Fire, Timber Wildlife & Cattle Field Tour at ODWC Pushmataha Wildlife Management Area Friday, September 26th 2025 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Pushmataha Wildlife Management Area County Road 4289 Clayton, OK 74536 Free Lunch Included! RSVP by September 22nd bit.ly/PushmatahaFiel…

How does prairie grass respond to multiple fires? Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) Root biomass, shoot biomass and flowering stalks ALL INCREASED with more fires. Big Bluestem Flowering Stalks (after 10 years) 0 burns = 3 stalks/sq ft 2 burns = 3 stalks/sq ft 3 burns = 5

How does prairie grass respond to fire? 1) Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) Root biomass, shoot biomass and flowering stalks ALL INCREASED with more fires. Indiangrass Flowering Stalks (after 10 years) 0 burns = 346 stalks/sq ft 2 burns = 413 stalks/sq ft 3 burns = 870

Eryngium: Thistle Tricksters Leavenworth's Eryngo (Eryngium leavenworthii) NOT a true thistle! - a native in the carrot family - leaves, stems, & flowers purple at maturity - pineapple shaped flowers - spiny, palm-like leaves - plants 15-35" tall Blooms: July - October

Grassland Birds in Decline Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) 79% population decline (1966-2022) Identification - Yellow belly with a black "V" on chest - Long, spear-shaped bill - Short tail Best Practices for Habitat Management - Graze with moderate intensity - Patch-burn

Grassland Birds in Decline Loggerhead Shrike (Lanis ludovicianus) 80% population decline (1967-2022) Identification - Large blocky head - Thick slightly rounded bill - Long rounded tail - Grey with black mask Best Practices for Habitat Management - Graze with light-moderate

Tiny Yellow Windshield Wildflowers Common Broomweed (Amphiachyris dracunuloides) - Yellow flowers at top of plant - Leaves narrow - 6-10 ray flowers (outer petals) - 10-50 disk flowers (flower center) - Single woody stem with branching above Native Range: Entire State of

Tour the Research Plots! September 26th Pushmataha Wildlife Management Area Register here bit.ly/PushmatahaFiel… What's best for Timber, Wildlife, and Cattle 40 Years of Fire Management Types Compared HT: Pines harvested, Oaks thinned, NO burns HT2: Pines harvested, Oaks

Is Cedar Spread Natural? Human plantings have drastically increased the spread of this native invader. State Nursery Seedling Distribution of Eastern Redcedar (as early as 1926) Planted as wind breaks, shelterbelts, living snow fences. NEBRASKA 850,000 seedlings/year 64

Pasture Check-In: Is your pasture overgrazed? You can estimate forage production and calculate stocking rates in your native pastures using The Rangeland Analysis Platform tool rangelands.app/production-exp… Common forage types and minimum grazing height Native-Tallgrass Prairie: 6-10

Livestock & Range Field Day Thursday, October 9th, 2025 8:30 am - 1:30 pm Willard Sparks Beef Research Center 4224 W. McElroy Rd. Stillwater, OK TOPICS - Effects of bull genetics on feedlot performance - Bovine congestive heart failure - Autonomous feed truck - Pasture drone

Does Prescribed Fire Reduce Ticks in Fire Dependent Ecosystems? HABITAT | Fire reduces shelter & questing space Tick Survival: Burning increases sunlight reaching the forest floor. This increases swings in humidity & temperature, limiting tick survival. Tick Abundance: Lone Star

The Oklahoma State Crystal is Hourglass Selenite! Unique to Oklahoma: Only found in the Great Salt Plains. Hourglass Formation: Crystalized gypsum with sand & clay trapped in an hourglass shape. Symbol History: Designated in 2005 after a proposal from elementary students. When

Timely Prescribed Fire Limited Wildfire Spread! Six months ago, wildfire burned near Stillwater, OK This was one week later. Embers from these burned cedars blew north, likely traveling as far as 500 feet. Two weeks before the wildfires, a 300 acre prescribed burn was conducted

Monarch Migration Monarchs migrate as a stair-step of multiple generations from Mexico to Canada and back. 1st Generation: northbound, April-May 2nd Generation: northbound, May-July 3rd Generation: northbound, Arrives in Canada, June-August 4th Generation: "super" generation,

October Land and Pond Management Calendar Count Quail: Estimate quail numbers on your property with fall covey counts. Mark Acorn Producers: Monitor and mark productive acorn trees to keep when thinning. Fill Wetlands for Waterfowl: Begin flooding most wetlands now. In

OPEN POSITION! Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist Aquatic Resource Ecology & Management - Full Time - Eleven Month - Tenure Track - 75% Extension - 25% Teaching Department of Natural Resources Ecology & Management Topics - Pond & Stream Management - Aquaculture - Fish

Are Birds Attracted to Fire? Pyric Carnivory: carnivores are attracted to fire to hunt prey that is injured, flushed out or exposed. Raptors counted BEFORE & DURING 25 Prescribed FIres in Oklahoma Swainson's Hawk: 12 Before Fire, 334 During Fire Red-tailed Hawk: 17 Before Fire,

Rainfall & Forage Production can Vary Within Your County Percent of Normal Rainfall: Aug 25th-Sep 23rd (From 30 Year Average, Mesonet) Jackson & Tillman Counties: 50-120% of normal rainfall Payne & Logan Counties: 60-160% of normal rainfall Pushmataha & Latimer Counties: 70-90%