- Custom Forestry Applications
- Green Cover Seed
- Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
- Northeast Nebraska RC&D
Woodland Habitat Convention
A convention for landowners focused on deer and turkey habitat needs, healthy woodlands and productive land.
Join Nebraska Game and Parks and partners for the Deer and Turkey Woodland Habitat Convention from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Ohiya Casino and Resort, 53142 Highway 12, Niobrara.
The convention will focus on speakers and field trips highlighting deer habitat needs, wild turkey updates, as well as management advice for healthy woodlands and productive hunting properties.
Keynote speakers include Will Gulsby, of Auburn University in Alabama, and Marcus Lashley, of University of Florida; both specialize in wildlife habitat management related to deer and turkey. Both are frequent guests on the well-known podcasts “The Hunting Public,” “Land and Legacy,” “Deer University” and more. They also recently launched their own podcast “Wild Turkey Science.”
Participants may come for all or part of the event.
Registration
Cost: $25, with meals included.
Make it a weekend
The Verdigre Niobrara Valley Sportsmen’s Club is hosting its inaugural banquet at 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at the Ohiya Casino and Resort. The banquet will be an opportunity to fundraise for local communities and conservation efforts.
Agenda
Our tentative agenda will be updated as details are finalized.
| Schedule | Activities |
|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. | Registration, coffee and donuts |
| 9 a.m. | Welcome, Kameron Runnels, Vice Chair, Santee Tribal Council |
| Morning session | What do deer and turkeys really need to thrive? |
| 9:15 a.m. | Keynote speaker: Dr. Will Gulsby, Auburn University Dr. Marcus Lashley, University of Florida |
| 10:50 a.m. | Break |
| 11 a.m. | Turkeys in Nebraska, Dr. Andy Little, University of Nebraska-Lincoln |
| 11:30 a.m. | Morning speaker panel, moderator Lucas Negus, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission |
| Noon | Lunch |
| Afternoon session | Setting up and managing property |
| 12:30 p.m. | Food Plots of Grant Woods, Keith Berns, Green Cover Seed |
| 1:15 p.m. | Timber Management, Luke Terry, Custom Forestry Applications |
| 1:45 p.m. | Tying it all Together, The Grove Lake Story, Josh Kounovsky, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission |
| 2 p.m. | Afternoon speaker panel, moderator Kyle Schumacher, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission |
| Breakout sessions | In House |
| 2:30 p.m. | Missouri Unit Deer Herd Management, Lucas Negus, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission |
| 3 p.m. | Understanding Predator Management |
| Field Demos | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Property Planning and Design, Lashley & Gulsby; capacity 35 Hands-on hack-and-squirt, Luke Terry; capacity 15 Hands-on hack-and-squirt, Chris Wood, NFS; capacity 15 Grant Woods Food Plot Demo, Keith Berns, Green Cover; capacity 40 |
Convention partners
Our convention partners include:
- Northern Prairies Land Trust
- Pheasants Forever
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Verdigre Niobrara Valley Sportsmen’s Club
- Whitetails Unlimited
Sponsors
Help sponsor the first deer and turkey woodland habitat convention. Sponsorship levels include the Burr Oak, Black Walnut and Cottonwood levels. Learn more in our sponsorship form.
