October 10, 2022
It is no secret that water attracts and holds life. This is true for many species of flora and fauna. Humans are no exception. Globally, roughly 40% of the human population lives within 60 miles of the coast (United Nations Ocean Conference, 2017). We are instinctively drawn to water, both man and beast. South Carolina […]
June 9, 2022
Have you recently noticed new holes in your tree and are not sure what caused them? Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers could be responsible. As their name suggests, this woodpecker species relies on tree sap as their primary food source and they usually start “drilling” trees for sap in early spring. Homeowners often contact the Extension Service this […]
June 9, 2022
With a lot of recent interest in bringing back the northern bobwhite quail, conversations with landowners often turn to reflections on bygone days. They recall working fields with bird dogs alongside their fathers and/or grandfathers and flushing numerous coveys within a few hours. Others reflect on simply hearing the whistling of cocks in the spring […]
March 14, 2022
Being the largest swallow in North America, Purple Martins have always been an extremely popular bird among homeowners and birding enthusiasts. Native Americans would attract them by hollowing out gourds and hanging them for the purple martins to nest in. Nowadays, homeowners often spend a lot of their time and resources trying to attract these […]
March 8, 2022
Now that winter has fully engulfed us, it is time to put a dent in the pig population. Winter is the time for trappers to remove large numbers of the hog population. The fall mast crops are gone. Residual agriculture stores have been depleted. Succulent spring growth is still a considerable distance in the future. […]
December 6, 2021
After the holiday season, you may be wondering what can be done with your discarded “live” Christmas tree. There are several options to repurpose your trees to benefit wildlife, your yard, and even your pond. The first step in re-purposing your Christmas tree is to remove tinsel, ornaments, or any other synthetic materials that have […]
August 24, 2021
Spring has sprung, and many are ready to get out on their property to continue their forest and wildlife management. One often overlooked aspect of wildlife management is the edge. The edge is the zone where two or more different habitat types intersect. Enhancing and expanding this area using a technique called ‘edge feathering’ can […]
August 20, 2021
With the passing of 2020 and the closing of deer season, the new year marks the time to get busy. There are many tasks that need to be completed now that deer hunting is not the top priority. If you are like me, you are looking for a reason to stay on the land and […]
August 20, 2021
The fear of being bitten by a snake worries many folks whether the snake is venomous or not. There are 38 species of snakes found in South Carolina, but only 6 are venomous. The venomous snakes found in South Carolina are all pit vipers with one exception – the coral snake. The pit vipers include […]
July 14, 2021
The concept of maximizing flora diversity is nothing new. While it may have slipped by unperceived as we beat our way through the daily grind of managing lands, our management practices were promoting diversity in many ways. Whether we were burning old fields, conducting thinnings, protecting wetlands, controlling non-native species, daylighting roads, etc., we were, […]
