Another Way You Can Help the Deer Herd

This is a letter from IF&W to Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen's Assoc. requesting donations to supplement the income of 3 consultant to educate small landowners to improve the deer habitat in their backyard. You can help too by sending a donation to "Call to Action" John Pratt, Wildlife

Management, State of Maine, IF & W., Augusta. This letter will be going out to citizens like you.

 

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Good Morning Outdoor Partners,

 

As you know, the deer population in northern and eastern Maine has been a hot topic among the hunting and wildlife viewing community and IF&W has been working with our outdoor partners on several projects to address these concerns.  This winter, these initiatives will be culminating into a cohesive package that will require the strong support of all our outdoor partners to be successful.

 

Today I wish to call your attention to one specific initiative: Helping Small Landowners Manage Habitat for Deer and Other Wildlife.

 

This project will bridge a critical gap in deer yard management.  IF&W has worked with large landowners for decades while attempts with small landowners were largely unsuccessful for a variety of reasons.  We are a step away from changing that.

 

This venture will help solidify the partnership between sportsmen, the general public, IFW, businesses, foresters, and landowners by working together to bring needed assistance to those providing a basic but critical requirement for deer; their winter habitat.  We have seen a trend over the last decade of deer using nontraditional winter habitat such as more urban areas, partly in response to increased winter feeding.  

 

Just as deer habits have changed, we too must change our approach.  

 

Our outdoor partners have recommended this project as one of several priorities and IFW secured a federal grant to fund three part-time positions for the next 12 months.  We need $30,000 in local match over the duration of the project.  $8,000 will allow this project to begin and continue for the first quarter will the balance is raised.

 

Each of the three consultants will work ~25 hrs/wk on this project through the end of December, 2012.  There will be three phases for their work plan;

1. Develop outreach materials for several habitat components (materials will be distributed to and used by landowners, sportsmen, clubs, homeowners NRCS staff, IFW staff, businesses, foresters),
   
   
   1. food plots/herbaceous seeding with the goal of providing high protein forage in late fall and early spring
      
      
   2. apple tree releasing/maintenance
      
      
   3. deer yard management guidelines
      
      
2. Prioritize landowners for making contact in two ways (supplemented with press releases, local news spots and directly reaching out to other organization and clubs);
   
   
   1. General mailing to small landowners inquiring if they have wintering deer and would be interested in managing the habitat. 
      
   2. Using our GIS software to overlay ownership with deer yard information to specifically target priority landowners.
      
      
3. Respond to landowner contacts to evaluate their options, help them develop management plans and then connecting them with appropriate cost sharing opportunities and/or help with implementation.
   
   

 

Over the last year we have done a test pilot in Aroostook County with some of these items and now have the opportunity to expand to much of Aroostook, Penobscot and Washington Counties.   As I mentioned earlier, there are several initiatives that are interconnected.  While each one has a specific goal, the overall sequence and appropriate implementation of each will amplify our efforts.  

 

The Department and sportsmen and women of our state now have an excellent opportunity to demonstrate our support of the many Maine landowners that provide recreational opportunities we have come to treasure.  Contributing to this effort today will accomplish two important things;  

1. Increase the quantity and quality of habitat managed for our northern deer population, and  
   
   
2. Send the message to landowners that we support and are willing to help with their stewardship of our natural resources.
   
   

 

Only with the support of our outdoor partners can we implement this project and do something positive for deer and landowners across northern Maine.  

 

I hope to hear from you soon, 

 

 

John Pratte
Wildlife Management Section Supervisor