ADVENTURES IN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT: SERVICE AGREEMENTS

By Kameron Bain, Business Development

Wow, another year at Plateau has flown by full of new adventures and many lessons learned. I am so amazed how year after year my knowledge of not only the wildlife management valuation but of land and wildlife in general keeps growing. I always thought I had to leave the Plateau office to find adventure, but over the past few months I went on adventures with many members of my team without leaving the cool, and just recently warm, comfort of the office.

As over 200 of Plateau landowners know when the air starts to cool and pumpkins start being replaced by wreathes and bright lights, Service Agreement proposals start hitting the email boxes. While it may seem to just suddenly appear like an unexpected surprise, there is a lot of planning and research that goes on behind the scenes. Plateau Service Agreements are annual contracts that assist landowners in fulfilling the goals of their wildlife management plan as well as other property goals or interest of individual landowners. Agreements can include everything from Annual Reports to feeder re-fills to bird surveys to consulting time with your biologist to learn more about your piece of land. I personally love service agreements. It is in my nature to make lists and spreadsheets and to plan and organize. I love seeing all the activities lined out so the landowner can view what will be done over the coming year. I was excited to uses some of my strengths to assist our landowners.

The adventure all started back in September when the Plateau biology team reviewed the 2011 agreements and offered recommendations on changes, additions or input they received from the landowner. Meanwhile our products and services team was busy creating a more efficient site visit structure based on the number of nest boxes and new options to re-charge rainwater collections systems, and re-fill and re-charge our newest product, the Quail and Small Wildlife Station. All was going very smooth. That was until the October bump in the road, a few weeks of technology issues stalled the process. Oh well, best laid plans.

By November, life in the office returned back to normal and it was time to build the agreements. I could not have done this part without my service agreement partner in crime, Steve Parker. Steve is Plateau's Products and Services Manager who is committed to giving each landowner exceptional client service. Hours upon hours were spent pouring over client history to make sure all bases had been covered to ensure that each individual client was in compliance with the wildlife management guidelines. 2011 log sheets were reviewed to check on missing nest boxes, and products and services suggestions made by our awesome wildlife services technicians. Slowly, we put all the pieces together to build each agreement, sometimes with multiple reviews by the biologist or account manager.

With the change of seasons this December, almost all of our 2012 Wildlife Management Services Agreement are in the clients hands. Now the fun can begin when I can interact with the clients, discuss their property and look forward to a new year. I have to give a very special Thank You to Steve. From Steve I learned a lot about wildlife management guidelines for many activities, how to view agreement in terms of compliance and more importantly that exceptional client service means to doing your due diligence and leaving no stone unturned. I am so proud to work with someone who takes care of our clients as well as Steve does.

Until, next Seasons and next service agreement season, have a Happy Holiday.

MY OUTDOOR HERITAGE

By Craig Bowen, Account Manager - Hill Country North

I was standing over a human cadaver performing an academic autopsy when I realized I wanted to devote my career to rural land and the associated people. I will admit this is a curious situation in which to reach such a decision, but a little background information will help in understanding.

I grew up surrounded by rural land management, primarily ranching and farming, at the base of the Llano Estacado region of Texas. As many young people in my position do, I took for granted the freedom of hunting and fishing whenever I wanted, solitarily roaming the pastures and fields at my discretion, and learning about rural land culture from experienced elders.

My maternal grandfather taught me biology and ecology, and I can remember effortlessly sitting in his considerable lap very early in life pouring through volumes of outdoor encyclopedias, learning about everything from animal identification and behavior to flint knapping; my paternal grandfather took me fishing frequently, and we wandered around various farms and native pastures for hours on end; my father took me hunting in every season, and taught me about the work involved in rural land, from hoeing cotton to breaking ice in livestock water troughs; and my mother made sure she, my father, and I went on frequent camping trips, inhabiting state parks on school-year weekends and even longer jaunts during the summer.

Academically, I was most interested in science. During high school, I attended two science-based leadership camps which changed me forever. The first chronologically was the Buckskin Brigades, a leadership camp designed by the Texas Wildlife Association focused on wildlife management. This camp is 100 rigorous hours of everything from drill-style marches complete with cadences to classroom debates. The second, which my AP Biology teacher recommended me for, was the NYLF/MED (National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine) which is a pre-medical school camp designed to teach high school students what it takes to become a doctor. This camp is what brought me to a well-lit basement in Chicago's Loyola University Medical School standing over the aforementioned cadaver.

The day before the autopsy, I had visited the Chicago Field Museum as an elective event associated with the Forum. As I stood over the dead body, an elderly female whose chest plate had been removed by my partner - who, given her exuberance towards the subject, is almost certainly a surgeon today - I stared at the internal organs and appreciated the fact that I was much more entertained the day prior gazing upon the awe-inspiring maneless, man-eating lions of Tsavo and full skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex. The realization floored me because I had thought of nothing more in the last few years than medical school and all which follows. I enjoyed the rest of my time at Loyola, but my sights were now set on much different things. I eventually attended University and earned degrees in Wildlife Ecology and Agricultural Economics, all the while searching for ways to earn a living serving landowners and helping native Texas wildlife.

Today, I have many outlets directly related to my outdoor heritage: my career, which takes me from property taxes to real estate sales, and my hobbies, which range from shooting sports in arenas all over the country to casting for redfish on the Texas coast. At the Buckskin Brigades when I was 16 years old, Dr. Dale Rollins, who eventually found himself on my Master's committee at Texas A&M University, said to me, "Let your vocation be your avocation," and both are now without question rural land and the outdoors in general.

For most, outdoor heritage means teaching young people to enjoy outdoor sports or simply spend time outdoors for recreation. For me, outdoor heritage became a life full of rural land and the outdoors, and encompasses the way I make my money; the way I spend it; the food I eat; what I teach my son; the time I spend with my wife; the way I process my surroundings; and how I relate to my fellow humans. My friend Justin Dreibelbis, who serves as the Conservation Programs Coordinator with Texas Wildlife Association, put it this way: "Hunters, anglers, and other outdoor sportsmen are the original conservationists, and they pay for conservation across the country. Moreover, I wouldn't have near the relationship I have with my father or grandfather if we had not hunted together."

So, the next time you are enjoying your property and the outdoors, think of others who may not be so lucky, particularly our young people, and make every effort to teach a child something about the outdoors, or take your own children on an open-air adventure.

You never know, it just may define their entire life.

A young Craig Bowen celebrates the outdoors.

*****

Plateau Land & Wildlife Management helps Texas landowners protect and enhance their greatest asset -- their land -- with wildlife management plans, wildlife tax valuation assistance, qualifying wildlife management valuation activities, and more.

FREE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR IN SAN ANTONIO TONIGHT (FEB 15)

The following seminar is from 6-8pm. To RSVP or for more information, contact Kameron at (888) 289-9409 or email kbain@plateauwildlife.com

February 15, 2011
Bexar County
Bass Pro Shop
17907 IH 10 West
San Antonio, TX 78257

JANUARY 20TH WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SEMINARS

Please join us tonight at the following locations to learn more about wildlife management valuation and discuss other wildlife issues. The following seminars are all from 6-8pm. To RSVP to any of the following or for more information, contact Kameron at (888) 289-9409 or email kbain@plateauwildlife.com. Or see more upcoming wildlife seminar dates.

Travis County
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve
805 N. Capital of Texas Hwy
Austin, TX 78746

Blanco County
Johnson City Library
501 Nugent Ave
Johnson City, TX 78636

Victoria County
Hampton Inn
7006 N. Navarro
Victoria, TX 77904

PLATEAU AT RAINWATER REVIVAL IN DRIPPING SPRINGS ON SATURDAY

Plateau will be flooding the Rainwater Revival with information and more on Saturday. The inaugural event, being held in Dripping Springs at Roger Hanks Park (on Hwy 290 about 1 mile west of 290 and RR 12), will feature Plateau's Kasey Mock speaking on "Water For Wildlife". Kasey and Steve Parker will also be holding court at the Plateau booth where you can learn more about water for wildlife and all of Plateau's services. Also, our resident watercolor artist, Director of Administration Janine Gwaltney, is kindly volunteering her time to work with kids at the Raindrop Stop where they will be able to express their creativity with (rain)watercolor painting. The event is from 10am - 5pm and will also feature a fantastic roster of other speakers as well as eco-shopping, and live music by The Derailers, Bob Livingston's Cowboys & Indians, and kid favorite Joe McDermott. For more information, including the day's schedule, visit RainwaterRevival.com.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING: FALL AND WILDLIFE

In some parts of Texas, nearly half of the bird species are found only during cooler months, which is why we offer the Wintering and Resident Bird Survey beginning the first of November. Designed to complement our Spring Breeding Bird Census (BBC), the winter survey provides valuable information on bird population dynamics. This is a great opportunity to learn which birds are utilizing your property during the winter months. Additionally, you can use the information to identify important wintering habitats, track population trends, and create management plans for year-round use. And, like our spring survey, the Wintering and Resident Bird Survey is a qualifying activity for your wildlife valuation. As always, our surveys are conducted by an experienced birder and, of course, the landowner is invited to come along. It is also a unique opportunity to show off your property and native wildlife -- a fun, informative, and activity-qualifying tour of your property before the football game. If you have not already done so, contact Plateau today to schedule your survey.

Fall is also prime time for the following activities:
• Conducting brush management before wintering birds arrive.
• A consulting site visit by a Plateau biologist to ensure wildlife management activities are on track for the year. Fellow landowners have had our biologists tour their property with family and friends so everyone can learn more about their land, from its unique plants to unexpected wildlife habitats. A fun fall family activity!
• Prickly pear chemical control is still underway.
• Deer surveys, including spotlight and camera surveys.
• Installation of turkey feeders and wildlife rainwater collection systems.

In the summer issue of Seasons, we suggested that you pull out your wildlife management plan and assess your progress. If barbecuing on the grill or floating down a lazy river took summer precedence, definitely take a moment now to re-familiarize yourself with your plan, and make sure you're staying on top of your wildlife management activities. If Plateau wrote your wildlife management plan, an easy starting point is with your Wildlife Management Planning Matrix, the one page summary spreadsheet created by Plateau to help landowners easily visualize the activities that are to be conducted over a five year window, making short and long range goals more assessable at a glance. Review the 2010 column for the activities you are responsible for this year. How many of your wildlife management activities have you completed for 2010? County appraisal districts generally conduct their appraisals between September and March (but it can be any time of the year), so don't wait until late in the year, particularly as many activities, such as the ones listed above, are season specific.

Plateau can help you meet all of your wildlife management goals. Contact us today for more information!

Article photo: Photo of a Spotted Towhee by Lee Kothmann. Winter populations of this shy little bird are found in Texas.

OAK WILT: FACT AND FICTION

By Shane Kiefer, Senior Wildlife Biologist, San Antonio Region

Oak wilt is a very real and very important concern among Texas landowners. Oak wilt, caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum, is one of the most destructive tree diseases in the United States. The bad news is that it occurs in over 60 Texas counties and will never completely disappear. The good news is that with some basic knowledge about how and why oak wilt spreads, you can take steps to help prevent infections on your land.

The oak wilt fungus kills by clogging the water conducting system of the tree. All oaks are susceptible to oak wilt, but white oaks, such as post, bur, and chinkapin oaks are very resistant to the disease. Red oaks such as Texas, pin, and blackjack oaks are extremely susceptible and often die within a few weeks of apparent symptoms. Red oaks act as breeding grounds for the fungus and serve as sources of new infections. Under the right conditions, fungal mats may form under the bark of a red oak. These mats often create cracks in the bark and emit a fruity odor. Tiny, sap-feeding Nitidulid beetles are attracted to these mats and feed on them, gathering fungal spores as they do. When the beetles find a fresh wound on another oak they feed on the sap and transmit the spores, infecting the tree. This is how new infection centers are created in live oaks.

Live oaks are probably the most obvious victims of the disease because they die in the largest numbers. This is due to the common growth habit of live oaks in which they form motts with interconnected root systems that allow the rapid spread of the fungus from tree to tree once an infection occurs. Infected trees often die within 6-12 months.

Red oaks often do not exhibit any clear symptoms. Typically, the leaves will pale and brown during an unusual time of year. The tree dies shortly thereafter. The presence of fungal mats is a reliable indicator of oak wilt in red oaks. In live oaks, veinal necrosis and veinal banding are good diagnostic indicators of oak wilt. The area around the leaf veins will darken and then turn brown while the rest of the leaf remains green. Diagnosis can be confirmed through isolation of the fungus in a laboratory.

Since the disease only spreads in two ways and new infections are only established by beetles feeding on wounded oak trees, by taking precautions you can help prevent the spread of oak wilt. Fungal mats tend to form during mild, spring-like weather, when beetles are most abundant. You should avoid pruning oaks during these times to reduce the chance of infection. Winter and summer are good times to prune your trees, while spring is the worst time for these activities, even though it may be the nicest time to work outside. No matter when you prune, you should always immediately paint your cuts or any wounds on your oak trees with pruning paint or standard latex paint. Contaminated beetles may be present at any time and painting will prevent them from feeding on the sap from fresh wounds. Tree health, age, and size have no impact on susceptibility to oak wilt so you should always paint cuts on oaks, no matter how healthy they are.

Good land stewardship is the best defense against long-term damage from diseases and the best way to ensure its beauty and function in the future despite any type of disturbance. Oak wilt is not an imported disease. It is a native fungus that has been in North America and Texas for a long time. It actually serves a purpose, much like other seemingly destructive agents such as fire. Pockets of dead trees provide foraging habitat for woodpeckers and nesting cavities for songbirds. A healthy and diverse shrub layer and a well distributed age structure in the woodlands meant that there was always something to replace oaks that succumbed to oak wilt or other diseases. Imagine the damage that could be done if the only woody plants on your property were live oaks. If you walk through the woods and see no young oaks, hackberry, cherry, or walnut, imagine how long it will take to recover if oak wilt or another natural destructive agent strikes. Controlling deer numbers to prevent damage to young oaks and other species, brush management, and encouraging diversity in your woody plants by planting native shrubs and trees other than oaks can help your land support a more diverse and resistant habitat.

Talk to your Plateau biologist about how to improve the health of your woodlands to ensure that even if disaster strikes, your land will recover and continue to provide quality wildlife habitat and enjoyment for you and your children.

Information in this article was derived from various publications of the Texas Forest Service. For more information, including pictures and diagrams see texasoakwilt.org.

FIRE ANT CONTROL REMINDER

Plateau finds the key time for imported red fire ant (IRFA) control is now through June*, before the heat of summer hits. When the ants are hot (or cold) they go deep into the ground for temperature regulation and do not actively forage above ground. They also go deep during dry periods in order to find moisture, and come above ground during wet periods to avoid drowning.

Why does IRFA control matter? The impact of imported red fire ants in the state of Texas is estimated to be $1.2 billion annually. The ants are pests of urban, agricultural, and wildlife areas and can pose a serious health threat to plants and animals (Texas Imported Fire Ant Research Project). The ants can sting to death and consume any animal or insect that cannot defend itself including nestling birds and young animals.

For more information on IRFA control, contact Plateau.

* Treatment starts up again in September after the heat of the summer and before the cold of winter.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SEMINAR IN HOUSTON TONIGHT!

Plateau's Craig Bowen will be presenting a free seminar on Wildlife Management Valuation tonight in Houston from 6-8PM. Join Craig at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center (4501 Woodway Drive). For information now, contact Plateau. For more upcoming seminar dates, see scroll down the left column.
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WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT ON MILITARY BASES

The New York Times has a very interesting article on wildlife management on our nation's military bases:

"Under crystalline winter skies, a light infantry unit headed for Iraq was practicing precision long-range shooting through a pall of smoke. But the fire generating the haze had nothing to do with the training exercise.

"Staff members at the Army post had set the blaze on behalf of the red-cockaded woodpecker, an imperiled eight-inch-long bird that requires frequent conflagrations to preserve its pine habitat.

"Even as it conducts round-the-clock exercises to support two wars, Fort Stewart spends as much as $3 million a year on wildlife management, diligently grooming its 279,000 acres to accommodate five endangered species that live here. Last year, the wildlife staff even built about 100 artificial cavities and installed them 25 feet high in large pines so the woodpeckers did not have to toil for six months carving the nests themselves."

Read the entire article on NYTimes.com.

DEER CORN AND THE DECLINE IN QUAIL POPULATIONS

The Dallas Morning News has a column on the possible connection between deer corn and the decline in bobwhite quail.

Writes columnist Ray Sasser:

"Several factors are blamed for the precipitous decline of bobwhite quail, habitat changes ranking first. I don't think it's a coincidence, however, that the quail decline parallels the dramatic expansion of white-tailed deer and deer hunting throughout West Texas.

"Even in South Texas, the state's other ecological island of quail habitat, the practice of baiting deer with corn accelerated in the 1980s. In December, I hunted quail in the Oklahoma Panhandle with John Cox, a wildlife biologist who feeds quail, both as a means of supplementing the birds' natural diet against harsh winter weather and to congregate them for hunting. He no longer uses corn or the smaller grain seeds that quail hunters often prefer.

"'I'm feeding the quail with black-eyed peas,' Cox said. 'Peas work great in an automatic feeder. When you buy them in bulk, they're cheaper than corn. Quail, deer and turkeys all love the peas, and I can go to sleep at night not wondering how many coveys I poisoned that day.'"

Read the entire column here.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING: LAND AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT JANUARY - MARCH

A timing reminder from Plateau's Seasons newsletter...

Brush Management
While the cool of spring might be the most enticing time of year to fire up a chainsaw to clear brush, this type of "spring cleaning" might actually be detrimental to the wildlife you are trying to protect. Spring is a familial time of year for all the mama and the papa animals -- the whine of a saw and the disturbance of brush are not conducive to reproductive activities; nesting may be disrupted and newborns stressed. Rather, it is a much better practice to do your important brush thinning and habitat improvement now, before spring has sprung, or wait until the hot summer months.

Plateau offers selective and ecologically sound brush management which maintains the integrity of the habitat for native wildlife, while enhancing the beauty of your property. Our skilled field technicians (like Lee, above) implement techniques that are tailored to the habitat needs of your property and its wildlife. Contact us for more details.
 
Mowing
Another time-sensitive activity is mowing native meadows, it is important to not do so too early in the season. It is a much more effective practice to let the grass and wildflowers stand undisturbed until they go to seed. If you watch the plants carefully in the late spring and summer, you will actually see the many ways that seeds are formed and dispersed. Occasional mowing at the right time, in the right amount, and correct patterns can be important to the health of a grassland, but allowing nature to run its course is the best possible method of reseeding.

Did you know...Shortly after the Texas Highway Department was organized in 1917, officials noted that wildflowers were among the first vegetation to reappear at roadside cuts and fills. In 1932, the department hired its first landscape architect to maintain, preserve, and encourage wildflowers and other native plants along rights of way. By 1934, department rules delayed all mowing, unless essential for safety, until spring and early summer wildflower seasons were over. This practice has stayed in place for more than 60 years.
 
Fire Ant Control
In the 1930s, as cargo ships from Brazil docked and unloaded goods at the seaport in Mobile, Alabama, a tiny foreign predator slipped from the vessels and crawled into infamy. Today, the imported red fire ant has spread from Alabama to almost every southern state from Texas to Maryland. While it is typically in the heat of the summer when seething fire ant rage really takes hold as mounds of imported red fire ants dot the land -- and pity the poor flip-flopped fool who accidentally stands on one -- Plateau finds the key time for fire ant control actually begins in March and winds down in June, before throes of summer and toes in sandals. Treatment starts up again in September after the hot, dry summer ends, and before the cold, wet of winter. Why this timing? It's a temperature issue. When the ants are cold, or hot, they go deep into the ground for temperature regulation and do not actively forage above ground. They also go deep during dry periods in order to find moisture, and come above ground during wet periods to avoid drowning.

Plateau offers both conventional and organic imported red fire ant treatment. Call or email for more details.

Nest Box Maintenance
Did you know that with just over 600 species, Texas plays host to more kinds of birds than any other state? Thanks to its location in the southern part of the United States, as well as the center of the continent, this central location means that birds from both the eastern and western U.S. are seen in Texas. Because we share a long border with Mexico, Texas also has many bird species found primarily in Mexico. But whether they've arrived from east or west, north or south, with Spring just around the corner they'll all be doing what the birds and the bees (and even educated fleas) do. For some birds, breeding season begins as early as February and for those who do not have Plateau maintain your nest boxes, consider this a friendly reminder that your boxes need to be checked and readied by the start of February. Some birds will not use boxes with abandoned nests in them, plus, removing debris (and other little critters who may have snuggled in for the winter) creates a healthier environment for the next brood of nestlings. If you are interested in having Plateau check and maintain your nest boxes, contact us today. (Zach, left, readies a nest box)

Purple Martin Box Installations
For centuries, Native American tribes attracted Purple Martins to their villages with clusters of hollowed-out gourds. Experts have surmised that the Purple Martins served as village alarm clocks with their early morning singing or, perhaps, they were feathered watchdogs, as the large swallow is well-known for sounding out alarm calls when predators or strangers approach the colony site. Whatever the reason for the attraction, the Purple Martin has been managed intentionally by humans longer than any other North American songbird. Today, whether for their beauty, song, or voracious appetite for pesky flying insects, an estimated 1 million North Americans provide housing for Purple Martins. Due to a decline in natural nesting sites (such as tree cavities) as a result of urban sprawl, farming and logging, as well as competition from the non-native House Sparrow and European Starling, human-provided housing and management has become vital to Purple Martins, especially east of the Rocky Mountains, where they have undergone a complete "tradition shift". Purple Martins are now the only bird species entirely dependent on humans for supplying them with nesting cavities. Purple Martins arrive at their Texas timeshares around the first half of February after spending approximately five months in South America. (Purple Martin information from The Purple Martin and Its Management published by Texas Parks and Wildlife).

Installation of Purple Martin boxes by Plateau's expert field technicians is currently underway and will finish up for the season in February.  Contact us for more details.

Plateau October Seminars

Free seminars on Wildlife Management Valuation! Join Plateau Land & Wildlife Management professionals for an informative discussion of Wildlife Management Tax Valuation. Learn why many rural landowners in Ag across Texas are making the switch to Wildlife. Space may be limited, so please call or email to RSVP if you will be attending (seminars take place 6-8PM):

(512) 894-3479
(888) 289-9409 (Toll free)
plateau@plateauwildlife.com

10/1
Hays County
Wimberley Community Center
14068 RR 12
Wimberley, Texas

10/6
Blanco County
Old Blanco Courthouse
Main Street in Downtown Blanco between 3rd and 4th Street
Blanco, Texas

10/13
Bastrop County
Loblolly Pines Village
112 Texas Hwy 21
Bastrop, Texas

10/15
Washington County
Comfort Inn and Suites
2350 South Day Street
Brenham, Texas

10/15
Gillespie County
Fredericksburg Inn and Suites
201 S. Washington Street
Fredericksburg, Texas

10/22
Bandera County
Silver Sage Corral
803 Buck Creek Drive
Bandera, Texas

Plateau September Seminars

Free seminars on Wildlife Management Valuation! Join Plateau Land & Wildlife Management professionals for an informative discussion of Wildlife Management Tax Valuation. Learn why many rural landowners in Ag across Texas are making the switch to Wildlife. Space may be limited, so please call or email to RSVP if you will be attending (seminars take place 6-8PM):

(512) 894-3479
(888) 289-9409 (Toll free)
plateau@plateauwildlife.com


9/29
Guadalupe County
Seguin-Guadalupe County Coliseum
950 S. Austin Street
Seguin, Texas