Natural Resources University

Jacob and Eric sit down with MSU Assistant Research Professor Dr. Melanie Boudrou to discuss the results of a recent project that used GPS collars to study deer-pig interactions.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab's online seminar series (here) and select the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop-down menu. You will need to create an account to view the seminars. The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

In this episode, we return to the mailbag to answer listener questions. Brady covers the current status of brownspot needle blight and thinning pines with herbicide applications as an alternative to commercial thinning in light of depressed markets. Shaun covers a combo question on replanting costs and how to treat those costs for tax purposes and how that may or may not affect a timber owners basis account. 

Strap in for a philosophical episode as we sit with Dr. Dwayne Elmore and explore the complex nature of critically evaluating information in an age of information overload.

Resources:

Pre-Print: Lashley et al. (2025) Female Wild turkey survival meta-analysis

Dr. Dwayne Elmore - Tall Timbers, Publications

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

We've launched our SECOND online training course focused on wild turkey biology, history...

AI generated wildlife videos are common on the internet and it can be hard to distinguish what is real and what isn't. For this episode, Drew and Joe are joined by Danny to discuss the kinds of AI generated videos that frequently feature wildlife, the ways artificially generated videos can alter expectations of real-world interactions with wildlife, and some ways to identify AI generated content online.

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program...

We've launched our SECOND online training course focused on wild turkey biology, history, and heritage! Be the first to know when our new course launches by signing up here!

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

We've launched a comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! 

Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publi...

This month we are joined by Dr. Jordan Giese, Research Assistant Professor at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University - Kingsville, to talk about prairie strips and his research on bird responses to prairie strips in row crop acres. From songbirds to Ring-necked pheasants, Dr. Giese shares how prairie strips can be beneficial for a range of wildlife within agricultural landscapes. Whether you are interested in birding, hunting, wildflowers, or soil health, prairie strips offer immense benefits for farmers across the Midwest. 

Resources:

Science-Based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie S...

In this episode of Blazin' Grazin' and Other Wild Things, Noble County rancher Grady Parmley joins the team to share how prescribed burn associations empower landowners to use fire as a powerful tool for grassland management. Grady recounts his own journey from being intimidated by fire to leading burns on thousands of acres through the North Central Range Improvement Association.

With insights from OSU Extension experts John Weir, Dr. Laura Goodman, and Dr. Mark Turner, the episode explores how local PBAs foster neighborly cooperation, reduce wildfire risks, and improve both livestock and wildlife habitat.

...

Jacob and Eric catch up to discuss the rut. They cover everything from what triggers the rut to phases of the rut, changes in buck behavior, and hunting strategies.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab's online seminar series (here) and select the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop-down menu. You will need to create an account to view the seminars. The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

We dive into Will's recent research assessing the effects and prevalence of Lymphoproliferative Disease Virus (LPDV) in wild turkeys in Alabama.

Resources:

Alger, K., et al. (2017). Risk factors for and spatial distribution of lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) in wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in New York State, USA. Journal of wildlife diseases, 53(3), 499-508.

Goodwin, C. C., et al. (2024). Experimental infection of domestic turkeys with lymphoproliferative disease virus of North American origin. Veterinary Pathology.

Shea, S. A. (2021). Retroviral infection dynamics in Maine's wild turkeys. The...

What do grasshoppers, prescribed fire, and peer pressure have in common? 
In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Jason Harmon, the new head of Oklahoma State University's Natural Resource Ecology and Management department, to find out. 

From his early days counting insects in Wisconsin to leading research on pollinators and rangelands in North Dakota, Dr. Harmon brings a wide-lens perspective to land management - one that blends ecology, culture, and community.

Hosts John Weir, Dr. Laura Goodman, and Dr. Mark Turner chat with Dr. Harmon about everything from cattle grazing and monarch migration to...

he State of Arkansas is well known for its quality fishing opportunities, particularly its tailrace trout fisheries. Although Fish University has spent several episodes discussing the self-sustaining brown trout in the Little Red River, the majority of these fisheries are supported with catchable size, hatchery produced trout. Unfortunately, the two biggest hatcheries in Arkansas experienced major issues this past spring and summer, resulting in the loss of more than a million trout. With less trout available, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission had to take drastic measures. In this episode, Wes has a conversation with Trout Biologist Christy Graham...

Waterfowl and other birds often migrate long distances to optimize habitats for feeding and meeting. Join Joe and Drew as they discuss what triggers migration, how far species travel, and the cost and benefits associated with these long distance movements.

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at http://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

Watch the podcast on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@KSREWildlife

In this episode, we discuss our recent paper quantifying turkey abundance, highlighting the Florida Wildlife Corridor and exploring how this project preserves turkey habitat amidst increasing development pressures. Paper will be linked as soon as it is released.

Resources:

Citizen science for turkeys Episode 119

eBird https://ebird.org/home

Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation https://floridawildlifecorridor.org/

FWC Summer Brood Survey https://myfwc.com/hunting/turkey/brood-survey/

iNaturalist https://www.inaturalist.org/

Merlin Bird ID https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

Snapshot...

In this episode of Blazin' Grazin' and Other Wild Things, we hear from Kayla Moss, Extension Assistant at Oklahoma State University, about her groundbreaking research in Oklahoma. 
Moss shares how she tackled the invasive sericea lespedeza using a combination of fire, herbicide, and grazing. She discusses how growing-season burns, when followed by a well-timed herbicide application, delivered the most effective long-term control - reducing sericea cover from 35% to under 1%.

The episode also explores the unexpected return of native legumes after treatment, the resilience of sericea seedbanks, and the practical trade-offs producers face when balancing cattle gains w...

We're bringing back our episode exploring the American chestnut's history, ecological importance, challenges faced due to habitat change and disease, on-going conservation efforts, and how you can get involved in its ecological restoration.

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

Resources:

Diamond, S. J., et al. (2000). Hard mast production before and after the chestnut blight. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry, 24(4), 196-201.

The American Chestnut Foundation

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While a hunt may end with the release of an arrow or pulling the trigger, what a hunter does next has important legal, food safety, and food quality implications. Join Drew and Joe as they discuss important considerations for tagging and proof-of-sex requirements, care and handling of harvested game to minimize disease transmission, zoonotic diseases to be aware of, and how to handle harvested game to maximize the quality of the meat we harvest. 

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas S...

In this episode, we discuss how management scale and arrangement influence turkey behavior and productivity.

Resources:

Chitwood, M. C., et al. (2015). Do biological and bedsite characteristics influence survival of neonatal white-tailed deer?. PloS one, 10(3), e0119070.

Day, M. S. (2024). Factors impacting gobbling chronology and activity of male wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) in Alabama (Master's thesis).

Decreases in hen survival may explain declines | #153

Managing nesting & brooding cover | #137

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to...

What makes the Great Plains such a productive agricultural hotspot? And why are some fields just more productive than others no matter what? It turns out the secret is in the soil. This month we are joined by Dr. Ray Ward, founder of Ward Laboratories, to discuss how our soils came to be and how a better knowledge of your soil can lead to healthier farms and ecosystems overall. With a PhD in Soil Fertility and personal farming experience, Dr. Ward shares how practices like cover crops and diversifying an operation can lead to massive benefits – in soil health, wa...

In this episode, we walk you through the steps on managing your fallow fields for turkey and deer. We cover the plants we're after and those we want to manage against, as well as herbicide preparation, broadcast application, timing of management, and more.

Resources:

iNaturalist

Seek App

We manage DEER food plots for TURKEYS (video)

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

We've...

Jacob and Eric sit down with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Research Division Chief, Cory Gray and Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, Dr. Marcelo Jorge to discuss the results of their 5-year project evaluating the effects of CWD in Arkansas.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab's online seminar series (here) and select the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop-down menu. You will need to create an account to view the seminars. The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

Amphibians such as frogs and salamanders are common critters often seen in the Midwest near ponds, creeks, and rivers. These animals are often indicators of water quality conditions. Join Joe and Drew as they discuss common amphibians of the Great Plains, why many of these populations are declining, and steps you can take to help ensure frogs are calling and salamanders are crawling in your aquatic ecosystems. 

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the p...

Dr. Craig Harper returns to share insights on how sloped topography affects plant communities, wild turkey use, and management strategies for both turkey and deer. 

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

Dr. Craig Harper (Website)

We've launched a comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now! 

Dr. Ma...

We're back with Part 2 of discussing cool-season food plots. Hosts Jacob and Eric catch up with MSU Deer Lab graduate student Luke Resop to talk about seed mixes and weed management.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab's online seminar series (here) and select the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop-down menu. You will need to create an account to view the seminars. The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

A good trilogy establishes the characters and the main conflict in installment one, then installment two deepens the conflict, and finally installment three provides the climax and resolution for the entire saga. Way back in Episode 10, Wes interviewed the Bluegill Queen (Sarah Parvin) to discuss her 5-acre pond that had become notorious for producing the fattest bluegill you can imagine. We are talking fish that weighed twice what a healthy fish of the same length should weigh, with helmets and briskets protecting their disproportionately small heads! These two-handed bream graced the pages of many fishing media outlets, Texas Hunter...

In this episode, hosts Jacob and Eric discuss cool-season food plots with MSU Deer Lab graduate student Luke Resop. They cover key topics such as food plot placement, soil testing, and seed-bed preparation in part 1 of this 2-part series. 

Check out the MSU Deer Lab's online seminar series (here) and select the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop-down menu. You will need to create an account to view the seminars. The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

In this episode, we reveal results from our latest research analyzing the role of hen survival in turkey population dynamics.

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

WATCH this episode (here)!

Resources:

Pre-Print: Lashley et al. (2025) Female Wild turkey survival meta-analysis

Byrne, M. E., et al. (2015). Potential density dependence in wild turkey productivity in the southeastern United States. In Proceedings of the National...

In this episode, hosts Jacob and Eric dive into the challenges of the late summer stress period for deer. They explore key topics, including the declining nutritional quality of plants, the demands of antler growth, late gestation, and lactation. They also share insights on how strategic habitat management and food plots can help alleviate the summer stress period.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab's online seminar series (here) and select the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop-down menu. You will need to create an account to view the seminars. The seminars are free unless you are...

Food plots can be a beneficial tool for hunters and wildlife enthusiasts, but do they serve the same purpose throughout the geographic range of white-tailed deer in the United States? Join Drew  and Joe as they discuss the uses of food plots, tips on what to plant, and when they are most productive in the Great Plains.

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at http://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

In this conversation, Will leads us through the available research on the effectiveness of predator bounty programs.

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

Resources:

Ditchkoff, S. S., et al. (2017). Effectiveness of a bounty program for reducing wild pig densities. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 41(3), 548-555.

Bartel, R. A., & Brunson, M. W. (2003). Effects of Utah's coyote bounty program on harvester behavior. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 736-743.

...

This month we are joined by Dr. Jesse Bell, Claire M. Hubbard Professor of Water, Climate, and Health in the Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the School of Natural Resources within the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He also serves as the director of the Water, Climate and Health Program at UNMC and the director of Water, Climate and Health at the University of Nebraska's Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute. Following our previous episodes on nitrate issues in drinking water, Andy and...

In this episode, the new co-directors of the MSU Deer Lab, Drs. Jacob Dykes and Eric Michel, share their plans for the deer lab and their vision for research and outreach. They discuss hosting in-person events and the construction of the new captive deer facility and outreach building at Mississippi State University. The discussion then shifts to a pressing issue that could affect deer: New World Screwworm.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab's online seminar series (here) and select the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop-down menu. You will need to create an account to view...

Join as we explore and critique ChatGPT's answers to why wild turkeys are declining. Submit your prompt to wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

Resources:

Boone, W. W., et al. (2024). Frequent prescribed burns reduce mammalian species richness and occurrence in longleaf pine sandhills. Forest Ecology and Management, 553, 121596.

Boone, W. W., et al. (2024). Robust assessment of associations between weather and eastern wild turkey nest success. The...

In this episode, Bronson and Steve introduce the new Co-Directors of the MSU Deer Lab.
Dr. Eric Michel succeeds Steve and now serves as Assistant Professor and Coordinator of the Taylor Chair in Applied Big Game Research and Instruction. Replacing Bronson is Dr. Jacob Dykes, the new Coordinator of the St. John Family Endowed Professorship of Wildlife Management and Extension Wildlife Specialist.

We'll spend some time getting to know Eric and Jacob, discuss their backgrounds, and hear about their vision and future plans for the MSU Deer Lab.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab's...

Pond owners and managers often add aeration to their ponds to increase the ecological health of the pond, but do they actually work and should you add them to your pond? Join Joe and Drew as they discuss why aeration might be needed, benefits of pond aeration, and tips on how to properly manage pond aeration systems. 

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at http://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

In this episode, we discuss the overlaps and tradeoffs between managing your property for both deer and turkey.

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

Resources:

Auburn TFT Habitat Management Day

Turner, M. A., et al. (2024). Influence of mowing and herbicide application on white-tailed deer use of perennial forage plantings. Journal of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, 11, 76-82.

We've launched...

We've brought back our episode with Dudley Phelps, Mossy Oak Nativ Nurseries plant expert and co-host of the Gamekeeper Podcast, to learn about his go-to species and successful strategies for planting trees to attract turkeys.

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

Resources:

Boggess, C. M., et al. (2021). Facultative seed predators drive community-level indirect effects of mast seeding. Forest Ecology and Management, 502, 119713.

Harper, C. A., et al. (2021). Plant community...

The Little Red River is a unique fishery hidden in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas that boasts a world class trout fishery and some unique angling opportunities. The Greers Ferry Dam releases deep, cold water that supports stocked and naturalized trout in the river below.  About 30 miles from the cold-water release, the river begins to transition from cold to warm water, and a variety of unique fishing opportunities have developed.  Wes asked Dr. Steve Lochmann to return to Fish University and provide an update on his ongoing research activities and to tell us about this stretch of water where yo...

Voles are common herbivorous rodents that can become very abundant when their food and cover are plentiful. They typically go unnoticed , but sometimes cause damage to turf grass, plants in vegetable gardens and flower beds, as well as trees in orchards and grape vines. Join Drew and Joe as they discuss vole biology, natural history, the property damage that they sometimes cause, and control options for preventing or dealing with vole damage.

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas S...

Forester and wildlife biologist Jordan Nanney continues the conversation on hardwood timber sale evaluation. He breaks down the first steps landowners should take, common mistakes made, what to avoid, and ways landowners can protect themselves. Check out the first part of this conversation (here).

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

Resources:

NRCS Programs & Initiatives

Jordan Nanney Jordan.Nanney@CompassSouth.com

Compass South Forestry https://compasssouthforestry.com/ <...

We are joined by forester and wildlife biologist Jordan Nanney for an overview of hardwood timber markets and a breakdown of how landowners can sell their timber under various product classes.

WATCH this episode (here)!

Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab

Resources:

Brooke, J. M., et al. (2019). Effects of fertilization and crown release on white oak (Quercus alba) masting and acorn quality. Forest Ecology and Management, 433, 305-312.