As landowners and land managers it is important to evaluate what your property may be deficient in for the wildlife species that are being managed for, otherwise known as the limiting factor. Understanding the limiting factor on your hunting property is key to optimizing wildlife habitat and improving hunting opportunities.

Perhaps your property is limited in early successional habitat such bedding cover, nesting/brood rearing areas, and natural browse. Thinning timber and opening areas on your property to be maintained with fire or strip disking can help promote early succession that wildlife species need.  

Another limiting factor could be available food resources through food plots whether in size or quality. Taking advantage of increasing food plot size when possible and planting forages that are nutritional for wildlife at the right time is important. Also, soil quality may be limited, but conducting soil tests and amending soils can help increase food plot productivity.

Evaluating how you move throughout the property may lead to access being your limiting factor. Structuring your property for more efficient movement can decrease the amount of pressure on a property and lead to more harvest opportunities.

Managing for the limiting factor on your property is going to produce the larger gains and get you that much closer to reaching the goals you have for your property. 

To better help understand what your limiting factor may be on your property, visit our website and request a free site visit from one of our private lands biologists

https://www.mdwfp.com/privatelands