This fact sheet is one of a series that describes how pesticides can be managed to minimize hann to wildlife on our farms, in our waters, and in our forests. Wildlife is a valuable natural resource. Most farmers enjoy seeing wildlife on their farm, and many benefit economically by leasing hunting and fishing rights to sportsmen. Corn fields provide both food and cover for wildlife. During the summer, deer and other wildlife find cover in corn fields.
Untilled fields provide nesting areas for bobwhite quail and other birds.
During winter, corn fields that have not been tilled after harvest provide about 300 pounds of spilled grain per acre as a food source. When wildlife such as deer, turkey, and quail have access to this unused grain, they are more likely to survive the winter and successfully reproduce the following spring. Pesticides used in corn production may harm wildlife living in or around corn fields. They can affect wildlife in two ways. First, when an animal is directly exposed to a highly toxic pesticide, it can become sick or die.