Poultney Habitat Improvement Tour

The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department and the National Wild Turkey Federation are excited to announce an upcoming tour to highlight land management practices to improve wildlife habitat for game species at Birdseye Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Poultney. The tour will be led by Travis Hart and Andrea Shortsleeve, wildlife habitat biologists with the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, and Matt DiBona, a wildlife biologist with the National Wild Turkey Federation.

The group will walk through large patch cuts, a prescribed burn area, released apple trees, and other recently completed habitat projects while discussing how these projects benefit deer, bears, turkeys, and other wildlife and how they can be implemented on your property. While game species will be the focus of the discussion, these habitat practices also benefit many nongame species, including pollinators. Birdseye WMA is a 3,600-acre property owned by the Fish and Wildlife Department and is managed to benefit wildlife while providing opportunities for the public to access and enjoy the area. The property ranges from level former farmland to the steep talus slopes of Birdseye Mountain and provides a habitat for diverse wildlife.

The group will meet at the snowplow turnaround at the end of Birdseye Road in Poultney. Please dress for the weather and wear suitable footwear. Participants are encouraged to bring water, a journal for notes, and a desire to learn more about improving habitats