Upland game species use of no-till corn sites harvested by steers in a pasture and agroforestry setting in east central Mississippi

Due to vegetation conditions and waste grain availability, steers harvesting corn planted using no-till technology may attract numerous wildlife species. Using this technique in a pasture or agroforestry setting creates desirable open foraging habitat providing: grain, soft mast, and grass seeds available during and after steer harvesting. The objective was to evaluate the utilization of corn fields harvested by steers on Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura ), White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Eastern Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris), and Northern Bobwhite Quail (Colinus virginianus) numbers. In Study I, 2 steer harvested sites (SHS) and 2 conventionally harvested sites (CHS) were monitored measuring Mourning dove use. Study II incorporated agroforestry techniques comparing: steer harvested plots (SHP), unmanaged pine plots (UPP), and thinned pine plots (TPP) contained on 2 different sites. Mourning dove numbers were significantly greater on SHS and SHP in both studies. No significant difference with respect to sites, but a significant difference with respect to treatments within sites was detected. Deer numbers were significantly greater on SHP. Steers grazing no-till corn attracted wildlife by creating desirable habitat, optimum foraging conditions, and a long-term food source (>6 months).