Sections

Farm Ponds and Food Plots

Flinchum’s Phoenix, 650 Phoenix Drive, Athens, Georgia

Date: Jul 25, 2023 12:45 PM to Jul 26, 2023 06:00 PM

This course has a maximum capacity of 20 participants.

Brochure

Brochure with mail-in registration form and course agenda

Purpose
The Primary objective of this course is to provide participants with the opportunity to develop basic knowledge and skills about sportfish pond management and wildlife food plot management with the goal of producing high quality fish and wildlife populations in the Southeast. At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

· Conduct fish pond and wildlife habitat evaluations

· Troubleshoot issues common to fish pond and food plot management

· Identify common aquatic plants in the Southeast

· Identify the best planting options for food plots

· Understand timber stand improvements for enhancing wildlife habitat

· Identify and control various problematic aquatic and terrestrial weeds

Who Should Attend?
Landowners, managers, consultants, or any person desiring to learn more about the management of farm ponds and food plots. The benefit participants receive will be directly related to their participation. This course is designed to be interactive; open discussions and questions are encouraged. Also, bring appropriate outdoor clothing and extra clothing if you plan to get wet along with the instructors.

Location
Day 1 of this course will be held at Flinchum’s Phoenix in Athens Georgia to review lecture material covering concepts pertaining to sportfish pond and food plot management. Day 2 of this course will be held at a private farm near Athens, GA. The property contains several different ponds managed with different goals in mind, as well as an established food plot program. We will meet at Flinchum’s Phoenix 650 Phoenix Rd. Athens, GA at 8:00AM on Day 2 and travel in UGA vans to spend the day outdoors with hands on learning opportunities.

Instructors
Dr. Jay Shelton has a Ph.D. in aquaculture and fisheries from Auburn University, and is a fisheries biologist with the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. For over 20 years he has developed publications and taught outreach programs on the subjects of sportfish pond management, aquatic plant management, and water quality.

Dr. James Johnson has a Ph.D. in wildlife ecology and management from the University of Georgia and has been managing private lands with the goal of producing quality whitetails for the past 20 years, including his families farm in Jackson County where he holds the current archery record whitetail since 2016. He is a Certified Wildlife Biologist and the Continuing Education Program Director for the Warnell School and has been a member of the UGA Deer Lab for the past decade.

Wesley Gerrin is a research and outreach professional at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. He is from Habersham County, GA and received his B.S. in 2015 and M.S. in 2021, both from the Warnell in fisheries and aquatic sciences. He has six years of experience working at UGA on a variety of fisheries and aquatic sciences projects, including development of aquatics outreach materials, and regularly assists county extension agents with various pond and aquaculture related issues.

Dr. David Clabo has been Assistant Professor of Silviculture Outreach with the University of Georgia (UGA) Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources since December 2018. David’s outreach focuses on relaying current scientific information to landowners, practitioners, and natural resource extension agents on a wide variety of forest management and silviculture topics.

David Osborn is the Research Coordinator for the Deer Lab in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. David oversees research at the Whitehall Deer Research Facility, teaching students skills related to working with captive deer.

Cancellations
Notify James Johnson at (706-308-6396, james.johnson26@uga.edu) by 5:00pm July 11, 2023 if you wish to cancel and receive a refund.

Required Clothing
We will not be indoors for Day 2 of this course and will instead spend the day conducting outdoor activities. Bring appropriate footwear for wading in a muddy pond and extra clothing if you plan to participate in pond management activities. Also, a hat, sunglasses, sun screen, and a towel are recommended for this course. Water and refreshments will be provided for both days, and lunch will be catered for Day 2.

Parking and Directions
Parking at Flinchum’s Phoenix at Whitehall Forest is free of charge.

For directions to Flinchum’s Phoenix see:
Type “650 Phoenix Road, Athens, GA” into the Googlemaps.com directions finder.

Special Needs
If you require special services or dietary considerations, contact James Johnson at (706-308-6396, james.johnson26@uga.edu) by July 11, 2023.