Disturbing Wildlife While Land Clearing.

[Oleozz]

About seven years ago I had a ridge bulldozed to clear some Douglas Fir. I decided recently to put the 7 or 8 piles of old trees into just two big piles so I could burn them on a rainy day. I had seen rabbits around the piles but never any turkey although we have many turkey on our farm. While moving one pile I noticed something light colored under a cedar tree close to the downed trees. I hopped off the tractor and there was a nest of 13 turkey eggs. The eggs were cold and I have a feeling the turkey hen was long gone, hopefully she will renest and start another brood. Sometimes in our haste to make things "pretty" we maybe do more harm than good, at least from the aspect of good habitat and cover for wildlife.

 

[Oleozz]

Here is a pic of the hillside that I'm clearing, the turkey nest was close to this pile of fir trees.

 

[jfh28]

I make piles of brush/limbs throughout our woods for habitat cover. Sure beats hauling it out! I have noticed that if you provide good settings for small animals this will attract larger animals. This past year we had a large rabbit population and noticed during the past winter we had more red fox and bobcat tracks than usual. Even spotted them occasionally in the early morning hours.

This year I am going to learn what specific animals like for their habitat and see if we can attract certain critters.

Jack

 

[40Kchicks]

About ten years ago I was deer hunting. It was getting warm and everything had bedded down for the day so I climbed up on a slash pile and was taking in some of the scenery when I heard a noise below me. I figured it was a couple of birds upset with me for disturbing them when slowly a spike deer walked out of the pile about 5 feet directly below my feet. My tag was for a fork or better so I just enjoyed watching him meander off. I had disturbed him but he never looked directly up and spooked.

Eric

 

[redlevel]

One big reason we don't have many Bobwhite Quail in the South anymore is because good Bob habitat isn't "pretty." In fact, it is actually pretty ragged. Here is some good Bob cover.

I got up a covey of wild quail there twice last fall and winter. Most small game likes early successional cover: that is, plants that come along the first three or four years after soil is disturbed. Good quail habitat is also good rabbit cover. This is the third year since the ground in the picture was disturbed. Some of the large dead stems are what's left of ragweed, an excellent plant for quail. Next Spring I'll harrow that part of the field and plant something like milo or millet.

Here is a brushpile made this Winter that I'll probably leave for habitat. The pointers are on some released quail that got under the privet bushes.

That brushpile is on the edge of about a five acre field, and there are a couple more that I'll leave in the field. As you might have guessed, quail habitat has become my hobby.

 

[Oleozz]

Great looking pointers, I bet you never got those birds flushed from the looks of that tangle.
I try to do as much as I can for the wildlife and will be involved in the WHIP program this coming year. We are going to plant switch grass and hope to create some nice fields like you have in your first pic.
We don't live in ideal quail country but when I was a kid I knew where there were five coveys within 2 miles of our house. We had pheasants everywhere but they are long gone along with most of the suitable cover for them.

 

[Asymtave]

After I bought my land I asked the state forestry guy to take a walk in the woods with me. Lots of good advice but he also advised that I leave dead trees stand. In particular there is a large Cottonwood that is no use to me. He preferred that I kill it in place and leave it for the animals to use. "The (State) Wildlife guys love that s#!t!."

As far as the tops/limbs I just put them in big piles as well. No use burning or chipping - they'll return to the soil fast enough and provide shelter in the meantime.

Round here the return of hawks, eagles, and coyotes have just about wiped out small game it seems. I suppose it could be a habitat thing too. I guess back in the day small game hunters would shoot predators that they felt were competition. So just as well that not many guys small game hunt anymore.

Plenty of squirrels in the woods though. Can't wait until August.