Fins, Fur, and Feathers – Details, episodes & analysis

Establishing and maintaining a balanced fish population will boost fishing opportunities and enhance the ecology of your pond. Join Drew and Joe as they discuss common pitfalls with fish population management strategies and give tips on how to manage pond fish populations. Gain insight into how to develop and implement a plan that will have you on your way to catching bigger fish from your pond.

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

Fall is in the air in the Great Plains, and the signs include shorter days, cooler mornings, brilliant yellow sunflowers and dispersing mammals. In this episode, Drew and Joe discuss sunflowers, the value that they provide to wildlife, why we see these beautiful plants in some places and not others. The conversation then takes a turn to focus on opossum biology and management.

Resources discussed in this episode:

KDWP 2023 Summer Roadside Survey Report: https://ksoutdoors.com/Services/Research-Publications/Wildlife-Research-Surveys

Virginia Opossum Diet/Ecological Trap Studies:

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2009.1159?casa_token=XMw9PomAH2IAAAAA%3ABGDOWaXUul7IY_9cNhLG44Uontx_dM1zrPdmnWmUaacvYgb02Ucvw7A3OlCO3VSRbRvYusH5r11mk0TC

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cecilia-Hennessy/publication/353264681_Are_Virginia_opossums_really_ecological_traps_for_ticks_Groundtruthing_laboratory_observations/links/60f733642bf3553b29ffba62/Are-Virginia-opossums-really-ecological-traps-for-ticks-Groundtruthing-laboratory-observations.pdf?origin=journalDetail&_tp=eyJwYWdlIjoiam91cm5hbERldGFpbCJ9

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

Getting big fish in your pond requires a strong pond management plan. Join us as we discuss steps to consider when managing the fish community in your pond including the importance of habitat diversity, fish genetics, and which fish you should consider harvesting from your pond if you want to catch some lunkers.

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

A recently published note in the journal Neurobiology describing potential human transmission of chronic wasting disease is getting quite a bit of attention. Join us as we discuss the recent publication, chronic wasting disease, and steps you can take to try to limit the spread of this important disease within and among deer populations.

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

The Ogallala Aquifer is found underground in parts of 8 states. This vital resource provides groundwater for agricultural producers, wildlife, and citizens in these states. Water use practices have led to declines in the aquifer and recent trends in water use have led to depletion in water levels throughout this region. Join us as we discuss the current status of the Ogallala Aquifer, steps being taken to conserve water moving forward, and what it all means for agricultural producers, citizens, and wildlife that rely on the amazing resource.

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

In this episode, we discuss habitat management, and how common habitat management practices for a species in some regions may not be appropriate everywhere a species occurs. 

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

In this episode, we discuss how to stock fish in your pond, what type of fish are usually recommended, and the best time to add fish to your pond. Discussion include how to know if you should stock your pond. Common issues with newly stocked fish. And some thoughts on adding minnows to your pond that may save you some money!

Resources for this episode:

Kansas Aquaculture Association:

https://www.wildlife.k-state.edu/kaa/ 

Kansas Pond Stocking Guide:

https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing/Special-Fishing-Programs-for-You/Pond-Management-Program/Producing-Fish-and-Wildlife-in-Kansas-Ponds/Stocking

In this episode, we discuss how turkey vultures and black vultures provide both positive and negative values to residents of the Great Plains, and how to deal with problems associated with these 2 species. 

Resources for this episode:

Black Vulture Damage Control University of Kentucky Extension: http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/FOR/FOR129/FOR129.pdf

Black Vulture Effigy Plans: https://forestry.ca.uky.edu/files/forfs18-03.pdf

Paint an effigy to look like a turkey vulture:

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

In this episode we discuss what happens to ponds in the winter. Where do fish go? Do you need aeration? What pond management can you do in the winter to benefit your pond during the warmer months? Join us as we discuss these questions and more!

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html

Episode 8 - Coyote Control and Deer Production

In this episode, we discuss coyote biology and management related to deer production in the Great Plains, and whether or not it makes sense to control coyotes as a deer management practice in Kansas.

Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html