Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station Office

Address: 4419 Idlewild Rd.
Clinton, LA 70722

Location: 3 miles south of Clinton on LA 67, then 2 miles east on Idlewild Rd.

Phone: 225.683.5848

Fax: 225.683.3281

Email:
ggentry@agcenter.lsu.edu

Web site:
LSUAgCenter.com/Idlewild

Office Hours:

7:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday

Glen T. Gentry
Resident Coordinator/Associate Professor
Contact Information

Size: 1,824 acres, including 300 acres of improved pasture, 150 acres in open grass, 70 acres in lakes and ponds and 50 acres in deer impoundments.

Research focus:

• Tree wildlife projects
• Weed control in forage crops, aquatics and noncrop areas
• Wildlife research in deer, quail, turkey and habitat Management
• Feral swine management

Special features:

Home to LSU AgCenter’s captive whitetail and red deer research herds.

Research Highlights

Wildlife

The station is home to two captive deer herds, whitetail and red deer, in addition to a native population of whitetail deer, turkeys and other upland game birds and animals. Current research with the captive deer herds includes improving artificial insemination techniques, vaccine development for epizootic viral diseases and improved animal husbandry.

Research utilizing the native wildlife includes varietal development of soft-mass for wildlife in conjunction with plant breeders focusing on wildlife habitat improvement. Feral hogs have become the number one animal nuisance in Louisiana, costing millions in economic impact. Currently, research is focused on developing a toxic bait for feral swine. Preference trials as well as the development of a delivery system capable of negating non-target impacts are underway.

Forestry

Of the 1,800+ acres of the station nearly 1,300 acres are in some forest system. Loblolly pine predominates, but hardwood bottoms spread throughout the station. Currently there are cooperative forestry projects involving insect monitoring, stand improvement, weed control and forest products utilization.

Weed Control

Research in the areas of non-crop, forestry, forage and aquatic weed control is conducted on the station. Giant salvinia has become the number one invasive aquatic weed in the state, causing millions of dollars of lost revenue to the recreational industry and reduced property values for lake front property owners throughout the state. Personnel from the station manage the production of the salvinia weevil which is used as the primary biocontrol agent in the fight against giant salvinia. The station currently operates three salvinia weevil nurseries in south Louisiana and two in central Louisiana.

Significance of Programs

Giant Salvinia (Salvinia molesta) research is focused on chemical and biological control. Currently one of the largest biocontrol projects in the nation is headquartered at this station.

One of the few Research Stations in the country with captive White-tailed deer and feral pigs.

Research from the Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station is utilized by both the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and private land owners, including high fence deer operations.

The station provides research on reproduction of both wildlife and domestic species to stakeholders.

Control and diagnostic tools for EHDV and BTV diseases that affect both wild and captive white-tailed deer are being investigated.

Our research improves wildlife habitat, food plots, reduce nuisance animals and increase desirable species produces a major economic impact for the state.

Field days – The station regularly hosts field days featuring wildlife, cattle and forestry.

2015 Industry Facts

The station’s wildlife programs provide an economic boost to Louisiana. Whether for hunting, fishing or bird watching, the recreational use of land in this area is big business. Timber harvesting is the only use of the land in this area more valuable than recreation. Recreational leases on land around the Bob R. Jones Idlewild Research Station average from $30-$35 per acre per year.

The Station serves several AgCenter campus departments including Animal Sciences, Entomology, Plant Environmental and Soil Sciences and the School of Renewable Natural Resources.

In addition, the Bob R. Jones Idlewild Research Station:

• Maintains a deer herd used for research projects with LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Sciences.
• Provides space for studies on forest, pasture and aquatic weed control
• 5,647 landowners leased land for hunting lease income
• 8,062,870 acres leased for hunting
• $98.7 million dollar economic impact from hunting leases in the state

Data from the Louisiana Ag Summary
Web site: LSUAgCenter.com/agsummary

Future Plans

The continued development of the Bob R. Jones Wildlife Research Institute will greatly expand the Station’s ability to conduct research in a variety of areas dealing with diseases of white-tailed deer and other wildlife, along with the ability to conduct research in the area of white-tailed deer genetics. The biocontrol program for the control of aquatic weeds is an important research component and Salvinia weevil nursery ponds have expanded with research aimed at producing a cold tolerant strain of weevil to combat salvinia outbreaks in areas of the state with colder winter temperatures.