CNC, I have enjoyed this thread as I see both sides of the habitat management equation and fully understand that we all have different operational constraints. However, coming from a region of the state that has a rather poor land quality in general, I have seen where rich plant communities as a result of many years of prescribed burning has had significant impacts on game. I have seen pics of fields on this site that I would only dream to have on my places, but that has not been a reality for me. My plots are all former log decks and we are currently trying to build them back up as there isn't a rich OM layer to work with. Been using lots of Petcher seed blends which seem to do well in poor soil conditions. I do some of my fields conventionally and some with nothing but a spiked chain harrow drag as they are sandy, and have seen improvement in my poorest fields from this method. That Howardtown Cur of yours should work out well for you ! I am sure you are starting to learn that they are different from most breeds, but I doubt you will find anything with more prey drive. Their ability to bay and catch will keep a lot of wounded deer from feeding coyotes.
Thanks!.......I completely agree with you on the benefits of fire……It's definitely one of the major tools in the box. I think we could slightly tweak the typical fire regime that people are doing now and merge it with some of what I’m showing to produce your most optimal outcome……Really the only reason fire has been excluded from what I’m doing is because of concerns with several “smoke sensitive areas”……So I’ve been managing using other methods.
Something that I have really noticed a difference as a result is in the ratio of broadleafs/forbs/legumes to bunch grasses. I do have areas of bunch grasses but the recycling methods I’ve been doing have heavily favored the broadleafs……What I see when I go to these quail plantations though and land managed with frequent dormant season fire is often understories heavily dominated by grasses…….I think there should be a happy medium in there and that’s exactly how the original system likely functioned……
Yes, you did used to have periodic stand replacement fires that came through naturally……but what you also had in between those fire cycles that most people arent replicating today were herds of grazers that roamed around and recycled a lot of the grass/carbon production back to the soil……The way we’re doing it now is mostly taking all of that above ground carbon that the grasses are producing and sending it up into the air every couple years…..What I think should happen that would make things even more productive is if a good portion of that grass was put back into the soil and THEN a fire sent through……That would keep enriching the soil too at the same time….....
I'm really excited about my cur dog......That's Lu-lu.
