Pennsylvania Game News - September 2019 - 43

Hinge-cut trees, like that at left, not only
provide immediate browse and cover, they'll
shoot out new sprouts for several years,
keeping deer coming back. Stumps left after
trees are felled to improve habitat behave
similarly and are equally good draws.

these spots are as good as any to place a
trail cam. Take an inexpensive, 15-gallon
or larger rubber cattle trough and dig it in
nearly level. Place a stick in the water so
mice and other small animals can crawl
out. Suffice it to say, a drowned mouse
will make a water hole less than desirable
to any passing wildlife!
Over the years, I've collected hundreds
of photos of deer, as well as bears, squirrels, turkeys, raccoons, foxes and even a
few hawks using water holes I installed.
I clean out water holes in the spring.
And in a dry year, you might have to add
water periodically.

weed out inva$ive$
Removing invasive plant species is
another great thing you can do for your
property, and it's fun.
It's exciting to see which beneficial
plants will fill in after invasives are
removed.
Bush honeysuckle, autumn olive,
Japanese barberry and multiflora rose
are some of the most common invasives
in Pennsylvania. These plants offer little
to no nutritional value to wildlife. And
they often prevent beneficial plants from
germinating and growing.
Smaller and younger non-thorned
plants, such as bush honeysuckle, simply
can be pulled out of the ground and killed
by leaving their roots exposed. But I
find using herbicides is a more-effective
method of dealing with Japanese barberry
and other thorned bushes.
You can use the "hack-and-squirt"
method for larger bush honeysuckle and
SEPTEMBER 2019

autumn olive. Cut the bushes near the
ground, then apply the herbicide Tordon
to the cut stump. This herbicide works
best after the bush has shed its leaves and
is drawing moisture into its roots.
After clearing your property of invasives, many new and different beneficial
plants and shrubs quickly will take their
place. But maintenance will be needed,
as these invasives will have plenty of seed
stored in the soil, and new plants will
spring up for many years.
Once the bulk of the invasive seed bank
is removed, however, maintenance is easy
to keep up with.

wildlife win$
One great part about managing habitat
on your property is that your work often
benefits multiple wildlife species.
For example, on my small, 6-acre tract
in Clearfield County, many of the shrubs
I've planted provide good browse for deer
while their nuts and fruit are favored by
grouse.
And by installing several bluebird
nesting boxes, I've seen an increase in
songbirds on my property.
Songbirds are a great addition to any
property, too, as they work to disperse
seed, helping new generations of beneficial weeds and bushes to germinate.
So when getting ready for the coming
hunting seasons, think about what
improvements you could make and
remember, no property is too small for
projects that greatly impact wildlife!

about the author
Teddy Klark is an avid hunter and habitat manager,
and co-owner of North Ridge Wildlife Forage, a food
plot seed company with blends designed specifically for
Pennsylvania and its unique conditions.

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Pennsylvania Game News - September 2019

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