How to properly reduce wildlife damage

Source: Landwirt.com

Game damage is a nuisance between hunters and foresters, requiring cooperation rather than conflict more than ever. In addition to controlling game populations through hunting, appropriate silvicultural measures also lead to a reduction in damage caused by hoofed game.

It is in the nature of roe deer and red deer to feed exclusively on plants. This also includes economically important forest trees. Whether there is merely "game influence" or already "game damage" depends on the forest manager's objectives. For example, if a 20 percent fir share is desired in a natural regeneration project, but the fir trees are completely lost due to selective browsing, then this is considered damage. It is the hunters' responsibility to ensure that the game population is adapted to the economic viability of the respective habitat. A quote from Ulrich Scherping, long-time General Manager of the German Hunting Association (DJV), is: "Improving grazing conditions in the forest is pointless as long as we have not succeeded in reducing the game population to a level that is sustainable for the current state of the forest." Furthermore, game responds to more and better grazing with higher growth. This means that a qualitative improvement in the habitat does not automatically lead to less game damage. This will only be the case if hunters harvest the additional growth. Reducing existing game damage will only be successful if a greater number of animals are killed than are born.

Light is crucial

Silviculture is a "game of light." Along with water and nutrients, sufficient light is the decisive factor for plant growth. Dying hardwoods in a spruce thicket that hasn't been thinned, or dying oak seedlings under a regrowing old growth canopy, shouldn't be blamed on deer and stags.

Although we know about the light requirements of trees, our forests are often far too dark. The trees are far too dense,

• to have excellent stability - keyword H/D value.
• to grow sufficiently in thickness and thus produce sawlogs.
• to obtain a mixture with light tree species such as larch, pine or oak.
• to rejuvenate light-loving tree species.
• to create interesting food for the game.

Attractive grazing can only thrive where sufficient light reaches the ground. It's also important to remember that at heights of 1.3 to 2.0 meters, tree grazing is generally no longer available to our native game species. But beware: there are seemingly overgrown stands that fail to regenerate despite sufficient thinning, and where little else grows except reed grass or blackberry. Upon closer inspection, the problem turns out to be an excessively high game population, which makes rapid and efficient forest regeneration impossible. Seedling browsing is best detected by erecting control fences. Forest managers influence the habitat through their "play with light," and hunters through hunting, and together they create places for grazing, refuges for resting, and breeding and nesting opportunities. This collectively reduces game damage.

Strive for natural rejuvenation

Natural regeneration should be preferred when the target tree species in the old stand come from suitable sources. With high numbers of trees (10,000 to 500,000 per hectare) available for regeneration, these provide sufficient grazing opportunities for game without resulting in economic damage. Small-scale regeneration should be aimed for to avoid large, uniform thickets. These would provide little grazing and be difficult to hunt. Fir and oak play an important role in a future "climate-fit forest." However, both are tree species that game prefer. In addition, deer show a preference for rare species. Thus, even a relatively low game population can make fir regeneration impossible.

In this case, too, cooperation is required:

• Reduce game populations
• Gently thin out old stands to suit fir trees
• Continuous hunting of regeneration areas (focus hunting)
• If necessary, protect the terminal shoots of firs in the fall. Winter browsing is the primary problem for firs, while summer browsing is a problem for spruces.

Proper timing of regeneration felling or other timber harvesting operations provides a greater supply of forage, thus reducing browsing pressure. Winter felling, especially of fir and hardwood trees, provides additional bud grazing during a time of food shortages. If mistletoe is also present, this is a particularly welcome and valuable forage.

During reforestation, depending on the tree species, 1,500 to 3,500 coniferous trees per hectare are planted, and up to 10,000 deciduous trees per hectare. Due to these low numbers of trees compared to natural regeneration, even minimal wildlife impact can cause economic damage. Rejuvenated areas are often thinned too late. Therefore, more planted communities are more beneficial for later stand stability and also allow room for natural growth. Allow mixed tree species to emerge between the rows. This often results in very attractive mixed stands.

Don't repair every dead tree. Light-loving tree species, in particular, never catch up. When maintaining crops, mowing should only be done when absolutely necessary. If raspberries are present, this will be more of a laborious task. Shrubs and filler trees should be left standing as browsing vegetation and for clearing. Wildlife fences should only be erected in exceptional cases. Fences are expensive, restrict habitat, and increase pressure on the remaining regenerated areas. Remove the old fences to make the areas available to wildlife for grazing and cover.

Nursing lanes as shooting lanes

During thicket management, a process known as negative selection is used. The focus is primarily on poor-quality trees, which are removed and left in the stand. Trees lying on the ground hinder the mobility of hoofed game. This leads to them preferring the edges of thickets as a place to hide. The stand itself is less attractive for clearing. During clearing, ensure that mixed tree species remain in the stand. What good is the most successful regeneration if the mixed tree species are then removed in favor of a single tree species?

Large disaster areas form very homogenous, difficult-to-hunt areas. Game also quickly recognizes such hunting quiet zones and readily congregates there, which can lead to concentrations of game and, subsequently, damage to neighboring areas. To create manageable maintenance units, you should establish wider maintenance lanes relatively soon, which can also be used as hunting lanes.

Uniform, densely packed coniferous poles offer good privacy, but are usually unforageable for wildlife. Clearing trees encourages their growth, and the bark becomes coarser. This means the tree loses its "bark appeal" more quickly. Furthermore, light reaches the ground again, so that grazing is available there again. When thinning, you should also ensure that sufficient mixed tree species remain in the stand. A mixture of hardwoods improves the grazing supply, especially in spring. Fruit-bearing trees such as beech and oak ensure the vital autumn grazing supply for the future.

Design forest edges and permanent grazing areas

A structured, undulating forest edge with a pronounced shrub layer is ideal. Fruit-bearing deciduous trees such as beech, oak, rowan, and (wild) fruit trees further improve the forage base. Individual specimens can be regularly cut back to their stump. This ensures that the buds are permanently available for wildlife to graze. Bark beetle infestation or storm and ice breakage can be a starting point for actively managing a forest edge.

Open spaces in the forest are advantageous for effective hunting. Therefore, you should consider whether you really want to reforest every remaining forest meadow. Planting roadside embankments not only increases the stability of the embankment but also creates grazing areas for game. The same applies to seeding currently unused bedding areas. Fertilizing with phosphorus and potassium promotes the growth of clover and herbs. Several small, spatially distributed grazing areas are more interesting and valuable for game than a few very large ones. Many hunters are quite willing to help maintain such areas.

Water and peace for the wildlife

The value and special ecological significance of water and wetland areas in the forest are often underestimated. The presence of water sources is important for game and also for smaller animals that are not of interest to hunters. Therefore, preserving such areas should be emphasized, especially from an ecological perspective. Include water sources when building or rebuilding forest roads.

In arable farming areas with a low forest cover, forests can be relieved if cover and grazing are available in the fields even in winter. Roe deer graze and stay in the fields longer, reducing browsing pressure in the forest. Peace and quiet around these "distraction areas" is important. To prevent harm to game, peace and quiet is a fundamental requirement, especially in winter. Constant disturbance not only makes game nocturnal but also severely restricts its habitat. In the remaining quiet refuges, game congregates and can cause damage.

When planning ski slopes, cross-country trails, mountain bike routes, and other potential sources of disturbance, landowners and hunters should jointly contribute their local knowledge and experience. Recreational users must be informed about the impact of their actions. Many are unaware of the consequences of a careless ski run in winter – stress for wildlife and the resulting damage to forests.

With chainsaw and warranty

If we want to justify and maintain our land management to society in the long term, then cooperation between hunters and landowners is paramount. We must solve problems internally and in a consensus-oriented manner. Hunting and silvicultural goals need not stand in each other's way. A common slogan could be: "Thanks to chainsaws and rifles, forests and game go hand in hand without harm."