USABLE SPACE:USABLE SPACE:

A MANAGEMENT CONCEPT FOR BOBWHITES

Fred S. Guthery

Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management

Oklahoma State University

USABLE SPACE IS A SUITABLE, PERMANENT, COVER–SITUATION.

• SUITABLE MEANS THE COVER–SITUATION HAS A MIXTURE OF LOW WOODY COVER AND HERBACEOUS COVER.

•PERMANENT MEANS THE COVER–SITUATION LASTS OR IS MAINTAINED THROUGH THE YEARS. COVER MAINTENANCE REQUIRES ACTIVE MANAGEMENT (BURNING, LOGGING, GRAZING) IN RAINY ENVIRONMENTS.

ONE WAY TO UNDERSTAND USABLE SPACE IS TO SEE WHAT IT IS NOT.

NOT USABLE SPACE. BOBWHITES MUST HAVE MORE LOW WOODY COVER THAN PICTURED HERE.

NOT USABLE SPACE. BOBWHITES DO NOT LIVE IN DENSE, CLOSED CANOPY FOREST OF ANY KIND.

NOT USABLE SPACE. GROUND COVER IS DEFICIENT BECAUSE OF OVERGRAZING.

NOT USABLE SPACE. GROUND COVER IS TOO DENSE AND WOODY COVER IS MISSING.

COVER–SITUATIONS THAT ARE NOT USABLE HAVE TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH WOODY COVER AND TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH GROUND COVER. THE NEXT PICTURES SHOW SUPERIOR AMOUNTS AND ARRANGEMENTS OF WOODY AND GROUND COVER.

USABLE SPACE, PAYNE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA.

USABLE SPACE, SHACKELFORD COUNTY, TEXAS.

USABLE SPACE, ELLIS COUNTY, OKLAHOMA.

USABLE SPACE, HARMON COUNTY, OKLAHOMA. (PHOTO COURTESY OF DALE ROLLINS)

USABLE SPACE, WASHITA COUNTY, OKLAHOMA.

USABLE SPACE, ROBERTS COUNTY, TEXAS.

WHAT IS THE DEFINING PROPERTY OF USABLE SPACE?

BOBWHITES ARE ALWAYS CLOSE TO LOW WOODY COVER AND HERBACEOUS COVER.

USEFUL COVER INTERSPERSION RULES

• IF A BOBWHITE IS IN HERBACEOUS COVER, IT SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN ABOUT 30 YARDS FROM WOODY COVER.

• IF A BOBWHITE IS IN WOODY COVER, IT SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN ABOUT 30 YARDS FROM HERBACEOUS COVER.

• IF THESE RULES HOLD FOR ALL POINTS ON A MANAGEMENT AREA, THE AREA IS FULLY USABLE AND AVERAGE BOBWHITE ABUNDANCE IS MAXIMIZED.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE FOR USABLE SPACE?

USABLE SPACE MANAGEMENT SIMPLY INVOLVES ADDING OR REMOVING WOODY COVER SO THAT THE INTERSPERSION RULES HOLD.

ADD MAINTAIN REMOVE

HOW DO YOU MANAGE FOR USABLE SPACE?

USABLE SPACE MANAGEMENT ALSO INVOLVES INCREASING OR DECREASING THE DENSITY OF HERBACEOUS COVER OR PLANTS THAT FUNCTION AS HERBACEOUS COVER.

MAINTAINADD REMOVE

THE END