2011 Tall Timbers Fall Field Day / Groton Plantation

Groton's Wes Smith, Bill Palmer is
Director of Tall Timbers and Jerald Sholar 

Quite a crowd turned out for the 2011 Field Day

Groton Planation in Allendale County hosted the Tall Timbers event that drew a large crowd of upland hunting enthusiasts. Land owners and habitat managers gathered to hear an update on the ongoing recovery of bobwhite quail, and to take a field trip of Groton's extensive wild bird woods. Fire has played a role in the management of Groton since Herbert Stoddard visited with the Winthrop family and advised them to 'Light it Up,' said family representative Rob Winthrop. Today, manager Wes Smith uses 'thermal pruning' as one method to control hardwood encroachment, which occurs so slowly over time that only constant vigilance can stop it. Practices like flat-mowing and sometimes even herbicide applications must accompany a regular regime of prescribed fire. Field trips stops included a look at the T185 stump grinder used to quickly convert woody areas into ready to plant openings that quail will utilize, and a talk by a Eukanuba nutritionist about what it takes to keep a kennel of bird dogs healthy throughout hunting season. Tall Timbers is based out of Florida but has recently begun its S.C. Quail Project to bring their upland habitat research to the Palmetto state in hopes of restoring the population of bobwhite quail to a sustainable level.


To view past blog entries about the SCQP Fall field day click 2013 or 2010. (related 2014)

VideoByJeffDennis: Wes Smith addresses the field day crowd

Erik Altom with Eukanuba visits with 
pointing dog owner Andrea Clark

A pickup truck caravan winds through Groton Land Co.