Habitat Improvement Ideas.

[Canadian Bush Wacker]

It's definitely not pitting east against west or hunters against hunters IMHO....it's just a matter of calling things what they are. I too love hunting with dogs but I don't try to convince people that it's spot and stalk hunting just as planting tame crops is not habitat improvement. Providing a food source may benefit a few animals and it may be the ones that most interest you and if that's what you want from your property, go for it but in the bigger picture, tame crops are not habitat improvement. Maybe I'm a bit sensitive to the terminology because I work in this field daily.....

Maybe a bit sensitive???? You show up in every thread started with any relation to land owners doing something or looking for info, no matter what it titled. Your like a grammar cop, Maybe people word things wrong, as far terminology goes, so be it leave it alone. You have yet to other any info, as per to say, a native plant that sould be considered or any thing contructive instead of spilting hairs on title and terminology. Even offer up a thread title that would not be so sensitive to yourself.

Sorry, but it's sounds like you work for the gov, has all this vast info at his finger tips and is helpful as voice mail.

I have a ton of those protected lillys on my land, and you make me want to take a before and after picture, and send it to the Prarrie Grass Museum. After I fire up the tractor cut the meadow, and round up my fire line.
For four years I have protected them and watch them grow in numbers. Even thought of cages so they don't get eaten, but they have made it without them. Oh, these native rare plants would not have made a come back with out my help on my place, because of the clearing I did, getting sun back into areas, where old seed must of been or have blown in, on to open area where it could be used as a natural seed bed

 

[sheephunter]

Maybe a bit sensitive???? You show up in every thread started with any relation to land owners doing something or looking for info, no matter what it titled. Your like a grammar cop, Maybe people word things wrong, as far terminology goes, so be it leave it alone. You have yet to other any info, as per to say, a native plant that sould be considered or any thing contructive instead of spilting hairs on title and terminology. Even offer up a thread title that would not be so sensitive to yourself.

Sorry, but it's sounds like you work for the gov, has all this vast info at his finger tips and is helpful as voice mail.

I have a ton of those protected lillys on my land, and you make me want to take a before and after picture, and send it to the Prarrie Grass Museum. After I fire up the tractor cut the meadow, and round up my fire line.
For four years I have protected them and watch them grow in numbers. Even thought of cages so they don't get eaten, but they have made it without them. Oh, these native rare plants would not have made a come back with out my help on my place, because of the clearing I did, getting sun back into areas, where old seed must of been or have blown in, on to open area where it could be used as a natural seed bed

Private property is private and what the owners decides to do with it is totally at their discretion and far be it for me to comment. Just don't try to convince me that tilling soil and planting tame crops is habitat improvement....it's farming. I have many friends that are farmers and some are very conservation minded but when they plant a canola crop or alfalfa field they don't call it habitat improvement despite the fact that deer feed on it...they call it farming.

 

[GlockMan]

Sheephunter I enjoy and appreciate your input.

I am not talking about planting what you call tame crops. In fact I am not talking or equating "tame crops" with habitat restoration.

I am talking about restoring the habitat in a variety of ways as suggested by others reforestation, pond construction (or in my case stream rehabilitation) planting native warm season grasses that will provide cover for deer etc as well as throwing down some trefoil aka clover(to prevent erosion), as well as some of the other native food varieties identified by the MNR as natural and native browse for deer. Many of these are already on my property I suspect.

There will come a time to examine what the tenant farmer is doing, but for now I am likely to leave him alone until we come up with a plan. With all of the other natural foods having been depleted, or destroyed you can't just turn off the tap if you know what I mean.

And I think you are right about being overly sensitive in this, but that's ok too as I appreciate the enthusiasm. More of us should show the same enthusiasm for the things we hold dear. (no pun intended).

 

[sheephunter]

Sheephunter I enjoy and appreciate your input.

I am not talking about planting what you call tame crops. In fact I am not talking or equating "tame crops" with habitat restoration.

I am talking about restoring the habitat in a variety of ways as suggested by others reforestation, pond construction (or in my case stream rehabilitation) planting native warm season grasses that will provide cover for deer etc as well as throwing down some trefoil aka clover(to prevent erosion), as well as some of the other native food varieties identified by the MNR as natural and native browse for deer. Many of these are already on my property I suspect.

There will come a time to examine what the tenant farmer is doing, but for now I am likely to leave him alone until we come up with a plan. With all of the other natural foods having been depleted, or destroyed you can't just turn off the tap if you know what I mean.

And I think you are right about being overly sensitive in this, but that's ok too as I appreciate the enthusiasm. More of us should show the same enthusiasm for the things we hold dear. (no pun intended).

My comments were definitely not a slight on you or your property and you should do as you please with it, even if that means planting food plots. It just seems that so many today go on about habitat improvement and such when it bears no resemblence to quality habitat. We all destroy habitat every time we start our car or turn on a light switch so none of us can point fingers and I certainly never intended to. I just think it's important to call things what they are and not sugar coat them to make ourselves feel better and to gloss over what is actually happening on the landscape. My Kentucky bluegrass yard is a blight on the landscape but I enjoy it, I just don't call it habitat. Enjoy your property and do what brings you pleasure.......

 

[Canadian Bush Wacker]

Private property is private and what the owners decides to do with it is totally at their discretion and far be it for me to comment. Just don't try to convince me that tilling soil and planting tame crops is habitat improvement....it's farming. I have many friends that are farmers and some are very conservation minded but when they plant a canola crop or alfalfa field they don't call it habitat improvement despite the fact that deer feed on it...they call it farming.

Far be it for me to comment???, you have not passed up a chance yet to, and you still have not offered up any info or help in any field of interest yet.

Maybe, you could suggest a plant that would help the creek bed, that would not be considered as farming.

 

[sheephunter]

Far be it for me to comment???, you have not passed up a chance yet to, and you still have not offered up any info or help in any field of interest yet.

Maybe, you could suggest a plant that would help the creek bed, that would not be considered as farming.

Maybe quote the entire sentence next time rather than an out of context part that suits your needs. All I've commented on is terminology........

As for creekbed plants, he is far better off speaking to a local expert. My familiarity with native eastern plants is not sufficient to jump it on this one. If you do read back however, I did offer some broad advice on water and stands of trees that applies across the country........

 

[GlockMan]

My comments were definitely not a slight on you or your property and you should do as you please with it, even if that means planting food plots. It just seems that so many today go on about habitat improvement and such when it bears no resemblence to quality habitat. We all destroy habitat every time we start our car or turn on a light switch so none of us can point fingers and I certainly never intended to. I just think it's important to call things what they are and not sugar coat them to make ourselves feel better and to gloss over what is actually happening on the landscape. My Kentucky bluegrass yard is a blight on the landscape but I enjoy it, I just don't call it habitat. Enjoy your property and do what brings you pleasure.......

Sheephunter...I did not interpret your comments as a slight...in fact the thought never occured to me, so please dispell that notion from your mind.

As I mentioned, I think you are sincerely trying to provide some passionate ideas for discussion and it is appreciated.

It is good to call things as you see them. But lets be accurate about the target. I was not equating tame crops with habitat restoration. As I said there are many elements to resotration and these are the types of things I am trying to bring about with my partners.

Many thanks for your ideas...they are welcome and from time to time we need gentle reminders about what is what.