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Rayonier recreation
First Quarter 2013
Improving Your Favorite Outdoor Experience
report
Welcome Letter
Thank you for being part of the Rayonier Hunting &
Recreation program. Some of you have recently
joined the program while others have been in the
program since its inception, some 40 years ago.
We all appreciate your business, and we want you
to know how very valuable you are to Rayonier.
Our goal in Hunting & Recreation is to provide you
with an outstanding outdoor recreation experience—
one you want to repeat. My team and I have made it a
priority to focus on three key areas: building stronger
Welcome Letter continued on page 7
Turkey Hunting
Safety Tips
Each spring, thousands of hunters enter the woods in
pursuit of the eastern wild turkey. Turkey hunting is
considered one of the most challenging hunts. The
typical hunter will use concealment and imitation
to lure the majestic gobbler into shooting range;
sometimes the concealment and calling result in
tragic shooting accidents.
The primary cause of turkey hunting accidents is a
mistake in identifying the target. The hunter sees
movement, hears sound or sees a flash of color and
then shoots. This poor judgment often causes severe
injuries to and sometimes even the death of another
hunter. Here are some common sense rules that are
key to having a safe turkey hunting experience:
Turkey Hunting Safety Tips continued on page 6
Alejo Barbero
Perennials in the South
What to Expect When Planting
Fall Perennials
The first food plot that I ever planted was a
perennial blend of clovers planted in the fall in
Alabama. What I expected and what I got were
very different. I guess I expected a big, lush plot of
clover to come popping out of the ground and
that in a couple of weeks I would be hunting over
it. That is how it works, right? We had a good pH to
work with. I had disked the ground until it was a
perfect and smooth seedbed, fertilized heavily,
Perennials in the South continued on page 2
Perennials in the South continued from page 1
planted and so I waited. After a couple of good
rains, I saw tiny seeds begin to make their
emergence, but because the plot had been
covered in a flush of rye grass that had probably
been planted for numerous years prior, it didn’t
seem that the clover ever did a whole lot more
than just germinate, making a little green carpet a
quarter-inch or so high over the plot. I saw plenty
of deer on that plot that season and killed some
does over it, so I wasn’t completely disappointed.
But I was puzzled over where I had gone wrong
with the clover.
To say that I was a little surprised when I returned
to that plot the following spring is an
understatement. I had a lush, thick stand of
beautiful clover. THIS was the field I was expecting
when I planted it the previous fall. So what did I do
wrong? Nothing. As the old saying goes, “If I only
knew then what I know now.” I can’t tell you how
many times I have heard this same story from land
managers from all over the country. In this article
we will look at some of the things you can expect
when planting fall perennials in the South.
This will apply primarily to those who plant in the
transitional and Southern planting zones. Land
managers in the North should be planting their
perennials in the spring and early summer and
won’t have the same timetable as those with a fall
planting time. Why the different planting times,
you ask? Fall-planted perennials in the North are
quickly met with hard frosts and do not have time
to develop a root system strong enough to come
back from a harsh winter, during which they’ve
been covered with snow for a couple of months.
In the South and some of the transitional planting
zones, spring- and summer-planted perennials are
often failures because of the lack of moisture and
because severe heat cripples the young plants
before they ever develop a root system. Perennials
need 60 days of good growing conditions to
establish their root system so they will come back
the following season. Some require less time, some
more, but if you can give your perennials 60 days
of adequate moisture and intermediate
temperatures, you’ll have a good start to a longlived perennial stand. The odds of this happening
in the South are much better when seeds are
planted during the late summer or fall, and the
best chance for perennial survival in the North
is with a spring-planted crop.
We have a saying, “Perennials sleep and then they
leap.” In order for a plant such as clover, chicory
or alfalfa to live up to its name and be a true
perennial, it first has to grow a root system that
can sustain the plant through stressful periods
and allow it to be viable for numerous growing
seasons. I have talked to countless customers who
have planted one of BioLogic’s perennial blends in
the fall and been disappointed with what their plot
looked like a month or so later.
“Be patient,” I say. In most places where there is
even a moderate deer density, you will not see a
fall-planted perennial get more than three to four
inches high. Even though there is not as much
forage above ground in newly planted perennial
fields, as opposed to an annual plot, the growth
that is there is extremely attractive. This is another
reason why many food plotters never see their
new perennial plots get above “lip high” that first
growing season. Only in very large plots or areas
of very low deer density will you see a first-season,
fall-planted perennial get a significant amount of
growth above ground before Old Man Winter
comes along and slows the growing cycle down.
When I plan what I want to plant every fall planting
season, I am actually looking a year or more down
the road for my perennials. I don’t count on my
new perennial fields to really produce a significant
yield and be one of my No. 1 hunting plots or
really a “finished plot” until the following spring,
when they begin to emerge from a winter of
root building.
“One of the most satisfying aspects to
serious food plots is managing a successful
perennial field for multiple years.”
—Austin Delano
Due to overseeding, fertilizing, mowing and
spraying selective grass herbicides (like Select,
Volunteer, Arrest or Poast), a perennial plot is like
a never-ending work in progress. It is always
changing as a result of your management style
and what Mother Nature deals it. One thing has to
be stated: Perennials must have a neutral pH (6.5 to
7.0) to do well. Perennial legumes do not like acidic
soil. However, with a neutral pH and proper
management, perennials can last for much
longer than the three to five years that we claim
on our packaging, especially when grown in the
transitional area and the North. In the South, our
hot summers seem to zap the life out of perennials
faster, but with proper management you can still
get more than five years out of them.
Now, don’t let the slow start from perennials like
clover and chicory lead you to avoid adding them
to your food plot program. There are many more
pros than cons when it comes to perennials on
your property. One of the most satisfying aspects
of serious food plots is managing a successful
perennial field for multiple years.
Austin Delano
Research and Development
Mossy Oak BioLogic
Meet
Jose Villarreal
Meet Jose Villarreal: Eagle Scout, deer hunter, father
of four, husband to his high school sweetheart, and
Rayonier’s Resource Development Manager for the
Southwest Resource Unit. Those personas are in no
particular order, but they seem to accurately sum
up Rayonier’s first spotlight profile.
Jose oversees 354,000 acres of Rayonier’s land in
Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. He currently lives
in Lufkin, Texas, where he manages the non-timber
activity, which includes oil and gas, hunting, bees,
fuel wood, rights-of-way and other leasing activities
not directly related to timber that use Rayonier
resources. His job requires him to travel about 2,000
to 4,000 miles a month—mostly day trips—but he
averages six days of overnight stays.
He enjoys his work, and it enables him to enjoy
his family at the end of the day.
When asked about his dream job, Jose admits it’s
the one he has. He says, “Every day is different, not
better or worse than the one before, and presents
its own challenges and rewards.” He enjoys his work,
and it enables him to enjoy his family at the end of
the day.
When he is at home, his life centers around his
family, which is perfectly balanced with a 14-yearold girl, an 12-year-old boy, a 8-year-old girl and
a 6-year-old boy. His favorite vacation is a family
camping trip, and he loves to hunt and fish. He
satisfies his interests for now with Boy Scouts
and Cub Scouts, being an Assistant Cub Master
and a Pinewood Derby Pit Boss, kids’ cross-country
and swim teams, and playing sports. You can tell he
loves these things and wouldn’t want to be
anywhere else…well, except College Station when
the Aggies are playing.
Jose Villarreal, Resource Development Manager
Elberta Tree Nursery—
Growing Hardwood Seedlings?
That is correct. One of Rayonier’s tree nurseries is
growing hardwood seedlings. The Elberta Tree
Nursery, purchased as part of a timberland
acquisition in November 2011, is growing 900,000
hardwood seedlings along with 8,000,000 pine
seedlings. The nursery is located in Elberta,
Alabama, about halfway between Mobile,
Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida.
Elberta currently grows 44 different species of
hardwoods. These hardwood species are planted
for wildlife, wetland reclamation, ornamental use
and timberland management. The wildlife species
include crab apple, mayhaw, pear, pecan, plums
and persimmon. The wetland reclamation species
include cypress and tupelo gum. The ornamental/
aesthetic species are dogwood, magnolia, red
cedar and wax myrtle. Our best sellers are the
oak species, which are suitable for any use but
are primarily planted for timberland management.
Elberta’s customers are very diverse, buying from
25 to 70,000 hardwood seedlings. Many customers
Advanced Generation Pines
25 Species of
Hardwood Seedlings
Nurseries in Alabama and Georgia
(251) 986-5210 or (912) 654-4065
www.rayonierseedlings.com
Volume Discounts Available
are small landowners who want to plant a few
trees on their property. Elberta’s other customers
are retail nurseries and timber companies, as well
as cities, towns and counties purchasing for Arbor
Day. Elberta also sells large quantities of
hardwoods to companies that plant and manage
the hardwoods, similar to our pine management.
Most of Elberta’s customers come to the nursery
to pick up their seedlings, but we do ship to
anywhere in the United States. Elberta has
shipped hardwood seedlings to as far as
California and Maine.
Turkey Hunting Safety Tips continued from page 1
1
Target Identification — Being 99.9% sure
isn’t good enough. Make absolutely sure that
you see your target and that it is a turkey with a
beard. Make sure that you have a good shot
before you pull that trigger.
2
Calling — Be particularly careful after using a
gobbler call. The sound and motion may
attract other hunters.
3
Dress Defensively — Wear full camouflage
from the top of your head to the tip of your
toes. Wearing partial camouflage may leave just
enough exposed to look like parts of a turkey.
Eliminate the colors red, white and blue from your
turkey hunting outfit. Red is the color most
hunters use to identify a gobbler’s head from the
hen’s blue-colored head.
4
Calling Position — When selecting your
calling position, don’t hide so well that you
cannot see what is happening around you.
Remember, eliminating movement—not being
totally concealed—is your key to success. Select a
calling position that provides a background as
wide as your shoulder and that will completely
protect you from the top of your head down, such
as a tree with a trunk wider than your body, to
protect your back. Small trees will not hide slight
hand and/or shoulder movements, which might
look like a turkey to another hunter who could be
unwisely stalking your calls. Make sure that you
are able to see 180 degrees in front of you.
5
Signaling an Approaching Hunter — Never
wave, move or make turkey sounds to alert
another hunter to your presence. Remain still and
call out in a loud, clear voice to alert oncoming
hunters of your presence.
6
Using a Decoy — When using a decoy, always
place it so you are out of the direct line of fire
should another hunter mistake it for legal game.
When moving through the woods, totally conceal
your decoy with camouflage or fluorescent orange
so it won’t be mistaken for a live turkey.
7
Hunting Strategy — Never stalk a wild
turkey. The chances of getting close enough
for a shot are slim, and the chances of becoming
involved in an accident are increased. The less you
move, the safer and more effective you will be in
hunting a turkey.
8
Bringing Home the Bacon — Once you have
killed a bird, wrap a fluorescent orange vest
or band around its body, with wings folded in,
before moving. Leave the woods via the most
open route possible.
Turkey hunting is one of the safest sports in the
world. In fact, more people visit the emergency
room from playing football, baseball or basketball
each year than from hunting. Using a little
common sense keeps you and other hunters
enjoying this great sport for life.
Be smart, consider your options and have a
safe hunt!
Please reference Marcus Kilburn (Arkansas Game
and Fish Commission), National Wild Turkey
Federation “Fall Turkey Safety Tips” and Ed Wilson
(Outdoor Underwriters, Inc.).
8
Hunting and Recreation is Forest Resources’
second largest business after timber. Rayonier
has maintained an active leasing program for
more than 40 years.
Welcome Letter continued from page 1
customer relationships, streamlining our operation
and building a strong team to support you.
We recently conducted an in-depth customer
survey that provided great feedback. As a result,
we change our signature requirements during
mid-term renewals. If you are in years 2, 3, 4 or 5
of your agreement, Exhibit A is now only required
for new members only. You don’t need to send the
signatures of every member in your club, just send
the Exhibit A for new members ONLY. We hope
these enhancements provide better service
and prove that your feedback and business are
important to us.
This is just a small sample of many improvements
to come that will enhance your experience.
I am excited to send you this first-edition
newsletter from Rayonier’s Hunting & Recreation
program. I oversee the program on the great land
that you lease and thought I would take a moment
to share with you some facts about our company
that you may not know, offer tips you can use
and hopefully help you get to know us better.
I am pleased to introduce you to Jose Villarreal,
our manager in the Southwest Resource Unit, in
this newsletter. I look forward to highlighting our
other regional managers in future issues. We have a
strong team of seven regional managers who want
to listen to you and understand your needs and will
find ways to ensure that you have an excellent
experience in Rayonier property.
Rayonier was founded in 1926 in Washington and
has grown to 2.7 million acres of timberland in the
U.S. and New Zealand. We have three basic areas of
business: Forest Resources, Performance Fibers and
Real Estate. This balanced mix of businesses makes
Rayonier a stable company.
Our timberlands provide a renewable raw material
utilized in countless products we use every day. The
timberlands also improve air and water quality;
provide wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities
and scenic beauty; and create good jobs that
support rural communities.
The company practices sustainable forestry,
which ensures prompt reforestation and protection
of air and water quality, native plants and trees,
and wildlife habitat. Rayonier has planted over
one billion trees in the past 50 years.
Rayonier also produces renewable energy,
covering most of the energy needs of our
Jesup mill in Georgia and our Fernandina
mill in Florida.
Hunting and Recreation is Forest Resources’
second largest business after timber. Rayonier
has maintained an active leasing program for
more than 40 years. Currently, 2.3 million acres
in nine states are part of the program.
We all appreciate your business, and we want you
to know how very valuable you are to Rayonier.
Alejo Barbero
Hunting and Recreation Manager
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Call Rayonier today, and find
your next hunting lease.
855.729.4868
rayonierhunting.com
States with Rayonier Hunting Land