Station Identification:

Physical Location: 4419 Idlewild Road, Clinton, LA 70722

Distance/Context: Located approximately 37 miles north of LSU’s Baton Rouge campus in East Feliciana Parish.

Contacts:

Resident Coordinator: Glen T Gentry, Jr.; (225) 683-5848; ggentry@agcenter.lsu.edu

Farm Manager: Will Forbes; (225) 683-5848; wforbes@agcenter.lsu.edu

Station Overview:

The Bob R. Jones – Idlewild Research Station is a Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station (LAES) facility supporting wildlife, livestock, and integrated agricultural research. The station provides specialized land, animal facilities, and laboratory space to support applied and field-based research addressing animal health, invasive species, and habitat management challenges relevant to Louisiana producers, land managers, and wildlife stakeholders.

Key Commodities and Production Systems Served:

Key systems supported include wildlife production and management (white-tailed deer, red deer, wild turkey, quail), beef cattle production, invasive feral swine control, integrated wildlife–livestock systems and timber production systems. The station also supports aquatic systems and forested landscapes relevant to agricultural and natural resource research.

Research Programs and Disciplines:

The station houses long-term research programs in wildlife health, disease ecology, habitat enhancement, invasive species management, and applied livestock research. Disciplines supported include veterinary and preventive medicine, animal science, wildlife ecology, parasitology, entomology/vector biology, and landscape-level habitat research.

Physical Resources and Infrastructure:

• Facilities include office space, a laboratory, and two Wi Fi–enabled conference rooms seating 70 and 30 individuals, respectively.
• A 60 acre high fence breeding and research complex housing approximately 100 adult captive whitetail deer.
• A 30 acre high fence breeding and research complex housing approximately 50 adult captive red deer.
• Deer facilities feature a 2,000 sq. ft. working barn equipped with moveable dividers, sliding door separation cells, a weigh box, and a drop bottom deer immobilization unit.
• 300 acres of fenced pasture supporting a resident commercial cattle herd of approximately 100 head.
• A 1,000 sq. ft. wet laboratory equipped with incubators, freezers, centrifuge, fume hood, microscopes, autoclave, and 80 feet of bench space.
• A 1,200 sq. ft. insectary/vector laboratory.
• Access to 1,800 acres of LSU AgCenter research land (1,500 forested acres and 300 open acres) suitable for upland wildlife research, including approximately two miles of spring fed stream. The property supports wild populations of whitetail deer, eastern wild turkey, bobwhite quail, beavers, otters, feral swine, and various small mammals. An adjacent 5,000 acre property is also available for wildlife research through an agreement with a Bob R. Jones Wildlife Institute board member.
• A 60 acre man made lake stocked with native fish species and utilized by migratory waterfowl.

Analysis Capabilities and Impact:

The station provides space and logistical support for conducting field trials and collecting biological and environmental data. Analytical testing and sample processing are performed through collaborations with LSU AgCenter researchers and external laboratories. Research conducted at Idlewild has contributed to advances in wildlife disease management, invasive species control strategies, and habitat-based approaches to improving animal health.

Agricultural Applications:

Research outcomes have been applied to wildlife disease mitigation, habitat improvement practices, and development of a species-specific feral swine toxicant. Findings are translated into management strategies adopted by producers, land managers, conservation organizations, and regulatory partners to improve ecosystem health and reduce agricultural losses caused by invasive species.

Collaboration and Partnerships:

The station supports collaborative research with LSU AgCenter units, state and federal agencies, conservation organizations, commodity and producer groups, and industry partners. These partnerships strengthen multidisciplinary research addressing shared agricultural and natural resource challenges.