The purpose of the Oklahoma Forest Stewardship Program is to encourage the long-term management of non-industrial forest lands, by providing free technical assistance to landowners. A primary focus of the program is the development of a comprehensive, multi-resource management plan that provides landowners with the information they need to manage their forest for a variety of products and services.

 

Oklahoma Forestry Services has foresters located across the state to provide free technical assistance and help landowners develop a management plan for their land. Oklahoma Forestry Services recognizes landowners as “Forest Stewards” when they have implemented at least some of the recommended practices in their plan and continue to demonstrate good stewardship in the management of their lands. Forest Stewards receive a certificate and sign to post on their property as well as additional educational materials.

 

More information can be found on Oklahoma Forestry Services website. This program is a cooperative effort between Oklahoma Forestry Services, United States Forest Service, OSU Natural Resource Ecology & Management Extension, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Conservation Districts and NRCS. For more information on the Oklahoma Forest Stewardship Program, please contact Erin Johnson at (405) 522-6158.

Are you interested in learning more about Oklahoma ecosystems and experiencing some of the finest natural areas in the state? Oklahoma Master Naturalists do just that. To become one you will need to attend 5 one day workshops and two advanced workshops of your choosing, plus payback your training hours by participating in one of our ongoing volunteer activities or designing your own.

Find out more by visiting Oklahoma Master Naturalist or calling Marley Beem at (405) 744-3854.

This course will focus on fire management practices, resources and provide updates about the prescribed fire program to help restore and conserve ecosystems.

 

The self-paced course will prepare you to conduct a safe and effective prescribed burn by engaging in activities, watching videos, and taking quizzes. You will learn why fire is a crucial part of a healthy ecosystem and create a fire plan that meets your land management goals. The course is divided into 9 modules, each module will take about 30-60 minutes to complete.

 

Following the course completion you will be able to:

• Explain why fire is a crucial part of a healthy ecosystem.
• Identify key considerations for creating a fire plan.
• Recognize safe practices for conducting a prescribed burn, including equipment, firebreaks and smoke management.
• Describe the best practices for meeting the land management objectives using prescribed fire, including ignition and season of burn.

 

Find out more by visiting Oklahoma Prescribed Fire or calling John Weir at (405) 744-5442.

OSU Natural Resource Ecology & Management Extension offers a variety of field tours and demonstrations throughout the year. Working with other State and Federal organizations we are able to offer programs throughout the state. The Annual Forestry on the Grow Conference is but one example of this cooperative approach to educational programs. Another popular program is the Annual Cedar Eradication Field Day. For a listing of Extension programs in the near future, visit the OSU Extension Calendar of Events. If your group has need for a specific tour or an educational program on a particular subject, please let us know. For more information, contact Marley Beem at (405) 744-3854.

Determining the number of deer you have utilizing the resources on your property is a valuable piece of information. This will allow you to know if there are more deer in the area than the resources can support as well as how your harvest management is changing density, sex ratio, doe/fawn ratio, etc. The most accurate method to determine densities is the use of motion activated trail cameras. This survey method involves baiting the deer to come to the camera sites. Thus, it should be conducted during a time when food sources are least abundant such as December or January. Studies have shown that one camera per 100 acres is optimal to achieve the most accurate results. Once you have identified one spot for each 100 acres, you must prebait the site for 10-14 days. Prebaiting with corn or milo is effective. Only by saturating the landscape with baited camera stations will you be able to determine sex ratios as bucks tend to dominate sites when only a few cameras are present and you will not be able to calculate sex ratios. Thus, this method is not very effective for areas less than about 1,000 acres. If you own or manage less than this acreage, consider forming a hunt cooperative with your neighbors to conduct surveys and other management actions. This will not only enable better deer management, but you can also spread out the expense of the cameras.

 

Upon completion of prebaiting, you should install the camera and set it to take a picture every 4 to 5 minutes when activated. The camera should be placed about 10-15 feet from the bait pile and pointed north to avoid sun glare in the photos. Any vegetation that the wind might move will need to be mowed down to avoid unnecessary photos to sort through and to conserve battery life. Camera stations should be placed in locations that are easily accessed in order to save time when checking them during the survey period. The camera stations will need to be checked about every 3 to 4 days to replenish bait and make sure the camera is working correctly. The cameras need to be functioning for 10 days to two weeks in order to capture the majority of the deer in the area. After this period has ended you count the number of deer captured in the photographs.

 

The calculations for interpreting the number of deer are based on the number of identifiable bucks observed in the survey. This means that you will need to save a picture of each different buck you find to calculate the total number of bucks identified in your survey. Thus, surveys should be completed before antler drop which can begin in January in Oklahoma. When looking through the pictures, you will need to record whether it was a buck, doe or fawn. If a picture contains a buck, doe and a fawn then you must record one count for each category. When you are finished examining the pictures you will have the total number of times a buck, doe, or fawn was captured in a photograph. The first step in the calculations deals with the bucks. Take the total number of times a buck was captured and divide that by the total number of identifiable bucks (determined by the unique antler configuration of that animal). This will give you an average number of times each buck was photographed. The next step is to take the total number of doe captures divided by the average pictures per buck. This will provide you with the number of does present during your survey. Note: The method is built on the assumption that bucks and does have equal chance of getting captured on camera (Thus, the importance of having many cameras in operation so that does are able to access the bait stations as well.) Take the number of captures of bucks divided by the number of captures of does to get the sex ratio. A 1:1 ratio is ideal. Take the number of captures of fawns divided by the number of captures of does to give you a fawn to doe ratio. This ratio multiplied by the total number of does present will tell you how many fawns there are. To calculate the density of deer on your property, combine the totals of bucks, does, and fawns and divide the number of acres on your property by this total number of deer captured. This will give you the density of deer on the property.

Cameras should be placed 10-15 feet from the bait and aimed 2.5-3 feet above the bait to minimize photos of animals other than deer such as raccoons and crows.

 

The following are examples of the analysis of camera surveys:

 

Example 1

# of identifiable bucks = 38

Sex Ratio = 2,985 doe captures/1,950 buck captures = 1.53 does/buck

Estimated doe population = 38 bucks x 1.53 does/buck= 58 does

Estimated fawn population = 3,532 fawn captures/2,985 doe captures = 1.18 fawns/doe
58 does x 1.18 fawns/doe = 69 fawns

Total estimated population = 38 bucks + 58 does + 69 fawns = 165 deer

Density = 2,000 acres/ 165 deer = 12.1 acres/deer

 

Example 2

# of identifiable bucks = 30

Sex Ratio= 1,667 doe captures/ 1,118 buck captures = 1.49 does/buck 

Estimated doe population = 30 bucks x 1.49 does/buck = 45 does

Estimated fawn population = 1.321 fawn captures / 1,667 doe captures = 0.8 fawns/doe
45 does x 0.8 fawns/doe = 36 fawns

Total estimated population = 30 bucks + 45 does + 36 fawns = 111 deer

Density = 1000 acres/ 111 deer = 9 acres/deer

• Burning in the Growing Season | E-1025
• Cedar Control by Individual Scorched-tree Ignition Following Fire | NREM-5053 | A description of factors that influence the extent of cedar control with prescribed fire such as tree height, fire type, fuel load, leaf moisture and weather
• Eastern Redcedar as a Hazardous Fuel  | L-318 | The hazardous characteristics of the Eastern Redcedar as a resource for fuel.
• Fire Effects in Native Plant Communities | NREM-2877 | A detailed look at the effects fires have on ecosystems, air quality, soil, water, livestock production, timber production, parasites and diseases. 
• Fire Myths and Facts | L-321 | A list of unique facts and common misconceptions about fires.
• Fire Prescriptions for Native Plant Communities | NREM-2878
• Management after Wildfire | NREM-2881 | The information needed for proper land management practices that can be used by landowners to implement after experiencing a wildfire on their property.
• Managing Brush Piles  | NREM-2894 | The appropriate time of year, weather conditions, pile size and ignition practices that should be used when burning brush.
• Managing Oak Forests with Fire | Brochure
• Oklahoma Prescribed Burning Handbook | E-1010
• Patch Burning: Integrating Fire and Grazing to Promote Heterogeneity | E-998
• Prescribed Fire Associations | NREM-2880 | The guidelines and steps for starting a Prescribed Burn Association.
• Smoke Management for Prescribed Burning | E-1008 
• The Best Time of Year to Conduct Prescribed Burns | NREM-2885 | Determine when to implement prescribed burning practices based on the specific land management goals and objectives.
• Using Prescribed Fire in Oklahoma | E-927

• Absentee Rural Land Ownership  | AGEC-966
• A Practical Guide to Food Plots in the Southern Great Plains | E-1032
• Aflatoxins in Wildlife Feed | NREM-9021 | A guide for understanding aflatoxins, the affects that they have when in the feed and reducing the risk of aflatoxin exposure to wildlife.
• Bobwhite Quail Habitat Appraisal Guide | E-904
• Landscaping to Attract Butterflies, Moths and Skippers | HLA-6430 | The information needed for proper land management practices that can be used by landowners to implement after experiencing a wildfire on their property.
• Chickasaw Plum for Wildlife in Oklahoma | E-1026
• Controlling Deer Damage to Ornamentals | HLA-6427 | A guide to controlling deer damage to ornamental and garden plants in rural/urban developments.
• Controlling Pocket Gophers | NREM-9001
• Deer Habitat Appraisal Guide | NREM-9009 | The home range, carrying capacity, antler development, reproduction habits, habitat requirements, food plots and population management of deer in Oklahoma.
• Deer Management | E-979 | The similarities and differences between greater and lesser prairie chickens.
• Determining Sex and Reproductive Status of Rodents | NREM-2896 | How to determine the sex and reproductive status of mice and rats.
• Distinguishing Between Greater and Lesser Prairie-Chicken | L-421 | The similarities and differences between greater and lesser prairie chickens
• Gardening for Birds | HLA-6435
• Greater Prairie Chicken | E-969
• Lease Hunting | NREM-5032 | A description of lease hunting, the different types of lease hunting and what to include in a lease agreement.
• Habitat Evaluation Guide for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken | E-1014
• How Weather Variables Affect Gamebirds in the Southern Great Plains | NREM-9022 | Potential management practices to help upland gamebirds in the Southern Great Plains that are affected by weather.
• Management After Wildfire | NREM-2881 | The information needed for proper land management practices that can be used by landowners to implement after experiencing a wildfire on their property.
• Management of Wild Turkey  | NREM-1045
• Patch Burning: Integrating Fire and Grazing to Promote Heterogeneity | E-998
• Prescribed Fire Associations | NREM-2880 | The guidelines and steps for starting a Prescribed Burn Association.
• Protecting Farm and Ranch Lands through Conservation Easements | NREM-2789
  
• Quality Deer Management in Oklahoma | NREM-9020 | General recommendations and options for land managers to meet their specific deer management goals.
• Reducing Mortality of Grassland Wildlife During Haying and Wheat-Harvesting Operation  | NREM-5006 | Suggestions on how to decrease wildlife death rates in relation to harvesting seasons and the corresponding wildlife active at those times.
• Reseeding Croplands to Range | NREM-5006 | The information needed for proper land management practices that can be used by landowners to implement after experiencing a wildfire on their property.
• Scaled Quail Ecology and Management in Oklahoma | NREM-9019 | Suggestions on how to decrease wildlife death rates in relation to harvesting seasons and the corresponding wildlife active at those times.
  

• The Ring-necked Pheasant in Oklahoma | NREM-9017 | General information about the ring-necked pheasant.
• Ticks and Tick Borne diseases | EPP-7001 | Descriptions of common ticks and preventative methods of tick-borne disease in Oklahoma.
• Thistle Management | EPP-7318 | Everything you need to know about thistles in Oklahoma ranging from identification, growth and development and management suggestions.
• Using Prescribed Fire in Oklahoma | E-927
• What You Need to Know About the Endangered Species Act | NREM-9018 | The process, as well as objectives and qualifications for species to be part of the Endangered Species Act.

• Absentee Rural Land Ownership  | AGEC-966
• Assessing Potential Forage Production Using the NRCS Web Soil Survey | CR-2597 | A description of specific tools available in Web Soil Survey to estimate on-site forage availability without any previous on-site measurements or observations.
• Best Management Practices for Controlling Eastern Redcedar | E-988
• Biology, Ecology and History of Eastern Redcedar | L-320
• Checklist of OK Plants | NREM-2872 | A reference for determining the attributes of common plants in Oklahoma and their value to wildlife and indirectly to the land manager’s interests or needs.
• Controlling Pocket Gophers | NREM-9001 | Habits, control methods, toxicant's and damage prevention from pocket gophers.
• Drought Management Strategies | NREM-2870 | Set of rules for developing and executing prescribed fire and recommendations for special factors or situations to look out for. 
• Eastern Redcedar as a Hazardous Fuel |  L-318 | The hazardous characteristics of the Eastern Redcedar as a resource for fuel.
• Eastern Redcedar Control and Management | NREM-28276 |  The management and control practices for Eastern Redcedar and restoration of the ecosystem.    
• Ecology and Management of Sericea Lespedeza | PSS-2874
• Ecology and Management of Western Ragweed on Rangeland | NREM-2873
• Fire Prescriptions for Native Plant Communities | NREM-2878
• How Eastern Redcedar Encroachment Affects the Water Cycle of Oklahoma Rangelands | NREM-2884 | Linkages among climate, vegetation and hydrological processes to understand the potential of redcedar encroachment influencing the water budget on range lands.
• Intensive Early Stocking | NREM-2875 | An explanation of Intensive Early Stocking, pasture and forage management practices and cattle performance results.
• Management of Sand Sagebrush Rangelands | NREM-2892 | A summary of the basic ecology of sand sagebrush and proper guidance on how its management will impact sand sagebrush plant communities.
• Native Hay Meadow Management | NREM-2891 | An outline of proper management practices when handling native hay meadows to achieve maximum long-term production potential.
• Nectar and Pollen Plants | EPP-7155 | The characteristics of common Oklahoma plants, when they bloom and the roles their nectar and pollen play in the environment.
• Options for Expiring CRP land | NREM-9016 | The options and long-term impacts to consider with expiring conservation reserve program CRP land.
• Pasture Management | NREM-2869 | An explanation of the differences between rangeland and introduced-forage pastures and the necessary management strategies required for each.
• Patch Burning: Integrating Fire and Grazing to Promote Heterogeneity  | E-998
• Prescribed Fire Associations |  NREM-2880
• Protecting Open Lands in Farms and Ranches from Development Through Conservation Easements | NREM-2889 | Facts and frequently asked questions regarding conservation easement in Oklahoma.
• Stocking Rate Determination on Native Rangeland | NREM-2886 | An explanation on how stocking rates effect livestock production, how stocking rates correlate to harvest efficiency and calculations behind stocking rates.
• Tools for Rangeland Management and Assessment: Ecological Site Descriptions | NREM-2900 | Information about the content and use of Ecological Site Descriptions that can be helpful for rangeland managers.
• Tools for Rangeland Management and Assessment: Web Soil Survey | NREM-2901 | A resource guide to navigating the Web Soil Survey system.
• Using Google Earth for Mapping and Assessing Grazeable Land | CR-2595 | The steps to use specific tools available in Google Earth Pro to estimate grazeable land of specific pastures without any field measurements.
• Water Use by Eastern Redcedar | L-439 | Water usage characteristics for Eastern Redcedar trees and the concern on limited water supply for humans and natural resources.
• Weed Control on Rangelands | NREM-2882 | Management practices and options for controlling weeds in the Rangelands of Oklahoma.

• Bandsaws | NREM-5046 | The basic concepts for efficient primary breakdown of logs and bandsaw blade geometry.
• Dimensional Changes in Wood | NREM-5009 | The role and differences of shrink rates and swell rates of varieties of wood.
• Kiln Drying | FAPC-146 | An explanation of the basics of kiln drying wood, a list of the most commonly used methods and drying schedules and defects.
• Oriented Strand Board | FAPC-145 | The basic manufacturing steps of oriented strand board (OSB) and the properties as building material.
• Pressure Treatment | NREM-5047 | A summary of the most commonly used pressure treatment methods, the basic principles and some of the chemicals used for such processes.
• Safe Use of Chainsaws | NREM-5044 | A summary of some basic operating principles and safety aspects of using a chainsaw.
• Softwood Sawmilling | FAPC-148 | Basic processing steps in a typical softwood sawmill, including what occurs in the log yard, primary breakdown, secondary breakdown, sorting and planning.
• Underutilized Wood Composites | FAPC-147 | A summary of some important properties of experimental panels made from particles of whole-tree chipped material, as well as panels made from hybrid mixtures.
• Wood Composites for Cabinet Making | NREM-5045 | Summary of basic manufacturing steps, properties of the two types of panels and the importance in furniture and cabinet manufacture as a substrate.

• Absentee Rural Land Ownership | AGEC-966
• Land Management Options for Eastern and Central Oklahoma | E-990
• Moving to the Country | AGEC-965
• Problem Horticulture Plants | NREM-2895
• Protecting Farm and Ranch Lands through Conservation | NREM-2889 | Facts and frequently asked questions regarding conservation easement in Oklahoma.
• Rural-Urban Interface  | AGEC-922 | A review of the many problems that farmers and homeowners face possible solutions to help move past those problems.

• Understanding Streams | NREM-9208 | The essential information landowners need to understand how streams work and their beneficial functions for the environment.
• Fingerlings for Pond Stocking | CR-9205 | A description of important facts for pond owners planning to stock fingerlings into their ponds.
• Improve Fishing in Your Pond | NREM-9209 | Instead of eliminating fish and starting from scratch, pond owners can use this information as a guide for making good choices to improve what they have.
• Aquatic Weed Management: Control Methods | SRAC-360 | The different aquatic weed types and their management methods.
• Aquatic Weed Management: Herbicides | SRAC-361  |  A reference guide to assist managers with their aquatic herbicide selection, application timing and method, herbicide dosages and precautions.
• Fishing Lease Development | SRAC-481 | How to manage, add value, market and promote a fishing lease including the lease agreements and liability that comes with operating a fishing lease.
• Getting Started in Aquaculture | NREM-9201 | Before jumping into fish farming, take an objective look at the benefits and disadvantages involved in the production of aquatic plants and animals.
• Moving to the Country | NREM-965 | The common factors people moving to rural areas for the first time may not consider and tips to make the transition to the country easier.
• Common Pond Problems | NREM-9206 | Simple solutions to the most common pond management problems.
• Riparian Buffers | BAE-1517 | A three-zone riparian buffer system can be designed to protect water quality from pesticides, nutrients and sediment in runoff from agricultural crop lands.
• Riparian Forest Buffers | NREM-5034 | A three-zone riparian buffer system can be designed to protect water quality from pesticides, nutrients and sediment in runoff from agricultural crop lands.
• Riparian Handbook | E-952 | The essential information landowners need to understand how streams work and their beneficial functions for the environment.
• Water Gardens | NREM-100 | The essential information landowners need to understand how streams work and their beneficial functions for the environment.

• Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Forestry Services
• National Arbor Day Foundation Media Page (see Storm Recovery Kit)