Prescribed Fire

On many agricultural operations, there are always projects to work on. Often, range management or improvement projects fall in the nonessential category until they reach a critical point. However, it is best to consider whether there is a financial incentive (or penalty) for waiting until there is a critical mass to address this type of project.

Many land managers incorporate prescribed fires into a management plan alongside grazing livestock. Other land managers feel it is not feasible to graze and burn on the same operation. But when prescribed fire is used strategically, its benefits outweigh any negatives.

The traditional burning season for the Southern Great Plains goes from December to April. However, when land managers limit their burn season to these five months, they often find it difficult to implement the number of burns needed to achieve their goals. This is one reason why more and more land managers are conducting growing-season burns, during late spring through early fall months, to meet some of their prescribed burning goals.

Habitat includes food, water, shelter, space and the arrangement of these components, though land managers and popular press most popularly discuss food. Food can easily be managed, and many times the focus is only on food plots and feeders. Native vegetation can take a back seat to these intensive management practices, but people should be aware how to manage existing native vegetation to provide a high quality diet.