It’s that time of year when the grass is growing faster than we can keep up, trails are closing in, and the itch to fire up the mower gets stronger by the day. Late spring can make any landowner feel behind on maintenance. But before you drop the deck and go to town on those fields and edges, it’s worth pumping the brakes.

Because right now—whether you realize it or not—your habitat might be doing some of its most important work of the year.

Why Timing Matters

Right now, turkey hens are doing some of their most vital—and most vulnerable—work of the year. Nesting is well underway across much of the country, with hens laying and incubating clutches in thick grass, briar patches, and overgrown edges. These nests are incredibly well hidden, and hens won’t flush until you’re nearly on top of them—if at all.

Mowing through nesting habitat this time of year often means destroying the very reproduction you’re managing for.

And while the peak of fawning season is still a couple weeks out, we’re already entering the danger zone. Most whitetail does will begin dropping fawns in late May, with peak drop typically occurring around June 1 across much of their range. That timeline is rooted in biology: whitetails have a 201-day gestation period, and the average peak breeding date is November 12.

Newborn fawns rely almost entirely on camouflage and stillness to avoid predation. They don’t jump up and run—they hunker down in thick cover, often exactly where you’re about to mow.

Even small disturbances during this window can throw off what’s known as predator swamping—a strategy where synchronized hatching or birthing overwhelms predators with more prey than they can consume. When nests are destroyed or fawns are lost prematurely, the whole system begins to break down.

Safer Alternatives & Best Practices

If you’ve got the urge to clean things up, you’re not alone—but a little restraint this time of year can pay big dividends for your deer and turkey populations. Here are a few strategies to help you balance land maintenance with wildlife protection:

• Delay mowing until at least mid-to-late June, when most nests have hatched and fawns are old enough to flee from danger. If you can hold off even longer, you’ll give those young animals the best chance at survival.

• Raise your mower deck to 8–10 inches. If mowing can’t be avoided, this simple adjustment can help protect box turtles and increase the odds that a bedded fawn survives the pass.

• Spot spray invasive weeds like fescue or thistle rather than mowing the whole field. You’ll do a better job controlling the problem species without disturbing everything else.

• Scout before you mow. Even a quick walk-through might reveal a nest, fawn, or turtle that would have otherwise gone unseen.

A good rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t turn a bird dog loose in that field, maybe don’t run a mower through it either.

The Value of Patience in Land Management

It’s easy to feel behind this time of year. Grass is growing, trails are shrinking, and your tractor’s calling your name. But good land management isn’t just about staying busy—it’s about timing your work to do the most good and the least harm.

Letting things grow for a few extra weeks can feel counterintuitive, especially if you like tidy edges and open lanes. But by holding off just a little longer, you’re giving young wildlife the breathing room they need to survive their most vulnerable stage.

It’s a short-term delay for a long-term gain—and one of the simplest ways to make your property more productive, more biodiverse, and ultimately, more huntable come fall.

Give Your Property an Edge

If you’re serious about taking your land to the next level, these next few weeks are the perfect time to start planning. What’s growing, what’s using your fields, and what’s missing are all questions a good plan can answer.

That’s where I come in.

I build comprehensive habitat management plans tailored to your property’s unique potential—from timber management and food plots to invasive species control, native plant restoration, and detailed hunting strategies. Whether your goal is to grow mature bucks, boost turkey numbers, or simply steward the land better, I’ll help you build a blueprint that delivers results in the woods and in the stand.

Let’s give your property an edge—literally.

www.whetstonehabitat.com

I’m now booking summer consultations for landowners ready to make drastic, lasting improvements to their property. Don’t wait until the season is already here—reach out today.