Bob Clark

This is part 2 in a series of articles featuring the successful QDM program of the Blauser family.

THEIR MANAGEMENT PLAN
With three other farms cooperating in a unified and combined acreage of 1,427 acres, they are protecting young deer and have antler restrictions. Farming practices are geared to benefit all their whitetails and continue to balance the overall plan. Antlerless harvests which are limited to adult(larger) females, and positively identified yearling does, has provided immediate results in saving the button bucks and increasing the number of males throughout the combined acreage.

The addition of added acres bringing the total number in the program to 2,888 acres with antlerless harvests limited to larger females and antler restriction has proven results. Data indicates they continue to improve and increase their primary goals of large bodied bucks with antlers in 140 to 170 B & C range.

This family has gone so far as to set aside a 50-acre refuge on their property which no one can hunt, I mean no one.

FOOD PLOTS- TYPE OF PLANTINGS
They have selected nine food plots that are 100'x100' totaling 100'x900' with a soil PH of 6.5 to 7.0.

The soil is first disc and chisel plowed. After a week, they metal drag the land. They then roll the entire area. Dragging it again, they seed it and roll again.

They use a variety of plantings on these first year test plots that include Trupes Premium Clover Mix, Trupes Quick Start Woodland Mix, BioLogic New Zealand Perennial Mix, Whitetail No Plow Jump Start Seed, Whitetail Imperial ALFA-RACK and Whitetail Imperial Clover.

Dick keeps excellent records on the growth and use of these test plots and will sit down with his father and other landowners to decide from the records of growth and deer activity what is best for their soils, and then make changes or add new plantings as results come in.

On the immediate Blauser family farm, hunting only bucks with a 16-1/2" inside spread (wider than its ear tips), they have increased both the numbers of bucks sighted on the property, and most importantly, the quality of the racks their bucks carry. But as restrictive as they are overall, they do care about their youth and do have some exceptions for their junior hunters.

Their program in place for five years works and has made noticeable yearly improvements in buck sightings. Before they started their quality deer management plan, it was very rare to harvest any buck larger than 8 points with an inside spread of 14" and weights of 140 pounds and larger. In fact, 10-points are not unusual and son, Dick, has taken a 14 point 225 pounds and scored 173 B & C. They harvest about 25 bucks and 30 females each year.

HARD WORK PAYS OFF FOR OTHERS
In the past three years, fourteen 10-point or better bucks have been harvested within two miles of their farm.

An important key of selecting mainly large females and providing some protection to smaller deer and not shooting button bucks, in particular, is another major contributing factor to their plan.

WHAT IS WORKING?
The combination of outstanding food sources including large fields with normal farm plantings and practices, timber management practices, antler restrictions and harvesting mainly large female deer has improved their total quality deer effort. Current ratio is about ten females to one buck.

Antlerless harvests continue to play a major role in this program and deciding on the number and ratio of bucks to adult breeding does has proven to be a large part of their overall yearly plan. An important key of selecting mainly large females and providing some protection to smaller deer and not shooting button bucks, in particular, is another major contributing factor to their plan. In the area of what is not working, trying to convince other hunters in the area and additional landowners outside of the immediate surroundings to harvest only larger bucks and the protection of the young and button bucks is a yearly and continuing effort.

ALL WILDLIFE BENEFITS
Beyond their quality deer management program, they are also concerned with many other species, both game and nongame that reside on their property. They do not allow beaver trapping on their property because, simply put, according to Dick, "where you have beaver dams, you have other wildlife". Wood duck populations, as well as, many other species of waterfowl, have increased in numbers. Wild turkey sightings and population have increased also, and black bears have found their niche throughout the surrounding area.

The family has taken more than half of the recorded black bears killed in all of Butler County on and around their farm.

Selective timber harvesting on their farm has resulted in tremendous black cherry regeneration and improved quality timber. It was quite amazing to me to see the lack of over browsing throughout this area and that proves you can have quality deer and quality timber, if you are willing to look at the management of your deer herd on the property, not just timber. Leaving species like hickory trees and hollow trees, along with the management of grapevines in some areas while cutting others, has produced food sources for song birds, grouse, turkey, bear and a large variety of wildlife.

CONCLUSION
Reports from those that hunt the properties include many sightings of various game and nongame species and has added considerable joy to their days afield.

This family of Blauser's has walked the walk, talked the talk and dedicated themselves to the betterment of the creatures and critters that live on and roam through their property. But, most importantly, they together are providing a legacy to their children and future generations that will walk the land seeking a little solitude, the very precious outdoor experience that renews our reason for living, and enhancing and protecting the overall human and wildlife balance of their land.