PEN TO PAPER - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesdnr.wi.gov/files/PDF/pubs/wm/WM0217.pdf · 1. Compile an Animal Inventory Knowing what animals currently call your place “home,”

Planning. The dreaded word. Truth is,developing a wildlife management plan

isn’t that complex and can even be fun. Thinkof your plan as a road map to help keep youdirected toward your ultimate destination.

It can be as simple as a quick sketch and afew notes, or as complex as a full array ofmaps, photos, drawings, references, anddetailed outlines of habitatimprovement projects—whateveryour energy and time permit. Youdecide. This publication, and othersin this Wildlife and Your Land serieswill help you develop a plan that willwork for you.

We’ve even included a sample plan froman actual farm in southern Wisconsin. Ifyou live in the North, the steps are the same,but the types of plants and animals will bedifferent. Consider this sample plan simplyas a guide to help you with ideas...to getstarted. It may seem ambitious, but wewanted to show you a range of options.Remember, wildlife plans can take many

forms. What’s most important is that youknow what you want and you set thosethoughts in writing.

Wildlife and Your Landa series about managing your land for wildlife

Putting Pen to PaperDeveloping Your Wildlife Management Plan

Let’s see, a clump of spruce trees would be good for songbird cover—youlove nuthatches and chipping sparrows—and off in the pasture thatalways floods, you’d like a wetland for ducks, herons and frogs. Withother wetlands nearby, you’re sure you could attract a few nesting pairsof mallards or teal. And, if you thin out your woods, there’d be morebrush for wildlife cover. But where to begin? What should you do first,and how long will it take?

Wildlife Plan

1. Animal Inventory

2. Plant Inventory

3. The Big Picture

4. Base Map

5. Habitat Projects

6. Project Map

7. Journaling

1. Compile an AnimalInventory

Knowing what animals currently call yourplace “home,” or at least visit it onoccasion, will help you develop a plan. Ifyou’re already very familiar with yourproperty, take time now to jot down asmany kinds of animals (include mam-mals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish ifappropriate, and interesting insects, spiders,and other invertebrates) as you can recall.Note where you’ve seen them on your prop-erty, as well as the time of year and day. Ifyou don’t know the specific name of ananimal, don’t worry... simply describe it, orfor those with an artistic flair, sketch it.

If you’re not that familiar with your property,take a walking tour of it soon. In a notebook,record any critters you see. Look, listen, andeven sniff for clues that animals have beenthere: a small chipmunk-sized burrow or alarge woodchuck den in the side of a hill; hoofor paw prints in the snow or mud; brambleswhose branches have been neatly nipped byrabbits or deer, or the faint smell of skunkmusk. You may be surprised at all the

wildlife that exist on your property, even ifyou never see them in the flesh. Become awildlife sleuth and see how many of thefollowing animal signs you can find on yourproperty. Add others to your animalinventory as you find them.

Y young trees with bark rubbed off byautumn buck antlers

Y furry pellets regurgitated by a greathorned owl

Y a large stick nest built high in an oak treeby a red-tailed hawk

Y a woodpecker hole in a dead treeY spider websY an ant mound and insect cocoonsY tunnels through a field of grass made by

small rodentsY hickory nuts nibbled by deer mice

2 Wildlife and Your Land

Land StewardshipYour wildlife plan may stand alone orbe a component of a total landstewardship plan that could includeother goals such as timber harvesting,agriculture, erosion control, aestheticimprovements, hunting, bird watching,or native plant communityrestoration. Whatever your goals, youcan use this publication and others inthe Wildlife and Your Land series as aresource for wildlife managementpractices.

Reptiles and Amphibians—

13-lined ground squirrels—ingarden and yard—spring throughfall

woodchucks—under outhouse, inyard and garden, along cattle path,pasture—spring through fall

deer—in pasture, cattle path, cornfields—year-round

raccoons—tracks in snow alongcattle path—late winter through fall

cottontail rabbits—in old pasture,woodlot, garden, yard, junk brushpile near corn crib—year round

skunk—along road near old grasspatch

chipmunk—on rock wall in front ofhouse,along old foundation neargarage—spring through fall

Birds—Where Spotted or Heardand When

Animal InventoryMammals—Where Spotted or Heard

and When

Y black walnuts cracked by gray squirrelsY pine cone “cobs” left behind by red

squirrelsY porcupine droppings at the base of a treeY a clay nest under the barn eaves made by

barn swallowsY last year’s bird nestsY feathers scattered around, leftover from a

predator’s mealY the call of sandhill cranes or loons in the

distanceY the trill of courting toads

Since not every animal will be visible on anygiven walking tour, be sure to periodicallywalk your property during different seasonsand times of day. Keep notes on what youobserve, and when. The more you walk yourland, the better you’ll get to know it and itsinhabitants.

2. Create a PlantInventory

Though you may find animalsmore exciting to seek and identifythan plants, remember that wild-life management is really habitatmanagement. What grows on theland determines what wildlife willthrive there. So, during some ofyour walking tours, concentrate ondeveloping a list of the existingplants you find along the way.

As you walk along, also try toidentify the types of habitats theseplants create. Remember thathabitats overlap…a forest blendswith a wetland, a field with awoodlot and a grassland with abrushy field. Nature, like mostthings in life, rarely presents aperfect example. If you can’t iden-tify a habitat type, simply askyourself, “Is this place mostlywoods, grassland, wetland ormostly cultivated field or lawn?”

It’s a start, and you can always ask for helpfrom a DNR wildlife manager, forester,nursery professional or Natural ResourcesConservation Service agent.

If you look at designing and implementingyour wildlife management plan as a hobby,your knowledge about plants, animals, andhabitat types will surely grow. A youngstersitting at a piano for the first time cannot beexpected to perform like a master. So don’tworry. You’ll learn. You’ll learn by doing, byasking others, and by reading. Don’t panic ifyou don’t know the names of the plants onyour property.... Describe them…. Drawthem…. Take a deep breath and take it onestep at a time. You can do it!

Wildlife and Your Land 3

Plant and Habitat InventoryTrees Habitat

Grasses and legumes Habitat

Flowers, “weeds” and ferns

bur, white and red oakwoodland, pasture, yard

sugar maple yard

basswood pasture, cattlepath

black mulberry barnyard, garden

black walnut yard

mountain ash yard

catalpa yard

box elder barnyard, yard

1 mature pear tree yard

2 mature apple trees old field

3. Put it all in ContextLike the cascading domino effect, what youdo on your piece of real estate affects thelandscape around you. Likewise, the land-scape around you determines what you canrealistically expect to do on your property.Everything is connected. The plants on yourparcel can act as seed sources for your neigh-bor’s land, and vice versa. Animals foundusing your site don’t know the meaning of“property boundary,” or “internationalborders.” Critters come and go as theyplease…they may walk very short distancesor fly over extremely long stretches fromSouth America to Upper Canada. And, if youown land along a stream, what you do onyour land will affect water quality andaquatic plant and animal life downstream.

Before you make management decisionsabout what animals you wish to attract, ithelps to understand what plants and animalsyou can reasonably expect to flourish on yourproperty. One way to do this is to understandwhat grew in your region prior to settlement.The “Early Vegetation of Wisconsin” mapshows this graphically.

For example, if you live in northernWisconsin, and your land is surrounded bycounty or national forests composed of

mature hardwoods and evergreens, you maychoose to conduct a clear-cut in order torejuvenate aspen and other sun-loving trees,shrubs and brambles. This will attract ruffedgrouse, white-tailed deer, black bear, ruby-throated hummingbirds and red-backedvoles. Otherwise, you could decide to main-tain the hardwoods you have for the benefitof ovenbirds, wood thrushes, porcupines,fishers, goshawks, flying squirrels and ring-necked snakes.

If, on the other hand, you live on a farm inthe southern part of the state, chances areyour area once supported native tallgrassprairie or prairie dotted with oak trees, calledan oak savanna. If you can afford to take afield out of production, you may opt to turn itinto a grassland composed of native grassesand wildflowers. Several years afterestablishment, you may reasonably expect tofind eastern bluebirds, 13-lined groundsquirrels, woodchucks, ring-necked pheas-ants, meadowlarks, grasshopper and savannasparrows and possibly even a badger orshort-eared owl.

Of course, there are always exceptions. Thoseexceptions usually depend on soil type andgeologic features. For instance, though tam-arack bogs are typical of northern wetlands,they can be found in the low mucky areas


NorthernHardwoods

TensionZone Southern

Hardwoods

The Tension Zone

If you’ve ever driven south through Eau Claire,Portage or Outagamie Counties, you can actuallysee the vegetation change from evergreens andnorthern hardwoods to oak/hickory—you aredriving in the “tension zone.” The tension zone is anarrow band of land that separates the southernlimit of the northern forest and the northern limitof the southern forest and prairies. Many animalsand plants reach the limit of their range in thiszone. Climate is the primary reason for thechanges, though soils and other factors also play arole. Look for these changes the next time you’re inthe “tension zone.”

Maps adapted by permission from Curtis (1959).

ringing the glacial hills known as drumlins inJefferson and Dane counties. Special grass-lands called “barrens” can be found in north-western and central Wisconsin where sandysoil and periodic wild fires have pushed backthe tide of forests.

As a final example, if your property was oncedrained of a wetland for farming purposes,restoration may be as simple as breaking adrainage tile, plugging a ditch, or building asmall earthen dike. After the water returns,plants characteristic of your area will appear—maybe cattail, bulrush or arrowhead…maybe sedges, speckled alder, willow or wildiris. The wildlife will follow—perhaps yellow-headed blackbirds, northern harriers, blue-winged teal, great blue herons, muskrats,mink, raccoons, American toads, leopardfrogs, spring peepers and green darnerdragonflies.

Keep in mind that we’re not suggesting youmust recreate early plant types, or that youeven can recreate those types. Our Wisconsinlandscape has changed so radically sincesettlement, and is controlled by so manyprivate citizens, that we, as a citizenry,cannot expect landowners to turn back thehands of time to presettlement conditions.However, the property owner who knowswhat the land can feasibly support, and takesthis information into consideration duringplanning, will be the one who creates a verysuccessful wildlife management plan.

To learn more about your region, check withyour local librarian, DNR wildlife, forestry,parks, or endangered resources managementstaff, or a naturalist from a nearby naturecenter.


Boreal Forest: spruce, balsamfir, tamarack, white cedar,paper birch, aspen

Northern Hardwood Forest:hemlock, sugar maple, yellowbirch, white and red pine

Southern Hardwood Forest:sugar maple, basswood, redoak, white oak and black oak,beech (beech grows only alongcounties bordering LakeMichigan and Green Bay).

Pine Barrens: jack pine, scrub oak forestand grasses

Oak Savanna: bur, white, black oaks,grasses

Prairie: grasses and woody plants

Early Vegetation of Wisconsinca. 1840

Where you live in Wisconsinaffects what will grow there.

4. Create a Base Map

Now that you have an idea of what plantsand animals you have on your property andwhat you can reasonably expect to have onyour property within the context of thesurrounding landscape, you’re ready todevelop a base map. This activity can be assimple as sketching in rough outlines ofmajor habitat components while walking yourland, or as elaborate as you want, includingthe smallest of details from air photos,topographic maps and soil maps. Obtain airphotos from the Department ofTransportation, topographic maps from theWisconsin Geological Survey and soil mapsfrom your county’s Natural ResourcesConservation Service office. See Getting theHelp You Need in this Wildlife and YourLand series for addresses and phonenumbers. The more information you obtain,the easier it will be to make habitat decisions.

On this base map, label the major habitattypes and land features. Include such thingsas woods, grasslands, wetlands, streams,lakes or ponds, shelterbelts, hills, drainageditches, buildings, fencerows, cattle paths,logging roads, cultivated fields, roadways andthe like. Also, highlight those features ofspecial importance to wildlife: ground dens,dead trees, living trees with large cavities,bird feeders, nest boxes, mature nut trees,major travel lanes, and more. The samplebase map at the back of this publicationshould give you some ideas. But for now, putyour map aside; you’ll be coming back to itshortly.

5. Choose Habitat Projects

Now you’re just about ready to beginselecting some wildlife habitat projects. Torepeat, the projects you choose will dependupon a number of factors:

YY what plants and animals already exist onyour property;

YY what plants are suited to your soil typesand geographic region;

YY what animals you can reasonably expectto attract following habitat modifications;

YY how much time, money, physical strength,interest and patience you’re willing todevote to the various projects;

YY what other land management goals youhave for your property such as timber orfirewood production, livestock pasturing,crop production, hunting, wildlife viewingor other forms of recreation.


Proceed with CareWhen managing for wildlife within the context of the surrounding landscape, avoiddestroying, degrading or seriously altering habitats that are already valuable for rareplants or animals in order to attract common ones. You can learn about rare habitats byconsulting resource professionals with the DNR, university, or a local arboretum, or byreading a variety of reference books. Always consider the impact your managementprojects may have on the animals and plants in the surrounding vicinity andremember that no management is also a viable form ofland management.

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Base Map

Managing for wildlife may mean you willneed to consider modifying some of yourother goals. For example, if you want toattract more gray squirrels, wild turkeys orwoodpeckers to the woodlot you are about toinclude in a timber sale, you may want tokeep those valuable black walnut trees, themature oaks which produce abundant acorncrops, that straight black cherry tree with acavity in it, or that large bur oak which couldserve as a turkey roost. If you want to attractmore pheasants, meadowlarks and bobolinksto your working farm, you may need to delayyour hay mowing or put some of your activeland into a federal or state land set-asideprogram. Trade-offs aren’t necessarilybad...they help you achieve the overall goalsof land stewardship.

So, now, write down all your land steward-ship goals. The more specific you can beabout what you want to do, and when, thegreater your chances for success. For someideas, check out the Wildlife Plan at the backof this document.

Knowing your goals, as well as knowingwhat’s logical to expect from your land, youcan now choose your habitat projects. Askyour local DNR wildlife manager for ad-ditional publications in the Wildlife and YourLand series appropriate for your land andarea. The series covers a variety of topicsfrom how to build a brush pile, to how toconduct a timber harvest with wildlifebenefits in mind, to how to build a housethat’s simply for the birds! You’ll also learnthe importance of snag and den trees towildlife, how to establish a grassland ornative prairie, and how to restore wetlands.And, you’ll learn about “edge” habitat and thepros and cons of this double-edged sword.There’s even more.

Review these publications and any others youmay find in your library or bookstore, andchoose projects that will help you meet yourgoals. In your notebook, write brief descrip-tions of what you want to accomplish and setsome dates for yourself to help keep yourattention focused on the task. For some ideasabout how to create this step of the plan,please review the sample plan we’veprovided.


Patience, please….

Your wildlife management plan may takeyears to implement. To give yourself asense of accomplishment along the way,intersperse relatively simple and short-term habitat projects with more complex,long-term ones. For example, plan someactivities that will produce gratifyingresults quickly, like building a brush pile,laying out a bluebird trail, installingsome bird feeders or constructing a fewnest boxes. Don’t neglect the larger, morechallenging, projects, however. Establish-ing a grassland, planting a shelterbelt forwildlife, or restoring a wetland can resultin big wildlife benefits and even increaseyour property value if done correctly. Theysimply take more resources and muchmore time. Remember, habitatchanges usually occur

s … l … o … w … l … y. . .

6. Create a Project Map

Now you take out your base map again,photocopy it, and sketch in the location ofyour projects. Maybe you want to restore asmall wetland, or install some wood ducknest boxes along the creek, or clearcut asection of forest to create more edge on yourproperty, or restore a grassland in that oldpasture that’s filling in with weeds andbrush. By keeping your base map unaltered,you will have a comparison point for laterdates. This will help you see where you’vebeen and let you know where you are...kindof like that road map we talked about earlier.

7. “Journal” into the Future

As time goes on, be sure to update your planperiodically and add observations to yourjournal. It’s fun to keep track of yourprogress. Your journal serves as a chronicle ofyour successful—and not so successful—management efforts as well as a register ofyour more memorable wildlife observationsand landscape developments...like, the daythe first pair of bluebirds setup household in your new

nest box, or the first winter you noticed a foxtrail along your shelterbelt. These are thingsyou’ll want to remember and will enjoyrecalling.

Getting the Help you Need

If after reading this overview of how todevelop a wildlife management plan you feela little overwhelmed, don’t get discouraged.Free help is just a phone call away. Simplycall your nearest DNR office, where wildlifemanagers, foresters, fish managers and parknaturalists are there to assist you. SeeGetting the Help You Need in this Wildlifeand Your Land series for a complete list ofDNR phone numbers and other references.


Sept. 12

6:45 a.m.Saw 3 does grazing in neighbor’s

field on way to work. Where is that buck I saw

two days ago?

Scared up a Great Blue Heron that was hiding along

the ditch.

7:00 p.m.Scared up a grouse on back 40

while out with the dog. First one I’ve seen all

year...hunting season is just days away.

Birds

mallards—flying overhead in pasture, possibly

Wildlife Plan for Heartland FarmAn 80 acre farm in Jefferson County,Wisconsin

Property Description

According to the Soil Survey of Jefferson County,the homestead is located on the top of a gentlysloping glacial hill called a drumlin. Overall, the soillocated on the hill is well drained with a clayeysubsoil underlain by gravelly sandy loam. At the base of the hill, the soils are poorly drained, rich inorganic material and more than 51 inches thick.This property is currently a hobby farm with 59tillable acres being farmed under contract by aneighboring farmer. He rotates small grains, hayand corn. The pasture shows signs of over-grazing including plenty of prickly ash and deep,weed infested gullies. The farm is surrounded byfarmland and uplands of oak, hickory and maple.The Jefferson Marsh, a rich tamarack bog wetland, is located nearby. Pheasants, deer, rabbits, hawks and owls are common

Plant and Habitat InventoryTrees

Animal InventoryMammals

Where Spotted or Heard and When

13-lined ground squirrels—in garden and yard—spring through fall

woodchucks—under outhouse, in yard and garden,along cattle path, pasture—spring through fall

deer—in pasture, cattle path, corn fields—year-round

raccoons—tracks in snow along cattle path—latewinter through fall

opossum— saw tracks in snow along cattle path, insidebarn—late winter through fall


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ntgra

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catt

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alfalfa

weedypasture

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Base Map and Habitat ProjectsHeartland Farm, Jefferson County, WI80 acres

Habitat Projects

Short-run

Bird feeders,suet

New treesand shrubs

Wren house

Bluebird trail

Long-term

Wet Prairierestoration

Oakregeneration

Food plot

Prairierestoration

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Existing Features

Dirt road

Snag

Rockpile

Oak tree

Hickory tree

Tree or shrub

Scatteredhardwoodseedlings

Fence

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The project map was created from an enlarged soils mapavailable from the Jefferson County Natural ResourcesConservation Service.


Backyard Landscaping ProjectHeartland Farm

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County Y

apple treegarden

prairiepatch

butterfly gardenmini woodland

pearshouse

cedars

stum

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What I want to do

Overall Goal: Manage for wildlife viewing and

hunting purposes, while still allowing income

from contract farming.

Short-run Goals: manage for deer, grassland

birds, small mammals, songbirds and

amphibians.

Projects Planned:

Y Backyard wildlife landscaping project:

Songbird food and shelter, shelterbelt and

mini woodland

Y Bluebird trail

Y Prairie patch and butterfly garden

Long-run Goals: Manage for squirrels,

turkeys, waterfowl, sandhill cranes and

upland game.

Projects Planned:

Y Wet prairie, tamarack community

restoration

Y Oak regeneration

Y Food plot and pine planting


The PlanProject 1: Backyard wildlife landscaping

Wildlife Goal: To attract a variety of wildlife year-round.

Description of Site: House sits near peak of a glacial hill, or drumlin. Yard is gentlysloping to moderately sloping. Soil is well drained to moderately well drained. Much clayin soil. Soil is good for tree and shrub planting. Total area of yard, including the houseis 5 acres. The yard contains a variety of common trees and shrubs typical of oldfarmsteads. There are also fruit trees and grapes—a bonus for wildlife.

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Part 1: Songbird food and shelterWildlife Goal: To immediately attract local and winter resident songbirds.

Time frame: Weekend projects throughout the year, begin immediately, complete byyear end.

1) Install small bird feeder near east kitchen window.2) Hang one tubular thistle seed bird feeder, sunflower seed bird feeder and onesuet cage from pear tree on north side of house.3) Hang one house wren nest box in lilac near old outhouse.4) Install one large hopper-style bird feeder on west side of house, outside ofliving room windows. Put nuts, bread and corn on old box elder stump. Hang onetubular sunflower seed bird feeder and one suet “bell” from red cedar on northwestside of house.5) Purchase bird bath and bird bath heater for winter water source.6) Remove old purple martin house. Build and erect new one. Keep sparrows andstarlings from moving in.7) Purchase a house sparrow trap and remove these pests.


Part 2: Expand red cedar/pine windbreaks around the houseinto a five row shelterbelt for wildlifeWildlife Goal: To provide nest and winter shelter as well as a natural source of foodfor local birds and mammals.

Time frame: Plant trees, shrubs and vines beginning next spring and continue addingto the shelterbelt over the next 3-5 years.

1) Order white spruce, white cedar and wildlife shrub packet from DNR nurseryand plant when they arrive in spring. Add to the existing red cedar windbreak alongwest boundary of lawn and the pine windbreak on northwest boundary of lawn.2) In January and February, check garden catalogs and local nurseries andorder additional varieties of wildlife trees and shrubs such as mountain ash,American highbush cranberry, American persimmon, paw paw, serviceberry, Sargentcrab, zumi crab, cornelian cherry dogwood, pyracantha and cotoneaster. Plantalong outside perimeter of shelterbelt the spring following completion of step 1.3) Plant specimens of wild grape, Virginia creeper and bittersweet from othersites on property to the shelterbelt the spring following completion of step 2.

Part 3: Establish mini-naturalized “woodland”Wildlife Goal: To attract resident and migratory songbirds, chipmunks and toads andother small creatures that need shady environments.

Time frame: About 3 years

1) Stop mowing this summer in the northeastern corner of yard around mapleand oaks.2) Remove and transplant grape arbors to garden the spring following step 1.3) Cut down black mulberry and box elder saplings and treat ends with brushkiller in spring following step 1.4) Transplant sugar maple, white oak, shagbark hickory and black walnutseedlings from elsewhere on the property to the new mini-woodland, begin this falland continue next spring.5) Purchase and plant native woodland ferns and flowers this spring and overthe next two years.6) Remove diseased mountain ash in 3 years but leave log on the ground toencourage growth of fungi and invertebrates such as centipedes and millipedes.Also may attract salamanders and toads.7) Build a small rock wall to encourage chipmunks as time permits.


Project 2: Bluebird trailWildlife Goal: To attract bluebirds

Time frame: Begin building bird houses this summer and continue throughout thewinter months; install next spring.

1) Obtain bluebird house plans from DNR. Build at least 10 boxes during winterweekends.2) Install boxes on existing fence posts along cattle path and along fence row.Purchase posts for sites that do not have posts.

Project 3: 1-acre prairie patch restorationand butterfly garden

Wildlife Goal: To attract meadowlarks, bobolinks, goldfinches, pheasants, butterflies,bees for pollination of fruit trees and shrubs in adjacent garden.

Time Frame: 3-5 years, beginning this spring

After prairie patch is established, undertake a prairie restoration project on 10-acrefield west of the homestead. Will have to accept a loss of income from the farmer wholeases the land.

Description: This plot is a former corn and alfalfa field that has grown “wild” over thelast three summers. A variety of non-native, cool-season grasses are interspersed withbutter and eggs, milkweed, asters, burdock, curly dock, goldenrod and bull thistle. Thesite is being invaded by box elder and sugar maple seedlings. County has been erectingsnow-fencing on this plot for some time.

1) Call county highway department this fall and ask them to stop putting upsnowfencing since their crew may trample plants.2) Visit library/bookstore/DNR and obtain information about native prairierestoration techniques and butterfly gardening. READ!3) Select a list of flowers and native grasses that would be appropriate andcolorful. Ask DNR Bureau of Endangered Resources staff for nurseries and seedoutlets. Check with local nurseries and survey garden catalogs.4) Design southern half of plot adjacent to lawn as a formal butterfly garden:select mostly native wildflowers, but include some horticultural varieties. Plant theremainder of the plot with native grasses, wildflowers and legumes so that itblends naturally with the butterfly garden.


5) Begin ground preparation next fall.6) Treat with herbicide the spring following completion of step 5.7) Plant seeds and transplant seedlings the spring following the completion ofstep 5.8) Control weeds on an annual basis by hand-cutting or prescribed burning (askfor advice from DNR first!) Check local fire ordinances annually.

Project 4: Wet prairie, tamarack communityrestoration

Wildlife goal: To restore native plants and cover types and to attract nesting pairs ofsandhill cranes.

Time frame: 5-10 years — begin project in five years

Description: The low, mucky area in the southwest corner of the property was likelyonce a tamarack swamp, similar to the Jefferson Marsh Wildlife Area located abouttwo miles to the west of this property. This land was formerly grazed, and in dry yearseven cultivated. Now it is overgrown with reed canary grass, bull thistle, nettles,goldenrod, milkweed, mullein, and prickly ash. During very wet springs, this parcel ispartially covered in standing water.

1) Control weeds using spot applications of herbicide during spring and fall oneyear before planting.2) Rototill and broadcast wet prairie seeds purchased from nursery in spring.3) Order 500 tamarack from DNR nursery one year after grass planting.4) When seedlings arrive, transplant immediately in garden and maintain forseveral years until they are big enough to transplant into wet area. (Based onprevious experience with planting pines, the grasses shade out and kill the trees, sowill need to grow them in garden until tall enough to escape competition withgrasses.) Plant tamaracks throughout next 3-7 years into the wet area. Call DNRor county forester for advice on how to control weeds.

Project 5: Oak regenerationThis is a long- term goal that I would like to start by inviting the DNR or CountyForester out to my property for a consultation.

Project 6: Food plotWill talk to the farmer contracting with us to see if he would leave about a one-halfacre of corn standing for pheasants, turkeys, deer, raccoons and other wildlife. At thesame time, we will consider planting pine and other evergreens next to the plot. Someloss of income would result.


Wildlife Plan

1. Animal Inventory

2. Plant Inventory

3. The Big Picture

4. Base Map

5. Habitat Projects

6. Project Map

7. Journaling

Wildlife and Your Land Staff: Mary K. Judd, Project Director;Diane Schwartz, Project Assistant; Todd Peterson, Agriculturaland Rural Land Use Specialist. Graphics and layout, KandisElliot. Funding for this project was provided in part through theFederal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and through the NaturalResources Foundation of Wisconsin, Inc., P.O. Box 129, Madison,WI, 53701. Published by the Bureau of Wildlife Management,Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 7921,Madison, WI, 53707.

Federal Aid Projectfunded by your purchase of

hunting equipmentPUBL-WM-217

PEN TO PAPER - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resourcesdnr.wi.gov/files/PDF/pubs/wm/WM0217.pdf · 1. Compile an Animal Inventory Knowing what animals currently call your place “home,”

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