OSU releases app to aid wildlife managers with food plot decisions

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Getting outside for the start of the hunting season is never far from the minds of Oklahoma sportsmen and sportswomen.

Over the next couple months food plots will be planted, and with the help of a new app from Oklahoma State University, anyone interested in wildlife management now has food plot information at their fingertips.

“The OSU Food Plot app includes information regarding white-tailed deer, wild turkey, northern bobwhite, mourning dove, ring-necked pheasant and waterfowl,” said Brian Arnall, associate professor in OSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. “Over 30 agronomic plants are described, including planting dates, planting rates, fertility requirements and wildlife species benefited.”

Included in the app is a link to a fact sheet on soil sampling, also.

The app is free and available for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch by searching for “wildlife food plots” in the app store. Future versions will be compatible with Android.

A food plot is only a part of wildlife management and does have limitations. However, this app will aid landowners in planting decisions if they choose to use food plots.

“Food plots can be effective at concentrating game for hunting and provide additional nutrition,” said Dwayne Elmore, OSU Cooperative Extension wildlife specialist. “However, on an area basis, they are one of the most expensive practices wildlife managers use. They also take intensive management to reach full potential and often fail due to lack of proper management or weather constraints.”

They app will help hunters who choose to use food plots to do it wisely with full knowledge of the limitations and costs.

The app has links to helpful information including OSU fact sheets, OK Mesonet, Noble Foundation, OCES county offices, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Natural Resources Conservations Service and Oklahoma Forestry Services. Finally, the app allows the user to store or email food plot lists to help make planting decisions.

Assisting Arnall and Elmore in the creation of the app are Heath Herie, former Cleveland County Extension agriculture educator and Peeyush Patel, app developer.