TOWN OF YORK - A cheaper doe tag is a nice bonus, but Paul Ovadal said the real perk of being a part of the Department of Natural Resource's Deer Management Assistance Program is learning how to increase the habitat to get more deer on his land in the northwest corner of Green County.
Ovadal said his farm hosts typically about 10 to 15 deer, and with the help of the DNR wildlife biologists who semi-annually visit his land, he is trying to create the best habitat for deer.
"I've planted a lot of shrubs and trees and a couple hundred acres of native grasses," Ovadal said.
In its second year, the DNR's Deer Management Assistance Program enlists landowners to keep accurate log books on animals on their property and biological information from harvested deer, such as weight, lactation and antler width. The program came from a recommendation from the DNR's Deer Trustee Report, built off of a survey from hunters across the state.
Ovadal said he has always valued conservation and the opportunity to enroll in the $75 program that lasts for three years, noting the value beyond the half-price doe tag of $6.
"I really do believe more interaction between regular people and DNR where they can talk back and forth is great," Ovadal said.
He said he farms 320 acres of corn and soybeans and also takes care of a neighbor's land of 225 acres, which is also included in his DMAP participation.
DMAP is open to all landowners in three different tiers. Any landowner with less than 160 acres can join DMAP for free; landowners with 160 to 640 acres pay a $75 fee for a three-year commitment to the program and a semi-annual visit from a wildlife biologist or forester; the third tier is for landowners with more than 640 acres, costs $150 for a three-year commitment, and has additional site visits from biologists or foresters.
Ovadal is in tier two and said he was visited by wildlife biologist, Mike Foy, last fall. Foy pointed out invasive plants on his property and gave him a management plan to increase the habitat so more deer would frequent Ovadal's land.
"They have a real tough job, because some landowners can get really passionate against DNR," Ovadal said. "That's why this program is so good; DNR personnel can talk back and forth and educate the landowner, and maybe the landowner adds a little bit to the DNR."
DMAP Coordinator Bob Nack was appointed to lead the program last year and gauge the interest of landowners in participating. He said this year they have already received applications from 300 landowners across the state. Enrollment in DMAP has a sign-up date of March 1, but applications will be accepted past that date.
Nack said the DNR asks landowners to keep a log book of all wildlife they encounter on their property, not just deer.
"We talk a lot about deer here, but habitat management benefits a lot of other wildlife," Nack said. "Most people are interested in deer, but increased habitat benefits turkey, grouse, forest song birds - there is much more beyond just deer."
DMAP participants weigh deer harvested on their land, check for lactation in does to determine if they had a fawn and even send in jaw bones to determine the age of their deer. Biologists check the wear on teeth to determine a deer's age, Nack said. During site visits, a biologist or forester will look for "browse" on vegetation, to find out how many deer there are and what they are eating. Nack said they also help educate landowners to look for browse and find out what kind of vegetation they should plant or if there could be too many deer on their land if all the vegetation is gone.
"From a deer herd perspective, we focus on the right balance of deer that the property can support," Nack said.
He echoed Ovadal in saying the biggest benefit is communicating with hunters and landowners to support conservation.
"It's an opportunity to share information and learn from each other, it's not a one-way street," Nack said.
Ovadal said his farm hosts typically about 10 to 15 deer, and with the help of the DNR wildlife biologists who semi-annually visit his land, he is trying to create the best habitat for deer.
"I've planted a lot of shrubs and trees and a couple hundred acres of native grasses," Ovadal said.
In its second year, the DNR's Deer Management Assistance Program enlists landowners to keep accurate log books on animals on their property and biological information from harvested deer, such as weight, lactation and antler width. The program came from a recommendation from the DNR's Deer Trustee Report, built off of a survey from hunters across the state.
Ovadal said he has always valued conservation and the opportunity to enroll in the $75 program that lasts for three years, noting the value beyond the half-price doe tag of $6.
"I really do believe more interaction between regular people and DNR where they can talk back and forth is great," Ovadal said.
He said he farms 320 acres of corn and soybeans and also takes care of a neighbor's land of 225 acres, which is also included in his DMAP participation.
DMAP is open to all landowners in three different tiers. Any landowner with less than 160 acres can join DMAP for free; landowners with 160 to 640 acres pay a $75 fee for a three-year commitment to the program and a semi-annual visit from a wildlife biologist or forester; the third tier is for landowners with more than 640 acres, costs $150 for a three-year commitment, and has additional site visits from biologists or foresters.
Ovadal is in tier two and said he was visited by wildlife biologist, Mike Foy, last fall. Foy pointed out invasive plants on his property and gave him a management plan to increase the habitat so more deer would frequent Ovadal's land.
"They have a real tough job, because some landowners can get really passionate against DNR," Ovadal said. "That's why this program is so good; DNR personnel can talk back and forth and educate the landowner, and maybe the landowner adds a little bit to the DNR."
DMAP Coordinator Bob Nack was appointed to lead the program last year and gauge the interest of landowners in participating. He said this year they have already received applications from 300 landowners across the state. Enrollment in DMAP has a sign-up date of March 1, but applications will be accepted past that date.
Nack said the DNR asks landowners to keep a log book of all wildlife they encounter on their property, not just deer.
"We talk a lot about deer here, but habitat management benefits a lot of other wildlife," Nack said. "Most people are interested in deer, but increased habitat benefits turkey, grouse, forest song birds - there is much more beyond just deer."
DMAP participants weigh deer harvested on their land, check for lactation in does to determine if they had a fawn and even send in jaw bones to determine the age of their deer. Biologists check the wear on teeth to determine a deer's age, Nack said. During site visits, a biologist or forester will look for "browse" on vegetation, to find out how many deer there are and what they are eating. Nack said they also help educate landowners to look for browse and find out what kind of vegetation they should plant or if there could be too many deer on their land if all the vegetation is gone.
"From a deer herd perspective, we focus on the right balance of deer that the property can support," Nack said.
He echoed Ovadal in saying the biggest benefit is communicating with hunters and landowners to support conservation.
"It's an opportunity to share information and learn from each other, it's not a one-way street," Nack said.