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Issue link: http://digital.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1449393
44 Create/Maintain Large Blocks of Suitable Nesting Cover Due to past management philosophies that focused on increasing the amount of "edge habitat", many of the remaining grasslands on WMAs are relatively small in size� Research has indicated that pheasant nesting success is generally higher within larger blocks of grassland cover (>40 acres)� On many WMAs, land managers are strategically working to increase grassland block size by removing trees and/or planting cropped acres back to grassland habitat (where feasible)� Food Plots Food plots are commonly planted on WMAs by public land managers or lessees via crop-sharing� In situations where crop-sharing is most feasible, the derived income is used for other habitat improvements on the WMA� Corn and milo plantings provide a high-energy food source and concentrate birds to enhance hunting opportunities� At times, wheat and other small grains are utilized to increase the availability of nesting cover� Crops must be rotated annually to maintain productivity and help control unwanted weeds and other pests� At least 25% of the total cropland fields on WMAs must be "left idle", or maintained in an early-successional state, which provides additional benefits to pheasants and other wildlife� Targeted Management Efforts on Adjoining Private Lands To maximize the pheasant response to management efforts on high-priority WMAs, private and public lands staff will be collaborating to create and improve pheasant habitat on adjacent private lands by offering a suite of financial incentives to private landowners� This will also be the strategy within the priority areas in the Rainwater Basins and Eastern Saline Wetland complexes�