Habitat plan/ where to begin

[AirMan]

Looking for ideas and recommendations for a piece of ground i live on.

I have lived here 3 years and every year harvest good bucks, (very selectively,aside from one little buck usually during juvenile season)

Im not expecting a trophy deer ranch or anything like that just improve on what i have in the best way possible. i have a ton of deer/bucks that come through yearly, and im a 1/2 - 1 mile away from the mississippi river bluff straight west from my location.

Image 1-cutover north - this property was logged approx 4-5 years ago, and surrounding fields are usually planted in soybeans. deer tend to bed here over summer and early season.

image 2-land close - this is my property i live on

image 3- general area

image 4- my neighbor who recently passed away that allowed me hunting rights and still in good graces with the widow. no hunting pressure aside from 1-2 hunts max from a grandchild of the family. fields are just bush hogged 2-3 times a year no planting or any other use for the land. (since the passing, the fields have been set aside and not sure what the plan is going forward.

image 5 - yellow boxes are food plots typically planted in clover, purple top, oats, winter peas. all 3 food plots have produced a mature buck or 2. the red box was this years 1st run dove field that turned out a pretty fun shoot(47 birds found in 5 hunters) this year in thinking of adding the green box in sunflowers as well.

Just wanted to join and get to know some of you all and work on a plan to improve my deer holding habitat.

 

[omicron1792]

Looks great my man. I’ll add some ideas at some point. Welcome to the board!

 

[Hawkeye]

Ill take a quick crack at it.

Not sure if you bowhunt or strictly gun. This would be bowhunting set up, but would work for gun. Green food, rotate grains and greens on each N/S half. Water hole in that middle dividing line. Yellow screening. Black fruit trees planted on a 20 foot strip of clover on East edge of plot. The red stands close to the home area offer easy access and safe areas to blow wind for several directions. The one purple stand would be entered around 8:00-9:00AM on westerly wind during rut cruising and exited by 3:00PM. That stand and other bedding type stands would only be hunted a couple of times, some years not at all. Better locations and patterns may show up after a couple seasons.

The other stands would need to be figured out on site....located at tsi bedding points, ditch head crossings, cut corridors, etc. White is cut and sprayed corridors. Bedding and cruising stands would be morning/rut stands.

Definitely looks like you want to stay on the ridges there, I would have access path cut around perimeter. However, without seeing it, it's hard to tell how feasible this would be.

Also not sure if big plot area could be shifted East to that next semi open area so you could come in off road.

Kill plot of clover optional at opposite end of property for morning/all day sits.

 

[356]

Welcome. You have some great properties. To add to the conversation, I would focus on what appear to be some natural pinch-points. Some questions I have include:
Will you be still hunting, saddle hunting, using ground blinds, ladder stands or tower stands?
Are you wanting multiple stands for the various winds?
What equipment do you have available? ATV, UTV, Tractor, etc….
Have you done any burns? Is that an option?
How much can you do on the properties you do not live on?

From “cheap” (late summer burns) to “expensive” (adding year-round forage), there are lots of options that will help achieve your objective.

 

[AirMan]

Welcome. You have some great properties. To add to the conversation, I would focus on what appear to be some natural pinch-points. Some questions I have include:
Will you be still hunting, saddle hunting, using ground blinds, ladder stands or tower stands?
Are you wanting multiple stands for the various winds?
What equipment do you have available? ATV, UTV, Tractor, etc….
Have you done any burns? Is that an option?
How much can you do on the properties you do not live on?

From “cheap” (late summer burns) to “expensive” (adding year-round forage), there are lots of options that will help achieve your objective.

Sorry, i have been down in my back for a few days and havnt been doing much.

I have a few lock-ons already that I hunt the place out of now.

I have four wheelers, 5055E tractor, speaders, large discs, planter, big bush hog, etc.

I have only burned off food pllots locations, have not got into a full burn yet, I would love to.

I am looking at adding year round forage and id like to develop more areas that will hold deer closer.

on the northern property/cutover. nothing i can do in the ag fields, in the cutover i could free range

the southern property more than likely i will help maintain the property to some extent for the wife. (bush hogging the pasture, set aside etc.)

the big wood block to the left thats unhunted I cannot do anything there.


What are my best options for the main bottom areas Vs. the wooded ridges around? where would be bedding be best located and best way to establish? also, for year round food what would be recommended and at what locations?

 

[AirMan]

Ill take a quick crack at it.

Not sure if you bowhunt or strictly gun. This would be bowhunting set up, but would work for gun. Green food, rotate grains and greens on each N/S half. Water hole in that middle dividing line. Yellow screening. Black fruit trees planted on a 20 foot strip of clover on East edge of plot. The red stands close to the home area offer easy access and safe areas to blow wind for several directions. The one purple stand would be entered around 8:00-9:00AM on westerly wind during rut cruising and exited by 3:00PM. That stand and other bedding type stands would only be hunted a couple of times, some years not at all. Better locations and patterns may show up after a couple seasons.

The other stands would need to be figured out on site....located at tsi bedding points, ditch head crossings, cut corridors, etc. White is cut and sprayed corridors. Bedding and cruising stands would be morning/rut stands.

Definitely looks like you want to stay on the ridges there, I would have access path cut around perimeter. However, without seeing it, it's hard to tell how feasible this would be.

Also not sure if big plot area could be shifted East to that next semi open area so you could come in off road.

Kill plot of clover optional at opposite end of property for morning/all day sits.

Thanks for your reply! i see trends in what you sent Vs. what ive seen in person.

 

[TjdUSAF]

Black fruit trees planted on a 20 foot strip of clover on East edge of plot..

Lots of great ideas but this jumped out at me as a great way to deal with fruit trees in smaller plots!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AirMan]

Looks great my man. I’ll add some ideas at some point. Welcome to the board!

Thanks!

 

[AirMan]

What would be best screening options/plan? Sorry I didn’t mention I’m in western TN

 

[bigboreblr]

Screening, you can use numerous things. Spruces, pine, prarie willow, or do annual grasses. Orange osage or red cedar is an option too.

Very good plan having a place for the wfe. You can combine a pretty flower spot with a food plot. Several folks have some nice stuff that produces flowers too.

I might of missed it, but not much was discussed about bedding / secluded areas. Think that might be some worthwhile time spent there. Making field edges brushy, maybe going into certain spots every few years and cutting down taller stuff to maintain the brushy seclusion.

Is that creek year round water source for deer?

Far as year round food goes, I haer its more important to have summer food for deer down south. That's their tough time of year. IF you have to sacrfice parts of plots to focus on summer food, think it would be worth it. Might not be necesary though.

I am a fan of using finish mowers in food plots. Cuts things up better. You need an more open finish mower. Less shrouds around the blades. Wife's section might appreciate it too.

What kind do planter do you have? Wheelers? Kids joy riding much? Can cause problems at times. Extra ATV muffler and rerouting trails can help that.

Overall from overhead, looks pretty good.

 

[356]

To establish bedding, ragweed and giant ragweed make great bedding areas. Mine is still 6’ tall. Here is a picture I took today showing a trail into the bedding area. I find my deer this more than the NWSGs. The ragweed is also prime habitat for turkey and quail. Best of all, in many areas of the country, a shallow disking or tilling (1”) will provide a great crop.