Most everyone’s turkey season’s are winding down and it is a popular time of the season for many guys to get out there and fire up the tractor and bush-hog to cut roads, fields, or boundary lines that need trimming. Take the time to check these areas just before you cut for fawns or turkey nests. Many fawns every year are lost to bush-hogs, hay cutters, and other equipment. A slow pass through these areas beforehand with an ATV can be a great way to flush fawns or small turkeys and quail to get them out of harm’s way.
Flushing bars can also be built for the front of your tractor to warn wildlife before they are injured. These flushing bars are simply made from a metal or heavy schedule pipe attached to the bucket or front weight bar on the tractor extending 10 feet or so with short chains attached that rattle and disturb the area to alert unaware animals to move out of the way. A study showed that mortality on juvenile rabbits was reduced 80% when a flushing bar was used at cutting time.
Check out The Flushing Bar Project for directions on building your own flushing bar as well as photos and illustrations.
