From: bws20@duts.ccc.amdahl.com (Brian W Simmons)
Newsgroups: rec.hunting
Subject: Re: Raising and Releasing Game Birds... Advice Needed
Date: 8 Jan 93 17:41:59 GMT
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA
Originator: hunting@osnome.che.wisc.edu


In article: <1993Jan4.083518.26042@doug.cae.wisc.edu>

Lance Robinson wonders how best to improve a given parcel of land
for game birds as part of a thread about improving game bird populations.
(See snippet below)

There is a great resource available to Lance and anyone else interested in
these matters, and you might as well use it cause you _are_ paying for it.

Most universities with a Dept of Fishery& Wildlife Biology, typically
but not limited to the land grant universities, will have a cooperative
extension service allied with the dept.  The coop units function is
to serve the public in wildlife-related matters. They provide info on
habitat management, predator control, cutting up big game, planting for
songbirds, you name it.

Lance, you are at Utah State which if I recollect has a widlife dept.
Give them a call.  They should have publications that can help you and
someone to help you.

Another source is your state Division of Wildlife (or Dept of Natural
Resources, or Dept of Game & Fish, whatever they call it in your state).
Their job is not limited to checking on deer populations...They are being
paid by you as a taxpayer to manage the state's wildlife resources.  This
includes advising the public on wildlife and habitat problems.  I
guarantee you can call them up and get some advice.  Every state widlife
agency puts out a ton of publications, and they undoubtedly have some
to help you in your situation.  In any case, helping private landowners
and citizens to improve habitat is _part_of_their_job.

Another source to be considered is the US Forest Service.  The Forest &
Range Experiment Station will also have a bunch of info about habitat
management and improvement.  Yeah, most of it will deal with oak/pinon
forests or subalpine ecology or high plains grassland, etc., but there
may well be something that pertains to your situation.

Those of you who live in the town with the land grant university usually
will have the best resources available to you:  most state and federal
agencies will have offices in the town, and the research experts will
be located there.  Get on the phone, and get smart.

bws, who misses the wealth of info that was available and taken for
     granted in Fort Collins...

-------------------begin snippet------------------------------------------
interest lies in upping the local pheasant numbers on a moderately
sized piece of private farm land which myself and others have hunted
in the past.  There seems to be ample cover, but I'm not so sure that
the feed is adequate.  If we were to plant small parcels of land with
some type of grain or other feed, what would be the best type?  Also,
there is an abundance of hawks and skunks in the area, as well as a
few foxes and coyotes.  Aside from declaring open war on them ( for
the most part illegal), what is the best way to rid an area of
predators.
     I'd love to do what I can to bolster the bird population on this
particular tract of ground, but I need ideas.  The farmer who owns it
is one the few still left around here who specifically leaves part of
his ground untilled for the benefit of wildlife, and he too is open
for suggestion.  I invite anyone who has experience in this area to
share your ideas and opinions with us.
 
Thanks,

Lance Robinson
Utah State University 
------------------------------end snippet---------------------------------
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bws20@amail.amdahl.com      the human heart holds hidden treasures,
brian wesley simmons          in secret kept, in silence sealed
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Newsgroups: rec.hunting