Take a walk with me through the prairie......

[deer patch]

it did work like I planned, but I got tied up with a bunch of things and didn’t hunt much. Also, our Turkey population has gone down a lot over the last couple of years. There were only 3 toms on my property and the surrounding farms.

I’m afraid that this is a common theme across the south and nobody knows why. There are several states doing studies now on the decline of the turkey, so hopefully one of the studies or a combination of two will give us some insight on the subject but that’s a subject for another thread.

 

[Native Hunter]

I’m afraid that this is a common theme across the south and nobody knows why. There are several states doing studies now on the decline of the turkey, so hopefully one of the studies or a combination of two will give us some insight on the subject but that’s a subject for another thread.

To me the answer seems obvious - predators are getting thick almost everywhere in the south - especially nest predators like coons, skunks, etc.... Coyotes and bobcat numbers are growing too.

 

[KSQ2]

To me the answer seems obvious - predators are getting thick almost everywhere in the south - especially nest predators like coons, skunks, etc.... Coyotes and bobcat numbers are growing too.

Around us here in SE Kansas, untimely flooding has been a major issue the last couple of years. We generally don’t have the same amount of cover as most states and turkeys do a lot of their nesting in or near creek and river bottoms. That’s great until the water gets over the banks.

 

[deer patch]

To me the answer seems obvious - predators are getting thick almost everywhere in the south - especially nest predators like coons, skunks, etc.... Coyotes and bobcat numbers are growing too.

I agree. I can trap my place and within a month I have just as many that moved in from adjacent landowners than I had before I started trapping. One good thing about Arkansas is that you can trap year around if you have a predation permit which is free as long as you have a hunting license. My only problem is I’m out this summer due to shoulder surgery, so I can’t trap right now while the hens are on the nest.

Around us here in SE Kansas, untimely flooding has been a major issue the last couple of years. We generally don’t have the same amount of cover as most states and turkeys do a lot of their nesting in or near creek and river bottoms. That’s great until the water gets over the banks.

With a scenario like that, there is a predator highway down that river bottom.

 

[Native Hunter]

I agree. I can trap my place and within a month I have just as many that moved in from adjacent landowners than I had before I started trapping. One good thing about Arkansas is that you can trap year around if you have a predation permit which is free as long as you have a hunting license. My only problem is I’m out this summer due to shoulder surgery, so I can’t trap right now while the hens are on the nest.



With a scenario like that, there is a predator highway down that river bottom.

Wishing you the best in your recovery from that shoulder surgery Deer Patch.

 

[deer patch]

Wishing you the best in your recovery from that shoulder surgery Deer Patch.

Thank you for the kind words.

 

[Native Hunter]

One grass that I hate is Deer Tongue Grass. It forms patches that chokes out everything else, and it doesn't get tall enough for deer cover. When I find a patch forming, I spray it with gly and let annuals come back out of the seedbank to replace it. Usually that is mostly partridge pea and common ragweed - which are both very desirable in a deer prairie. Shown below is an example of a patch of dead Deer Tongue and the forbs that replaced it. This is one of the ways I manage my prairie.

 

[Native Hunter]

I have a new one for you guys that's in a marsh on my dad's farm - not in my prairie. It's called Lizard's Tail (Saururus cernuus). I've never been able to find out much about this plant. It's in a big colony in a wet spot, and I have read that beavers and wood ducks feed on it. I have also read that Native Americans had some medicinal uses for it. A strange looking plant, and I don't remember seeing it anywhere else I have ever been.

 

[dogghr]

I have a new one for you guys that's in a marsh on my dad's farm - not in my prairie. It's called Lizard's Tail (Saururus cernuus). I've never been able to find out much about this plant. It's in a big colony in a wet spot, and I have read that beavers and wood ducks feed on it. I have also read that Native Americans had some medicinal uses for it. A strange looking plant, and I don't remember seeing it anywhere else I have ever been.

Native do you even live in North America and not the Amazon ??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Native Hunter]

Native do you even live in North America and not the Amazon ??


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m headed to that farm tomorrow with a bobcat crew to clear fields of storm debris. I can get you some seed…….

 

[Triple C]

Love the pic of the ragweed replacing the deer tongue grass. Deer devour ragweed on my place.

 

[Native Hunter]

Love the pic of the ragweed replacing the deer tongue grass. Deer devour ragweed on my place.

They like it here too, and they seem to like giant ragweed ever better than common on my place. But I think that's because there is less of it and they look at it as a special treat because of that.

 

[Native Hunter]

Here are three more interesting species from the creek farm where I found the lizard's tail.

Canadian Wild Rye



Umbrella Magnolia Tree




A native canebrake next to the creek



Anyone care for some turtle soup?

 

[Lewi B]

Is your umbrella magnolia also called a cowcumber tree?

 

[Native Hunter]

Is your umbrella magnolia also called a cowcumber tree?

They are very much alike but slightly different. See below. I only know this because someone else asked me the same question two days ago, and I went into my deep research mode.

Cowcumber = magnolia macrophylla

Umbrella magnolia = magnolia triperala

 

[Lewi B]

Thanks for the info.
My wife's grandfather was a fan of the cowcumber.
Planted them everywhere as a novelity.

 

[Native Hunter]

Thanks for the info.
My wife's grandfather was a fan of the cowcumber.
Planted them everywhere as a novelity.

Do a Google search for the native range of the cowcumber tree and pull up one of the range maps. You will see that it covers only very small areas in the United States. You will note on that map some tiny dots in eastern KY. I have worked in those areas of the state and run up on cowcumbers. You will find them and then drive a few miles and they have totally disappeared again. It is a very unusual tree for sure.

Edit: I just found you a map at the following link:

Bigleaf magnolia Facts for Kids (kiddle.co)

 

[Triple C]

Love this thread. One of the top 5 of any forum I've ever followed.

 

[Native Hunter]

Got some new ones from the prairie:

First one is False Sunflower. Deer will browse this plant, but I didn't see any browsing on these. I found them today at two spots and don't remember seeing them before:



This next plant is Seedbox. A colony of it was growing in a damp, sunny spot at the edge of the prairie. It had been browsed heavily.



This next plant is Meadow Beauty. It was growing near the Seedbox and only lightly browsed:



That's about it for today guys. I will be on the lookout for more.

 

[Native Hunter]

I took a walk on the side of my prairie where I seldom go. I was looking to eradicate any thistles that may have popped up recently. The land is a little different on this side of the place, and I found some different plants. It was raining, so my pictures are not that good.

Much to my surprise, I found a native shrub in a fence row that I had never seen before. It’s a Maple Leaved Viburnum. I will go back this fall and collect seed from this plant. I knew they existed in our area, but this is the first one I’ve ever found on my land and only the second one I’ve seen anywhere. I have planted a relative of this plant (Arrowwood Viburnum), and the browsing on it is just incredible.



Another plant I found was False Nettle. Unlike regular nettle, this plant does not have stinging hairs. I have read that deer will browse it, but I didn’t find any browsing on the ones I spotted.



I have one more today known as White Avens. It was growing in the shade at the edge of a branch, and I didn’t see any browsing. I really don’t know much about this one, and I don’t see it in many places.