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Hack, Spray, & Blaze: Enhancing Oklahoma's Wildlife Habitats | BGWT #461

·50 min·5 clips

Mark Turner explains why big deer grow in non-forested areas like Kansas, not dense forests.

This episode of Blazin', Grazin' and Other Wild Things focuses on practical forest stand improvement strategies for Oklahoma landowners. Hosts Dr. Laura Goodman, Dr. Mark Turner, and John Weir, all Oklahoma State University Extension specialists, guide the discussion on enhancing wildlife habitat. They specifically address managing forests to benefit deer, turkey, and quail populations. Dr. Turner emphasizes that defining clear wildlife objectives is a landowner's first critical step, as different species require distinct habitat conditions. He explains that for deer, turkey, and quail, promoting native herbaceous plant communities is often the most limiting factor, which requires increasing sunlight reaching the forest floor. The hosts recommend using plant identification apps like PlantNet and iNaturalist or field guides to learn tree species before any management action. A key practical method discussed is "girdle and spray," using a chainsaw to cut into a tree's cambium and applying an herbicide mixture of Garlon 3A and Arsenal AC to kill it. They note that simply cutting trees often leads to resprouting, and herbicide is usually necessary for effective control. An interesting insight is that trees are often overestimated for deer, which can thrive in areas with shrubs or tall native grasses instead of dense forest. Dr. Turner points out that hinge cutting—partially cutting and leaning trees over—can create immediate bedding structure for deer and increase site use dramatically. For quail management, he suggests aiming for 50-70% sunlight penetration, which generally requires removing more trees than for deer or turkey. The conversation reveals that even mulching trees may not kill species like catalpa or American elm, as they can vigorously resprout. The tone is conversational and educational, blending practical advice with personal anecdotes from the hosts' field experiences. It is geared toward hands-on learning and adaptive land management. This episode is ideal for Oklahoma landowners, hunters, and natural resource enthusiasts seeking actionable techniques for wildlife habitat improvement. Listeners looking for highly technical forestry metrics or discussions on commercial timber production might find it less relevant.

As heard by us

Habitat work turns concrete once stand structure, sunlight, and prescribed fire become the main tools.

This episode reads like a practical field guide to improving wildlife habitat by changing stand structure, not just species mix. Mark Turner leads a clear discussion of thinning trees, increasing plant diversity, and using prescribed fire to shape better cover for deer, turkey,…

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Why you'd press play

If you want thinning and fire used to improve deer, turkey, and quail habitat.

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