For better wild turkey habitat, do a slow burn this winter

Constructing adequate fire breaks is an essential task to get the most out of prescribed winter burning.

Managing wildlife and game species is a year-round endeavor. Although wildlife management has many facets, habitat management is among the most-important factors in developing thriving populations of wildlife.

January is a great month to prepare and “spruce up” available spring/summer habitat for wild turkey, and one of the most overlooked and cost-effective habitat modification techniques is prescribed burning. Turkeys prosper in lands with a mix of wooded and agriculture lands with frequent fire. Readily available spring/summer habitat, consisting of low plant cover within woodlands and old fields, is especially important. Winter burning maximizes wild foods and cover for turkeys of all ages.

“Burning encourages the maintenance and development of early successional vegetation, including native warm-season grasses and forbs, which serve as excellent nesting and brood rearing habitat for turkeys,” said Charles Ruth, the turkey project supervisor for the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. Click here to read more on For better wild turkey habitat, do a slow burn this winter

About Jeff Burleson 1309 Articles
Jeff Burleson is a native of Lumberton, N.C., who lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He graduated from N.C. State University with a degree in fisheries and wildlife sciences and is a certified biologist and professional forester for Southern Palmetto Environmental Consulting.

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