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The Tale of a QDM Club by Dave Edwards
Own Your Own by Virgil Peritts
What Is TSI? by Matt Ross, QDMA
Native vs. Non-Native by Gabriel Karns, M. Colter Chitwood, Chris Moorman, and Dr. Chris DePerno
Oaks For Bucks by Chris Moorman
Go For Broke by Tony Hansen, Realtree Whitetail Team
Deer Season: A Time For Kids by Stephanie Mallory
The Need For Minerals by Brian Murphy, QDMA
Perlitz Ranch Hosts Youth Camp by Kelly Haydel
Timing the Rut With Fawns by Gabriel Karns, M. Colter Chitwood
How to add cover for deer by Realtree Whitetail Team
What percentage of a buck's antler development potential comes from the doe's genes? by Realtree Whitetail Team
Where were the bucks? by Team Realtree
Growths on Deer? by Team Realtree
How Many Teats? by Team Realtree
Special thanks to:
Quality Deer
Management Association
Land Management
Native vs. Non-Native
Although most of the non-native plants used in white-tailed deer forage food plots are relatively benign, require careful cultivation to survive and provide unique benefits to select wildlife, some non-native woody plants introduced by wildlife enthusiasts may upset the ecological balance.
These non-native plantings have seemingly desirable traits, including quick maturation, vigorous mast production, and tolerance of harsh condition. However, the long-term ecological impacts far outweigh the short-term benefits. The negative long-term impacts can include outcompeting and displacing native plants and disrupting local animal-plant relationships.
For example, some tout sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), and olive (Eleagnus spp.) as ideal species to enhance food and cover resources. Unfortunately, these commonly cultivated species are all non-natives – never the best choice. Almost always, native plant communities offer equally good or better options for efficiently supplying forage and cover on a larger percentage of your property, and native plants do not come with the same ecological risks as non-native plants. More specifically, manager effort typically is better spent manipulating the naturally-occurring plant communities on a property (e.g., prescribed burning, rotational disking, timber harvesting) than planting individual plants of a few species.
Sawtooth oaks are an increasingly popular choice for landowners who perceive the need for hardwood mast production on an accelerated timetable. Aggressive marketing, wide tolerances of drought and soil conditions, and ample availability in tree nurseries have made the sawtooth oak a common tree planted for wildlife. However, the tree produces a large acorn which may not be used by many wildlife species. Also, sawtooth oaks are relatively short-lived compared to many native oaks, and many properties already have sufficient acres of native oak forest.
Although sawtooth oaks have not been in the North American landscape long enough to fully document their potential for becoming invasive, the species is known to escape plantings. Additionally, sawtooth oaks are a host for fusiform rust – a multi-million dollar threat to pine trees – and may jeopardize pure native oak genetics through hybridization. Alternative management strategy: To increase native acorn production, release the crowns of native white oaks [e.g., white oak (Quercus alba), post oak (Quercus stellata)] and red oaks [e.g., Southern red oak (Quercus falcatta), Northern red oak (Quercus rubra)] by killing or felling competing trees.
Japanese honeysuckle sometimes is planted on a support structure as supplemental forage. The plant’s evergreen leaves provide year-round forage, but completely shade out any herbaceous or woody growth underneath. Also, the non-native species can strangle shrubs and tree saplings by restricting water flow and decreasing available sunlight. In fact, this invasive vine can reach 80 feet in length because of its aggressive root system and year-round photosynthesis. Alternative management strategy: Because of Japanese honeysuckle’s widespread distribution, aggressive control of invaded areas may not be practical. The decision to control honeysuckle using herbicides and/or fire should depend on landowner objectives and degree of invasion. However, it never is a good idea to plant or promote Japanese honeysuckle.
Though use has decreased in recent decades, a variety of olive species still are planted for wild turkey, quail, and other wildlife. Olives, perceived as a panacea for increasing wild game bird cover and bountiful winter food production, have been a focus of eradication for many years by agencies and organizations. This invasive shrub is spread via seeds dispersed by birds. In fact, a few plantings of the thorny shrubs can quickly grow into an impenetrable thicket that outcompetes other plant species. Alternative management strategy: Rather than plant olive, consider managing for thickets of native shrubs such as blackberry (Rubus spp.) or Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia). These plants provide cover, browse for deer, and fruits for deer and other wildlife. Blackberry readily colonizes sites recently disturbed by timber harvest and prescribed fire.
Although non-native plants may serve as “quick fixes” for providing food or cover for select wildlife, they cannot completely fulfill the role of native species. Additionally, the potential for escape and ultimately invasion is a serious environmental risk that has long-term consequences for wildlife populations. Obviously, not all non-native plants have the potential for becoming invasive. Check out these sources for more information on identifying non-native, invasive plants or choosing alternative native plants.
About the authors: Gabriel Karns is a Ph. D. candidate in Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University; M.S., Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program, North Carolina State University. M. Colter Chitwood, M. S. candidate in the Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University. Dr. Chris Moorman, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program, Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University.