FEEL THE BURN
When applied correctly, prescribed fire increases the quantity and quality of deer forage in an area. Because it can also be used to treat large areas relatively inexpensively, prescribed fire is one of the best deer habitat management tools available. Yet, many deer managers don’t burn their property. This happens for multiple reasons, ranging from liability concerns to a lack of manpower. However, we believe that the main reason people don’t burn is due to a lack of knowledge. After all, most of us grew up listening to Smokey the Bear teach that fire is bad, setting a large area on fire sounds crazy, and, without learning otherwise, we see no reason to use fire.
Fortunately, vast amounts of research has focused on prescribed fire, and it is implemented safely on millions of acres annually. Several projects at the Auburn Deer Lab are focused on the effects of fire on deer habitat, and this article aims to share some of what we have learned through field experience on the topic. If you are involved in property management for deer, prescribed fire is a
