Natural Resources University

Herbicides can be a critical tool for habitat management, especially when it comes to invasive species. But their use does not come without risk to the applicator or the environment. In this episode, Adam visits with Dr. Fred Whitford, clinical engagement professor and director of the pesticide programs at Purdue University. Fred talks through the critical steps of making sure you’re using the right tool at the right time to confront the right challenge and then how to do it safely for you and the environment! 

Give us some feedback or potential topics you would like to here by filling out our listener survey: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5oteinFuEzFCDmm

Resources mentioned in the show: 

You can learn more about Integrated Pest Management from regional hubs indexed at this site: https://www.ipmcenters.org/  

Basic PPE for Pesticide use article from Iowa State: https://store.extension.iastate.edu/product/Basic-PPE-for-Pesticide-Use 

Fred mentioned state certification manuals – Here’s resources from his unit at Purdue: https://ag.purdue.edu/department/extension/ppp/resources/training-manuals/ Search online for those in your states too.

Learn more about the unit Fred works in here: https://ag.purdue.edu/department/extension/ppp 

Dr. Kendall Calhoun of UCLA and UC Davis joins us to discuss the impact of megafires on wildlife communities. We delve into what defines a megafire, explore his research on wildlife and habitat responses to megafires, and discuss both the positive and negative effects of these events.

Resources:

• Calhoun, K. L., et al. (2024). Movement behavior in a dominant ungulate underlies successful adjustment to a rapidly changing landscape following megafire. Movement Ecology, 12(1), 53.

• Calhoun, K. L. et al. (2023). Mammalian resistance to megafire in western US woodland savannas. Ecosphere, 14(7), e4613.

• Calhoun, K. L. et al.  (2022). Spatial overlap of wildfire and biodiversity in California highlights gap in non‐conifer fire research and management. Diversity and Distributions, 28(3), 529-541.

• Kreling, S. E. et al.  (2021). Site fidelity and behavioral plasticity regulate an ungulate’s response to extreme disturbance. Ecology and Evolution, 11(22), 15683-15694.

Dr. Kendall Calhoun @kenleecalhoun, @kenleecalhoun,  Academic Profile

Dr. Carolina Baruzzi @wildlandmgmt, Academic Profile

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Academic Profile

Check out the first annual Bobwhite Heritage Festival!  - Flyer & Facebook Event Page

Have suggestions for future episodes? Send us your feedback! (here)

Check out our newest podcast, Wild Turkey Science!

Enroll now in our free, online fire course. Available to all.

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Music by Dr. David Mason and Artlist.io

Produced and edited by Charlotte Nowak

In this episode, we dive deep into the literature on coyotes and explore the impacts of their interactions with turkeys. Join as we delve into the science of coyote predator-prey dynamics, the expansion of coyote populations across North America, their diets and impacts on turkey populations, research conducted on the efficacy of trapping, and more. 

Resources:

Cherry, M. J., et al. (2016). Coyote diets in a longleaf pine ecosystem. Wildlife Biology, 22(2), 64-70.

Conner, L. M., et al. (2016). Predator exclusion as a management option for increasing white‐tailed deer recruitment. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 80(1), 162-170.

Grigione, M. M., et al.  (2011). Diet of Florida coyotes in a protected wildland and suburban habitat. Urban Ecosystems, 14, 655-663.

Gulsby, W. D., et al. (2015). White‐tailed deer fawn recruitment before and after experimental coyote removals in central Georgia. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 39(2), 248-255.

Hickman, J. E., et al. (2016). Home range, habitat use, and movement patterns of female coyotes in Georgia: implications for fawn predation. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 2, 144-150.

Hody, J. W., & Kays, R. (2018). Mapping the expansion of coyotes (Canis latrans) across North and Central America. ZooKeys, (759), 81.

Houchin, R. L. (2005). Coyote predation on the Rio Grande wild turkey in the Texas Panhandle and southwestern Kansas (Doctoral dissertation).

Kelly, J. D., et al. (2015). Seasonal and spatial variation in diets of coyotes in central Georgia. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 2, 296-302.

Kilgo, J. C., et al. (2014). Coyote removal, understory cover, and survival of white‐tailed deer neonates. The Journal of Wildlife Management, 78(7), 1261-1271.

MacCracken, J. G., & Uresh, D. W. (1984). Coyote foods in the Black hills, South Dakota. The Journal of wildlife management, 48(4), 1420-1423.

Mastro, L. L., et al. (2019). Home range and habitat use of West Virginia Canis latrans (Coyote). Northeastern Naturalist, 26(3), 616-628.

Melville, H. I. (2012). The impacts of three common mesopredators on the reintroduced population of Eastern Wild Turkeys in Texas. Texas A&M University.

Miller, D. A., et al. (1998). Survival and cause-specific mortality of wild turkey hens in central Mississippi. The Journal of wildlife management, 306-313.

Niedzielski, B., & Bowman, J. (2015). Survival and cause-specific mortality of the female eastern wild turkey at its northern range edge. Wildlife Research, 41(7), 545-551.

Sasmal, I., et al. (2019). Seasonal space use of transient and resident coyotes (Canis latrans) in North Carolina, USA. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 97(4), 326-331.

Schrecengost, J. D., et al. (2008). Seasonal food habits of the coyote in the South Carolina coastal plain. Southeastern Naturalist, 7(1), 135-144. 

UF DEER Lab Coyote FB Post

Wang, G., Butler, A. B., & Shan, X. (2023). Inverse relationships between coyote and wild turkey population time series: Implications for future studies of predator–prey interactions. Wildlife Letters, 1(4), 171-177.

Youngmann, J. L., et al. (2023). Assessing springtime vertebrate prey of sympatric mesopredators in the southeastern United States using metabarcoding analysis. Plos one, 18(10), e0293270.

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at [email protected]!

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications

Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications

Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow 

UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube

Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you! 

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Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!

This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. 

Music by Artlist.io

Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

Most people interested in management of forests are familiar with chemical site preparation as a management tool. However, many are not aware of other herbicide application options available for fine tuning management in later efforts of the rotation. Join Shaun and Brady as they discuss how herbaceous weed control, release, and mid rotation brush control as well as cut stump, basal bark, and stem injection treatments may fit into the later forest management work.

For questions or comments, email us at [email protected].

Prescribed fire is crucial for managing fire-adapted ecosystems worldwide. To ensure this tool remains effective, the safety of those who use it and those nearby is essential too. In this episode, Adam talks with Jennifer Fawcett from North Carolina State University. Jennifer is the Prescribed Fire Work Group Coordinator for the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) and a forestry educator at NCSU. She assists landowners and foresters in the Southeast and beyond in managing their properties using fire. Listen along as Jennifer outlines practices and considerations to make sure you can keep using fire as the critical tool it is for years to come!

Give us some feedback or potential topics you would like to here by filling out our listener survey: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5oteinFuEzFCDmm

Resources mentioned in the show:

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group is the main resource for agency professionals doing prescribed fire. You can check out their website here: https://www.nwcg.gov/

·       Watchout Situations: https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/pms118/18-watch-out-situations-pms-118   

·       Incident response pocket guide (IRPG) - https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/pms461

o   You can buy one here: https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p/49218/39770/incident-response-pocket-guide?%26itemnum= 

Asynchronous Online courses to learn about prescribed fire:

·       eFIRE Equipment Videos – The eFIRE site guides prospective burners through the process of planning, conducting, and evaluating prescribed fire. The Equipment site includes videos about options for various parts of PPE.

·       Online course: https://campus.extension.org/ (search “prescribed fire”)

·       Rx Fire Training online course: https://ifas-cesrxfire.catalog.instructure.com/courses/wildland-fire-training 

Learn more about prescribed burn associations here: https://go.ncsu.edu/pba

Guidebook for Prescribed Burning in the Southern Region has tips for planning, implementing, and follow up on a prescribed burn that applies nationwide: https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1560&title=guidebook-for-prescribed-burning-in-the-southern-region  

Smoke Management Guidebook for Prescribed Burning in the Southern Region: https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/files/18519.pdf

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Prescribed Burn  Equipment Fact Sheet summarizes the different parts of prescribed burn equipment, including PPE: https://ucanr.edu/sites/forestry/files/283877.pdf

3-part blog post series on “Prescribed Fire PPE: Practical Options for Landowners”

o   Part 1: The first post in this series highlights practical personal protective equipment (PPE) pant and shirt options for landowners conducting prescribed fires. https://sites.cnr.ncsu.edu/southeast-fire-update/2019/09/09/ppe-for-landowners-practical-clothing-options/ 

o   Part 2: This post discusses options for other PPE items including head coverings, face coverings, and eye protection. https://sites.cnr.ncsu.edu/southeast-fire-update/2021/06/11/ppe-for-landowners-practical-clothing-options-part-two/ 

o   Part 3: This post addresses boots and shoes, gloves, and overall considerations for choosing PPE items.https://sites.cnr.ncsu.edu/southeast-fire-update/2021/06/29/prescribed-fire-ppe-practical-options-for-landowners-part-three/ 

Kestrel tool to take weather readings on site for a safe burn: https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p/89574/38050/kestrel-3500fw-fire-weather-meter

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center: https://lessons.fs2c.usda.gov/ 

Nebraska Prescribed Fire Council has a bunch of resources on fire, including a nice practitioner-contributed section on “Lessons Learned” that are available on their website: https://www.nefirecouncil.org/

Fall is in the air in the Great Plains, and the signs include shorter days, cooler mornings, brilliant yellow sunflowers and dispersing mammals. In this episode, Drew and Joe discuss sunflowers, the value that they provide to wildlife, why we see these beautiful plants in some places and not others. The conversation then takes a turn to focus on opossum biology and management.

Resources discussed in this episode:

KDWP 2023 Summer Roadside Survey Report: https://ksoutdoors.com/Services/Research-Publications/Wildlife-Research-Surveys

Virginia Opossum Diet/Ecological Trap Studies:

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2009.1159?casa_token=XMw9PomAH2IAAAAA%3ABGDOWaXUul7IY_9cNhLG44Uontx_dM1zrPdmnWmUaacvYgb02Ucvw7A3OlCO3VSRbRvYusH5r11mk0TC

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cecilia-Hennessy/publication/353264681_Are_Virginia_opossums_really_ecological_traps_for_ticks_Groundtruthing_laboratory_observations/links/60f733642bf3553b29ffba62/Are-Virginia-opossums-really-ecological-traps-for-ticks-Groundtruthing-laboratory-observations.pdf?origin=journalDetail&_tp=eyJwYWdlIjoiam91cm5hbERldGFpbCJ9

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

Dudley Phelps, Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries plant expert and co-host of the Gamekeeper Podcast, joins us to dish out details on tree plantings for turkeys. Learn of Dudley’s go-to species - both early and late successional - for attracting turkeys,  what landowners should take into account when planning their plantings, ideal tree care and maintenance, the importance of diversifying tree species to attract turkeys, timing of acorn production across various oak species, and much more. 

Resources:

Harper, C. A., et al. (2021). Plant community response and implications for wildlife following control of a nonnative perennial grass. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 45(4), 618-629.

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at [email protected]!

Dudley Phelps Mossy Oak, Nativ Nurseries, Gamekeeper Podcast, MossyOak articles

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications

Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications

Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow 

UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube

Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you! 

Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube

Watch these podcasts on YouTube

Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!

This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. 

Music by Artlist.io

Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

This month we are joined by Buddy Huffaker, Executive Director of the Aldo Leopold Foundation, to discuss Leopold’s legacy on wildlife management and what it means for modern conservation. 

Resources:

• The Aldo Leopold Foundation

• 75th Anniversary Edition A Sand County Almanac

Buddy Huffaker [website]

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc]

Nathan Pflueger [website]

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab]

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne]

Watch these podcasts on YouTube

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us!

Music by Humans Win

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin

Nothing is more important in habitat management than the people doing habitat management! That’s why this month we’re focusing on the basics of habitat safety with a series of episodes featuring experts in the field. In this first episode, Adam and Jarred set the stage for the mini-series. Then Adam interviews Rich Gassman from Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Iowa. Rich sets the stage for the series and challenges us to think about who we’re being safe for. Stay tuned for four more episodes in the mini-series coming this month.

Resources mentioned in the show:

Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH)

Twelve centers for agriculture safety in the U.S. are linked at this website. Find the one nearest you to explore their resources and programs: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/extramural-programs/php/about/ag-centers.html

National Farm Safety and Health Week is led by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) – Learn more about the 2024 week here: https://www.necasag.org/nationalfarmsafetyandhealthweek/

Give us some feedback or potential topics you would like to here by filling out our listener survey: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5oteinFuEzFCDmm

In this episode, Will takes us on a deep dive of best recipes and recommendations when food plotting for both deer and turkey. Landowners won’t want to miss the science-backed recommendations for plantings, region-specific species recommendations, best timings for plantings, what to search for when scouting plot areas, and more. 

Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at [email protected]!

Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund 

Resources:

Dykes, J. L. (2018). Nutrients influence diet selection in herbivores. Mississippi State University.

Dykes, J. L., Strickland, B. K., Demarais, S., Reynolds, D. B., & Lashley, M. A. (2020). Diet selection of white-tailed deer supports the nutrient balance hypothesis. Behavioural Processes, 179.

Dykes, J. L., et al. (2018). Soil nutrients indirectly influence intraspecific plant selection in white-tailed deer. Basic and Applied Ecology, 32, 103-109.

Deer University: Deer Food Plot Forage Selection with Jacob Dykes

Managing DEER food plots for TURKEYS (video)

We manage DEER food plots for TURKEYS (video)

Which food plot crops do deer prefer, and why? (NDA article)

Which food plots should you plant for DEER & TURKEY? (video)

Wildlife Food Plots and Early Successional Plants, by Craig A. Harper (book)

What is the BEST food plot for deer? (video)

Episode transcript

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications

Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications

Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow 

UF DEER Lab @ufdeerlab, YouTube

Please help us by taking our (QUICK) listener survey - Thank you! 

Check out the NEW DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube

Watch these podcasts on YouTube

Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!

This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org. 

Help us help turkeys by rating this podcast and sharing it with your friends and family. 

Music by Artlist.io

Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak