'Hunting small game with the bow can turn out to be a frustrating instead of an exciting experience. Providing a chance to sharpen your powers of observation and to test your marksmanship with the bow, small game hunting quickly loses its appeal when a two hour tramp fails to produce a single piece of game. Many of us can remember when the same or a similar area of land contained a plentiful supply of small game. Many theories have been advanced, for the diminishing numbers of small game encountered in the hunting field; drought, increased hunting pressure, maturity of the second growth forests in the Eastern United States, shorter working hours in industry, improved highways and rapid means of transportation have all had to bear at least a portion of the blame. Changes in agricultural practices including: the intro­duction of the electric fence with its single strand of barbed wire, the high speed mowing machine, and intensive cultivation of every foot of land have made serious inroads on the wildlife population.

In the Prairie States vast acreages of grass lands were turned under with the plow; and marshes and swamps were drained. The gradual lowering of the water table and erosion of the soil has forced abandonment of these farms by their owners. The good top soil has either been blown or washed away and there no longer remains sufficient food and cover to support wildlife once abundant in the area.

Nature is an ever changing process and all life must adapt itself to changing conditions in order to survive. Too frequently man in his effort to improve his individual status has hastened this change and the immediate gain has subsequently been followed by unexpected losses which have been detrimental to the general welfare. The destruction of our forests and overgraz­ing of grass lands have turned once fertile areas of the earth's surface into waste lands; and where once the riches of nature were abundant on every side, they now are insufficient for man's survival. Close at home we see the barren hillsides, eroded and gully washed fields of farms from which during heavy rains the remainder of the top soil is rapidly being carried away by silt laden streams. Soil, which is essential for all life, and which took nature hundreds of years to produce, has been recklessly wasted during our lifetime.

How many of us have considered that the decline in our wildlife population is closely allied to the loss of soil and the reduction of ground water supplies due to misuse of entire watersheds and improper and consequently unprofit­able farming methods? Conservation is now widely advocated. Not only is it essential to our general welfare but it is also profitably practiced by individuals. Modern farming methods based on sound conservation principles have resulted in in­creased productivity of the soil and consequently increased in­come for the land owner. The term, conservation, is widely mis­understood and is frequently assumed to denote a system which advocates voluntary or governmental restriction of the use of nature's products, including wildlife. The opposite is, of course, the case. Good conservation practices applied to the land result in greater income to the land owner from improved crops and the land increases in value. Actually conservation is aimed at the retention of top soil and water on the land. Ways to prevent the reduction of the water supply and loss of top soil, and at the same time preserve or increase the productivity of the land are the tools of the conservationist. Contour strip cropping and rotation of crops on the better field areas of farm lands, plant­ing trees, shrubs, vines, clovers and grasses to stabilize soil and retain water on steep slopes and gullies, selective lumbering of the forested areas and management of woodlots are but a few of the methods by which the humus content of the soil can be increased, and the water table raised, so that the land will once more produce not only an abundance of the needs of man but supply in addition the food and cover so essential to  wildlife.

It should be increasingly evident that we cannot expect to depend solely on the efforts of our Game and Wildlife Officials for an adequate supply of small game. The propogation and release of game birds and animals are only one phase of the wildlife management problem. If we are to improve our hunting we must provide suitable habitat for wildlife. That means primarily food and cover, and we must do it as groups and as individuals. It is just wishful thinking to expect the conservation departments of the various states, and more especially those whose duties embrace the field of wildlife man­agement, to do this work. They can and do provide tech­nical advice and assistance in the planning stage of a project, and they have established pilot projects where the success of the suggested practices is evident to even a casual observer. The success of the plan on a large scale is rightly dependent on the individual land owner to whom the benefits will accrue if the suggested practices are adopted.

The archery club which has purchased land and constructed a field course, and the hunting and fishing clubs which have purchased extensive acreage of abandoned or sub-marginal farm land have generally failed to realize the potential benefits which would accrue to the club from the adoption of a long range food and cover program to increase the wildlife population on their own property. Such a program, prepared with the assist­ance of the Game, Fish, and Forestry Departments does not require a large financial outlay. Seedlings, fertilizer, and seed for food plots will require cash, but the balance of the program and it's ultimate success depend primarily on a plen­tiful and enthusiastic supply of voluntary labor. Any long term overall plan can be subdivided into dozens of small proj­ects which can be undertaken by a single individual or a small group as their contribution to the general plan. Properly admin­istered and publicized the plan will be enthusiastically sup­ported by the labor of the members and can be carried to a successful conclusion when every member can see how his individual effort contributes to the rehabilitation of the land.

Too many clubs are releasing pen raised birds on sub-marginal land which will not support a wildlife population in its present state. Birds released under such unfavorable condi­tions must scatter far and wide if they are to survive and little improvement is noticeable in the number of birds seen on the home range. Continuing day-after-day care is required to raise birds for liberation and unless favorable conditions for their survival exist or are created on the club grounds the program does not prove satisfactory and the project is abandoned.               

Management of agriculture, wildlife, and woodland areas on many of the sub-marginal or abandoned farms now owned by sportsmen's groups is directed toward developing the acreage for wildlife. The treatment of the land differs from practices approved for farm lands where the primary objective is a continuing cash profit from farm crops. Although they work toward different objectives, the farmer and the sportsmen find that modern farming practices and a food and cover program for wildlife have much in common. Both must take measures to stop the loss of soil from erosion caused by wind and water and each is concerned with increasing the productivity of the land. The aim of the sportsman is adequate food and cover to support a wildlife population on the land.

Gully-washed fields, eroded and barren hillsides, abandoned fields which produce a straggly crop of wire grass, wood lots where over crowding and large trees prevent an undergrowth of shrubs and vines so necessary to wildlife, is unfortunately an accurate description of too many of our club properties and in particular the many field courses recently constructed by the bowhunters. To change this picture is not only desirable but necessary if the average bowman expects to find any game during the course of a morning's hunt. While hunting may not be desirable on the field course, the course might well be set aside as a refuge and propagation area from which the game would spread to adjacent lands.
Where a well defined land-use plan has been followed, the increase in the wildlife population can reach startling propor­tions. In the State of Pennsylvania a Farm-Game Project coop-erator requested a Game Warden to provide additional feed for the ring-neck pheasants on his property during the owner's absence in the month of January. The Game Warden re­ported there were by actual count over 200 hen pheasants and 32   cock birds  on this property and the two  adjoining farms.

In addition the Warden live-trapped 16 rabbits during the month. The reason for the concentration of game in such numbers is attributed to multiflora rose hedge, coral berry, evergreens and a few small briar patches.

Much of the work necessary to transform your barren club property into a suitable habitat for wildlife can be self-supporting; other operations will require the labor of the interested bowhunters and other members of sportsmen's clubs. Recommended practices for development of the land are varied and numerous. Many of them are so simple of application that once introduced and after viewing the results, we are rather embarrassed at our lack of vision. Gradual development of the club property over a period of years is a goal that is easily obtainable without straining the finances of the parent organ­ization.

Thus far we have discussed generally the need for habitat improvement in order to increase the wildlife population. Habitat may be improved by any of the following practices. As single projects, each one is beneficial to wildlife. The fol­lowing portions of the text describe practices applicable to the Middle Atlantic States. However, they illustrate a general pattern which may be changed and adapted to any part of the country, substituting plantings and farming methods which have proven successful.

Farming Fields. These are the better soil sites which have undergone the least erosion. Local farmers can be interested in a share cropping agreement, whereby they undertake to farm certain fields on a crop rotation basis, planting corn with a ryegrass cover crop one year, wheat or oats the second year and then seeding clover which should stand two or more years. In return the club may either take a share of the harvested grains, or arrange with the share-cropper to plant other food strips without charge.

Field Hedges. Establish contour hedges approximately 36 feet wide between crop fields. Tatarian honeysuckle, arrow-wood, and multiflora rose can be used for the center rows. Bicolor lespedeza may be planted next, with the outside strip seeded to sericea lespedeza. On open field areas these wide hedges provide wildlife with natural food and cover adjacent to the cropland. Lespedezas make good-quality food for quail in parts of the Middle and South Atlantic States. Since the lespedezas are legumes, which supply their own nitrogen after the first year, they are valuable crops in a program of soil improvement. Many of them provide excellent cover for erod­ing areas.

Field Edges And Odd Comers. Field edges of crop lands adjacent to fence rows or woodland borders are equally as important in the wildlife program as the crop grown on the field. The share-cropper should be instructed to seed a 30 foot food strip to sericea lespedeza or a grass-clover mixture. Equipment may be turned on these field ends if due care is taken to protect game birds nesting in the area. When fields are contoured, odd corners of ground remaining at various loca­tions are valuable assets. These spots will provide safe nesting areas for wildlife and they may be planted to any one or a combination of the shrubs mentioned for hedge row plantings or seeded to sericea lespedeza or a grass-clover mixture. Very often the natural reproduction of shrubs and vines will improve the food and cover on these areas.

Permanent Sod. Permanent grass-clover areas should be maintained above steep fields. To establish small grains such as wheat, rye, or barley they should be planted in the fall; then seed permanent type grass-clover mixture the following spring, or plant oats thinly in the spring and seed at the same time with the grass-clover mixture. The areas should be mowed late each summer to stimulate succulent growth. This can be done by the farmer who handles the share cropping activities.     

These areas are used by nesting birds and rabbits. The value of these areas which produce greens and insect life for young birds to feed upon is dependent upon suitable cover immedi­ately adjacent thereto. They do not serve their intended dual purpose of preventing erosion and providing food for wildlife if small game has to cross open spaces to reach the plot.

Nut Tree And Fruit Orchards. Trees and shrubs, including walnut, hickory, Asiatic chestnut, and filbert may be planted as orchard crops. Part of the nut yield should be left for wild­life and if necessary a portion of the crop may be sold to defray development and maintenance costs. The young trees will have to be protected by wire mesh screening from rabbits and a sapling and brush inclosure will need to be erected around each tree if deer are present in the vicinity. Young trees have almost no chance of survival where deer can browse on the tender shoots. The area in which the trees are planted should be cultivated and seeded to clovers. Mow annually and mulch the trees with hay and weeds. Prune to provide shape and clearance for cultivating and harvesting. Apple trees also provide an important food for wildlife. Fallen fruits and pruned branches are eaten by rabbits during the fall and winter months.

Managing Old Orchards. Neglected orchards can be man­aged to provide an abundant supply of food and cover. Fell the maple, locust, aspen, ash and other timber which has become established in the orchard and is robbing the old apple trees of the necessary sunlight. Pile the tops to provide cover. The old fruit trees should be severely pruned during the winter months to improve the quality of the fruit. Pile the branches to provide both food and cover for rabbits. Fallen apples also provide food for ring-necked pheasants, grouse, deer and foxes.

Old Fence Rows. Large maple, ash, locust and aspen trees growing in old fence rows should be felled to permit sunlight to reach the mixture of shrubs growing beneath them. Full sunlight will increase the fruit yield of shrubs and vines such as blackberry, raspberry, grape, greenbriar, choke cherry, sassa­fras, and flowering dogwood. Limbs and tops of the felled trees should be piled to provide cover. An exception to this practice is to spare an old den tree, since squirrels, raccoons and cavity nesting birds require hollow trees for their homes. Incidentally, "one-eighth" wooden beer kegs with a two-inch hole bored in them make wonderful squirrel dens. Field hedges which have been planted between crop fields should be tied into these old fence rows or to woodland borders to provide continuous sheltered lanes of travel for wildlife.

Eroded Hillside Areas. At these locations on the club prop­erty wildlife cover can be improved by seeding the steepest slopes to one of the shrub lespedezas. All shrub lespedezas are perennials that grow from 4 to 8 feet high and prevent erosion wherever they are planted. They are particularly good for gully control. These plantings should be made in strips along the contour. In alternate strips or on the gentler slopes, ever­green seedlings may be planted. Planted yearly in lots of 500 to 1000 depending on the space available, they can be marketed in various sizes over three feet tall for Christmas trees. Seed­lings of Scotch pine, Austrian pine, red pine, and Norway spruce may be purchased from commercial nurserymen. Seed­lings can often be obtained at a nominal cost from State nurseries under an agreement to permit the trees to grow and reforest the area. Trees obtained in this manner can not be sold as Christmas trees. The financial condition of each individual club will govern the method employed. The primary purpose of the plantings is to stabilize the soil, prevent rapid run off of surface water, and especially to provide cover for wildlife.

Waste Areas. Old building foundations, outcrops of rock, and sink holes provide retreat areas, and when trees, shrubs and vines become established they produce a good supply of food for wildlife. On large areas a central planting of 25 or 30 evergreens spaced about eight feet apart will provide year round cover. Thornapple, multiflora rose, arrowwood, gray dogwood and hazelnut seedlings, spaced four feet apart may be planted around the evergreens.

Stream Banks. Badly eroded stream banks should be sloped and then planted with shrubs native to wet soils. Basket willow, elderberry, red ozier dogwood, and silky dogwood, are suitable plantings. They may be spaced about three feet apart. The newly sloped bank should be mulched with branches held in place with willow stakes and wire. Along the top of the bank, added protection and increased food and cover for wildlife may be attained by planting a row of multiflora rose, spaced about three feet apart.

Wood   Lots.   Shrubs   ana   vines   produce   more   fruits   ana heavier foliage when grown in the open sunlight. Large timber should be marked and sold for saw logs. The cut may be lim­ited to definite species and minimum diameters. Clumps of shrubs are released from competitive growth by felling trees away from the shrubs or cutting and piling the tops. Drop trees with vines on the top of the piles to form natural arbors. Harvesting of all trees on scattered plots of approximately one acre will provide favorable conditions for the growth of shrubs and vines. Tree tops should be piled along one side of the slashing and immediately adjacent thereto food strips contain­ing a mixture of clover and grasses should be planted. Acid soil will benefit by the application of fertilizer and lime. To use a woodlot for pasture destroys its value from the sports­man's standpoint. Wildlife cannot compete with cattle or other stock which destroy the food and cover so essential to its survival. Only those farming practices beneficial to wildlife should be permitted on the club properties, and these should be closely supervised to insure the welfare of the wildlife population and not the value of the cash crop is the primary consideration.

Gullies. Gullies provide excellent havens of refuge for wild­life. They are found on practically all of the sub-marginal farms that have been purchased by local sportsmen's clubs. They are formed by water erosion, but the soil must be stabilized and vegetation induced to grow, if they are to be of any benefit to wildlife. The bottoms of deep gullies may be planted to basket willow, elderberry, and red ozier dog­wood; the lower slopes to banks pine and black locust, and the upper slopes to Tatarian honeysuckle, blackhaw, and gray dogwood. If the gullies are shallow and in tillable fields, disc and seed to perennial grasses and clovers. Shrubs may be planted at intervals of 3 feet. The immediate area should be retired from cultivation and the resultant plant growth will reduce erosion and produce food and cover for wildlife which prefers to dwell close to cultivated areas.

Sericea Lespedeza. Sericea Lespedeza is a deep rooted, bushy perennial standing 2 to 4 feet in height with greenish yellow flowers. Its ability to withstand shade in the unproductive field border between cultivated fields and woodland, makes it very useful as wildlife cover. The seed does not mature farther north than central Pennsylvania. Being a legume it produces its own nitrogen and builds up the fertility of the soil.

Multiflora Rose. Since a hedge of this species is stock-proof, it is useful as a living fence. It prefers dry to well drained soils and it will grow in almost any place that is not shaded. Multi­flora grows from 6 to 10 feet high and bears a profusion of white flowers in May and June. Multiflora rose does not spread from rootstalks. Drooping side canes, if they touch exposed soil, may take root and grow. Ordinary cultivation practices on adjacent ground will prevent the planting from spreading.

General. Enough has been written to impress upon the reader the desirability of undertaking a planned food and cover pro­gram to increase the wildlife population on lands owned by the organized sportsmen's clubs. The work may progress from year to year and need not impose a financial burden on the membership. Wildlife will be attracted to the property and any releases of pen raised birds or small game will find suitable habitat in the immediate vicinity.

Specific planting instructions of suitable species of food and cover crops can be obtained from the local Soil Conservation District office, the State Game and Forestry Departments, and your local County Agricultural Agent. A selected list of pub­lications dealing with the subject is included in the Bibliogra­phy. A number of pamphlets may be obtained without charge upon written request to the various agencies.