Wildlife Management at Giles Island
Wildlife Management is a growing concern for many outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and fishermen. Since managing wildlife is a young science we are continuously exploring new ways to enhance the habitat on our 9,400 acres for the use of game.
Nurturing the Natural Vegetation
The natural vegetation on Giles provides a huge diversity in weeds, vines, grasses, mushrooms, legumes, aquatic vegetation, and trees. By periodically fertilizing these sources of food the protein content is increased, thus increasing the quality of game and expanding the carrying capacity of the land. We also provide approximately 175 acres of fall/winter food plots which supply nutrients to sustain the deer herd through the winter. These plots are consumed by deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, and dove during the summer. The size of the food plots range from 1/4 acre to 12 acres and contain wheat, oats, BioLogic clover, BioLogic rape, turnips, and mustards.
Food Sources for Wild Game
In addition to the existing wild plum orchards we have planted apple, peach and various other fruit trees. Pecans and acorns are a great source of carbohydrates for all species of game during the winter. Giles is blessed with a huge sweet pecan crop every year. We have planted thousands of oak trees such as nutall, pin oak, water oak, shumardi, cherry bark, white oak, forked white oak, cow oak, live oak, and saw tooth.
Take a Look!
Click here to see "The Ones That Got Away!"
A nesting dove
Hooded Merganser
Ducks coming into Giles Island at sunrise