Have you ever wondered how some hunters seem to harvest the largest turkeys and trophy deer every year? The answer is simple; by practicing proper land management techniques for wildlife. You can achieve the same results by learning to properly manage your land.

Practicing proper wildlife management techniques has become easier than ever. The two main ways to manage your land are by planting food plots and using proper land management to make your land more attractive to turkey and deer as well as many other game species. Through both of these techniques you will make your land more attractive to wildlife and produce larger, healthier animals.

Lets start will proper land management. Forested areas can have many problems that will make them unattractive to wildlife. One of the main problems is old growth. When trees become to tall they can block out sunlight that feeds the plants wildlife can reach. Since the trees are so tall animals like deer and turkey won't be able to feed on them. Selectively removing and harvesting trees is your best option. It will open the canopy for sunlight to reach valuable ground plants and the debris left from the trees can provide valuable cover to all sorts of wildlife. Not to mention many of those trees may be very valuable to the timber industry.

Managing your land for wildlife can be made easy by hiring a consultant or an outside firm to selectively harvest your land for you. However, if you feel like saving a few dollars a good chainsaw and some knowledge of what should and shouldn't be harvested is all you will need. Once you have felled the invaluable timber it can be used for cover by young deer and turkey, so there will be no need to remove all of it.

Once you have opened some of your land, food plots would be the next step. If you want to see larger herds and massive bucks, food plots are a must. Some quick suggestions are corn, alfalfa, soybeans, and clover. Planting multiple food plots is always the best way to go since deer and turkey will be more attracted to the different plots during different seasons. Alfalfa and clover are great during the spring and summer while corn and soybeans will help the animals pack on the pounds during the fall and winter. All you really need is 2-3 acres of food plots and most herds should have more than enough food for the year. First soil testing is a good idea to see what plants would be ideal. This can be done through a kit or take a sample and send it to a lab. Once you have determined what to plant, proceed just like you would with a garden. Tilling the soil will help make seeding easier and will help the plants grow much faster. Seed can be purchased from many places, but I would suggest the local co-op where you can usually obtain last years seed for free. Personally I will suggest corn and alfalfa. Corn is tough to be for a high quality food and alfalfa can last for many years with minimal work. Most of the things you will have to do to till plant and maintain your plots can be easily done from a four wheeler. Most hunters already own one and simple attachments can be bought to make the process less labor intensive.

Finally I will urge all of you to look into the WHIP program. WHIP stands for Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program. The program is available to most states, especially in the central and Midwest areas of the country. They provide assistance to private landowners who are looking to improve their land for wildlife. Not only will they provide technical assistance, but cost assistance as well. They could reduce your cost by 75%!

Whether it is to attract the trophy bucks, the largest turkeys, or simply to enjoy the sights of wildlife, managing your land for wildlife is a must. The results I have witnessed first hand are incredible, that's why I am urging you to do the same.