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Club uses WHIP to Improve Former Mine
The Clearco Sportsman’s Club of Charmco, WV signed up to participate in the
Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) in 2005. They are using WHIP to
improve habitat for turkey and other wildlife. Turkeys need vegetative growth
for food, shelter, and nesting sites. The club’s president, Bud Whitlow, works
with Tom Vance (District Conservationist) and Katy McBride, (Soil
Conservationist) at the Lewisburg Service Center.
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The Clearco Sportsman’s Club leases approximately 3,695 acres from
MeadWestvaco. The area is a reclaimed mine site with forest land. |
The Club has been working on improving the land for turkeys by:
- taking soil samples and applying lime and fertilizer according to the
West Virginia University (WVU) soil test recommendations to improve the
forage quality,
- creating 60 acres of food plots that consist of cool season
grasses/legume mix─increasing the plant diversity and helping improve the
wildlife habitat, and
- purchasing a tractor, spreader, and other farm equipment to manage the
crops on a continuing basis.
Fertilizer and lime are most effective when used in the proper amounts. That
is the reason for soil testing─to determine the amount of lime and the proper
fertilizers for the crop or plants to be grown. The tests indicated lime was
needed. The club brought lime trucks in during the fall. Pellet lime will be
used in some spots where trucks can't go.
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The club created 60 acres of food plots which increase the plant
diversity and improve wildlife habitat. The openings are up to 3 acres
in size. The openings allow sunshine to reach the low-growing vegetation
and are areas where turkeys can obtain insects. |
Food plots provide seeds and insects for turkeys. Taller grasses provide cover. MeadWestvaco provides a seed
mixture including rye, tall fescue, timothy, trefoil, millet, and
clovers. The club adds additional clover to the mix. Clover is a
nitrogen fixer and turkeys feed on the leaves, flower heads, and insects
that live on the plants.
“There was just black coal dirt up here. We plowed it, limed it, and
fertilized it. We didn’t haul in any soil. We just did what was said on the soil
plan. Its changed the soil—its much better.” said Bud Whitlow, club president.
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Millet is a quick growing plant that produces abundant seed and is
an excellent food for turkeys. |
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"This used to be a gravel parking lot (left photo). I disked it all
up one day and took the spreader and fertilized it, and planted it last
year" said Bud. "You can see what it did. It’s done well, hasn’t it?"
The photo on the right shows the result. |
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"One of the guys with a tractor thought he had a 5 gallon bucket of
diesel fuel but it was a 5 gallon bucket of corn seed. He said, ‘I’m not
taking it back” and I said I’m planting it." said Bud. Corn
fields attract turkeys during periods of severe weather in late winter
and early spring when food supplies are short. |
"This has done better than I ever thought. This is our second year doing
this. This has been a learning experience. I knew nothing about farming before,"
said Bud. Fall planting was tried but it wasn’t as successful as spring planting.
It gets dry in September and it was damaged more by the freezing and heaving. We
now sow in March." They also improved their plowing. Chemical herbicides and
pesticides have not been used.
The food plots benefit other wild birds. The tall crops such as millet
and corn can supply cover as well as grain for quail and ruff grouse. Wood cock
are also seen in the woodlands and thickets near the food plots. Clover may
maintain population of rabbits.
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Bear and bear
scat (left photo) have been seen in the food plots. |
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The club has logged
242 tractor hours and 35 hand labor hours so far in 2007. In September, some of the
plots will be mowed again with the brush hog set on high for better
clover. Some plots will be mowed every other year. Three tractors were
used this year. Several members brought their own. The plots are at
about 4,000 feet in elevation. The growing season is 90-100 days. Plowing
starts the end of April or first of May.
Thirty new plots are planned for next year. |
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The WHIP program provides lime, fertilizer, perennial seed, and payments for
labor costs and equipment. “The club members are out talking to other
landowners about the WHIP program,” said Katy.
"Bud Whitlow and the Clearco Sportsman Club have followed through with their
plans. We need more groups like them," said Tom Vance. "This former strip mine
has benefited from WHIP and the results are obvious."
The Clearco Sportsman’s Club
is limited to 30 members from around West Virginia. There is a waiting list to
join the club. Bud got the idea to try food plots from an elk magazine. The Clearco Sportsman’s Club was recognized by MeadWestvaco as
the West Virginia Club of the Year in 2005.
The Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP) is a voluntary program for
people who want to develop and improve wildlife habitat primarily on private
land. Through WHIP, NRCS provides both technical assistance and up to 75 percent
cost-share assistance to establish and improve fish and wildlife habitat. WHIP
agreements between NRCS and the participant generally last from 5 to 10 years
from the date the agreement is signed. For more information on WHIP in West
Virginia go to
http://www.wv.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/whip/07_whip/07_whip.html
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