Part 2: What Deer Management is all About-The Blausers of Butler County PA
This is part 2 in a series of articles featuring the successful QDM program of the Blauser family. THEIR MANAGEMENT PLAN 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 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
WHAT IS WORKING? 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 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 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.
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