Category: Wildlife Management

Cedar trees are aggressive species that can overtake rangelands and woodlands. Cedar can be controlled, but which type of cedar trees are on your property? Learning how to identify and control cedar trees as well as other invasive woody species is important. Proper identification allows land managers to correctly control and/or suppress brush species on their property.

There are two major cedar tree species west of Interstate Highway 35, redberry cedar and blueberry cedar. As the names imply, blueberry cedar has blue berries and redberry cedar has red berries. In addition, redberrycedar has small specks of white wax on its leaves and twigs. Blueberry cedar is more common in central and south-central Texas, while redberry cedar is more common in west, west-central and north-central Texas. It is not uncommon for the two species to occur together in some parts of the state.

How to Control Cedar Trees: Annual Management

Unfortunately, controlling cedar trees on a property is not a one-time job. Livestock and wildlife spread the seeds easily, so you’ll need to check your land annually and treat unwanted seedlings. It is important to control cedar when young, as both seedlings and saplings. Controlling mature cedars requires heavy equipment or large quantities of herbicides and is usually very expensive. Cedar is not something you eradicate. Instead, it’s about managing cedar abundance.

Besides, cedar trees do have value. Some cedars grow in areas where other plants struggle. In addition, cedar trees provide thermal cover for associated plants and animals. Wildlife readily consume the berries. It’s not about totally removing cedar, but rather managing what you have on the landscape. Brush management means retaining cover where it’s needed and removing cedar where it’s not welcome.

Chemical (herbicide) treatments work best on cedar trees less than 3-feet tall. Mechanical treatment is required for larger, established trees. After reading this article and watching the enclosed cedar tree ID video, the hope is that you can successfully identify the cedar on your land and effectively manage it. This article will cover:

• Leaf spray using herbicide for cedar trees
• Spot spray with herbicide for cedar control
• Mechanical top removal for established cedar trees

How to Control Cedar Trees: Leaf Spray

The leaf spray method works best on blueberry and redberry cedars less than
3 feet tall. The best time to apply herbicide using the leaf spray method is during the spring and summer, when cedar trees are actively growing. Land managers will need a herbicide sprayer to control cedar trees using the leaf spray method.

There are a variety of spray rigs on the market. Small pump-up garden sprayers, backpack sprayers, cattle sprayers, or sprayers mounted on 4-wheel-drive all terrain vehicles (ATVs) work well for cedar control. Garden sprayers are best for treating a few plants, and backpack sprayers are usually more efficient for larger acreages or higher cedar densities.

ATV sprayers become more efficient on very large acreages or as the distance between plants increases. Most importantly, make sure your spray gun has an adjustable cone nozzle (X6 to X8 orifice size) capable of delivering a coarse spray (large droplets).

Land managers can achieve 76-100 percent root kill of small cedar by spraying with the herbicide Tordon 22K™. Prepare the spray mix as a 1% concentration of Tordon 22K™ in water. In addition, to ensure a thorough coating of the cedar leaves, add commercial surfactant or liquid dishwashing detergent to the spray mix. It’s also helpful to add a dye, such as Hi-Light Blue Dye™, to mark plants that have been sprayed. For best results, thoroughly wet all the leaves of each cedar plant to the point of runoff.

Spot Spray for Cedar Control

The soil spot spray method works on blueberry or redberry cedars less than 3 feet in height. Ideally, this application should be applied in late-winter to mid-spring just prior to expected rainfall. Soil spot sprays should be applied with an exact delivery handgun. This equipment is available from most herbicide retail outlets.

The handgun delivers a thin stream of predetermined volume when triggered. Adjust the handgun to deliver 2 ml (cc) for each pull of the trigger. If only a few plants are to be treated, a disposable syringe can be used. All spray equipment should be thoroughly cleaned immediately after use.

The recommended herbicide for soil spot spray cedar control method is Velpar L™. The herbicide is used undiluted, by attaching an exact delivery handgun or syringe to the herbicide container. Apply undiluted Velpar L™ to the soil surface midway between the cedar stem and the canopy edge.

Apply 2 ml for every 3 feet of plant height or every 3 feet of plant canopy diameter (whichever is greater). If plant size requires more than a single 2-ml application, space applications equally around the cedar tree. Apply each 2-ml dose to a single spot on the soil surface. On slopes, apply most of the herbicide on the uphill side of the stem.

How to Control Cedar Trees: Top Removal

The top removal method is very effective at controlling some cedar tree species. On blueberry cedar (Ashe juniper), remove the plant top at or near the ground line with a chain saw, pruner, axe, etc. Seedlings (plants less than 2 feet tall) can be killed easily by hand grubbing, but why bother when you can simply lopper them off at the ground. This is game over for blueberry juniper as they do no resprout.

The top removal method takes a little more work with redberry cedar. Redberry cedar resprouts when cut, so top removal will not effectively control plants that are over 8 to 10 years old. Redberry cedar plants less than 2 feet tall can be easily killed if they are grubbed below the basal “knob.” This know is located at or slightly beneath the soil surface.

Controlling Cedar Trees in Texas

Brush now exist on more Texas rangeland than at anytime in recorded history. Much of this brush is cedar. Brush has long been considered one of the major management problems confronting land owners and managers in Texas. A dense stand of cedar or other brush reduces grass cover. Reduced grass cover results in loss of livestock production, increased soil erosion and inefficient use of rainfall. Dense cedar cover reduces grass and forb cover and results in reduce water captured within the land. This impacts other plants, the water table and springs.

For the most effective cedar and brush control, a management plan should be developed for the property. The plan must outline the purpose of brush management, what methods will be used where and when and what is the appropriate follow-up management, such grazing and maintenance brush control. The management plan should include wildlife goals in addition to land and livestock considerations.

The management plan must be consistent with the property objectives and be part of the overall property plan. An effective brush management plan will help meet long term objectives for the property. Selection of brush management methods is important. Methods should be selected on the basis of property objectives, resources available, expected response, economics and personal preference. Learning how to control cedar trees means more than just identification and treatment. Cedar management takes planning and commitment.

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With temperatures heating up wildlife friendly water troughs are more important in Texas than ever. Hot, dry weather means wildlife will be in search of water, but is your water trough wildlife friendly?

Not all water sources are created equally. Some watering facilities may limit wildlife access based on their design. During periods of low rainfall, when many ponds and creeks dry up, surface water is limited. Many wildlife species of drown in troughs trying to reach water because they got in and then were unable to escape.

Troughs for Wildlife Need Escape Ladders

Escape ladders are an important part of a wildlife friendly water trough. These ladders can be installed in troughs to give animals a way out if they do fall in. These ladders can be made of many materials and may even include a series of rocks that act as stepping stones, but the material used for an escape ladder must be durable.

Wildlife ladders in troughs allow animals access the water, but more importantly, exit the trough. Instructions for building escape ladders are provided online by the Natural Resource Conservation Service in the following publications:

• Wildlife Friendly Troughs
• Wildlife Watering Facilities
• Wildlife Escape Ramps for Watering Structures
• Watering Facility Wildlife Escape Structures

Evaluating Wildlife Friendly Watering Sites

Many troughs exist for watering livestock. In most cases, modifications to “working” troughs will have to be reinforced to a greater extent than a trough that is install strictly for wildlife use. Troughs that serve both livestock and wildlife are feasible, but planning is necessary to ensure you are meeting the needs of all of your constituents.

Check out the slideshow below for some great information on creating and restoring safe and accessible water sources for livestock, bats and other wildlife.

Rainwater Collection for Wildlife Water

An alternative source of water may be installing a wildlife water guzzler that captures and uses rainwater. These are great options for fields that were once cultivated or smaller properties that may not have a source of water but are providing supplemental water as a qualifying practice for a wildlife tax valuation. Wildlife including deer, turkeys, small mammals and birds will visit these wildlife friendly water troughs regularly for hydration.

A collection system can be as expensive or economical as you wish, but keep in mind that longevity of the system as well as maintenance can be addressed through the initial materials that are used. The purpose of a guzzler is to provide water for wildlife and they won’t care if you spend $10 or $10,000.

When a rainwater collection system for wildlife (guzzler) is installed, it’s a good idea to initially fill it with water, then in most years there should be enough annual precipitation to maintain water in them for the critters on your land. A roof funnels water into the holding tank and also slows evaporation. If you have livestock on your property, then it’s recommended you fence the guzzler to keep livestock out.

The disease known as White-nose syndrome (WNS) may soon plague bats in Texas, according to the latest research. The fungus that causes deadly white-nose syndrome in hibernating bats has been detected in Texas for the first time. The syndrome has killed millions of bats in the eastern parts of North America, raising national concern.

A coalition of groups in Texas is continuing work to monitor the spread of the problem and is seeking willing landowners who could help scientists locate and access bat caves.

The fungus was detected on species of hibernating bats in 6 North Texas Counties: Childress, Collingsworth, Cottle, Hardeman, King, and Scurry. The three species are tri-colored bat, cave myotis, and Townsend’s big-eared bat. This is the first detection of the fungus on both cave myotis and Townsend’s big-eared bats. The Townsend’s big-eared bat has an isolated subspecies in the East, the Virginia Big Eared Bat that has already tested positive for the fungus.

Sampling for WNS in Bats

Samples were collected between Jan. 11 and Feb. 22 by biologists from Bat Conservation International (BCI) and Texas A&M University’s (TAMU) Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and Institute of Renewable Natural Resources, and analyzed as part of a National Science Foundation-funded project led by University of California at Santa Cruz. Surveys of sites in seven other counties in 2017 did not detect the fungus — those counties are Coryell, Freestone, Leon, Panola, San Saba, Shelby, and Wheeler.

White-nose syndrome is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) and is responsible for the deaths of millions bats in the United States and Canada. It has been expanding in all directions since its discovery in New York in 2007. In some states, there have been declines in winter bat numbers of greater than 90 percent.

“There is still hope for bats in Texas,” said Jonah Evans, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department state mammologist. “The fungus thrives in colder climates and it remains to be seen if WNS will have the same serious impacts in Texas as it has in northern states. Additionally, 20 of the 32 species of bats in Texas do not regularly hibernate and we are hopeful they will not suffer significant population declines. We will continue working with cooperating landowners and researchers to implement the best management tools available to conserve these species.”

Bats play an important role in the ecosystem by consuming large numbers of insects. Recent studies have shown that the agricultural value of insect control by bats is $1.4 billion annually in Texas alone. This value includes reduced crop loss to insect pests, reduced spread of crop diseases, and reduced need for pesticide application.

White-nose Syndrome

White-nose syndrome does not infect humans and is only known to affect hibernating bats. The fungus thrives in cold, humid environments and invades the skin of bats, disrupting their hibernation and depleting their fat stores. Migratory Mexican free-tailed bats, which roost in the millions at popular sites such as Bracken Bat Cave, the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, and Old Tunnel State Park, do not hibernate for long periods during the winter, and are not expected to be at high risk for the disease. Although there is no known cure for white-nose syndrome, wildlife disease experts are actively working on several treatments to help improve survival.

Today’s announcement of Pd in Texas brings the total number of states with the fungus to 33. Of those states, 30 have been confirmed with white-nose syndrome.

“This discovery is significant because it occurs where the ranges of eastern, southern, and western bat species intersect, and two of these bats have extensive distributions in Central America and the West – beyond the current range of the disease,” said Jeremy Coleman, national white-nose syndrome coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who leads a coalition of more than 100 state, federal, and international governments agencies, academics, and non-governmental organization working to defeat white-nose syndrome. “While we don’t know how new species of western hibernating bats will respond to the fungus, we are concerned about this move into the West.”

WNS in Texas Bats

While scientists are disappointed by the detection of Pd in Texas, its arrival is not unexpected. The fungus was detected in Oklahoma in 2015 and Arkansas in 2014. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has closely coordinated with state and federal agencies as the fungus has spread toward the state. TPWD has worked with BCI to monitor Panhandle caves for the disease since 2011 and in 2015 TPWD funded a statewide project through TAMU aimed at early detection of the disease and describing bat populations before white-nose syndrome arrives.

Nationally, Coleman said the partners in the international response are working to develop tools to manage WNS and improve bat survival. Management solutions are in development to slow the spread of Pd to unaffected areas, improve the survival of bats in newly affected areas, and promote recovery of populations decimated by WNS. Treatment options that could be deployed in some affected areas in the future are also a research focus of the international response team.

TPWD is working with researchers at TAMU to survey caves with hibernating bats. They are asking for willing landowners for help locating and accessing bat winter roosts and caves for tracking the spread of the fungus. Those with knowledge of such sites are asked to contact TPWD at 512-389-4505.

Wildlife experts say cavers and landowners with caves can help prevent human assisted spread of the fungus by requiring cave visitors to abide by the decontamination protocols described here. More information concerning white-nose syndrome can be found online.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has announced that it will offer a Wildlife Management Workshop on September 24th, 2016, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for Central Texas property owners. The even will take place at the Bass Conference Center located at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area, about 30 minutes west of Kerrville.

The wildlife management topics covered will include white-tailed deer management, dealing with feral hogs and provide information on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). The purpose of the workshop is to:

• Provide up to date knowledge pertaining to White-tailed deer (Genetics, Nutrition, and Habitat)
• Manage Feral Hogs (Eradication, Trapping, Lethal doses of Sodium Nitrite); and
• Discuss Chronic Wasting Disease (Knowledge and Scientific facts on CWD, Existing/Future regulations pertaining to CWD.

All presentations will be made by TPWD trained specialists and biologists. To register for this wildlife management workshop, contact Brock Minton; (S. TX. Hunter Ed. Specialist) at 361-944-3617 or at brock.minton@tpwd.texas.gov. Seating is limited so if you are interested in learning about managing whitetail and hogs then get signed up ASAP.

Each participant will be responsible for bringing his or her own lunch. Distances to and from area dining facilities are too far from the Kerr WMA and time consuming, and will interfere with workshop’s agenda.The afternoon portion of this workshop will be conducted outdoors. Please be prepared (bug repellant; sun block), and dress (clothing, boots, etc.) for all adverse conditions.

Best of all, there is no charge for this workshop!

Maintaining property under a wildlife tax valuation is about more than just birds and mammals. Insects are also an important part of the system. Protecting native insect pollinators on private property now comes with new benefits for Texas landowners.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Nongame and Rare Species Program developed new guidelines for landowners to develop wildlife management plans for their properties. If a landowner’s property is currently evaluated under an Agricultural Tax Valuation, they may qualify for an Agricultural Tax Appraisal based on Wildlife Management Use if they follow the new guidelines to protect and support native pollinators.

Private Lands Means Wildlife Management by Property Owners

Because more than 95 percent of Texas lands are privately owned, effective native insect pollinator conservation requires private landowner involvement. Landowners can play a significant role in conserving and maintaining pollinator populations by applying management practices that benefit these species, which support the healthy growth of several agricultural crops for free.

Wildlife Management Guidelines for Tax Valuation

The new guidelines are published in Management Recommendations for Native Insect Pollinators in Texas, which are available online by navigating through the link that appears later in this paragraph. The guidelines outline a suite of different practices that benefit these species, from prescribed burning, native plant re-seeding and installation of native pollinator plots to creating nest sites. The various practices in the guidelines could be applied to small backyards and large ranches alike.

The guidelines address a growing problem: Native insects that are important to pollinating wildflowers and agricultural crops, including some bumble bee species and the monarch butterfly, have experienced dramatic population declines and are in need of conservation action. In addition, significant challenges to managed European honeybee health has sparked interest in native insects as alternative pollinators for agricultural production.

Pollinators are Important for Wildlife & People in Texas

Pollination is one of the most vital processes in sustaining natural ecosystems and agricultural production. The majority of flowering plants that comprise Texas’ diverse ecosystems rely upon insects to transport pollen among flowers, ensuring the production of viable seed. Viable seed is critical for the perpetuation of plant species across the landscape. The annual value of insect-pollinated crops to the U.S. economy is estimated at over $15 billion.

Texas Big Awards Program

White-tailed deer hunters can show enter their big game harvest in this year’s Texas Big Game Awards program and give the animal and their land management program the recognition it deserves. The program is accepting entries now through March 1, 2016.

Celebrating its 25th year, the Texas Big Game Awards is a partnership of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Wildlife Association recognizing the contributions landowners, land managers and responsible hunters make to managing and conserving wildlife and wildlife habitat on Texas’ private lands.

Texas Big Game Awards promote awareness about wildlife management and the role that hunting plays in habitat conservation, and to foster cooperation among stakeholders who ensure that our state’s wildlife habitat is conserved forever.

Enter the Big Game Awards

Hunters who harvest a white-tailed deer, mule deer, javelina, or pronghorn antelope this season meeting the minimum net score requirements set for their respective region may be eligible to receive recognition in the “Scored Entry” category. Scoring is done by local certified TBGA scorers using the Boone & Crockett Club Scoring System and entry is free. The landowner where the entry was taken is also eligible to be recognized. Also, hunters that harvest a bighorn sheep during the current season are eligible for recognition through the program.

Hunters of any age who harvest their first big game animal in Texas are eligible for the “First Big Game Harvest” category. Hunters who harvest a white-tailed deer, mule deer, javelina, pronghorn antelope, or bighorn sheep are eligible, regardless of sex or score of the animal in this category.

All youth hunters (hunting under a valid youth hunting license) who harvest a white-tailed deer, mule deer, javelina, pronghorn antelope, or bighorn sheep are eligible for the “Youth Division,” regardless of sex or score or the animal.

Big Game Awards Details

For more information on the Texas Big Game Awards, entry information, or for a local certified TBGA scorer, visit www.TexasBigGameAwards.org or call 210-236-9761.

All awards for each category will be presented only at the Regional Celebration for the region of harvest. Participants are invited to attend their regional banquet, but may attend any of the celebrations. A Statewide Celebration will be coordinated by TWA in conjunction with the TWA Annual Convention held July 15 in San Antonio. The top three animals statewide in each category will be recognized and receive a special award at the statewide ceremony.

Texas Big Game Awards 2016 Regional Banquet Schedule

• Region 5, 6, 7 — May 14, Lufkin
• Region1, 2, 3 — June 4, San Angelo
• Region 4, 8 — June 11, Uvalde

White-tailed deer hunting in Texas is quite popular, but do you know about managing deer populations on your property and how hunting regulations are determined at the county and state level? An upcoming workshop by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be hosted at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area. The workshop aims to help hunters learn more about managing deer in Texas.

The program will be offered March 21-22, 2015. Here are the program specifics; White-tailed Deer: Interaction between genetics and habitat, the role of genetics and nutrition, age structures, carrying capacity and how these issues are translated into harvest regulations, Kerr Wildlife Management Area. Kerrville, Texas. Persons interested in attending the whitetail management workshop should contact Brock Minton at 361-825-3249 for more information.

More on the Kerr Wildlife Management Area

The Kerr Wildlife Management Area is owned and operated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. This area was selected as a land base for the Edwards Plateau ecological area to develop and manage wildlife habitats and populations of indigenous wildlife species, provide a site where research of wildlife populations and habitat can be conducted under controlled conditions, and to provide public hunting and appreciative use of wildlife in a manner compatible with the resource.

The Area’s primary mission is to function as a wildlife management, research, and demonstration site for trained personnel to conduct wildlife related studies and provide resultant information to resource managers, landowners, and other interested groups or individuals to acquaint them with proven practices in wildlife habitat management.

Principal wildlife species found on the Kerr Wildlife Area include white-tailed deer, bobwhite quail, javelina, wild turkey, mourning dove, fox squirrel, bobcat, raccoon, skunk, armadillo, ringtail “cat”, rabbit, gray fox, and many species of reptiles and migratory birds.

The Kerr Wildlife Management Area is located at the headwaters of the North Fork of the Guadalupe River. The Area contains 6,493 acres, representative of the Edwards Plateau habitat type of Texas.The Area was purchased in fee title by the State of Texas (Game, Fish and Oyster Commission) in 1950 from the Presbyterian MO Ranch Assembly under the Pittman-Robertson Act using Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program funds.