Saturday, April 17, 2010

Introduction to the Deer and Wildlife Forage Project




The Mission of the team is to enhance the deer herd and other wildlife through habitat restoration and forestry techniques. Deer biologists are predicting that Western Maine's deer herd will be gone in ten years. Projects will be done through hands-on projects with the logging companies and with private owners’ properties. The membership will also have regular educational information via presentations at meetings and through e-mail presentations.

There are four infant projects of the Committee, some or all of which you can become informed or become a volunteer .

I. Partnership with the Logging Companies: The project goal is to supplement deer forage to prevent winter starvation. Launching this summer, Wagner and Seven Islands will be utilizing their empty logging sites for wildlife-friend food plots. The Team volunteers will help in soil-testing, spreading wood-ash, broad-casting seed mix, and montering the results. This is a three-year project to determine if wood-ash can facilitate the viability of wildlife food plots. There will only be 2-4 days of group labor this summer. The first event will be in mid-late June spreading wood ash to prepare the soil at both company sites.

II. Appletree Release Project: Launching this spring, team volunteers will be restore the many wild apple trees that are being choked out by maturing forest. Wild apple trees are common in Rangeley and a wild-life food mecca. The first event will be a two-hour hands-on clinic Saturday, 10:30 on April 24. Meet on the N.W. corner of Mike Linnell's field, 3 rd left driveway on Quimby Pond Road. Bring long-handled shears, chain saw or bucksaw, if you have them. This is a three-year Project. Marcia Baker and Sam Spaulding are the speakers . rsvp 864-3351. Bring a bag lunch. Rain date is next day Sunday at 1:00.

III. Food plots on private lands: Dave Borman is the Chairman. 864-3351. The membership will be educated on establishing wild-life friendly food plots on their land. Seed mix is now available at River's Edge, in Oquossoc, for $22 a bag. It will cover a 1/4 acre. It is recommended that one start on a small level. You start with the spreading the seed mix on your septic tank! The Club has resources for soil tests. If you would like to buy this seed-mix, stop by the River's Edge. Dave Borman'd email is jborman@localnet.com. He will give you a free consultation to get you started.

IV. General Education about Habitat Enhancement: Small sound-bytes of hands-on habitat restoration techniques will be offered via news letter, e-mail and small presentations at meetings. This project will begin once a leader is found. The club has a lot of educational material for dissemination.

Co-chairing the Deer and Wildlife Forage project are Sam Spaulding spaulding@gwi.net and Marcia Baker marciambaker@hotmail.com or 864-3351

Please do your part in saving our deer.

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