Top of "The Hill" land tour

[chummer]

The journey starts today. I close on this piece of property in 28 Days. Here is the map and my initial thoughts on what to do. I am sure it will change since my only time on the property there was 3' of snow. Please give me any ideas on what you would do. This will be for hunting only. There is a neighbor to the west, and State land on the other three sides. Not on the map is a large beaver pond protecting the southern border and a very steep ravine protecting the entire eastern border. The only side open to trespassers is to the north. The neighbor to the west is heavily posted.

 

[TMIL]

Thanks chummer, I look forward to following your progress. I'm looking forward to lots of pics!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Assuming you keep an apple plot near your western border, I'd plant some spruce, northern white cedar ( arborvitae - which is NOT a true cedar for CAR problems ), hemlock, hawthorn, maybe hinge some trees to screen that border with the neighbor. I'd do the same along the south border to shield that long rectangular plot - if you keep it situated that way. One thing I see based on the topo lines and the prevailing westerly winds - the ground to the east of your east border is a higher hill top w/ southern exposure. I would bet deer bed on that easy sunny slope. If you have a food plot up on that higher ground west of the stream, I'd bet the house on deer traveling down that small ravine pointed northeast in the section you marked " sanctuary " across the stream. ( Look in the direction the northeast corner of your long rectangular plot points ). If you put a plot on your higher hill, I'd have a stand or 2 where deer come down that little ravine, cross the stream, and work their way up to the food plot using the wind to scent-check on the way. I'd have my stand (s) to the southeast / downwind side of their trails. Over the years I've seen LOTS of evidence deer like to travel in little ravines & swales - especially older bucks !!

 

[Buckly]

You want to start right and have a plan. Possibly take a year to make a plan and see how the deer and you could use the property. Find all corners and mark and post the entire perimeter well. To me it looks like you're lacking food so laying out some plots keeping in mind year round food. Also I would make more of the property sanctuary. I am sure this thread will go on for years and it will be interesting watching the progress.

 

[sandbur]

Will your only access be from the NW? What are the prevailing winds during deer season?

I would walk as much of the property as you can this spring and diagram rubs and deer beds. Look along both sides of the stream. Also look at the Sw corner fo the bend in the stream and also the NE corner of that swamp on the south side. Potential pinch points.

I wish I was closer as I would like to walk that property with you.

I agree to hutn it oen year before making major changes.

 

[sandbur]

I see fromt he other thread that you are having it logged. that is a good time to plan for foodplots.

Could the logger arrange tree tops to make a funnel or leave a few trees for stands at the heads of the two draws that I mentioned above.

 

[chummer]

Chummer,

My wife's uncle lived in upstate NY. A few years ago he had his 5 acres logged due to ice damage. He never knew he was sitting on a gold mine. The cherries were so good they were sold for veneer logs he got $1000 per tree from them. They were told that NY cherry makes the best veneer logs and is valuable. I hope your cherry trees are that good.

That is good news. The relator, who was a logger for 15 years, pointed out several trees that would be over the 1k per tree. He said hard maple is the best right now but there is a lot of both.

 

[chummer]

Will your only access be from the NW? What are the prevailing winds during deer season?

I would walk as much of the property as you can this spring and diagram rubs and deer beds. Look along both sides of the stream. Also look at the Sw corner fo the bend in the stream and also the NE corner of that swamp on the south side. Potential pinch points.

I wish I was closer as I would like to walk that property with you.

I agree to hutn it oen year before making major changes.

Yes only access is NW corner. It is impossible to hunt the winds here. On any given day they blow from all directions at once. The only thing I have found that somewhat works is being up 25' or more. On paper the prevailing wind is west. My plan is to have it logged ASAP and then spend one season watching and marking, then start hinging and planting year two.

 

[chummer]

I see fromt he other thread that you are having it logged. that is a good time to plan for foodplots.

Could the logger arrange tree tops to make a funnel or leave a few trees for stands at the heads of the two draws that I mentioned above.

I plan on having them clear the plots so i do need to decided where they are going before logging. I will be having them leave the tops too. After that everything else is available to be hinged. I only plan on having this logged once in my lifetime.

 

[chummer]

You want to start right and have a plan. Possibly take a year to make a plan and see how the deer and you could use the property. Find all corners and mark and post the entire perimeter well. To me it looks like you're lacking food so laying out some plots keeping in mind year round food. Also I would make more of the property sanctuary. I am sure this thread will go on for years and it will be interesting watching the progress.

My thought with the sanctuary is it will play bigger than the actual size. With the ravine and the elevation it should keep any scent from blowing in there. It is also protected by an even bigger ravine just off the map on the other side. I plan on hinging the north line and making it as thick as possible as it is the highest probability for any trespassing. Food is a huge concern here. I saw very few trees less than 6" and virtually no browse. Browse will be the easiest fix, a lot of soft maple to hinge.

 

[Buckly]

I see you like apples. Don't hesitate to put a row of apples in each of your plots. Apples are as good as corn as far as I'm concerned especially with the food situation you have there.

 

[wiscwhip]

I would consider hinging and heavy mixed conifer plantings in the green areas. More or less S/SW facing slopes toward the bottom of the ravine and already on the side you are leaving for sanctuary. Plant black spruce in the more moist areas near the bottom of the slope, and mix the other conifers as you get into the dryer soils.

 

[wiscwhip]

I also see some deer "sidewalks" that look like they would fit in, at least at face value. See if there are any natural travel lanes in the black areas and if so, hinge to make them the main travel corridors between the bedding and food.

 

[sandbur]

Whip-what do you have figgered out for stand access?

chummer-the deer trails or sidewalks should be easy to make after a year or two of regrowth after logging.
Do you have any conifers in place right now?

 

[wiscwhip]

The stand access may very well be the biggest challenge sandbur. The terrain here in the coulee region is similar to what chummer has only we have hundreds of feet of elevation change, sometimes over very short distances(i. e. very steep slopes). I have helped a few buddies from our area to check wind and thermals and it is very tricky business. We have used the product in the link below during the off seasons to check all sorts of wind patterns, it is our favorite tool. A little bit messy, but it gives a great idea of what the air is doing hundreds of feet from your stand locations. We have even set up a stand and put them on a plate of steel on the mesh floor of the stand and lit them from 20' up a tree to get a feel of air flow from the actual elevation of the hunter, even though they work fine from the ground. Clear the leaves away in about a 10' circle, and have some backpack sprayers full of water ready in case of any stray sparks, and doing it a day or so after a good rain is also helpful. They also work well this time of year when there is snow on the ground, as one can see the colored residue on the snow for a ways even after they go out. It could be the best $25 you spend on "fireworks" in your life.

http://store.metermall.com/s103o-colored-smoke-emitters-orange-p621.aspx



That said, I think a full on access trail just inside the west end to the south border and all the way across the south to the east border would be a must(outside of a full perimeter trail). I think primary access from the south is the best alternative to a northerly access, given the winds. Now chummer is the only one that could verify that any of this is even remotely accurate, if the south is a natural bedding area, it may be best not to disrupt that, and choose a different option.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

The area that Whip highlighted in green that looks like a baby-bottle nipple in the SE corner and the black " sidewalk " from that little ravine up to your food plot are just what I was talking about in post #3. Whatever path you construct for the deer - or they make for themselves - I'd have a stand downwind of it in that area. I think Whip saw the same thing there. And like Buckly said, apples are as good as corn in fall. My camp has both and the deer come RUNNING to pick up dropped apples FIRST and then go the clover, oats, corn. Sometimes it's comical to watch the race to the apples. So I'd stick a few apples at the plots like Buckly suggested, if I were laying it out.

The ravine coming in from the north ( to the left of the " sanctuary " tag ) would be another area I'd be looking at for travel. Whip " greened " that section as well. I look at topo lines to give me a predictable, probable idea of deer travel. Some of my very best deer stands have been picked just by looking at topo maps. Not joking. I think it has to do with air currents / thermals in ravines or intersections of ravines / hollows. Like the other gents said - I'd walk it, hunt it, scout for sign ( both new AND old ) and see what the deer are doing in those areas. If the deer favor some pattern, you can always improve on it with plantings, hinging, etc. Letting tops lay is primo. You can place those where you want them.

 

[chummer]

Whip- thanks for taking the time to draw on the maps. I like those ideas. I can't wait to see what's under all that snow.

 

[chummer]

The area that Whip highlighted in green that looks like a baby-bottle nipple in the SE corner and the black " sidewalk " from that little ravine up to your food plot are just what I was talking about in post #3. Whatever path you construct for the deer - or they make for themselves - I'd have a stand downwind of it in that area. I think Whip saw the same thing there. And like Buckly said, apples are as good as corn in fall. My camp has both and the deer come RUNNING to pick up dropped apples FIRST and then go the clover, oats, corn. Sometimes it's comical to watch the race to the apples. So I'd stick a few apples at the plots like Buckly suggested, if I were laying it out.

The ravine coming in from the north ( to the left of the " sanctuary " tag ) would be another area I'd be looking at for travel. Whip " greened " that section as well. I look at topo lines to give me a predictable, probable idea of deer travel. Some of my very best deer stands have been picked just by looking at topo maps. Not joking. I think it has to do with air currents / thermals in ravines or intersections of ravines / hollows. Like the other gents said - I'd walk it, hunt it, scout for sign ( both new AND old ) and see what the deer are doing in those areas. If the deer favor some pattern, you can always improve on it with plantings, hinging, etc. Letting tops lay is primo. You can place those where you want them.

I am sure my apple obsession will take over and I will be putting them every where.

 

[chummer]

Here you go Bat Man. Any ideas would be great.

 

[bat man]

After you hunt the property for a year you should have a better feel for your ability to hunt unpressured deer coming fro the public land. I would think about moving sanctuary west some and putting food to the east of the sanctuary you can access from the public. Put plots with tops from logging for blockades to dictate deer travel (works incredibly well) and stands can be placed so deer never (almost never) cross your trails. You get a ton of different winds to hunt and it does not blow into your sanctuary. All relative to what you find your deer doing next year. They only like to bend so much as far as where they bed, but the blockades put you in the drivers seat no matter what the deer would like to do. Almost. Bottom plots square is a mistake to be ignored.