date, always discussed in an agronomy context
how can we translate that to our wildlife goals?
Agronomy
1. Keep the soil covered as much as possible
2. Disturb the soil as little as possible
3. Keep plants growing throughout the year to feed the soil
4. Diversify as much as possible using crop rotation and cover crops
Wildlife
species that build soil health (soil carbon, microbial diversity, etc)
provide pollinator resource (flowers and flower phenology)
provide food resources for wildlife (fruit and seed)
don’t become invasive
We will have no conservation worthy of
the name until food and cover for wildlife
is deliberately instead of accidentally
provided for.
QUESTIONS?