Wildlife

AREA oF INTEREST

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Before you begin managing wildlife on your property, there are three questions you need to consider.

What are your management objectives for your property?
Which species or group of species do you want to encourage?
How much money and time do you wish to spend?

Careful consideration of these questions will prepare you to begin managing your property yourself or working with a wildlife professional.

Wildlife biologists often get the question, “Why do I need to manage my rather than simply letting nature take its course?” Certainly, keeping land in a more ‘natural’ state provides better habitat for wildlife compared to a parking lot – both scenarios above achieve this. However, there are several reasons why you should at least consider a more active management approach.

The way our landscape is configured now is different from long ago so we can’t expect ecological processes to function the same way as they once did. Suppression of wildfire; roads and infrastructure; and the comparative lack of large parcels of forests, grasslands, and wetland complexes all are much different than in the past. Invasive species have also completely changed the way we view habitat management. Their control requires regular monitoring and appropriate control measures, preferably before they become overabundant. Lastly, what landowners do impacts other landowner regarding deer control (or lack thereof) and other potentially competing land management objectives.

Without planned and intentional management, plantings may lose their vigor, become overrun by invasive species, or convert to a less desirable vegetative structure. The timing and methods you select depends upon the long-term management objectives for your property. Simply letting nature take its course can have unintended, as well as undesirable, consequences. Inventory what you have on your property, identify what you want out of your land, and then determine the approach that meets these objectives.

Purdue Extension has developed a program to help Indiana landowners manage their ponds for fishing and their land for hunting and other wildlife opportunities.

Cost-share and technical assistance programs often make wildlife management practices affordable. Programs that assist landowners are often implemented by a number of public and private organizations. Contact a professional biologist or conservationist in your county to learn more about programs and help available to you. Search our directory to easily find contact information for Purdue Wildlife and Pond Management Extension staff in each Indiana county.

Occasionally, wildlife management practices attract unwanted species, leading to problems for landowners. For example, increased deer populations can inhibit the growth of food plots or conservation tree and shrub plantings.

Properly planned management can still encourage wanted wildlife species while minimizing nuisance wildlife problems. Strategies vary on a case-by-case basis. However, successful plans include taking steps to prevent damage before the damage occurs, monitoring for signs of new damage, and minimizing further damage through a combination of approved techniques. You will rarely be able to eliminate nuisance wildlife, and minimizing nuisance wildlife is an ongoing process.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has a Living with Wildlife resource page that includes a searchable database of Nuisance Wildlife or Waterfowl Control Operators, information on state regulations regarding nuisance wildlife including permits, and information about wildlife species.