James L. Byford

U.S. agriculture has become so efficient in modern times that <1.6% Americans gather our food and fiber. As society moves farther from the land, it understands less and less about land management. This has resulted in a protectionist attitude, instead of a "use—but use wisely" philosophy. Agriculturists, foresters, and fish and wildlife managers are all affected by society's land management ignorance. Instead of fighting with each other, or with extreme anti- groups, we should combine resources to attack the real target enemy—land management ignorance. I believe the most effective...

A state 4-H wildlife food plot contest entitled F.A.C.E. (Food And Cover Establishment) For Wildlife was started in Tennessee in 1972. The contest involves 4-H members planting perennial food and cover plots with 5 lb. seed packets furnished free by the Wildlife Resources Agency. The 4-H'ers are required to keep accurate records on their plots. Plots are judged at the county level by the county Extension Agent and the Wildlife Officer, at the regional level by the WRA Regional Farm Game Biologist and one other person from another agency, and at the state level by the Extension Wildlife...

This paper reports on a technique that appears successful for establishing bicolor or other perennial wildlife plots on private lands. During the winter of 1973-74, University of Tennessee personnel (with farmers' help) established a total of 127 perennial plots. 0.1 to 0.25 acres each with a tree planter on 19 private farms (average 6.7 plots per farm). A total of 35.2 man-days (excluding travel and farmers' time) was expended. This computes to be 0.28 man-day per plot or 1.85 man-days per farm. Plots were planted from November through April, and plant survival was satisfactory in...

While studying deer movements in the floodplain of the Mobile River in southwestern Alabama, two fawns (of different ages) were radio-instrumented and their movements compared. The interim of the study period was from December, 1967 until July, 1968. A spotted fawn (between I and 2 months old) that was radio-tracked had a home range comparable to that of adult deer in the area, but diel movements were much less. Another fawn (approximately 4 months old) and her mother were captured and instrumented with radio transmitters at the same time. During the first 16 days of intensive tracking (39...

While studying deer movements and ecology in a logged, floodplain habitat in southwestern Alabama, the investigator noted certain consistent responses by deer to food changes. One radio-instrumented deer shifted her range three times in response to changing food supplies (food plot to ear corn to spring greenery and back to food plot). The shifts were not great in magnitude, but they were distinct and were spread over a nine-month period. Diel movements were very concentrated when food was concentrated, but dispersed when the food supply was dispersed. Two deer were radio-tracked...