Monday, December 8, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Huge Burleson County Buck
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
"Cat Squirrels"
Gray squirrels are scientifically classified in the Order Rodentia along with porcupines, rats, mice, beavers, and other gnawing mammals. Their scientific name is Sciurus carolinensis although they are more commonly known as “cat squirrels” because of their agile movements and nervousness which resembles that of a cat. The gray squirrel is a medium-sized squirrel with dark yellowish rusty upper parts, especially on the head and back. The legs, arms, sides of neck, and sides of rump have gray-tipped or white-tipped hairs, giving these parts a gray appearance. Hairs of the tail are dull yellow at the base, then blackish, and tipped with white. The belly is white and ears have a conspicuous white spot at base in the winter. The gray squirrel averages 18 inches in total length with a tail averaging about 8 inches. Adults weigh between 11 and 21 ounces. Cat squirrels are highly gregarious and noisy. When the woods are otherwise quiet and still, these squirrels can be heard “cutting” acorns and constantly “barking”. The voice is described as being a c-h-u-c-k c-h-u-c-k c-h-u-c-k repeated rapidly and followed by a buzz and finished with a grunt. When one squirrel is alarmed, it will sound a warning “bark” as if to instruct the others to remain quiet until the danger has passed.
In Texas, gray squirrels’ native range is confined to the eastern 1/3 of the state. Within this range, they are confined to the river and creek bottoms. They make their homes in large, forested areas of mature hardwoods where the canopy is dense enough to permit them to leap from tree to tree through the crowns, without descending to the ground. Optimum habitat includes a mixture of mature hardwoods including oak, sweetgum, pecan, hickory, beech, and elm with an understory of mulberry, hornbeam, yaupon, huckleberry, and holly. As with most wildlife species, habitats with greater variety of trees, shrubs, and vines are home to a greater number of squirrels.
Although young gray squirrels may be found anytime of year, there are 2 main breeding periods – winter and summer. With a gestation period of 42-44 days, most young are born in February-March and August-September. Litter sizes vary from 1-4 young per litter. Young are born naked, blind, and deaf, without any teeth. They are completely dependent on their mother until they gradually grow teeth and hair and their eyes and ears are opened. At 14 weeks of age, they become independent of the mother. Gray squirrels prefer to raise their young in tree cavities 20-30 feet above the ground. During the summer or where tree cavities are limited, adults may bring forth young in leaf nests carefully constructed of twigs and leaves and lined with shredded bark, plant fibers, and grasses. There are usually 2 openings to these nests. Nests are used throughout the year as resting places and for refuge. They are strongly built to withstand wind and rain.
Gray squirrels spend tireless hours obtaining food both for now and later. Their primary food source is hard mast such as acorns, pecans, and hickory nuts so they must bury these items when available in the fall and uncover them throughout the year. Other food items included in their diet include: fruits of yaupon, hawthorn, blackberry, mulberry, and grape; maple and elm buds; moth and butterfly larvae; fungi; and grass seeds. To maintain proper body condition a gray squirrel must consumer 0.2lb of food per day. According to one calculation, it would take 7 water oaks and 15 red oaks to produce enough acorns to feed 2 squirrels for a year. This calculation does not take into account the competition these squirrels have with deer, fox squirrels, raccoons, opossum, woodpeckers, flickers, bluejays, flying squirrels, crows, rats, mice, and feral hogs for these same acorns. As a result, it is vitally important to the existence of gray squirrel populations that forests be managed to maintain an abundance of mature, mast producing oaks and pecans.
Land fragmentation, timber harvest, and competition with increasing populations of white-tailed deer and feral hogs in the river and creek bottoms of east Texas pose a real threat to gray squirrels. Many whom have childhood memories of hunting gray squirrels in the woods behind their parent’s or grandparent’s homes have given up the sport in pursuit of more productive endeavors because of reduced squirrel populations in recent years. Mature hardwoods have been cleared or thinned to make room for home sites, subdivisions, roads, or for profit from timber harvest. However, where dense stands of mature oaks and pecans remain in and along the river bottoms, gray squirrels thrive - especially after a good mast producing fall like we experienced in 2007. When clearing timber on your property, remember the cat squirrels and other creatures that rely on the acorns for food and the natural cavities for den sites. When sitting in the woods, hunting deer, hogs, or ducks, take a minute to recognize the barks of cat squirrels and their constant feeding activity accentuated by nervous movements and agile leaps from treetop to treetop.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Another Notable Harvest
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Great Local Deer!
If you have pictures that you would like posted on this blog, please send them to harveywma@gmail.com. Unless you want to be recognized, specifics about the location of deer pictured will be kept anonymous.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Aging Bucks on the Hoof
- Young deer have: (1) long legs, (2) long, thin necks, (3) high flanks, (4) rumps higher than their shoulders, and (5) an overall slim, dainty appearance
- Middle-aged deer have: (1) thick, muscular necks, (2) heavily muscled round hind quarters, (3) bellies that are full, but not sagging, (4) legs that appear proportional to their torsos, (5) flat backs that do not sway
- Old deer have: (1) swayed backs, (2) "pot-bellies" which lack musculature, (3) heavy necks and shoulders, and (4) legs that appear short and stubby
Friday, September 26, 2008
Introduce Someone To Hunting This Fall!
The benefits of introducing someone to hunting are many. The greatest, to me, is the enjoyment of watching and listening as the birds, frogs, squirrels, rabbits, deer, and hogs come alive in response to the sunrise or nestle down for the night as the sun sets. The thrill and excitement as the targeted game presents itself and the shooting skills of the hunter are tested remain unrivalled. Life lessons such as patience, self control, and obedience to rules are easily taught and learned through hunting. Assuming a kill, one learns how to extract roasts, steaks, and sausage from the legs, ribs, or backs of wild animals. Lessons in land management and the importance of population control are learned first hand. Additionally, someone who has experienced ethical hunting will likely go from feelings of indifference (which can easily be swayed to opposition) to feelings of support for the activity. Even if they do not become an avid hunter, creating a supporter of hunting is vitally important to the future of hunting in our state and nation. As a hunter, the enjoyment of sharing in the excitement of someone’s first harvest is second only to your own.
I recently had the opportunity to introduce someone to hunting. This time it was a college buddy of mine who grew up in a non-hunting family in Houston. I took him to the shooting range where I taught him about proper gun handling and safety, followed by a little target practice. The next day, I had the thrill of taking him on his first feral hog hunt. At 31 years old, he was still so excited that he barely slept the night before; I, too, was almost giddy as I remembered back to my first hunts. If you are a hunter, please take a youth or adult who has never hunted before into the woods with you this fall. If you would like to take someone hunting, but don’t know any non-hunters, call me and I will line you up with an eager Texas A&M student . If you own land but aren’t a hunter, ask a trusted hunter to invite a new recruit to hunt on your property. If you have never been hunting and would like to experience it first hand, ask a fellow Harvey WMA member to take you. I promise you won’t regret it!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
From March to May, ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate from Mexico and Central America to and through Texas. They store up fat reserves and increase their body weight by as much as 50% before migrating across the Gulf of Mexico in as few as 18 hours. They can show up in our yards, literally, overnight. Some will follow the bloom of spring flowers and insect hatches northward to their breeding grounds in the northeastern U.S. and southern Canada. They leave their northern breeding grounds as early as July and as late as December in Texas. Males lead both the northern and southern migration.
Similar to most bird species, the females bear the responsibility of building nests, laying eggs, and caring for the young. They build a walnut-sized nest of spider silk, lichens, and plant down. These well-built nests can even be reused the following year. This nest holds two pea-sized eggs which the female will incubate for 12-16 days. Young are fed regurgitated nectar, spiders, and insects for about 10 days. Multiple broods may be raised each year, and hummingbirds can live as long as 12 years.
Adult male ruby-throats have an emerald green back, iridescent ruby red throat that may appear black under some lighting conditions, and a forked tail without white tips. Adult females are larger than males with an emerald green back, white breast and throat, and a rounded tail with white tips. Young of both sexes look like the adult female. These amazing birds weigh only 1/8th to 1/7th of an ounce. They can fly backwards, sideways, up, down, and even upside down for short distances. Their normal heart rate of 650 beats per minute (bpm) increases to 1,250bpm during flight. While hovering, their wings beat up to 80 times per second. The energy needed to maintain this high level of activity is provided by nectar, small insects, and spiders which they feed on 50-60 times per day. Nectar is lapped (not sucked) from plants and artificial feeders using their tubular tongue which extends well past the tip of their bill.
These fascinating little birds can provide excellent wildlife viewing as males try to defend the feeder from intruding hummers, multiple birds at a time will hover around the feeder, waiting for an opportunity to swoop in for a drink of the sugar water, they chirp and chatter as if scolding each other for taking too long, and chasing each other around the yard like young children playing tag. Even more intriguing to me than watching their behavior around the feeder, is watching them feed on their natural food sources of althea, honeysuckle, salvia, zinnia, and lantana. Recently, I even had one make several charges out of the elm tree I was dove hunting under as if to run me away from its territory.
Friday, July 25, 2008
What will the Harvey WMA accomplish next?
- Established a set of bylaws
- Acquired nonprofit corporation status from the Secretary of State's office
- Established a permanent mailing address
- Opened a bank account which now has a balance of more than $1,000
- Hosted a prescribed burn workshop where attendees learned about the benefits and techniques of prescribed burning
- Grown to more than 40 paid members representing more than 16,000 acres of land
- Created poster-size maps of all properties represented by HWMA members available for viewing at all HWMA functions
- Held a membership meeting where nearly 30 members enjoyed fajitas, beverages, a presentation on local habitat conditions, and instruction on how to age deer using the jawbone method
None of this would have been possible without the leadership of Dennis Rother, Leon Williamson, and Judy Riley. These individuals have invested many hours of their time and their own resources over the past 12 months because they felt strongly about taking care of our natural resources and the positive effects of working together as a group to accomplish this. These individuals have laid the foundation for Harvey WMA to accomplish even more for conservation and its members in the coming year.
It's now time for a new board of directors (officers). It's time for other members to step up and contribute to the Harvey WMA. If you believe that we can more effectively manage the lands of eastern Brazos County by working together, you enjoy sociallizing with your neighbors and other like-minded landowners, and you want to learn more about how to improve the quality of your property for wildlife, I'm convinced you're more than qualified to be the President, Secretary, or Treasurer of the Harvey WMA. As a member of the board of directors, you'll help plan at least 2 general meetings and 1 field day/workshop/activity, keep the membership roster updated, deposit checks and keep financial records updated, correspond with members through this blog, and use your enthusiasm and individual talents to help the Harvey WMA accomplish its mission. If you are willing to assist with these tasks by serving on the board of directors from August '08 through August '09, please let me or the current Board of Directors know before the August 28th meeting. If you are considering it, but would like more information about serving on the board of directors, please write harveywma@gmail.com . Dennis, Leon, and Judy will be relieved of their duties August 28th and the Harvey WMA cannot continue without your help!
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Hunt Texas Online Connection - July Link of the Month
Monday, July 7, 2008
Post Oak Savannah or Post Oak Thicket?
Brazos County lies completely within the Post Oak Savannah Ecoregion. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines a savannah as “a temperate grassland with scattered trees (as oaks)”. According to Wikipedia, the term savannah originally came from a Native American word describing "land which is without trees but with much grass either tall or short" and by the late 1800s it was used to mean "land with both grass and trees". It now refers to land with grass and either scattered trees or an open canopy of trees. Savannahs are often a transition between forests and prairies. They support a tremendous number of plant and animal species.
Much of the lands we own and manage in Brazos County today are in a condition much different from the savannahs of 100 years ago. Grasslands dotted with post oaks have been replaced by large blocks of bermuda pastures and dense woodlands. Historically, regularly occurring grass fires and periodic grazing created environmental conditions favorable for the growth of annual forbs and perennial grasses of the savannah ecosystem. When these conditions were altered by fire suppression, introduction of exotic grasses, and year-round grazing by domestic livestock, the process of succession took affect.
Succession is the process in which the same area is successively occupied by different communities over time. Through the process of succession, bare ground [created by strip-mining, land leveling, or river deposited sand bar] will, over the course of tens, hundreds, or thousands of years develop into a stable climax community of perennial [woody] plants and trees. In the absence of fire and periodic grazing, the grassland savannahs of Brazos County and surrounding areas have developed into shrub-woodlands. As a result, bobwhite quail, eastern wild turkey, Houston toad, and other desirable wildlife species have disappeared. A recent study described a post oak savannah site which in the early 1800s documented more than 28 bird species and 300 plant species. In year 2000, after undergoing the same land use changes occurring in the Brazos County area, that same piece of property recorded only 4 bird species and less than 25 plant species.
There is good news! In his 1933 textbook titled Game Management, Aldo Leopold, the father of wildlife management, stated that “…game can be restored by the creative use of the same tools which have heretofore destroyed it - ax, plow, cow, fire, and gun." In other words, activities such as mowing and cutting (ax), disking (plow), grazing (cow), prescribed burning (fire), and/or hunting (gun) can be used to return the yaupon infested woodlots and weed-controlled hay pastures to grasslands with an open canopy of trees.
Although deer and birds will eat leaves, twigs, and berries of yaupon, dense woodlots provide travel corridors for deer movements in a highly fragmented landscape, and some bird and mammal species prefer dense woodlands to an open canopy, overall plant and animal diversity increases with the removal of yaupon, elm, and eastern redcedar from the understory of your wooded properties. Thinning or removing these woody plants will allow more sunlight to reach the ground, promote grass and weed production, and allow for forest regeneration. Additional benefits include decreased erosion and increased ground water re-charge. Remember, except for the creek and river bottoms, your property used to be a savannah which supported hundreds of plant and animal species which are absent from the yaupon crowded woodlots of today.
Stay tuned for recommended methods of removing nuisance understory brush and increasing diversity on your property.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Wildlife Photos from Coyote Stars Ranch
Special thanks to Leon Williamson for submitting some great wildlife pictures from his Coyote Stars Ranch. If you would like to share photos from your Harvey WMA property, please send them to harveywma@gmail.com
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Wetland Construction and Management (Part 2)
Wetland management techniques focus on manipulating water levels to have desired effects on wetland plant communities. Wetlands are dynamic systems. Therefore, wetland management must also be dynamic and often requires professionals to identify the individual and changing management needs of a wetland. Management is a continuous, variable, and dynamic process. However, the basic techniques of wetland management are relatively straight forward. The goal of wetlands designed the way I’ve described in this post is to grow annual plants which will produce large amounts of seeds that provide a valuable food source to many wildlife species, especially dabbling ducks such as mallards, wigeon, gadwall, and teal. Annual plants respond favorably to wetlands which gradually dry out during the spring and summer months and to soils that are periodically disturbed. Therefore, water level manipulation and disking are the 2 most common and useful wetland management tools.
In our part of the state, the most beneficial time to begin releasing water from a wetland is late winter to early spring when soil temperatures reach about 60 degrees F. Valuable plants such as pink smartweed respond favorably to this early drawdown. However, if drawdown is delayed until mid-spring to early summer, desirable plants such as barnyard grass will grow rapidly. Regardless of the timing of drawdown, drawdown should be made slowly, often taking up to 1-2 months to completely drain.
Once the wetland is dry, mowing and burning can control undesirable plants such as cocklebur, sumpweed, or sesbania and encourage more beneficial food plants. Mowing and burning can also reduce heavy stands of rushes, sedges, and other species that can take over an area and crowd out other plants. Once monocultures and undesirable plants become established, mowing and burning will become only temporary fixes and require follow up treatments at least once a year. Disking can also be used to reduce perennial species and increase seed producing annuals. Disking is usually only recommended every 3-4 years.
With proper water level manipulation and soil disturbance, an abundance of native plants and seeds can be produced to attract migratory waterfowl. This method is recommended over planting crops such as corn, milo, soybeans, and rice. However, if a crop is desired, choose Japanese millet. The first step in growing Japanese millet is to obtain a soil analysis for the area to be planted. Contact NRCS or the Texas AgriLife Extension county offices for assistance submitting and interpreting results. Disk and harrow to prepare a good seedbed. Blend the seed with the fertilizer and broadcast over the field at a rate of 20lbs/ac. Because Japanese millet can produce mature seed in 60 days, it is recommended to plant from July 1 to August 15 so that the seeds are mature as late as possible prior to the first frost. An alternative seeding method for Japanese millet is to delay drawdown until mid- or late summer and then quickly reduce the water level to expose wet mudflats. Then broadcast the seed and fertilizer at the same rate as above. If you plan to hunt near of over this wetland, be sure to check with a local game warden to be sure you are not illegally baiting ducks through this practice.
At some point, your wetland will be invaded by nuisance plants and animals that should be reduced or eliminated. Cocklebur, sumpweed, and sesbania respond favorably to rapid drawdown in the summer. While a slow drawdown in the late winter and early spring can help to minimize these nuisance plants, mowing or herbicide treatment may be necessary to reduce or eliminate them. Once detected, these plants should be treated quickly to avoid seed production which will increase problems in subsequent years. Because willow or cattail cannot withstand competition, these pest plants are best avoided by producing desirable plants on bare moist soil in late spring or early summer. Since there is often an abundance of bare moist in the first year of a new wetland unit, it may be necessary to plant Japanese millet or other beneficial plant to keep willow and cattail from establishing.
Beavers can be expected to occupy your wetland project. Beavers often plug water control structure and/or burrow into levees. To keep beavers from plugging your structure, place a pen constructed of cattle panel or similar material around the control structure. Although beavers may still stack material along the fence, it is much easier to remove debris along a fence than it is in a control structure. Nutria are fast reproducing herbivores that can become quickly overpopulated and destroy vegetation within a wetland. They will also clog control structures and burrow into levees. Every attempt should be made to remove nutria from your wetland unit. Feral hogs will also do extensive damage to levees and wetland areas. Hogs should be trapped and shot whenever possible to protect the investment you’ve made in your wetland project.
Remember, wetlands are more than just a place to duck hunt. The collective efforts of creating, restoring, and enhancing wetlands on your properties will have a tremendous impact on water quality and quantity and wildlife habitats.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Wetland Construction and Management (Part 1)
Many people see wetlands as “wastelands” or as areas suitable only for snakes, alligators, and mosquitoes. Wetlands, however, provide many important ecological functions as well as recreational and aesthetic functions to those who learn to recognize them. Wetlands help regulate the climate, provide flood and erosion control, store and recycle nutrients, protect water quality, provide wildlife habitat, and provide recreational hunting and wildlife viewing opportunities. Many of these functions are enhanced on wetlands that are closely tied to a river system and waterfowl travel corridor like those of the Harvey WMA. Many of you have the opportunity to create, restore, or enhance wetlands on your property, and I hope the remainder of this post will provide you with the basic tools needed to begin.
The first step to a wetland development project is to assess the soil characteristics, seasonal availability of water, abundance of wetland adapted plants in the soil, and existing plant communities. Impermeable soils, adequate surface water during the fall and winter, and a community of annual seed producing plants indicate an area suitable for wetland development. After a suitable site has been identified, contact a private land surveyor or engineering personal with NRCS to supply an elevation survey accurate to one-foot contours. This level of accuracy is necessary for best placement of levees and control structures. Waterfowl and other wetland wildlife are attracted to plants that grow in shallow (<3ft).
Check back next week for Part 2 on how to manage your wetland once it is built.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Native Prairies of Texas - June Link of the Month
This month's link of the month is to the Native Prairies Association of Texas. Click on the title of this post or the similarly named link on the right panel of this blog to learn:
- What is a prairie?
- How is a prairie different from fields of grass?
- Where you can visit native prairies in Texas
- How to recognize and protect prairie remnants
- How to plan and install small prairie areas
- What to plant in your native prairie area
You will also be able to follow links to pictures and slide shows of native prairies and beautiful wildflowers, NPAT newsletters, suggested reading materials, and additional links concerning native plants and prairie restoration. If you are interested in restoring natural beauty and wildlife value to the open areas of your property, this website (especially the 'photo album' and 'learn' tabs) deserves at least 20-30 minutes of your time!
For details on restoring native prairie plants on your property or cost share programs offered by state and federal agencies, contact me or comment to this post.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Join the Harvey WMA
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
$1 Million to Control Feral Hogs in Texas
For more information on the feral hog ecology, economic and ecologic impacts, control methods, etc. I recommend the following websites.
http://feralhog.tamu.edu/
http://wildlife.tamu.edu/publications/B6149FeralHogs_low.pdf
http://wild-wonderings.blogspot.com/2008/03/feral-hog-facts.html
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0195.pdf
Monday, May 5, 2008
May Link of the Month
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Aging Deer Using Tooth Wear and Replacement (Jawbone Method)
Remember that recording the age, weight, gender, presence or absence of lactation, and antler measurements of all the deer harvested on your property each year is vital to determining the health of the heard and their habitats and directing future harvest and management recommendations. Use the information provided in this brochure and the one you received on Tuesday to age the deer you harvest next hunting season. If you need a refresher course or some jaw bones to practice on next year, please feel free to contact me.