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How Do I Start?

Before you begin managing wildlife on your property, there are three questions you need to consider.

1. What are your management objectives for your property?

2. Which species or group of species do you want to encourage?

3. How much money and time do you wish to spend?

Careful consideration of these questions will prepare you to begin managing your property yourself or work with a wildlife professional. The publications below will help guide you through the process of answering these questions and learning about basic wildlife management concepts.

• Assessing Your Land's Potential for Wildlife (FNR 175W) (390 kb)
  This publication outlines the basic decision-making process landowners must go through prior to initiating management practices to make their property more attractive to wildlife.
• The Basics of Managing Wildlife on Agricultural Lands (FNR 193W) (6.58 MB)
  All wildlife species require four basic components: food, cover, water, and space. The proper types, amounts, and arrangement of these requirements vary among species. Decide what types of wildlife you want to attract, determine which of their basic four requirements could be improved on your property, and then develop a plan to provide these requirements. This publication summarizes some of the most common wildlife habitat practices available through federal and state programs, and helps direct you to sources of additional information.