2023 S.C. Plantation Managers meet at Clarendon in Beaufort

Charles Ruth addresses Wild Turkeys

The 2023 Plantation Managers meeting took place at Clarendon Plantation in Beaufort, which has hosted the group before. A morning meeting with a full agenda included talks by Private Land Management's Jason Hewett, SCDNR's Molly Kneece regarding waterfowl, S.C. Forestry Association's Cam Crawford, and SCDNR's Charles Ruth regrading wild turkeys. A full house of land managers enjoyed each speaker in the air-conditioning, and a hot weather field tour would follow a barbecue lunch. 

A large turnout on August 10

Hewett's talk centered on how people set up their quail hunting courses, and then how they hunt them. "Everything times out when you are burning to achieve a mosaic pattern," said Hewett. "I urge managers to aim for the heaviest cover possible in the fire-managed ecosystem. Escape cover is practically gone post-fire, so how do you manage other adjacent areas to provide shrubs, grasses and forbes? By utilizing a feed trail system, anyone can stop and start their hunts according to where the previous hunt day ends, which mitigates hunting pressure elsewhere. A feed trail system allows you to hunt more habitat edges along your path between different burn blocks."

The Field Tour at Clarendon Plantation

Ruth's talk was a concise discussion of the recent Public Meetings to discuss turkey decline. "We have some really great research going on right here in S.C.," said Ruth. "The Webb Center and the Savannah River Site have already undergone serval years of research and the data is becoming clear that the wild turkey population decline is continuing. It should be noted that all across the Southeast other studies are seeing similar results, so its not just a one-state issue. Habitat, Harvest, Predation and Weather are some of the factors affecting turkey numbers, and the S.C. General Assembly may take actions to further condense turkey seasons."

To view past blog entries from SCPMA click on 2022 Sumter / Shaw AFB - 2021 Cherokee Plantation - 2016 Hobcaw Barony - 2015 / Walterboro - 2014 Spring Island - 2011 / Brosnan Forest - 2010 Nemours Plantation - 2009 Poco Sabo Plantation