Good Hunting Starts At Proper Management Systems

By Author: Matt David
Total Articles: 44
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Hunting all over the world has become hugely popular and a multi-million dollar industry in, for example, the Southeast in states known for the hunting opportunities they offer, right from white-tail deer hunting in Alabama’s Black Belt to different wing-shooting and turkey hunting opportunities in the region.

The industry has also developed into one where good hunting destinations are, these days, more easily discerned from those that offer sub-standard experiences and prey that do not meet the hunters’ expectations. This is often achieved when landowners leave the management responsibilities of those tracts they want to offer the hunting public, to a service such as a wildlife manager, or a management consultant that has the knowledge and expertise to ensure the land is maximized for hunting.

This is achieved only by having proper systems and management principles in place. Only one good management plans are in place to ensure there is a perfect balance between the size of the herds on a tract of land and the habitat in terms of what water and forage it offers the animals, can a landowner feel confident ...
... that they will attract hunters to their land – hunters that will return in the future, hunters that will then help them market their hunting leases because of a good experience.

Without good, well-managed habitat, great prey is not a given. In fact, without good systems in place, there is every chance that animal populations may dwindle, they may not be in good condition – and hunters may come away disappointed.

A good wildlife management service will help the landowner manage their lands according to the latest, technologically advanced methods that consider all aspects to ensure quality animals on the lands where they are raised. These services offer the knowledge and expertise to help improve habitat conditions for the deer by ensuring that, for example, a good mix of forest, woodlands, crops and open fields where animals have access to good food, vegetation and cover, as well as water during each season, are available.

In these conditions animals are likely to remain in good condition, deliver healthy offspring and be attractive for hunters that often pay good money for the opportunity to leave with quality deer and other prey. Good land managers have the time and experience which landowners may lack, as they may be concentrating their efforts on other aspects – or they may be absent as they do not always live on their land.

The manager starts at an assessment or by evaluating existing habitat conditions to identify those shortcomings that need to be addressed to improve habitat and, resultantly, the quality of the deer and/other animals.

There are various ways to implement improvement, for example, timber harvesting as timber often forms an important part of the income of land tracts where deer are found, timber stand improvement or managing forests so that deer has habitat offering them good vegetation, water and cover for themselves and their offspring.
Very often technology such as aerial photographs helps, also spending enough time by walking and driving around the land, taking notes and keeping worksheets with information that can be used in terms of how habitat can be managed for maximum success in raising good buck and doe.

Look at the availability of, for example, warm-season grass as a percentage of the habitat, study the legumes available, small grains, perennial grasses and grazing intensity. These, and other, issues are important to help ensure great habitat and does not happen overnight: a good management company knows what to look for and how to implement the systems that will indeed support a habitat conducive to raising quality prey for the hunt.

Experienced managers employ personnel with knowledge about the best forage and water sources for the animals, they are in the best position to develop a management plan that will support the development of good deer and other wildlife on one’s land. It starts with evaluating current conditions and then deciding about what improvements should be made to sustain a good habitat for the animals the hunters are after.

Most often a good management consultancy is a good start.

About Us:

At Westervelt Wildlife we manage more than 600, 000 acres of hunting leases across a few states in the southeast of the United States in conjunction with our main activity, which is timber production. Our expertise allows us to manage our activities to incorporate good management capabilities with high-quality wildlife practices and excellent hunting opportunities for the enthusiast. We have been known for many years for the hunting leases we offer and the wildlife services that we believe form the backbone of proper, responsible hunting activities. We are proud of our history and the ethical behaviours are known for in terms of the land and wildlife that we are responsible for. For more about us, please visit https://westerveltwildlife.com/.