APPRAISAL OF EXISTING CONDITIONS
(5 points each) |
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________
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1. Plant composition: (50’x50’ enclosure) |
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A. Fescue (>90% fescue)
B. Mixed cool season grasses (<10% legumes)
C. Cool-season grass dominant (10-25% legumes)
D. Cool-season grass / legumes (26 to 60% legumes)
E. Legume dominant (>75% legumes)
F. Native Warm-season grass dominant (<40% other species) |
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________
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2. Percent of ground covered or shaded by broadleaf plants: (50’x50’ encl.) |
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A. Less than 5%
B. 5-50%
C. Greater than 50% |
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________
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3. Percent canopy coverage of all vegetation 6-18” tall: (50’x50’ enclosure) |
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A. Less than 25%
B. 26-75%
C. Greater than 76% |
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| ________ |
4. Grazing pressure: (50’x50’ enclosure) |
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A. Heavy
B. Moderate
C. Light |
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________
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5. Distance from center of field to the nearest protected idle area:
(grassy, fallow crop, or weedy cover) |
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A. greater than 500’
B. 250-500’
C. Less than 250’ |
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| ________ |
6. Percent of field covered by dense woody or escape cover: |
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A. Less than 1%
B. 1 - 10%
C. Field < 20 acres |
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| ________ |
7. Field size - the percent of the field within 250’ of dense woody cover,
escape cover, or ungrazed woodland: |
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A. Less than 25%
B. 26-50%
C. 51-75%
D. Greater than 75%
of winter wheat. |
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________
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8. Distance from center of field to edge of nearest crop field: |
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A. 500’ or more to crop field
B. 250-500’ to chiseled or disked crop field
C. 250’ or less to chiseled or disked crop field
D. 250-500’ to crop field with no fall tillage or winter wheat
E. 250’ or less to crop field with no fall tillage or winter wheat |
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QUALITY OF HABITAT
(10 point each – 2 questions) |
1. Rate the quality of habitat provided by this field,
not just the 50’ X 50’ square, for quail and
rabbits. Place an X next to the best choice. (10 point question) |
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_____ good to excellent
_____ fair to poor |
| The following guidelines should be used to determine
the quality of habitat: |
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Good to Excellent (at least 4 elements needed in the
field for a good rating) |
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- Field size 10-20 acres
- Seven or more important food plants present
(occurring in 50% or more than of field)
- Adequate escape cover within or
immediately adjacent to field
(25 – 50% of field within 250’)
- Suitable nesting cover present
(25% bare ground + 25-50% vertical structure 6-18”
+ 25% litter present)
- Canopy coverage of vegetation 6 – 18” tall equals
26 – 75%.
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Fair to Poor |
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- Field size <10 acres or >20 acres
- Less than seven important food plants present
(in less than 50% of field)
- Inadequate escape cover
(due to size, location, condition, grazing, etc.)
- Suitable nesting cover not present
- Canopy coverage of vegetation < 25% or >
75%.
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| 2.If you rated this field fair to poor, identify the factors limiting its carrying capacity for
quail and rabbits. In the left hand column below, circle the letter of each limiting
factor which has been discovered during the field evaluation. In the right hand
column, circle the number of each management practice that can be implemented to
improve the limiting factors indicated (1 point for each item). |
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| Limited Habitat Factors |
Management Practices |
| A. ground cover thick and/or continuous |
1. Establish protected shrub plantings |
| B. vegetation uniformly short |
2. Lightly disk strips on the contour |
| C. Inadequate nesting cover |
3. Use prescribe fire |
| D. Too far to protected escape cover |
4. Adjust stocking / patch-burn graze |
| E. insufficient plant diversity (< 7 plants) |
5. Overseed with wildlife friendly legumes |
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| Complete the following questions by placing the letter of the correct answer in the space provided. Each of the 20 questions is worth 2 points each (40 points total). |
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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
(2 points each) can be found at http://agebb.missouri.edu/mfgc/contest/card4.htm |