Want To Attract Wild Game To Your Homestead? Do This

Sevelx | January 10, 2016 | General, Hunting

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Many hunters often wonder how they can increase game and resources on their own land. In short: How can you make your own land, farm or homestead a “mini-game preserve”?

It won’t happen overnight, but there are some practical steps to increase game numbers on your land.

Here are some tips:

Abandon Clean Farming Techniques

Put aside the modern way of farming. Replant native grasses and shrubs on field edges to provide cover for turkey, quail, deer and other wildlife. Over the past decades large companies have urged farmers to clear grasslands on farms to reduce the chance of crop contamination — the belief being that rodents and critters living in shrubs and grass will contaminate fields with bacteria. In truth, there are just as many rodents in a field after you clear your grass and shrubs away. Grasslands prevent erosion, stop fertilizer and pesticides from reaching waterways, and provide cover and forage for wildlife.

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Improve Water Access

Water is a must for wildlife. Improving water sources is imperative to any conservation effort. Cleaning up streams from garbage and trash left by years of neglect is a first step. Planting trees along streams that have been stripped of cover is the next. A stream should have at least 20 feet of hardwoods on either side; this improves stream cover, water and fish quality, and protection for wildlife. Keeping cattle away from streams goes a long way toward cleaning them up.

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Grow An Orchard

In addition to hard mast, soft mast is a favorite of wildlife, especially deer. Planting apple, pear, cherry and peach trees will actually improve game forage. Don’t harvest every apple, and leave around one-fourth or more of the produce from these trees for wildlife if possible.