Sounding Board
Okie dokie
I am purchasing a 70-acre property from my father in eastern Oklahoma (Adair County, in the foothills of the Ozarks) and would like to know if there is anything I can do to my land to improve the habitat for turkeys. There is, as of the last time I visited, a bit of running water on the property, and I have considered establishing a pond. It is otherwise well wooded. I am considering alterations to the property to make it suitable habitat. Who may be able to help me with the technical side of accomplishing this task, and are there any programs available that you are aware of which may help with the financial side?
Jeremiah D. Miller
e-mail
There are always ways to improve habitat, it just takes a little work but it pays big dividends.
Without actually looking at your land or having a good description of what is there, it is difficult to make specific recommendations, but I can tell you that adding a pond is always a good idea. Turkeys like open woods with scattered openings, as well.
Planting the openings with food turkeys prefer is always a good way to attract them to your land. Permanent openings should be managed for clovers with some of the openings planted in native grasses. Chufa is also a proven turkey attractant, and a couple of one-acre chufa plots would be beneficial.
Cedar control is important in your neck of the woods. Get rid of the cedar, but retain the mast producing hardwoods.
Also consider using prescribed fire in your woodlands and native grass fields.
Financial help is available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (www.nrcs.usda.gov). They have programs that may cost share some of the improvements you need to make, including prescribed burning and native grass establishment.
Let us know if you would like for an NWTF biologist to drop by and look at your property.
Dennis Daniel
NWTF director of
conservation operations
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