Food plots should offer deer nutritious food every month of the year.

J. Wayne Fears

Pottstown PA --(Ammoland.com)- “Why is it our farm does not seem to have as many deer especially bucks, on it as our neighbor’s farm?

The only difference in our management style is that our neighbors plant food plots, spring and fall and we plant food plots just in the fall.”

This is one of the questions we get most often from not only Whitetail Unlimited members, but deer hunters in general. Quite frankly, it is one of the easiest deer management questions to answer. It is, in part, about having a dinner plate full, on a year around basis.

Holding deer, specifically bucks, on a year around basis requires a combination of habitat requirements. First is security. There must be areas where the deer feel safe. Bedding areas and escape routes are a must. Then comes water. Deer require surface water to be available all year. Next is diversity. They like diversity so there is a need for openings, dense brush, open woods and corridors offering cover. And last, but by far not least, comes food. Deer require a variety of food including young twigs, buds, and leaves of certain trees and shrubs. They like certain grasses, sedges, legumes, forbs, fruits and nuts. Their consumption of these food plants varies seasonally, based on when they are available. It is here that the food plot plays a role in helping create the ideal year round habitat, or falls short.

As long as there is an ample supply of good food in the food plots and all other factors are met, the deer, bucks and does, are likely to stay in an area. Take away a choice food supply and they may start to wander in search of a new food source.

Plant warm season food plot crops with the same planning and care given cool season crops.

Advantages of Warm Season Food plots
As a wildlife manage, I have always found it easy to get hunting clubs and rural landowners to plant fall food plots as they are considered an attraction to bucks looking for choice food, a place to sit in a blind or stand and see deer. But the spring/summer food plots are not grown for hunting and they are more often than not considered of little value.

We all know that deer need all the help they can get in the way of food for the winter. A food shortage can be life threatening. We do not think, however, of the spring and summer as being a time of need, the woods and fields are green and wildlife appears to be healthy. In high quality habitat during years of ample rainfall and mild summer temperatures, this may be so; but these are becoming rare due, in part, to climate change.

The warm and hot months of summer are a stress period for deer and especially deer found in low quality habitat. Bucks are growing antlers. If food is insufficient, bucks will not develop antlers to their age and genetic potential. Does are pregnant, having fawns and producing milk. Fawns are growing and being weaned. The deer population is at its highest numbers. There is a sudden need for high quality food and lots of it. Now that some of the U.S. is suffering from higher summer temperatures, less rainfall, and drought or near drought conditions, much of the food available to deer is lower in moisture content than usual and often lower in quality. Deer are under stress and in the warmer parts of the country. The hot summer is the period of highest stress.

Planning is a Must
High quality year-round, cool season and warm season, food plots require planning to offer deer a dependable, highly nutritious food source on a 12 month basis. By now, most food plot growers know that in order to get top crop production on any food plot a soil test must be taken and the resulting recommendations for lime and fertilizer followed. Since most food plots are planted in annual crops for the fall and spring, it is necessary for the warm season crops to be listed on the soil test information sheet as well as the cool season crops. Far too many hunters list only the plants they are going to plant in the fall and omit the spring plants. To get healthy summer crops they must have the proper lime and fertilizer as well. This crop rotation information must be a part of the soil test.

Planning the crops to plant in your food plots for both cool and warm seasons requires some thought and advice from an agricultural expert with experience in the area where your land is available. Just selecting a highly advertised plant mix at a hardware store and scattering it in your food plots won’t produce the food source you want to keep the deer on your property happy. Each crop has certain requirements. Some do well on dry well drained sites while others do well in moist bottomland type soil. Some are hardy during low temperatures, while others do well under drought conditions. Some do well in the warm south, while others do best in the cooler north. Where there are high deer populations, you will want to select crops that can tolerate heavy grazing and keep coming back with new growth.

Consider Perennial Crops
There is a growing interest in planting food plots in green browse perennial plants. You plant this crop one time and, with management, it provides a green food plot on an almost year around basis for five years or more. Crops that fit this category include Durana clover, Ladino clover, Alsike clover, red clover and alfalfa. It sounds like a “magic bean” for food plots, but it isn’t quiet that. The advantages are obvious, plant it once in five years and you have wildlife food. However, it requires some effort. Like annual crops, it requires annual fertilization. It must be mowed to keep weed competition down during the warm months. It does not do well in all sites and regions, and, depending upon weather conditions, it can go through periods where there is little plant growth. Companies like Hunter’s Specialties, Pennington Seed and Whitetail Institute, however, continue working to prefect some of these perennials and they look very promising as long term food plot crops for some regions of the country.

Like the annual crops, the perennials must be selected with care, considering the soil and other conditions of your property.

Consult With County Agricultural Agent
One of the best sources of free advice for selecting both cool and warm season annuals and perennials is the local Cooperative Extension Service county agent. Almost every county in the U.S. has one. Ask at any farm supply store and they can tell you how to find him. Spend an hour with the county agent and you can plan your year around food plot crops and get free advice on soil testing, planting recommendations, and planting dates. Follow his recommendations and your food plots will reflect it. This may be the best free advice you will ever get!

Plan Replanting
On large properties with numerous food plots, the planting dates for planting annual crops can be crucial especially during the late summer plantings. All summer, the deer and other wildlife on your property have counted on the food being in the food plots. Then suddenly you come in and plow up the remaining food and replant a fall crop. This shock period can be reduced by planning your food plots so that it takes place gradually over a period of weeks. You want it so when the last food plots are being plowed up, the first ones plowed are coming back in green growth. The same thing needs to apply to the spring plantings. I never want all my food plots to be non-productive at the same time.

Keep Records
Having worked with food plots for over 40 years I have learned that food plots have their own personalities and you can learn how to get the most out of a food plot by keeping annual records on it. Such facts as how much lime and fertilizer is applied and the date applied need to be recorded as well as when it was plowed and when it was planted, what was the crop and seeding rate? How many bucks/does do hunters see on the plot and the dates? Rain dates and amounts are important. Deer and turkey taken on a food plot, their size and date taken is valuable. Reviewing records such as this, especially over a period of years, allows the manager to see what works best on a specific plot and what changes may be necessary to make it more productive. The more available highly nutritious food that is available on a food plot, year around, the more likely it is going to be in holding those bucks you want to see.

Year around food plots alone are not going to guarantee that your property will attract and hold mature bucks, but when it is a part of a totally managed habitat, you put the odds in your favor.

FOOD PLOT CROPS

Annual Cool Season

• Wheat
• Rye
• Corn
• Chicory
• Ryegrass
• Oats
• Crimson Clover

Perennial

• Durana Clover
• Ladino Clover
• Alfalfa
• Alsike Clover
• Red Clover
• Orchard Grass
• Redland Ii Clover

Annual Warm Season

• Cowpeas
• Soybeans
• Sunflower
• American Jointvetch
• Alyceclover
• Buckwheat
• Lablab

When selecting seeds for your food plots, get seed that is recommended for your area and soil type.

For more advice check out Jay Wayne Fears book the Ultimate Deer Hunters and Land Managers Pocket Reference Guide.

Rack one

GRAYLING, Mich. --(Ammoland.com)- Successful deer-hunting-property owners understand that the end of hunting season means that true deer season has only just begun.

That’s because they know that, even though the long rut followed by a particularly brutal winter has come to an end, the real whitetail season starts with revitalizing their herd.

Feeding is more important now than ever to produce big bucks and prevent infant mortality. They know that without a herd of healthy deer roaming their property, there’ll be just an occasional immature buck crossing within range come hunting season. The best of them know right now is the time to condition their herd, and they do it with Overload from Rack One.

The Condition Phase of the IGNITE Whitetail Hunting System is designed to do exactly what it says: condition your herd. This phase is targeted towards the herd as a whole, not just the bucks. When it comes to staying healthy, conditioning the deer is a major step that many people overlook completely.

“To ensure the health of the herd, we suggest using the Condition Phase IGNITE product, Overload, from the time the rut ends until either the snow melts in the north or when deer start to shed their velvet after growing season,” said Casey Keefer, co-owner at Rack One. “Overload is a premium 20-percent protein deer pellet that can be fed in gravity feeders, trough-style feeders, or spin-cast feeders. This pellet contains all the necessary nutrients that deer need to get their bodies back into peak condition after a long and stressful breeding season.”

Rack One Overload Deer Feed

Having whitetail in peak condition allows a few different things to happen. In terms of a buck, Overload will pack the weight back on his body after the rut. Regaining weight that has been lost during the rut is a crucial aspect of how long that specific animals’ antler-growing season will be. In addition to its 20-percent protein content, Overload has a guaranteed analysis of nine-percent fat content with a six-percent fiber content to ensure your bucks can rapidly bulk back up.

“If a buck doesn’t put its weight back on and heal his body after the rut, when it comes time to shed his antlers and begin growing new ones—usually about the time spring foliage is beginning to appear—everything he eats will be directed to his body in order to gain weight instead of going toward antler growth,” Keefer said. “These are just the natural steps his body must take to ensure he is healthy again come that shed/grow time. This time is critically important to put mass on his body, so his body can immediately focus on antler growth when that process begins.”

For the herd’s whitetail does, there is no phase that is more important to the health and vitality of does than the Condition Phase. Every whitetail herd must have a certain number of healthy, breeding does in order for the herd to grow and succeed. Overload provides does with all the nutrition—fat, protein, etc.—that they require to return to good health after the rut. This is another extremely important aspect of herd management for a few different reasons.

First, if a doe is able to immediately begin recuperating after the rut, she will be much more likely to maintain a healthy pregnancy. If a doe is not healthy, her body will naturally abort that pregnancy in order to survive. This leads to a higher rate of mortality, which will decrease the number of deer in the herd in the future. This creates what is commonly referred to as a generation gap.

“Overload doesn’t just stop there,” Keefer said. “If the does are able to sustain a pregnancy throughout the winter, the real work begins the minute they give birth. For the first few months of life, fawns are completely reliant upon their mothers to survive. Eating every three to four hours for weeks on end, nursing fawns can in fact, drain the life out of a doe—and that’s especially true if there are twins. We’ve shown that does eating Overload during this time gives them the proper nutrition to support fawns throughout the fawning season into the summer, when fawns will begin to wean off the does and browse for natural forage.”

If a doe has twins, the minute her body begins to lack in terms of health, she is very likely to abandon one or both of her fawns just to survive, and once again, decreasing herd numbers. Whether it’s does or bucks, decreasing herd numbers will affect your hunting plans for years to come. When too many bucks die off, the buck-to-doe ratio gets thrown off, and a healthy herd can become decimated rather quickly because of the lack of breeding. Likewise, when too many does die off, the buck-to-doe ratio will slide to the other extreme, and the natural mortality will increase due to fighting and competition to breed the fewer number of does.

All in all, the Condition Phase is one of the most important chapters of the Rack 1 Ignite Whitetail System. By using it properly, hunters and land managers can ensure their herd remains healthy and in good balance, thus leading to more successful days in the field come fall.

Rack One’s scientifically engineered IGNITE Whitetail Hunting System provides 365 days of complete whitetail nutrition and attraction for your herd. The IGNITE system addresses the evolving needs with a comprehensive line of products that contain tailored levels of nutritional supplements such as protein and fat. This system is comprised of four specific phases—Condition, Grow, Scout, and Hunt. After the rut ends, it’s time to rebuild your herd health in the Condition Phase with Overload, the post-season calorie-consumption feed that helps your bucks recover from the strenuous schedule of fighting, chasing and breeding. As your deer herd stabilizes, the Grow Phase begins with Xcellerator, which is packed with the minerals and nutrients that promote herd health and growth while maximizing antler development among the bucks. When it’s time to set out the trail cams, it’s also time to begin the Scout Phase with the protein and fat-packed Chaos. In Hunt Phase, you’re ready to reign in those deer with Rut Fuel and Acorn Crush, the extremely powerful premium attractants that bring the deer to the foot of your stand and keep them there.

IGNITE your deer herd now with this year-round Whitetail Hunting System. Remember, success in this business is measured in inches. Don’t come up short.

About Rack One
Headquartered in Grayling, Michigan, Rack One LLC is a family-owned and operated company with a combined 60 years of devotion to the hunting industry. Check out all of Rack One’s fine products at your local retailer or online at www.huntrack1.com. For more information, contact: Rack One, 7756 Arcari Trail, Grayling, MI 49738; or e-mail info@huntrack1.com.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA --(Ammoland.com)- Landowners interested in developing “backyard habitats” beneficial to wildlife are encouraged to check out the “Landscaping for Wildlife in Pennsylvania,” available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Written by Marcus Schneck, a noted outdoor and nature writer from Hamburg, Berks County, the 160-page book comes complete with descriptions, drawings and photos of ideal habitat for a variety of species, from hummingbirds to bats, as well as construction plans for a number of wildlife nesting boxes.

The book also contains a chapter on nuisance wildlife and steps to address certain situations, as well as the importance of planting native species and a listing of recommended plants.

“While spring garden plantings may be several weeks away, now is the time to begin drawing up plans,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director.

“If you are interested in seeing and helping wildlife on your property, then this book is a must. It can help guide any first-time backyard habitat planner, as well as an experienced hand, in helping to create an oasis for wildlife.”

To order the book, which costs $9.43 (plus state sales tax and shipping and handling), visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), put your cursor over “General Store” in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, click on “Visit the Outdoor Shop” in the drop down menu listing, then choose “Pennsylvania Game Commission Outdoor Shop” in the lower left-hand corner, choose “Merchandise” from the banner listing” and then click on “Books” in the categories in the left-hand column. Orders also are being accepted at 1-888-888-3459.

Rack One’s IGNITE Whitetail Hunting System Redefines Supplemental Nutrition & Attraction For Deer

Rack one

GRAYLING, Michigan --(Ammoland.com)- Recent research has shown that whitetail deer have specific nutritional needs that change throughout the year, and that research has revealed that a simple five-pound bag of attractant won’t increase the growth of antlers nor will it improve your overall herd health.

Likewise, a single nutritional supplement used throughout the year will not yield optimal results.

That’s why Rack One has introduced the scientifically engineered IGNITE Whitetail Hunting System for 365 days of complete whitetail nutrition and attraction for your herd.

In order to grow healthier deer—which translates into bigger deer with larger, heavier antlers—hunters must supplement the animals’ nutrition year-round, and more importantly, hunters must target their specific requirements based on the current time of the year. A deer that is completely worn down and stressed after the rut has different nutritional needs than it does during the growing season. Rack One’s IGNITE system addresses those evolving needs with a comprehensive line of products that contain tailored levels of nutritional supplements such as protein and fat, but the most important factor of the system is how those nutrients are broken down within the deer’s digestive system.

IGNITE products have been specifically formulated to use a natural blend of forages

that provide high levels of protein and fat with a gradual time release of those nutrients. Studies of the average time between feedings have provided the basis for this formulaic approach to a slow nutrient breakdown in a deer’s digestive system. This allows the deer that feed on IGNITE products to completely benefit from these key components, even when they aren’t feeding. Just as the time-released-nutrient window begins to close, a deer will be ready to feed again and refuel its system. Instead of giving it a shot in the arm with a one-size-fits-all supplement, each ingredient in the IGNITE line has been purposely chosen because of its ability to provide the deer’s vital system with nutrients that break down over an extended period of time.

“We are the only company that is designing and formulating our products this way,” said Casey Keefer, vice president of sales and marketing. “Anytime is the right time for hunters to really start paying attention to the health of their herd in order to put themselves in the best possible position to harvest healthier, bigger deer the following hunting season. By pushing IGNITE products to their deer herd continuously throughout the year, hunters are ensuring their herd health for years to come.”

The IGNITE Whitetail Hunting System is not just an advantage for bucks, but does also benefit in their ability to successfully carry a pregnancy throughout the harsh winter months as well as during lactation. Malnutrition is a major cause of fawn mortality, both before birth and after. Keeping the does in peak condition allows their bodies to endure their pregnancy with a much greater chance for giving birth to healthy offspring. And for a doe, proper nutrition is vital for the health of the fawn to prevent it from dying of starvation during lactation.

“For hunters, poor nutrition translates into a diminishing number of deer that actually reproduce every year, thus shrinking the herd size,” said Keefer. “When the herd size shrinks, the competition for breeding increases, and when the competition for breeding increases, so does the natural mortality rate of bucks being killed through fighting. Everything we do here at Rack One is primarily based on overall herd health. When you can keep deer healthy, you are going to begin to see better results, bigger deer and incredible antlers.”

Rack One’s IGNITE Whitetail Hunting System is comprised of four specific phases— Condition, Grow, Scout, and Hunt. After the rut ends, it’s time to rebuild your herd health in the Condition Phase with Overload, the post-season calorie-consumption feed that helps your bucks recover from the strenuous schedule of fighting, chasing and breeding. As your deer herd stabilizes, the Grow Phase begins with Xcellerator, which is packed with the minerals and nutrients that promote herd health and growth while maximizing antler development among the bucks. When it’s time to set out the trail cams, it’s also time to begin the Scout Phase with the protein and fat-packed Chaos. In Hunt Phase, you’re ready to reign in those deer with Rut Fuel and Acorn Crush, the extremely powerful premium attractants that bring the deer to the foot of your stand and keep them there.

IGNITE your deer herd now with this year-round Whitetail Hunting System. Remember, success in this business is measured in inches. Don’t come up short.

About Rack One:
Headquartered in Grayling, Michigan, Rack One LLC is a family-owned and operated company with a combined 60 years of devotion to the hunting industry. Check out all of Rack One’s fine products at your local retailer or online at www.huntrack1.com. For more information, contact: Rack One, 7756 Arcari Trail, Grayling, MI 49738; or e-mail info@huntrack1.com.

J. Wayne Fears

Pottstown PA --(Ammoland.com)- My brother Terry and I decided that if we wanted to take big bucks every year, we had to find new and better places to hunt each year, or we had to make the site that we hunted more productive, Mark Drury, a friend of mine, told me not long ago.

Mark and Terry Drury of Drury Outdoors and the hosts of “Wildlife Obsession,” “Dream Season” and “Bow Madness” on the Outdoor Channel, and each and every year, they harvest big whitetails.

Their secrets to buck-hunting success include, according to Mark Drury, that they;

• “define the feeding area and the bedding region;
• “set-up our green fields, so that we know where the deer will be feeding in relationship to where they’ll be bedding;
• “create stand sites on the trails the deer take from their feeding site to their bedding area;
• “put-out trail cameras along the trails the deer travel from the feeding area to the bedding region; and
• “create small green patches on the sides of the trails where the deer travel to give the deer a place to stop-off and eat a little bite of a different type of food before they reach their primary feeding area. Those small green patches are where we set-up our tree stands to take deer with our bows.”

Hunters put in long hours for bigger bucks.

Perhaps now you think this game plan is one for the pre-season that should occur in July, August or September. However, you can make the land you hunt better for big deer right now in the dead of winter.

Here’s why – most of the foliage has disappeared, and the sap’s down in all the bushes and non-commercial trees. You can take your Woodman’s Pal and create a place to plant those small green fields next fall. You also can pick-out the trees where you want to hang your tree stands and clear-away most of the limbs and brush that may interfere with your shots next year during hunting season.

Also, clear a path to a tree to put your trail camera to get photos of the bucks left on the property after hunting season.

To increase your property’s ability to pull and hold deer, put-out a feeder where you intend to plant your little green patches. Because food is scarce during the winter months, that feeder will start drawing deer to your land. With your trail camera, you can see the buck potential that property will have the next year. To increase the drawing power of that feeder, add a little C’Mere Deer powder to the product you’re feeding.

As Mark Drury says, “You either can find better land to hunt every year or improve the land where you hunt.”

Using the Woodman’s Pal, you can prepare your land and your hunting sites for deer-hunting success next season. For more tips and tactics on how to better manage your land for wildlife and to learn more about the Woodman’s Pal and its many-different uses, go to www.protoolindustries.net.

Hunter's Specialties

Cedar Rapids, IA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Rodney Dyer, certified wildlife biologist and consultant to Hunter’s Specialties®, recently explained how consumers can save money and reduce the amount of chemical fertilizer needed to maintain healthy food plots.

“Hunter’s Specialties believes strongly in conservation when it comes to wild game and the environment,” said Dyer. “They have developed a crop rotation plan that reduces the amount of fertilizer needed for optimum growth. Using the Vita- Rack™ Nutritional Plan for your food plot can not only help you grow a healthy deer herd but save the soil and the ‘green’ in your wallet.

By rotating the three Vita-Rack seed blends: Vita-Rack Velvet™ Whitetail Clover, Booming Beans™ High Protein Mix and Winter Forage™, you can cut the cost of needed fertilizer by as much as 40%, depending on your location in the country.”

“In the fall, prepare your food plots as normal (follow the directions on the back of the bag). Then plant a plot in Velvet Mix (Plot A). Velvet Mix consists of several highly attractive clovers that the deer will find irresistible. Plant another plot in Winter Forage Mix (Plot B). Winter Forage Mix is a blend of turnips, rape, Alsike clover and sugar beets that provide tons of fall and winter forage for deer. Winter Forage Mix is also full of carbohydrates to help deer maintain their body temperature through the toughest winters. Plot A and Plot B will need to be fertilized with the proper fertilizer recommendations (on the back of the bag). After the first planting you will not need any other fertilizer but 0-20-20, because the Velvet and Booming Beans Mixes are both legumes that fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and deposit it in the soil. Winter Forage Mix will use up the added nitrogen in the soil from the legumes in the Velvet and Booming Beans Mixes.

In Plot A leave the Velvet Mix growing for about three years. During that time rotate Plot B using Winter Forage and Booming Beans each summer and fall. The Winter Forage Mix will use the nitrogen up that the Booming Beans Mix makes so you don’t have to use a Nitrogen fertilizer each time. You will however, need to use a 0-20-20 fertilizer at the first of each planting to replace the Potassium and Phosphorus used by the plants. Don’t forget to fertilize your Velvet Mix in Plot A with 0-20-20 fertilizer each spring and fall.

After three years, swap the plots. In Plot A, switch to planting the Winter Forage Mix and Booming Beans Mix in rotation and in Plot B plant the Velvet Mix. Plot A now has plenty of nitrogen from the clover (a legume), fixating it in the soil over the past three years while it was growing. The Winter Forage mix will flourish on the added nitrogen.

Rotating the different Vita-Rack mixes works well because too much soil nitrogen will actually slow plant growth and cause diseases. Keeping the nitrogen levels in balance by rotating the crops eliminates using extra artificial nitrogen, which is great for the environment and produces up to a 45% savings in fertilizer investment for consumers.”

For more information, log onto the Hunter’s Specialties website at www.hunterspec.com, write to 6000 Huntington Court NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402, or call a Consumer Service Specialist at 319-395-0321.

Hunter's Specialties

Cedar Rapids, IA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Hunter’s Specialties® new Vita-Rack™ Booming Beans™ seed mix contains a nutritional blend of Trailing Soybeans, Forage Soybeans, Nugget Pea, Iron and Clay Peas.

The blend yields a high protein crop with superior palatability (sweeter tasting) and tons of forage per acre. All Vita-Rack seed mixes feature high germination rates and a low percentage of foreign matter, making them a great value, as well as providing better plant coverage across the food plot.

Hunter's Specialties Vita-Rack Booming Beans Mix

Booming Beans’ digestibility helps deer quickly get the nutrients they crave. As browsers, deer tend to feed in an area for a short period of time before moving on. The high protein level in Booming Beans ensures deer get optimum nutrition while they are in the food plot.

When used in a crop rotation program with Vita-Rack Velvet™ Whitetail Clover, landowners can save up to 45% on fertilizer costs because the Velvet mix adds nitrogen to the soil, greatly reducing the amount of fertilizer that needs to be applied for optimum plant growth. [click here for more information on crop rotation]

For more information about other Hunter’s Specialties products, log onto the Hunter’s Specialties website at www.hunterspec.com, write to 6000 Huntington Court NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402, or call a Consumer Service Specialist at 319-395-0321.

Chaffhaye

HOUSTON, TX --(Ammoland.com)- One of the industry leaders in maximizing animal nutrition, Chaffhaye Inc. recently introduced its revolutionary forage to nearly 1,000 deer farmers, industry professionals and deer enthusiasts at the 2010 North American Deer Farmers Association (NADeFA) Conference, held in Toledo, Ohio.

The one-of-a-kind forage created a buzz among the attending deer farmers who understand that maximizing nutrition is a critical factor in growing bigger and better antlers.

The 2010 NADeFA Conference featured more than 250 exhibitors and nearly 1,000 deer farmers, elk breeders and other wildlife professionals from across North America. The annual event hosted exciting fund-raising auctions, antler and photo contests, venison tasting competitions, and educational seminars on such important topics as deer nutrition and herd health and management.

“The NADeFA Conference is one the biggest events of the year in the deer industry, and we are excited to introduce a forage that contains all-natural probiotics to deer farmers from all across the country,” says Kimber Davies, director of sales and marketing for Chaffhaye, who attended the four-day conference.

“Protein is often the preferred choice of deer farmers and wildlife managers who want bigger antlers, but protein alone cannot ensure a big, healthy buck. For a deer’s overall health — and antler growth — it’s critically important to maintain the proper microbial population within the deer’s rumen, and the key to maximizing nutrition is probiotics.”

Chaffhaye is a premium-bagged forage that keeps an animal’s digestive system functioning properly and delivers a large percentage of the animal’s daily nutrient requirements at a lower annual cost. It is ideal for ensuring maximum health for a wide variety of animals, including horses, deer, goats, llamas, alpacas and exotics.

Chaffhaye is made with alfalfa or grass that is carefully selected and harvested at peak leafiness to maximize nutrients, palatability and digestibility. While still fresh, the pasture is chopped, lightly misted with molasses and compressed into air-tight bags in which an all-natural fermentation takes place. The fermentation closely mimics an animal’s digestive process and features active yeast, beneficial enzymes and bacteria to ‘pre-digest’ the feed. The end result is animals receive greater nutrition at a significant cost savings. Chaffhaye is available in 50-pound, weather-resistant bags that can be stored outside.

To learn more about the Chaffhaye products or becoming a Chaffhaye dealer — visit www.chaffhaye.com or call 281-888-2917. Also, check out Chaffhaye on Facebook.

With facilities in Houston and Dell City, Texas, Chaffhaye Inc. produces high-quality forage that captures the key qualities of a natural pasture, and sells Chaffhaye through more than 300 dealers in the United States and Japan. For more information on Chaffhaye or Chaffhaye products, call 281.888.2917 or visit www.chaffhaye.com.

Hunter's Specialties

Cedar Rapids, IA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Hunter’s Specialties new Velvet Whitetail Clover provides much needed nutritional benefits to deer while enhancing food plots by putting nitrogen back into the soil.

Designed for spring or fall planting, Vita-Rack Velvet Whitetail brand Ladino Clover contains a proven mix of high performing clovers including Alsike, Dominion Red, Medium Red and Crimson, along with White Clover.

Hunter's Specialties Vita-Rack Velvet Whitetail Clover Mix

The mix grows extremely tall and spreads by stolons for a thicker food plot, producing tons of highly palatable and sweet tasting forage per acre. All Vita-Rack seed mixes feature high germination rates and a low percentage of foreign matter, making them a great value, as well as providing better plant coverage across the food plot.

Vita-Rack Velvet Whitetail Clover can save landowners up to 45% on fertilizer costs when used in a crop rotation with other Vita-Rack seed mixes, including the new Booming Beans™ and Winter Forage™ mixes. Clover is a legume, which pulls nitrogen out of the air and fixes it in the ground, where it can be used by other plants. Typical costs per acre to apply 17-17-17 fertilizer would be $93.00. By using Vita-Rack Velvet Whitetail Clover in a crop rotation the costs would drop to $52.00. [click here for more information on crop rotation]

For more information, log onto the Hunter’s Specialties website at www.hunterspec.com, write to 6000 Huntington Court NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402, or call a Consumer Service Specialist at 319-395-0321.

Hunter's Specialties

Cedar Rapids, IA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Rodney Dyer, certified wildlife biologist and consultant to Hunter’s Specialties®, recently explained how consumers can save money and reduce the amount of chemical fertilizer needed to maintain healthy food plots.

“Hunter’s Specialties believes strongly in conservation when it comes to wild game and the environment,” said Dyer.

“They have developed a crop rotation plan that reduces the amount of fertilizer needed for optimum growth. Using the Vita- Rack™ Nutritional Plan for your food plot can not only help you grow a healthy deer herd but save the soil and the ‘green’ in your wallet. By rotating the three Vita-Rack seed blends: Vita-Rack Velvet™ Whitetail Clover, Booming Beans™ High Protein Mix and Winter Forage™, you can cut the cost of needed fertilizer by as much as 40%, depending on your location in the country.”

In the fall, prepare your food plots as normal (follow the directions on the back of the bag). Then plant a plot in Velvet Mix (Plot A). Velvet Mix consists of several highly attractive clovers that the deer will find irresistible. Plant another plot in Winter Forage Mix (Plot B). Winter Forage Mix is a blend of turnips, rape, Alsike clover and sugar beets that provide tons of fall and winter forage for deer. Winter Forage Mix is also full of carbohydrates to help deer maintain their body temperature through the toughest winters. Plot A and Plot B will need to be fertilized with the proper fertilizer recommendations (on the back of the bag). After the first planting you will not need any other fertilizer but 0-20-20, because the Velvet and Booming Beans Mixes are both legumes that fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and deposit it in the soil. Winter Forage Mix will use up the added nitrogen in the soil from the legumes in the Velvet and Booming Beans Mixes.

In Plot A leave the Velvet Mix growing for about three years. During that time rotate Plot B using Winter Forage and Booming Beans each summer and fall. The Winter Forage Mix will use the nitrogen up that the Booming Beans Mix makes so you don’t have to use a Nitrogen fertilizer each time. You will however, need to use a 0-20-20 fertilizer at the first of each planting to replace the Potassium and Phosphorus used by the plants. Don’t forget to fertilize your Velvet Mix in Plot A with 0-20-20 fertilizer each spring and fall.

After three years, swap the plots. In Plot A, switch to planting the Winter Forage Mix and Booming Beans Mix in rotation and in Plot B plant the Velvet Mix. Plot A now has plenty of nitrogen from the clover (a legume), fixating it in the soil over the past three years while it was growing. The Winter Forage mix will flourish on the added nitrogen.

Rotating the different Vita-Rack mixes works well because too much soil nitrogen will actually slow plant growth and cause diseases. Keeping the nitrogen levels in balance by rotating the crops eliminates using extra artificial nitrogen, which is great for the environment and produces up to a 45% savings in fertilizer investment for consumers.”

For more information, log onto the Hunter’s Specialties website at www.hunterspec.com, write to 6000 Huntington Court NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402, or call a Consumer Service Specialist at 319-395-0321.

Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries

WEST POINT, MS --(AmmoLand.com)- Just as Toxey Haas’ passion for hunting spawned the creation of Mossy Oak Brand Camo, his passion for resources and the management thereof has sprouted another branch of the Mossy Oak Enterprise, Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries.

For years one of Toxey’s favorite hobbies has been collecting special seed and hand growing many plants and trees in his backyard. It became his obsession to discover rare species and naturally occurring hybrid varieties never before offered to the public.

As Mossy Oak grew, a larger source was needed for plants and trees; one that carried the many wildlife varieties that you couldn’t find readily available. Not only was a source for these “naturally beneficial” plants and trees needed, but a source was needed that would provide genetically advanced varieties from superior parent trees – varieties that had preferred characteristics like taste, vigorous growth, health and early abundant mast production – characteristics that wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts prefer.

Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries is dedicated to providing the most naturally beneficial plants to landowners and land managers. Whether its White Oaks or Crabapples for whitetails, American Beautyberry for songbirds, native flowers for butterflies or hummingbirds, landscaping the cabin, or our incredible collection of rare oak hybrids, it’s all about taking care of things for the future and benefiting nature.

Toxey Haas, Founder of Mossy Oak stated, ” Not only has the team here at Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries identified and hand cultivated the very best genetically superior species available today, we have opened the door to never before offered, naturally occurring hybrids, most of which are vastly superior to the traditional species. It is with great excitement that we offer many of these rare and genetically exceptional plants through Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries.”

We are picky! Our plant species are hand selected from superior trees that exhibit the traits we desire, hand grown and cared for with special attention to be sure each species is getting the care it deserves. Look for Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries plants at your local nursery or Lowe’s. Visit www.monativnurseries.com or call 662.494.4326 for more information.

Hand Selected. Hand Grown. Plants for Wildlife.

BioLogic by Mossy Oak

WEST POINT, MS --(AmmoLand.com)- Todd Amenrud, Director of Public Relations for BioLogic said,

“We at BioLogic set out over a year ago to provide food plotters with a new perennial blend, one that has the ability to attract deer from miles around as well as provide the ultimate in nutrition throughout the entire year. Enter Perfect Plot.”

Making up the bulk of the blend are New Zealand clovers, alfalfa, and chicory – without a doubt the three most attractive and nutritious perennials available for attracting and growing bigger, healthier deer. The seven different varieties of clover were chosen for their unique ability to provide high palatability and digestible protein with maximum leaf growth and the ability to perform in a wide variety of conditions.

BioLogic Perfect Plot

The variety of alfalfa used in Perfect Plot is very high in forage yield and has proven to have excellent winter survival and persistence for those planting in the northern climates as well as superior disease resistance, diseases which are known to plague those who have tried to establish alfalfa in the Southeast.

Rounding out the perennials in this blend is chicory. The variety of chicory used in this blend is highly nutritious and incredibly drought resistant.

Perfect Plot also includes some highly attractive annuals for early and late season draw. Austrian Winter Peas are included in the blend for this very reason.

To complete this exciting new planting are a couple varieties of field proven New Zealand brassicas. These were included in the blend to give your plot the late season appeal when the really cold weather sets in and the snow begins to fall.

Perfect Plot should provide years of high quality food for your herd with little care and maintenance. The clovers, alfalfa and chicory in this blend were chosen for their track record of being very hardy varieties with great longevity.

For more information, log on to www.mossyoakbiologic.com or call 662-495-9292.

Headquartered in West Point, Miss., since its inception in 1998, BioLogic (www.mossyoakbiologic.com) develops scientifically proven products for wildlife and wildlife managers. With a broad line that includes management products for everything from deer and turkey to fish and waterfowl, BioLogic helps land managers achieve their wildlife management goals. BioLogic’s Scientifically Proven Wild Game Products™ are backed by scientific research from the top wildlife professionals in the world.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

USA - -(AmmoLand.com)- How ‘green’ is your garden? Well now may be the time to ensure that it is truly sustainable. You can order seeds of wildflowers native to your region that will give you low-maintenance blooms next spring and all summer long. Not only will they thrive — they’ll support native birds, insects and other pollinators that depend on familiar, home-grown species for a healthy ecosystem.

So I advise many conservationists, including biologists in the National Wildlife Refuge System, the premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America’s wildlife and plants. National Wildlife Refuges strive to use native plantings or seeds on refuge land or plants unable to escape cultivation.

“Native species evolved in the local environment and have developed complex interrelationships with other area plant species as well as fine tuning to local climate and soil conditions,” says Kathleen Blair, a plain-talking Ph.D. ecologist at Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge in Arizona. Exotic plant species — non-natives, including many commercially available garden flowers — haven’t. That means, she says, “If you plant non-native or exotic species, a whole lot of other local species cannot use them.”

It’s possible that going native might help save a local ecosystem, or at least parts of one. That’s what motivates Pauline Drobney, a land management research demonstration biologist at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa, where the staff is working to restore the globally threatened tallgrass prairie savannah. Each year, says Drobney, staff and volunteers plant up to 250 species of native plants on the refuge.

Does planting native mean sacrificing flash and drama? No way, says Drobney, who won over a skeptical neighbor by showing him the butterfly milkweed and blazing star in her yard. “It was just knock-your-socks-off color,” she says.

Getting it right matters. Some non-natives or exotics have become ecological nightmares, escaping backyards to rampage across entire regions, choking out native species as they spread. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria, native to Europe) is a prime example.

“It’s a nightmare of a plant. It’s now clogging up the wetlands of the East Coast,” says Blair.

Beyond that, planting an appropriate species will improve your odds of success. Some wildflowers are highly site-specific in terms of rainfall, elevation and soil type.

Native plants can generally be started either in seed trays at home in the winter or sown directly in the garden in spring. If you are directly sowing your seeds or putting ready-grown seedlings into a new bed, be sure the soil is bare (nothing growing in it) and free of weeds — native plant seeds cannot compete easily against weeds. While the seeds of some native plants may cost more and may be harder to find, they require less watering, fertilizer and pesticides, and are not as prone to damage from diseases and insects.

Here are just a few examples of some native wildflower favorites by region:

• Great Plains/Prairie: blazing star, cream gentian, fall sunflower, prairie phlox, prairie violet, heath aster, bird’s foot violet. (“Not only does it bloom profusely, but it’s the obligate host food for the rare regal fritillary butterfly,” says Drobney about the last plant species.)
• Southwest: lupin, beard-tongue (or penstemon; a real hummingbird favorite)
• Chesapeake Bay watershed: butterfly weed, Joe-Pye weed (also known as trumpet weed), eastern or willow bluestar
• Southeast: bee balm, black-eyed Susan
• Pacific Northwest: broad-leaf lupine, spreading phlox
• Upper Plains: rigid goldenrod, wild lily
• Northeast: blue flag iris, New England aster

Drobney says Master Gardeners, who can be found through the USDA Extension Service (http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/), are tremendous sources of information on native plants and home gardening.

Eileen Robb is a Polk County, Iowa, master gardener, native plant expert and internist, who took an early interest on in ecosystem recovery efforts underway at Neal Smith Refuge. Robb says, “Master Gardeners are not just garden club members, but highly visible volunteers who bring expert horticultural experience to local communities.” You can also find information about many local home and garden centers on extension service Web sites.

For reliable information on plants native to your region, consult your local native plant society. Almost every state has one. Find yours through either the New England Wild Flower Society (enter http://www.newfs.org/, then search “native plant societies”) or the Michigan Botanical Club ( http://www.michbotclub.org/links/native_plant_society.htm).

Other good sources include:

• USDA Nature Resource Conservations Service http://plants.usda.gov/ – provides a complete resource for all things plants
• Native Plant Information Network http://www.wildflower.org/ – houses a native plant database and searchable image directory maintained by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
• Plant Conservation Alliance http://www.nps.gov/plants/ – contains links to plant guides by region
• USDA Forest Service http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/nativegardening/index.shtml – offers a variety of links ad native plant information
• U.S. National Arboretum http://www.usna.usda.gov/ – search “native plants”
• Iowa Prairie Network http://www.iowaprairienetwork.org/ – recommends prairie resources
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov/ – search “native plants”
• National Wildlife Federation http://www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/create.cfm – how to create a wildlife friendly garden
• Wild Ones http://www.for-wild.org – provides native plant landscaping practices and a large list of local chapters, links and educational information

Visit a Refuge
Many refuges offer exceptional native wildflower viewing, given adequate rainfall. Here is a sampling of a few:

• Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas: The refuge Web site lists local wildflowers by color, where to spot them on the refuge and what time of year. Among the easiest to find in the spring and summer are dayflower, prairie bluet, lazy daisy and Indian blanket. Visit: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/aransas/ or contact 361-286-3559.
• Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Delaware: Spring wildflowers you can spot are bloodroot, Jack-in-the-pulpit, May-apple and purple violets. Black-eyed Susan, showy aster, blazing star, marsh mallow and swamp rose mallow can be found throughout the summer and into the fall. Visit: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/bombayhook/ or contact 302-653-6872.
• Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Washington: In the spring, look for common camas (or Indian hyacinth), a native western bluish-purple flower, blanketing some of the wet meadows at the base of Mt. Adams. Visit: http://www.fws.gov/conboylake/ or contact 509-546-8300.
• Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida: From late spring into the fall, coreopsis (tickseed) and gaillardia (blanket flower) burst into color along the roadside and open areas. Woody, fragrant tarflower can be found in the scrub and pine flatland areas. Visit http://www.fws.gov/merrittisland/ or contact 321-861-0668.
• Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge, Indiana: Stop by in late summer early fall and look for butterfly weed, swamp milkweed, goldenrod, blue mistflower, tall ironweed and Joe-Pye weed. Visit http://www.fws.gov/midwest/muscatatuck/ or contact 812-522-4352.
• Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, Idaho: During the spring and summer, you will see the country’s largest re-creation of a tallgrass prairie that includes many native prairie flowers, such as blazing star, prairie flax, prairie violet and bird’s foot violet. Visit http://www.fws.gov/midwest/nealsmith/ or contact 515-994-3400.
• San Diego National Wildlife Refuge, California: The best time to visit is in March when the San Diego sunflower and chocolate lily bloom. Visit http://www.fws.gov/sandiegorefuges/Sweetwater.htm or contact 619-409-5900.

Comprising hundreds of thousands of miles and landscapes ranging from southwest desert to Alaskan tundra and nearly every conceivable ecosystem in between, the Refuge System represents the last best hope for survival for many endangered and threatened species. These include the ocelot, manatee, spotted owl, California jewelflower and polar bear.

There are 551 refuges — one within an hour’s drive of most major cities — offering people a welcoming, safe and accessible place to nourish their spirits and reconnect with the land. To learn more about the National Wildlife Refuge System, visit http://www.fws.gov/refuges/.

About:
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries

WEST POINT, MS --(AmmoLand.com)- Hard to find “wildlife” species of trees and plant are now available online through Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries’ online catalog, now live at www.nativnurseries.com.

Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries is dedicated to providing the most naturally beneficial plants to landowners and land managers. Whether its White Oaks or Crabapples for whitetails, American Beautyberry for songbirds, native flowers for butterflies or hummingbirds, landscaping the cabin, or our incredible collection of rare oak hybrids, it’s all about taking care of things for the future and benefiting nature.

Toxey Haas, Founder of Mossy Oak stated, “We’re excited to now offer our extensive inventory of hand selected trees and plants, including hard-to-find wildlife species and rare hybrids, through our plant catalog on the Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries website. Every air-pruned seedling we offer has an advanced root system that promotes rigorous growth and early mast production, helping provide food sources now and for future generations.”

A huge selection and variety of plants are now available online. Oak trees, oak hybrids, specialty oaks, nut trees, fruit trees, fruit shrubs, evergreens, flowering shrubs and other plant species are ready for purchase online starting at $2.49.

We are picky! Our plant species are selected from superior trees that exhibit the traits we desire, hand grown and cared for with special attention to be sure each species is getting the care it deserves. Ask for Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries plants at your local nursery. Visit www.monativnurseries.com or call 662.494.4326 for more information.

Hand Selected. Hand Grown. Plants for Wildlife.

Frigid Forage

Onamia, MN --(AmmoLand.com)- Frigid Forage, the premier food plot provider for wildlife, has developed a Facebook account to share their passion for healthy deer and other wildlife with enthusiasts and hunters worldwide!

“Frigid Forage is extremely excited to share the latest information on how to provide larger, healthier game using their food plots and dispense information about our new “live trail cameras” from Buckeye in a fun and friendly atmosphere” says John Barsody, owner of Frigid Forage “We invited everyone looking for a passionate food plot provider that’s dedicated to healthy wildlife to become fans on Facebook.”

Frigid Forage is dedicated to the growth of hunting opportunities in America and knows that having feeds able to withstand cold forbidding climates of the northern latitudes is crucial to that growth.

This is why Frigid Forage chooses to produce their feed in the northern region of Minnesota. Frigid Forage provides seeds for both the Northern and Southern States, and the feed is proven to withstand both cold winters and hot summers.

Look to Frigid Forage for an extensive product line helping to produce larger bucks and a healthier deer herd. The food plots are frost resistant and allows for hunting opportunities even in the dead of winter!

Facebook is proud to house the Frigid Forage page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Frigid-Forage/83612279390

About:
Frigid Forage is headquartered in Onamia, Minnesota where food plots have to bear “real winter” conditions. To see how Frigid Forage can help to provide larger, healthier game, and to learn more about food plots and the Buckeye camera, see www.frigidforage.com or call 320-532-5020 for extensive ‘how-to’ information and to learn more about their extensive product line.

West Virginia DNR

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – -(AmmoLand.com)-The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources predicts a slightly higher harvest of wild turkeys during the 2009 fall hunting season compared to the fall 2008 harvest of 1,206, according to Paul Johansen, Assistant Chief in Charge of Game Management for DNR. This prediction is based upon the increased number of turkey broods reported in July and field notes reported by cooperators in the 2009 West Virginia Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook.

“The poor and spotty mast conditions reported this fall will tend to concentrate birds, and wildlife biologists expect many flocks to be out feeding in open fields or along field borders,” Johansen predicted. “These factors will serve to make birds more accessible to hunters and vulnerable to harvest.”

The spotty hard mast production found in the Eastern Panhandle and mountain counties should concentrate turkeys in areas where the beech and oak mast “hit.” This concentration of turkeys around available food sources in the traditional fall-hunted counties will provide turkey hunters with greater opportunities for success.

Wildlife biologists expect the fall turkey harvest in the mountain counties to be up slightly, while the fall harvest in the Eastern Panhandle is expected to be similar to last year’s numbers. The non-traditional fall-hunted counties found in the Northern Panhandle and along the Ohio River Valley are also expected to see fall turkey harvests similar to last year.

Hunters should be aware of changes in the counties that will be open for fall turkey hunting during the 2009 hunting season. Fourteen traditional fall-hunted counties will be open to a four-week season Oct. 24 through Nov. 21, 2009.

Preston County will have a two-week season from Oct. 24 to Nov. 7. Nine counties (Brooke, Hancock, Harrison, Marshall, Mason, Ohio, Upshur, Wirt, and Wood), will be open Oct. 24 through Oct. 31. Consult the 2009 Hunting and Trapping Regulations for details or log onto the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Web site at www.wvdnr.gov for additional information.

American Deer & Wildlife Alliance

ONAMIA, Minn. –-(AmmoLand.com)- Fridge Forage products work! Want to see? Now you can monitor the activity of food plots thanks to a partnership between Frigid Forage and BuckEye Cam. Frigid Forage, who makes hardy weather tolerant food plot blends is partnering with ATSI, the maker of the BuckEye Cam to help promote both food plots and trail cameras.

“We have several cameras on our food plots throughout the property. Whenever a picture is taken it is sent back to the lodge through a wireless feed and is automatically uploaded to the Frigid Forage website” says John Barsody, owner of Frigid Forage.

These cameras were crafted and designed to withstand the elements and are also battery operated and have solar chargers so once they are set up you don not have to disturb the area by returning to retrieve your photos! After set up, all you have to do is sit back and watch the activity on your food plot. Any further changes to the cameras settings can be done right from your computer.

From hearty, fast-growing annual food plot blends that deer cannot resist, to perennial blends that will give your deer and upland birds a protein-rich food source for years to come, choose Frigid Forage Inc. Now with the BuckEye Cams you should look no further than Fridge Forage for your food plot blends because you can see the product in action. There is not doubt these products work and these live BuckEye Cams these products show their worth!

As a member of the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance (ADWA), Frigid Forage plays a role in supporting the farmers and landowners who invest in their land, and therefore keeping rural lands from becoming urbanized.

ADWA’s Operations Manager Alicia Clements says, “Frigid Forage has built a reputation on providing hardy, weather tolerant food plots used by our members and now they are taking their business to the next level by integrating these BuckEye Cams. This is very advanced for food plot monitoring. Kudos to Fridge Forage for advancing in their field.”

To see Frigid Forage in action and how it can help to provide larger and healthier game visit www.frigidforage.com for extensive ‘how-to’ information. Frigid Forage is owned and operated by John Barsody, who also owns the Mille Lacs Hunting Lodge. For more information on Mille Lacs Hunting Lodge visit www.millelacslodge.com.

To learn more about ATSI, and the BuckEye Cam, please visit www.buckeyecam.com or www.wildviewweb.com.

About:
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of the deer and wildlife industry, and to help educate consumers and the youth on the conservation issues that affect deer and wildlife as well as the industry. For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance, call 512.331.8607 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org.

West Virginia DNR

West Virginia –(AmmoLand.com)-The 2009 “Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook” is available on the Division of Natural Resources’ Web site and at DNR district offices, according to Randy Tucker, Wildlife Biologist for the DNR Wildlife Resources Section. Since 1970, the Wildlife Resources Section, in cooperation with volunteers from numerous other agencies, has conducted a fall mast survey to determine the abundance of mast produced by 18 species of trees and shrubs.

“The availability of fall foods has a significant impact on wildlife populations and harvests,” said Tucker. “Our biologists have used the mast survey data to demonstrate the strong correlation between mast conditions and deer, bear and turkey harvests. In addition to the impact on harvests, the amount of food available each year can affect the reproductive success of numerous species which will affect population sizes in the following years.”

Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook

Production of acorns, walnuts, beechnuts and hickory nuts are well below the 39-year average and will have noticeable effects on the 2009-2010 hunting seasons.

“It is very important for hunters to scout and consider the type and amount of food available in the areas that they hunt,” Tucker added. “Hunters can find a wealth of knowledge in the ‘Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook’ and it should provide them valuable information before heading into the field.”

Certain species of wildlife will move larger distances in search of food due to the reduced amount of mast in 2009. West Virginia residents are reminded to make sure that bird seed, pet food and trash are properly stored so that roaming wildlife, particularly black bears, do not become a nuisance.

Copies of the 2009 Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook may be found on the DNR Web site at www.wvdnr.gov under “Hunting.” Information analyzing mast conditions and wildlife harvests is also available on the Web site.

Get Your copy: Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook

Fall Deer Feeding

Day VI Outdoors

Columbus, GA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Even in states that allow year-round feeding, many hunters decide to discontinue feeding deer in the fall. Many believe that the mast crop will be enough, or that their annual food plots will provide sufficient sustenance for the deer, but these assumptions fail to take several factors into consideration.

First, while the mast crop is Mother Nature’s buffet for game, there’s no guarantee that it will be an all-you-can-eat one. Fluctuations in weather during the spring can cause the acorn crop to fail. Sometimes, the trees on your property remain void of acorns while your neighbor’s trees may be loaded with them. Regardless, the acorn crop or lack thereof is out of your control. However, offering feed is within your control and provides you a way to supply a secondary food source when acorns are available and a primary food source when they’re not.

Secondly, many variables can make food plots undependable. A dry fall may inhibit germination of seeds. Severe weather may hurt the crop. Poor soil may negatively impact the health of the plants thus diminishing the browse.

You may not have enough acreage dedicated to truly provide sustenance. While food plots are a must in the overall management plan of a deer herd, they are inconsistent and difficult to control. Once again, you should control what you can.

Providing feed throughout these fall months is within your power. Utilizing a supplemental food source along with food plots and hopefully a good mast crop will help keep the deer from leaving your property to find food.

Day 6 Outdoors is home to the Flat-Out Feeder, the only feeder designed to help manage trophy whitetails by controlling human scent at the feed site. Its simple, one-person setup doesn’t require tools or any additional assembly. All you have to do is take it out of the box and it’s ready to go. The feeder is gravity-fed, so it doesn’t depend on motors or batteries, which require maintenance, can malfunction or go dead.

For more info, check out www.day6outdoors.com

About:
At Day Six Outdoors, our foundational belief for life and business is that we are to be good stewards of all things our Creator has blessed us with, including this venture. Our name comes from our recognition and thankfulness for the creation of the land animals that we so enjoy and passionately pursue and that were created on the sixth day. It is our desire that our company name will serve to remind all of us to be constantly thankful to our Creator.

Our objective is to develop innovative products that address limitations of products currently available or remove boundaries to traditional ways of doing things. Again, we desire to make every minute of time you spend in the woods as enjoyable and productive as possible. We are committed to doing that in all that we offer.

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that visitors to the agency’s more than 1.4 million acres of State Game Lands will start seeing a new crop of signs designed to educate the public about four of the primary methods of habitat improvement used to benefit wildlife.

“Each year, the agency spends more than 40 percent of its total budget on wildlife habitat improvements,” Roe said. “Each of these news signs will provide a short description about one of the four primary habitat management practices being employed by agency personnel and, in most cases, when it occurred.

“For decades, the Game Commission has been conducting these types of habitat enhancements, but too often the general public doesn’t readily recognize the efforts are deliberate and habitat-based. A good example is herbaceous openings, also referred to as ‘food plots,’ which many people believe are part of the natural landscape rather than ‘man made.”

Likewise, Roe noted that the agency’s use of prescribed fire is sometimes viewed as the result of arson or accidental fires, rather than a well-planned deliberate burns used to enhance or create wildlife habitat.

“If the sportsmen actually knew just how much habitat work is conducted on all our State Game Lands, they would certainly be impressed,” Roe said. “But, we have not always done a good job of telling visitors to State Game Lands exactly what has been done to improve wildlife habitat.”

Roe noted that the four practices that will be promoted by the signs are: Wildlife Openings, also called food plots or herbaceous openings; Prescribed Burn Area; Forest Management Area; and Deer Exclosure Fence.

The exact wording on the signs is as follows:

WILDLIFE OPENING: This herbaceous area benefits wildlife throughout the year. It is maintained to promote native plants, legumes, or annual grains. Maintenance may include planting, spraying, prescribed fire and mechanical treatments.

PRESCRIBED BURN AREA: This area was intentionally burned following a detailed plan to improve wildlife habitat. Prescribed fire is a safe, cost effective tool to reduce undesirable plants, improve soil conditions, and promote native plants. This burn was conducted on ____.

FOREST MANAGEMENT AREA: Trees in this area were cut to improve wildlife habitat. Removing over-story trees allows sunlight to reach the forest floor, resulting in greater food and cover available for wildlife. Harvests also generate revenue that is used to improve additional habitat on State Game Lands. Date Cut: ______________.

DEER EXCLOSURE FENCE: This fence is intended to reduce deer browsing on a limited area to allow regeneration of understory plants. The fence will be removed when adequate trees and shrubs are established, providing habitat for numerous wildlife species, including deer. Hunting is welcome and encouraged inside the fence. Please enter through the yellow access gates. This fence was installed on: ______________________.

Roe noted that each year, from mid-September through mid-October, the Game Commission hosts a series of State Game Lands tours to enable residents to see what the agency is doing on behalf of wildlife.

“State Game Land tours provide the opportunity for those who enjoy nature to come out and talk with our employees – the people who are directly responsible for managing and protecting these lands,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “Coupled with these new signs, the agency is enhancing the public’s opportunity to see how the Game Commission is spending hunting and furtaker license fees to acquire and manage these lands for wildlife.”

In 1919, the Game Commission was granted authority to purchase lands for the protection, propagation and management of game and wildlife, and to provide areas for public hunting and trapping. Since that time, the Game Commission has acquired more than 1.4 million acres in 65 of the state’s 67 counties (Philadelphia and Delaware counties being the exceptions).

With few exceptions, State Game Lands were purchased using revenues from hunting and furtaker license sales; State Game Lands timber, coal, oil, gas and mineral operation revenues; the state’s share of a federal excise tax on sporting arms and ammunition, known as the Pittman-Robertson Program; from Working Together for Wildlife artwork and patch sales; and from the Pennsylvania Waterfowl Management stamp and print sales.

Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever

Madison, Wis. – -(AmmoLand.com)- Where can a landowner obtain a free, one-on-one wildlife habitat consultation with leading wildlife habitat experts? The place is Pheasants Forever’s Landowner Habitat Help Room at National Pheasant Fest 2009 presented by Cabela’s. The event will be held February 6, 7 & 8 at Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, Wisconsin. At last year’s event, over 560 landowners took advantage of the Landowner Habitat Help Room, and an estimated 45,000 habitat acres were evaluated for management recommendations.

The Landowner Habitat Help Room, powered by Pheasants Forever (PF), New Holland, Alliant Energy, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), is designed to give farmers and landowners site-specific information about conservation programs they can implement on their land. Biologists use aerial photography, topography, and soil information to do individual planning. Landowners just need to bring the legal description of their property (township, range, and section). Through a one-on-one consultation, landowners will have the opportunity to learn about conservation and habitat options on their land available through federal, state and local programs. In fact, biologists on hand will have data on every farm in Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, and more!

“For landowners and farmers to create high quality habitat, they need to understand the conservation options that are available to them,” said Ron Leathers, PF Director of Public Finance, “The Landowner Habitat Help Room provides the best advice and information about conservation programs that can assist them with their land use goals.” On hand in the Landowner Habitat Help Room will be PF Farm Bill Biologists and staff professionals from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Upper Midwest state wildlife agencies.

Help Room biologists will be fluent in federal conservation programs run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and NRCS. Those programs include the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP), and Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP), to name a few. In addition to federal programs, the biologists will be knowledgeable about state and local PF conservation programs and will be able to discuss steps for enrolling in all eligible programs. Landowners will also be able to discuss potential cost-share options, as well as average land rental rates.

National Pheasant Fest 2009 presented by Cabela’s will combine a national consumer show, habitat seminar series, and family event complete with puppies, tractors, shotguns, and art. In fact, the Fest promises to be the country’s largest event for upland hunters, sport dog owners, and wildlife habitat conservationists.

For the special price of $30, a National Pheasant Fest advance ticket package includes three-day weekend admission to National Pheasant Fest 2009 ($30 value), 1-year membership to Pheasants Forever ($30 value) which includes a subscription to the Pheasants Forever Journal of Upland Conservation (5 issues), membership card and decal, and a free Pheasants Forever hat ($16.95 value) which you can pick up at National Pheasant Fest. Single day tickets to the event will sell for $10 at the show, and the annual PF membership alone is $30. In other words, purchasing advance tickets to National Pheasant Fest is a $77 value at less than half the price, a savings of over 60 percent! To order tickets and for more information, log onto www.PheasantFest.org .

About:
Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are non-profit conservation organizations dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education. PF/QF has more than 129,000 members in 700 local chapters across the continent.

For additional information about Pheasants Forever, please visit www.PheasantsForever.org

Ruffed Grouse Society

Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) - -(OutdoorWire.com)- Regional wildlife biologist Paul Karczmarczyk, will conduct a free habitat seminar on Improving Habitat for Grouse and Woodcock at the Syracuse Gander Mountain Store, 5864 Carmenica Drive, Cicero, New York on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 at 7 p.m.

RGS regional director Ken Waite will also be in attendance to discuss chapter opportunities.

Seating may be limited so you may want to register beforehand at Gander Mountain Customer Service at 315-698-1100.

For more information and/or directions contact Waite at 315-406-5016, or by e-mail at rgsknw@twcny.rr.com .

About:
Established in 1961, the Ruffed Grouse Society is the one international wildlife conservation organization dedicated to promoting conditions suitable for ruffed grouse, American woodcock and related wildlife to sustain our sport hunting tradition and outdoor heritage.

Information on the RGS, its mission, management projects and membership can be found on the web at: www.ruffedgrousesociety.org.

Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries

West Point, MS - -(AmmoLand.com)- Just as Toxey Haas’ passion for hunting spawned the creation of Mossy Oak Brand Camo, his passion for resources and the management thereof has sprouted another branch of the Mossy Oak Enterprise, Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries.

For years one of Toxey’s favorite hobbies has been collecting special seed and hand growing many plants and trees in his backyard. It became his obsession to discover rare species and naturally occurring hybrid varieties never before offered to the public.

As Mossy Oak grew, a larger source was needed for plants and trees; one that carried the many wildlife varieties that you couldn’t find readily available. Not only was a source for these “naturally beneficial” plants and trees needed, but a source was needed that would provide genetically advanced varieties from superior parent trees – varieties that had preferred characteristics like taste, vigorous growth, health and early abundant mast production – characteristics that wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts prefer.

Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries is dedicated to providing the most naturally beneficial plants to landowners and land managers. Whether its White Oaks or Crabapples for whitetails, American Beautyberry for songbirds, native flowers for butterflies or hummingbirds, landscaping the cabin, or our incredible collection of rare oak hybrids, it’s all about taking care of things for the future and benefiting nature. Toxey Haas, Founder of Mossy Oak stated ” Not only has the team here at Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries identified and hand cultivated the very best genetically superior species available today, we have opened the door to never before offered naturally occurring hybrids, most of which are vastly superior to the traditional species. It is with great excitement that we offer many of these rare and genetically exceptional plants through Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries.”

We are picky! Our plant species are hand selected from superior trees that exhibit the traits we desire, hand grown and cared for with special attention to be sure each species is getting the care it deserves.  Look for Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries plants at your local nursery or Lowes in Spring ’09, visit www.monativnurseries.com or call 662.494.4326 for more information.

About:
Haas Outdoors Inc. is headquartered in West Point, Miss., was established in 1986 and is home of Mossy Oak (www.mossyoak.com). Mossy Oak specializes in developing and marketing modern camouflage designs for hunters and outdoorsmen. Mossy Oak patterns can be found on a multitude of products worldwide. Haas Outdoors Inc. is the outdoor industry leader in modern camouflage design, international licensing and marketing. Haas Outdoors Inc. markets its services and products under widely recognized brands including: Mossy Oak, BioLogic, Mossy Oak Productions, Mossy Oak Interactive, LLC, Nativ Nursery and Mossy Oak Properties.