DMAP helps property owners manage their land for wildlife

While this is the time of year gardeners are thinking about gardening, and keeping deer out of their vegetable patches, this is also the time of year when hunters really start to focus on managing their land for deer populations as well as other wildlife. While everyone has a different idea of what they want from their land, those looking to manage for a bigger, better deer herd can get involved in the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP). 

DMAP cooperators can enroll in the program at three different levels, based on the acreage they own and their goals for management. Acreage requirements for different levels vary from no requirement to a 640-acre minimum. 

The mission of the program is to “create a partnership for healthy deer and healthy habitat,” according to the program outline. The program, which started in 2014, now has over 1,400 landowners enrolled. This means well over 340,000 acres are enrolled in the program. Many cooperators are also involved in the Managed Forest Law (MFL) Program, but enrollment in that program is not necessary to enroll as a DMAP cooperator. If a cooperator’s property is also enrolled in MFL the DMAP program works with landowners to integrate both plans on their property to achieve the results they are seeking.

For those wondering what is the best way to attract deer and/or keep a healthy herd around, there are many ways the DMAP can help. Here are the three levels for cooperators:

Level one

In this level, there is no acreage requirement. The level is open to any landowner or land manager. 

There is also no enrollment fee at this level. DMAP cooperators at this level have access to all of the educational materials available through the program. 

Cooperators are also able to attend any DMAP workshops or trainings held while they are enrolled. While they do not qualify for a site visit, they do have access to a local biologist and a forester who can provide technical information on their field of expertise. There are also resources available for level one DMAP cooperators to find funding for habitat work and other projects on their land. At this level, DMAP cooperators will get out of the program what they put into it, according to Department of Natural Resources (DNR) wildlife biologist Curt Rollman.

Level two

Level two DMAP cooperators must enroll 160-640 acres of land in the program. There is a $75 fee attached to this DMAP level, which is paid every three years. 

This is the lowest level at which a landowner would qualify for an on-site visit with a professional forester and a biologist. After walking the site with the landowner, the forester and biologist will then provide a customized property management plan for that specific piece of land. Deer harvest reports are also provided at this level for that land and, if warranted based on management strategy, a biologist can recommend reduced-price antlerless tags for that specific piece of land.

Level three

This is the highest enrollment level of the DMAP and requires a landowner to have 640 acres enrolled. The fee for this level is $150 every three years. Again, Level three cooperators, just like level two cooperators, qualify for an on-site visit from a forester and a biologist. They are also offered priority enrollment in the Snapshot Wisconsin program. In this program, volunteers use trail cameras provided by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to learn more about the species of animals on the landscape as well as to get an idea of how many may be in the area. The landowner simply changes out the camera battery and SD card at least once every three months, then uploads the encrypted photos to the Snapshot Wisconsin website. 

The photos are unencrypted and a message is sent back to the landowner, letting him or her know the photos are ready to view. That person can then go back onto the Snapshot website and view all of the photos from their camera taken during that time period. Users then classify each photo based on the species of animal present. All of this information from all Snapshot cameras is sent to a central database where scientists and researchers can use the information to learn more about species range, distribution and prevalence.

During the site visit with level two and three cooperators, the forester and biologist learn more not only about the property, but also about the landowner and their wishes for their land. 

Benefits for all

Any property owner or manager who enrolls in the program has a variety or resources available to them to help them achieve the results they intend for their land. There are also many opportunities to network with other DMAP cooperators as well as DNR staff through various trainings and workshops that are held each year. Many DMAP coordinators find networking with other cooperators to be a great addition to the assistance from foresters, biologists and other DNR staff. There are no specific requirements of the program or “hoops to jump through,” per se, to stay involved in the program. Cooperators are simply given access to the people and the tools they need to achieve their desired results.

This “walk and talk” of the property all goes into the customized plan prepared for that property. While the plan offers a good idea of what a management plan may look like for the property, it is not as detailed as a MFL plan may be and it does not, in itself, qualify a landowner for cost share programs. 

The one-on-one consultations can continue well past the site visits and the creation of the management plan. If a landowner, even two years later, decides they want to try something different such as a food plot in a different area or they feel a different timber management technique may be better, they can call the biologist or forester and talk over the new ideas with those professionals. It also allows landowners to invite a professional out to talk with neighbors who may also want to learn more about the program or about different land management techniques.

For more information about DMAP, or to learn how to enroll as a cooperator, go to the DNR website dnr.wi.gov and input the search term “DMAP.”

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].