Natural Resources University

Today we are joined by Dr. Chad Lehman, senior biologist for the South Dakota Department of Game Fish and Parks, and Dr. Chris Rota, associate professor of wildlife and fisheries resources at West Virginia University. We discuss their previous and ongoing research investigating harvest declines across South Dakota, major variables impacting hen survival and nest incubation, best management practic...

Ted DeVos, co-founder of Bach and DeVos Forestry and Wildlife Services, walks us from ground zero through the various ways in which to manage pine plantations for turkeys. Whether your goal is to increase turkey or timber productivity, this episode is jam-packed with information you don't want to miss.    Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund     Bac...

In this conversation, Bronson and Steve discuss various topics related to deer management during the summertime. They start by addressing recent concerns about hunters contracting CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) from consuming deer with CWD and emphasize the importance of following public health guidelines and not eating venison from CWD-positive deer. They then move on to discuss deer management...

Native warm season plant communities provide valuable food and cover for many wildlife species, and are often missing from properties that are managed for wildlife. Join us as we discuss the process of restoring native warm season grasses and forbs to your property. Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management...

Dr. Bronson Strickland, co-director of the MSU Deer Lab and founder of the Deer University podcast, joins us to explain regenerative agriculture and break down their new experiment testing the differences in nutrient density and deer use between conventional and regenerative food plots.    Deer University Podcast Food plot experiment (Jacob Dykes) Ryegrass is not good   Donate to wild turkey resea...

In Western Missouri there is a lake that doesn't follow the standard private pond formula. Lake Deanna is a larger private lake with unique habitat, unusual depth, and an experimental fish community. The deep lake has been stocked with largemouth and smallmouth bass, walleye, and sunfish. Bluegill and Redear Sunfish are already pushing a pound, and bass have exceeded 8 pounds in just 4 years! Howe...

This episode we are joined by Dr. Morgan Varner from the Tall Timbers Land Trust and Research Center. Dr. Varner discusses the benefits of fire on the landscape, a brief history of utilizing prescribed fire in the US south, and the consequences of using and not using prescribed fire to manage forests. For questions or comments, email us at timberuniversity@gmail.com For more, follow NRU on Instagr...

Dr. Ben Sikes, Associate Professor of Microbial Ecology at the University of Kansas, joins us to shed light on the fascinating relationships between fungi and fire. Learn of the interconnection between plants created by mycorrhizal networks (AKA the "wood wide web"), how fire regimes drive changes in fungal communities, the mechanisms of carrying out fungal research, and much more.   Bond, W. J.,...

After much feedback from our latest episode, we sit down to review through recent episodes and lay out the available data known to us. Covering season timing and reproduction to the predator-habitat complex, there's no tiptoeing around the controversy in this one.    Isabelle, J. L., et al. (2018). Considerations for timing of spring wild turkey hunting seasons in the southeastern United States. J...

What distinguishes a forest, woodland, and savanna? How does wildlife and plant diversity differ between them? How do we restore woodlands and savannas? Join Jarred as he talks with Dr. Andy Vander Yacht about his research into restoring oak woodlands and savannas and the wildlife that thrive within in. In part 2, we discuss how birds and bats responded to restoration treatments (thinning and fire...

Getting big fish in your pond requires a strong pond management plan. Join us as we discuss steps to consider when managing the fish community in your pond including the importance of habitat diversity, fish genetics, and which fish you should consider harvesting from your pond if you want to catch some lunkers. Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in...

Dr. Craig Harper and Dr. Dave Buehler from the University of Tennessee join us to discuss results from their seven-year, robust before-after control-impact study assessing the role of experimental season date delays on turkey reproduction. Spoiler alert: Season delays had no effect on any of the 8 vital rates they measured.    Quehl, J. O., et al. (2024). Assessing wild turkey productivity before...

Brian Teeter, Prescribed Fire Coordinator at Nebraska Pheasants Forever, joins us to discuss prescribed fire on agriculturally dominated landscapes.    Resources: Nebraska Burn Associations Nebraska Prescribed Fire Council   Brian Teeter [ website ] Dr. Andrew Little [ academic profile , @awesmlabdoc] Nathan Pflueger [ website ] AWESM Lab [ website , @awesmlab ] Nebraska Pheasants Forever [ websit...

Dr. John Carroll, professor of wildlife ecology and management at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, joins us to discuss predators and predator management in agriculturally dominated landscapes.    Resources: Wild Turkey Science Podcast: Habitat Managements = predator management Impacts of Predators on Northern Bobwhites in the Southeast The Pheasant: A Special Report by the Game Conservancy Trust Pr...

Welcome to the WildAg Podcast! WildAg is part of the Natural Resources University podcast network and serves as a connection point for natural resource professionals and landowners who want to integrate conservation with agriculture. Join our hosts, Dr. Andrew Little of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nathan Pflueger of Pheasants Forever, as they introduce themselves and WildAg.    Dr. Andr...

What distinguishes a forest, woodland, and savanna? How does wildlife and plant diversity differ between them? How do we restore woodlands and savannas? Join Jarred as he talks with Dr. Andy Vander Yacht about his research into restoring oak woodlands and savannas and the wildlife that thrive within in. This is a two-part series. In part 1, we discuss the historical context of forests, woodlands,...

Adam Butler, Wild Turkey Program Coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks, joins us to discuss the turkey trends seen across Mississippi and the Southeast, what may or may not be influencing these cyclical patterns of productivity, and a general rule of thumb for how many gobblers to harvest on your property.   Resources: How Many Gobblers Should I Take? (Article)...

Over the past few years, brownspot needle blight and an assemblage of other problematic pathogenic species have garnered increasing concern in pine systems across the South. Join us as we discuss these along with current research efforts centered on this problem with Dr. John Riggins, Mississippi State University. For questions or comments, email us at timberuniversity@gmail.com Subscribe directly...

Bobwhite Translocation to Pennsylvania:   https://www.pgc.pa.gov/HuntTrap/Hunting/Documents/Letterkenny%20Army%20Depot%20Bobwhite%20Quail%20Focus%20Area%20Management%20Plan.pdf https://www.goerie.com/story/sports/outdoors/2024/02/28/where-do-northern-bobwhite-quail-live-in-pennsylvania-game-commisison-letterkenny-army-depot/72766192007/ https://www.dailyamerican.com/videos/sports/outdoors/2024/03/...

A recently published note in the journal Neurobiology describing potential human transmission of chronic wasting disease is getting quite a bit of attention. Join us as we discuss the recent publication, chronic wasting disease, and steps you can take to try to limit the spread of this important disease within and among deer populations. Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialis...

Dr. Alan Krakauer joins us to dive into his research on turkey kin selection and breakdown the many strategies gobblers use to pass on genes.   Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund     Resources: Krakauer, A. H. (2005). Kin selection and cooperative courtship in wild turkeys. Nature, 434(7029), 69-72. Krakauer, A. H. (2008). Sexual selection and the...

Anglers know that many fish species depend on the structure that trees provide. Habitat, such as standing timber, blow downs, snags, and cypress trees are popular places to fish in lakes and streams. But what about when the river leaves the riverbed and enters the bottomland forest? It turns out that this "flooded forest" habitat is critical for many fish species. Most lowland rivers used to seaso...

In this episode we visit with Dr. Natasha Ellison to review her findings relative to buck use of food plots during the hunting season.  How often are bucks visiting food plots pre-rut, peak-rut, and post-rut?  When are bucks spending more time on food plots?  How does hunting pressure affect these relationships?  Natasha is a Mathematical Ecologist and is helping the MSU Deer Lab dig deeper in the...

Dr. Dwayne Elmore, Director of the Game Bird Program at Tall Timbers Research Station, joins us to breakdown the reproductive ecology and behavior of wild turkeys, how and why they lek, and if this impacts spring hunting. Donate to wild turkey research: UF Turkey Donation Fund , Auburn Turkey Donation Fund   Resources: Honeycomb Custom Calls Red-capped manakin bird   Dr. Dwayne Elmore Tall Timbers...

In this episode we visit with Luke Resop to discuss buck beds and bedding areas.  How often are they bedding?  What's their affinity to certain bedding areas?  What's the circuit time for returning to a bedding area?  Day beds and night beds are all discussed.  We also introduce our newest member to the MSU Deer Lab, Dr. Natasha Ellison.  She is a Mathematical Ecologist and is helping us dig deepe...