| Coffey Ranch: Wildlife Production |
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| In This Report: Introduction The Herbaceous Plant Community Total Animal Unit Days of Grazing Stocking Rates Managing the Woody Plant Community Wildlife Production map |
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by Hugh Aljoe, Russell Stevens, Charles Griffith
Coffey Ranch: Wildlife Production
During the initial management phase of the Coffey Ranch, methods were established to pursue economic returns from wildlife and fish. For a short time during 1987, a year-round recreational lease was advertised in two local papers, The Daily Ardmoreite and Marietta Monitor, and one statewide sportsman's newspaper, Outdoor News. Seventeen groups inquired about the lease. Several groups toured the property and five offered bids. The high bid was $1.25/acre/year (about $3,200) from a local group of 11 sportsmen. Essentially, the same group leases the property today with some changes in lease members and price.
The value of the lease has appreciated since 1987. Therefore, in 1996 we proposed increasing the lease price from $1.25 to $2.50 per acre. Figure 10 outlines the various expenses and income associated with the recreational lease. Based on regional SPA data, the value of the recreational lease is 53 percent of the average return on a per cow basis (Figure 11). Many comparable leases go for $3 per acre or more depending on the extra frills offered.
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Figure 10. Wildlife Enterprise Budget Noble Foundation |
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2,440 Total Acres |
Per Acre |
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Recreational lease Income |
$6,100.00 |
$2.50 |
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Operating Expenses: |
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Labor -- Management |
$90.00 |
$0.04 |
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Labor -- General |
1,365.00 |
0.56 |
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Supplies |
50.00 |
0.02 |
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DMAP Fees |
160.00 |
0.07 |
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Seed |
30.00 |
0.01 |
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Advertising |
45.00 |
0.02 |
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Burning |
673.00 |
0.28 |
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Total Operating Expenses |
$2,413.00 |
$1.00 |
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Fixed Expenses: |
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Equipment |
$158.57 |
$0.06 |
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Machinery |
227.60 |
0.09 |
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Fish |
67.00 |
0.03 |
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Total Fixed Expenses |
$453.17 |
$0.18 |
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Total Expenses |
$2,866.17 |
$1.18 |
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Returns Above All Specified Costs |
$3,233.83 |
$1.32 |
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Figure 11. |
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Wildlife Income on Cow/Calf Comparison Basis |
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Annual Wildlife Return |
$3,233.83 |
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Number of Cows |
110 |
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Wildlife Return on a Per Cow Basis |
$29.40 |
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*Average Cow/Calf Return on a Per Cow Basis |
$55.00 |
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Wildlife Return as a Percent of Cow Calf Return |
53% |
* Information derived from regional SPA data (1990-96) |
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Additionally, in 1992 the Coffey Ranch was enrolled in the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. This program allows landowners or managers with more than 1,000 acres additional opportunities to harvest antlerless deer. As our herd grew, the ability to harvest antlerless deer became more important to keep the deer population at carrying capacity. Allowing the deer herd to grow beyond carrying capacity is in direct conflict with our goals. Enrollment in the DMAP program costs $100.
In the spring of 1996, we met with our lease hunters and presented the following plan: Step 1: Increase the lease price from $1.25 to $1.75 per acre in 1996 and to $2.50 maintain two tripod deer stands on two of the food plots. A third may be purchased, depending on antlerless harvest success.
These steps accomplished several things. The graduated lease price was easier for the hunters to accept. The hunters, during previous meetings, had expressed a concern of having a guest disturb their favorite stand location by harvesting an antlerless deer. Food plots, with factory-made tripod deer stands, allow the hunters more freedom to bring in guests to harvest antlerless deer. Hopefully, this will increase the antlerless harvest effort in coming years.
Coffey Ranch Main Page
The Herbaceous Plant Community
Total Animal Unit Days of Grazing
Stocking Rates
Managing the Woody Plant Community
Wildlife Production
Source: 1997 Noble Foundation Annual Report