BLB land tour topic; what we have to work with, and what to do going forward

Any chance you can pick up some land next to you?
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Yes. But only if I can split that powerball with you. 120 acres of pasture sold 1/2 mile west of us in September for $1900 an acre..... YIKES.
And the 40 next to us on our SE parcel is for sale. He only wanted 240k the last time I checked. He started at 400k.... No typos there.
It has an original log home on it thats restored from the late 1800's, and the dipstick built a mamoth new log cabin on it about 5 years ago. No power. Just a big ass cabin stuck in the middle of nowhere.
 
How many acres of food? Is a timber harvest in the mature hardwoods a possibility?
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Food is 12+ acres when you include the alfalfa out by the highway.
We just finished our new Stewardship plan, and mature oak harvest is on the top of the list. But currently there is no market according to the forester. Its only good for firewood right now.
 
Centralizing the sanctuary has me thinking more..... I am not ignoring G&G or anyone that has mentioned that.... Its got me thinking.

obviously not the silver bullet, but could add a bullet to the chamber at least. Hmmm.
 
My gut says if you are using the trail system during the archery season there is not a single spot the deer can feel safe without seeing smelling or hearing you access and exit stands. The does may well leave your place entirely if the neighbors don't go in the woods during archery season. 150 yards to smell you good rule of thumb.

zero clue how the deer use your place, and I have no experience with hills and the topography. Mine is almost all flat.

Maybe give those deer the middle of the piece and give up the mowed access trails. Never walk on the minimum maint road, access stands from the outside and the deer free low grass areas to the SW and NE. You won't be able to hunt your best stands, but you may not push the does off the place.

http://www.scribblemaps.com/create#...6637552131&lng=-95.550044292091&z=16&t=hybrid
 
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Here is a pic showing the parcel ownership. Another piece of the puzzle that makes the gun hunting what it is.... A shoot fest because most parcels do have guns on them for at least opening weekend. We dont have large tracts of land, or more specifically large areas set aside for refuge for deer.
Ours is parcel 3.

 
Here is a list of habitat/ground work we have done that I can come up with off the top of my head
Old stand aspen harvest

Buckthorn removal

Planted several thousand conifers

14 acres CRP(tree plantings)

3 planted acres of NWSG

6 acres of maintained food plots(corn, beans, clover)

Hingecutting all box elders possible

Retired 25 acres of wetlands in Wetland Easement Program

Wetland restoration through USFWS
 
There are some nice hills there! I pulled up a topo map and it looks like the hill in your SE corner is 140+ feet higher than where the township road splits.

Topo BLB.JPG
 
I am BUSTED! LOLLLL.

Yes, its a BALLBUSTER slope. The topo doesnt give it true justice.
 
biglakeba$$ said:
I am BUSTED! LOLLLL.

Yes, its a BALLBUSTER slope. The topo doesnt give it true justice.
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Sorry, it wasn't too hard to fine online based on your previous picture. The lake has a unique shape to it. Is that lake good for much? My wife and I have hike a lot and I like looking at a lot of topo maps and I know that I would not want to hike up that hill to a deer stand!
 
I was 100% confident that based on my info it would be easy to find. :)

Lake used to be a duck slaughter location. Now its a frickin minnow pond as the neighbor lets the local bait guy in there. Very few ducks shot in the area any more. Sux.

An ATV in 4wd is needed to get up the slope. 2wd wont make it. Its that steep. You are right, walking up that to a stand, I would be a sweaty mess by the time I got there and unable to even climb the stand. LOLLL
 
that 40 you're missing in the NW that would make you a perfect square...If you can somehow afford it and get them to sell, I'd be willing to pay too much to get that. It'd really round an already great property out and open the door to some effective enhancements. Once your thermal cover starts really coming in, I think you are going to be amazed at the good it does....I'd redistrict at that point and make those tree plantings sanctuaries
 
I have approached the owner on that 40 to the NW. I have drooled over that for years.

She is a relative of mine. My Grandma and her were first cousins.
She owns 160 acres, 120 on the west side of the hiway and the 40 on the east side that you are looking at.
She said she will never split up the property as long as she is able to pay the taxes on it. That property is another 100+ year family property. Sadly she is the last of the mohicans and has no where to go with the property. There are no siblings or children. So where that land goes is anybodys guess. I help her with thistle spraying, have posted the property for her to keep things current, etc. Just help her with some of the little things as she is nearing 70 now.

Believe me, that would be a gold mine to get. The guys that lease her land to deer hunt push that 40 every year on Sunday and they shoot deer.... the deer are pinched in and have no way out except to run by the posters. It really sux.
That is a major bedding area without question. VERY thick stuff too. That piece doesnt see a footprint 363 days a year. It is gun hunted 2 days and thats it.
 
What is the access? Do you currently have a spot where you park and access the land from 95% of the time? Does it differ during hunting time?

Look like highway frontage on the west side and the west side of the south line.

Can you access through the leased land to the NW?
Any access from that spot in the middle of the East property line?
Could you access it from the Northeast corner?
 
What is the access? Do you currently have a spot where you park and access the land from 95% of the time? Does it differ during hunting time?
Look like highway frontage on the west side and the west side of the south line.
Can you access through the leased land to the NW?
Any access from that spot in the middle of the East property line?
Could you access it from the Northeast corner?
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Main parking is 2 spots. Lines are current routes to stands.



I wouldnt want to access stands from the NW property simply because it is 100% sanctuary, and accessing from that end would potentially upset that. Is it better to upset that, than our land? Possibly. It would be tough to do, as the guys that lease it might take up issue with that.
Zero access from the east property. He is a different bird.... I had a trail camera on the fenceline a few years ago and he somehow found it and covered the lens in mud. There is ZERO hunting of any kind on that property. So not sure what his big beef is, but he is very controlling.
Access from NE corner I have never thought about, but the guy that owns that lives there and has dogs... guessing he doesnt want his dogs barking up a storm before sunrise when I would pull in. Just one of those things that I dont want to ask about that.
 
Neighbors are fun!!:)
 
Neighbors are fun!!
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Fun or not, my only beef is they shoot anything that walks. They can be dicks for all I care, but if we could get through some of their thick skulls that we could work together to have more deer for all, and better bucks for those that want that. We can have both. We have all the ingredients available, but the recipe needs to be tweaked.
 
biglakeba$$ said:
Yes. But only if I can split that powerball with you. 120 acres of pasture sold 1/2 mile west of us in September for $1900 an acre..... YIKES.
And the 40 next to us on our SE parcel is for sale. He only wanted 240k the last time I checked. He started at 400k.... No typos there.
It has an original log home on it thats restored from the late 1800's, and the dipstick built a mamoth new log cabin on it about 5 years ago. No power. Just a big ass cabin stuck in the middle of nowhere.
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Seen the price of stock cows lately? Pasture anywhere is bringing good money! Not a good comparison with hunting land right now.
 
I hear what your saying MO. But the land could be better suited for hunting, but it was pastured before and was sold to another person that will pasture it.

Remove the fences and there would be some nice stuff to fill in gaps in not too many years. Lots of very mature oaks on it but the understory is destroyed.
Hunting land in the area goes on the market for a very hefty price as well. 2k an acre is pretty typical. does it sell for that? I dont follow close enough to know.

 
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The one part that we know is an issue, we use the land. My neighbors do not use their land. Only activity is the cattle pasturing.

I have said and thought it many times, what is the purpose in owning land if you cant enjoy it?
Our presence is part of the problem. As was mentioned on page 1, maybe we dont gun hunt it and see what happens.

Big mental battle goes on in my head when I have spent so many hours on so many things to augment what we had/have. And then to go to the extent of not hunting the property in order to make it better is very tough to come to terms with.

Maybe it is what it is, and we just need to accept what we have. Make a few small changes with the suggestions so far, and make some small potential gains.
 
I would make a central sanctuary and stay out of that area while you still enjoy playing around on the perimeter. If there are any open locations that border the roads or neighbor's land, I would plant tree rows to prevent other people from seeing into your place. I think you could hold more deer if you make several thick bedding areas by hinge cutting or dropping groups of trees or perhaps by scattered logging. If the neighbors don't use their land frequently and you do, it's probably the pressure that keeps the deer off your land. But perhaps you can use your pressure on your land to your advantage if you spend your time enjoying the perimeter of your woods which should push the deer into your center sanctuary.

Your property looks really nice though and I think it will only get better as your existing pine plantings get bigger. That sure looks like a place that should produce nice bucks every year.
 
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