As the grip of Mother Nature begins to tighten and the doldrums of winter weather start to make us wonder what we can do to get through the coming cold weather months, there is an outstanding plan that we can work on that will help take our minds off the freezing weather. And, it is something that we should all be working on and is an important key to the successful habitat management, hunting and wildlife sightings we will have over the coming years. I am referring to the critical first step in any management you do, and that is to develop a plan. Whether the acreage you have is large or small, forested or mostly fields, the plan will be your guideline for all future activities.

First, it is up to you to decide just what you hope to accomplish on your property. Is your property solely for hunting? Are there any woodlots or forests that need to be managed for timber growth or for timber stand improvements? Is there water on the property in the form of streams, spring seeps or ponds? What wildlife species do you hope to encourage and develop habitat for? Any thoughts of doing things that will benefit non-game as well as game species?

You need to list the answers to these questions and add any factors that will define the goals you have. Then, the good news is that there is an abundance of free advice available to you through various conservation organizations and governmental agencies that will aid you in formalizing your plan. Before we get ahead of ourselves by contacting these agencies, there is another critical step that we should take.

You need to do an inventory. Not just of your property, but the surrounding neighbors as well. You need to be aware of what food sources, cover and water are on your grounds and what is available to game nearby. What mast crops currently exist and where? This includes soft and hard mast producing trees such as apple, pear, and peach as well as various nut trees such as oak, beech, and hickory. Are there any field crops being raised in your area? Corn is usually the big one, but there may be fields of alfalfa, soybeans, oats or wheat that the game in your area will travel to. What cover is available in the area? Heavy forestation, thick stands of mountain laurel or perhaps dense growth of saplings resulting from a recent clearcut? Finally, what water sources are available on your property as well as on the neighbors?

This in depth inventory will be critical to deciding how you can best manage what already exists on your property and what will be of greatest benefit to add to make your property more enticing than the neighbors.

When the inventory is complete, take a look at your list of goals. Now, you must determine where you need to spend your time and energy. Will it be best to focus on cover first? Perhaps you already have a good stand of acorn producing oak trees and other food sources, or it might be that your best bet is to establish one or several food plots. Now that you have your thoughts on paper, it is time to enlist some help from the outside.

Conservation organizations such as the National Wild Turkey Federation, Quality Deer Management Association, Ruffed Grouse Society and Trout Unlimited all have members and some staff that have a very substantial background in all types of habitat management and improvement. Even better – these folks are generally very eager to help landowners lay out a plan to enhance their property for all types of wildlife.

Additionally, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Farm Service Agency and the Penn State Agricultural Extension offices can also provide guidance and possibly on-site visitation to provide advice in developing your land.

The listing of your goals, a detailed inventory of your property and the neighboring lands and the enlisting of the help from the various organizations and agencies will provide the solid foundation of a well thought out Management Plan which you can use as a guideline for years to come.