A few habitat pics I thought you might enjoy

[Native Hunter]

Do you need/want the income, or is it a nice to have? Do you think it will improve your hunting? For me, if the answer to either or both of those is no, I would pass.

Income is always good, but that’s not my main driver here. I’m not sure if the hunting would improve, but I don’t think it would get worse. I’m getting older and cutting my prairie maintenance in half is a strong motivator. Also having a good relationship with this farmer is appealing. I could even pay him to mow the remaining prairie for me if I was sick or unable at some point.

 

[KY wild]

I have friends who get sideways when corn is not gone before gun season because they feel deer pile in corn field and stay throughout daylight. Of course if you found this the second year you could simply ask him to harvest earlier in season.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

My first thought was maybe you would bring in too many deer, if that makes sense? Access would be a little more difficult if that is the case.

Also, are the tillable acres protected from people who might not be able to help themselves?

 

[Native Hunter]

I have friends who get sideways when corn is not gone before gun season because they feel deer pile in corn field and stay throughout daylight. Of course if you found this the second year you could simply ask him to harvest earlier in season.

Good points. I still think I would get some travel outside the fields around the edges, and that is where my shooting lanes are. Also I think there would be lots of edge travel during the rut.

 

[Native Hunter]

My first thought was maybe you would bring in too many deer, if that makes sense? Access would be a little more difficult if that is the case.

Also, are the tillable acres protected from people who might not be able to help themselves?

Nearly all my property lines have good screening from grown up fence rows. I do have some people who hunt near the line but they can’t see into my fields. The crops wouldn’t make that worse.

I’m already drawing in lots of deer in season with lots of fruit trees and plots, but you might lave a legit concern with having too many.

I think my access wouldn’t be affected negatively.

Thanks.

 

[Bill]

Based off your Father I’d say you’re good for being able to maintain the prairie for another 30 years. :)

I don’t think standing corn will hurt but I do like some picked corn during the season. They seem to pile into picked corn on my place which puts does out in the open even during the rut. That drags the boys out to check on them.

All that said I would still be apprehensive to fix something that’s not broken.

 

[Native Hunter]

Based off your Father I’d say you’re good for being able to maintain the prairie for another 30 years. :)

I don’t think standing corn will hurt but I do like some picked corn during the season. They seem to pile into picked corn on my place which puts does out in thenooen even during the rut. That drags the boys out check on them.

All that said I would still be apprehensive to fix something that’s not broken.

The farmer would let me mow down a row or two of corn if I paid for it. And that would be perfectly legal in KY.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I like the idea. At what point is there a law of diminishing returns. Is 60 acres of the same type of habitat doing you any more favors than 30? Idk but we both know the draw of beans especially. I’d much rather have that draw on my place than a neighbors. I always subscribe to the idea I’d rather have a little of multiple good things than too much of one good thing, and a little is relative. 30 of both is still plenty.

 

[Native Hunter]

I like the idea. At what point is there a law of diminishing returns. Is 60 acres of the same type of habitat doing you any more favors than 30? Idk but we both know the draw of beans especially. I’d much rather have that draw on my place than a neighbors. I always subscribe to the idea I’d rather have a little of multiple good things than too much of one good thing, and a little is relative. 30 of both is still plenty.

Yes, I'm thinking that way too, but I wanted to run it by everyone here to make sure I wasn't missing something important. I also think tall corn (and beans to a lesser degree) are cover - especially in a spot a human hasn't been in several weeks. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Kdog]

Based off your Father I’d say you’re good for being able to maintain the prairie for another 30 years. :)

I don’t think standing corn will hurt but I do like some picked corn during the season. They seem to pile into picked corn on my place which puts does out in thenooen even during the rut. That drags the boys out check on them.

All that said I would still be apprehensive to fix something that’s not broken.

Exactly what I was thinking! No need to go messing with the success you already have. While the income is nice, it's not required and if there is no sure way to tell it would improve anything, why mess with it. I have a little over 27 acres of tillable land in my 90 and I will not do it on my place. Heck, I struggled with putting in a dove plot that will soon be a food plot.

That said, it's not my place or my call. I am sure whatever you do, you will still enjoy the fruits of you labor.

 

[marlin]

My vote is to leave it prairie. I think you're taking a step backwards. I took my fields out of row crops 7 years ago(corn/beans). I find myself planting less and less food plots and converting to pollinator type fields. These fields have increased the overall health and production of the property immensely. The current deer hunting and variety of wildlife is the best I've experienced on this property. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Native Hunter]

I really like all of the feedback. Thanks, and keep it coming.

 

[fingers]

What's the smallest acreage the farmer would mess with? Maybe start small and later decide if you expand to the full 30.

 

[Native Hunter]

What's the smallest acreage the farmer would mess with? Maybe start small and later decide if you expand to the full 30.

I think he would do as little as 20 acres, and that might be a good compromise.

 

[Telemark]

I would definitely try it for a few years. You'll probably have to adapt to the change in deer behavior, but the challenge is what makes hunting rewarding. If it ends up being a problem, have him harvest before gun season for a few years. If it all turns out to be a big mistake, end the agreement with the farmer, and you're left with a blank slate for bedding/cover/orchard/food plot/etc.

 

[SwampCat]

We all have a different perspective based upon experiences in our own area. I worked hard to get fields of nwsg - they ended up being a big nothing. No animal I know of uses them on a regular basis - here. I am having success converting some nwsg to pollinator and the deer usage is much increased. Within that open ground of nwsg, I have about ten acres I planted in beans for a few years - the deer swarmed them in the summer - I like the protein for both the bucks and does. They ate the beans in fall. It was a win - until they started eating the beans shortly after they came up and I could no longer grow them.

But, I think the reason nwsg was so ineffective is cover is everywhere in this country. That is the least needed component of habitat here. Food is king - it gets them out of cover. There is one row crop farm in the county. If it was on my ground - planting the field in food would be a no brainer - especially if I didnt have to do it and it cut down maintaining 30 acres of field. At my place - fields are high maintenance - the fields see the surrounding woods and that is what they try to be - the fields want to be woods - and it is a job keeping the fields from becoming woods.

 

[Mortenson]

I'd be concerned about the farmer getting a dose of reality after the 1st year of leaving crops standing late. If the yield gets cut in half by a hungry deer herd, I could see him no longer agreeing to that.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I'd be concerned about the farmer getting a dose of reality after the 1st year of leaving crops standing late. If the yield gets cut in half by a hungry deer herd, I could see him no longer agreeing to that.

Agreed. That struck me as a ballsy agreement on his end

 

[Native Hunter]

I'd be concerned about the farmer getting a dose of reality after the 1st year of leaving crops standing late. If the yield gets cut in half by a hungry deer herd, I could see him no longer agreeing to that.

He has a lot of experience and knows about deer damage. In fact, we discussed that. One reason he was willing to wait late is because it takes them that long to harvest all of the land he has. He said, "I wouldn't be finished by that time anyway."

 

[Native Hunter]

Three more things are happening near me that could change my hunting. Time will tell how much and whether for better or worse:

1. Bordering me on the southeast they cut timber this spring in a 20 acre woods. This will be a grown up jungle soon. I'm not sure if the guy who hunts it will know how to hunt it. It doesn't take much human pressure on 20 acres to keep the good ones from bedding there.

2. Bordering me on the south - the farmer is letting his crop field edges go fallow. It will be heavy cover, but it will be narrow strips not over 40 yards wide. The guy who hunts there is constantly driving an ATV all over the place, so I doubt the good ones will try to bed in it.

3. About 1/2 mile to the southwest on another farm that doesn't join me - they sold out and the new owners are putting in 8 chicken houses. I'm hoping it ends the hunting there, because some of my best future prospects we passed have been killed on that farm.