Northbound
5 year old buck +
This is my home property- On the n.e. corner of my property is approx 1.5 acres of woods (blue outline). Has a row of apple trees planted on south edge about 3 years ago. This has a fairly steep decline from the field but gradual goes back up to the larger woods on neighboring property to the east. There is a water source about 3/4 mile in any direction otherwise the general area is high and dry. I was going to put in a rubber roof pond about 50x50 foot in the low area of this to hold water, maybe a few rubber run ways on the hills to help fill if needed.
Today I went back to start marking important trees to not damage once I start running the skid steer around doing prep work. This got me thinking about making a staging area along with the water hole. This is painful as I have no mature trees on this property except in this corner and fence lines. My thought is cut every tree that's not an oak (most of the neighbors oaks had been logged off a few years ago). This should create enough sun for white clovers and other somewhat shade tolerant plants. Current mix is pretty even spread of oak, maple, ash and cherry. A couple giant white pines exist as well.
Questions are
1- is there a size of oak that is most productive? Maybe removing a few of the giant 24" diameter plus ones would free tons of light if say old trees bare less acorns??
2- will deer even utilize this area as staging area being that it's lower elevation than the surroundings limiting there view?
3- obviously the east neighbor has a prime funnel. Am I standing a chance of competing with that or just helping the neighbors?
The red box on south prop line I had planted 3000 white pine, 1000 Norway spruce and apple trees on very south fence line. Hoping this becomes a travel corridor to a 3 acre orchard to the west(my yard). As the wp get to thick I'll tree spade some out to sell or move onto other areas of property. Currently I'm reluctant to plant much of it as ag land in the area is at a premium and brings in some high rent rates. Only bought as it surrounded my initial 5 acre home plot. Farmer renting it has agreed to plant 2 crops each year so he currently has
20ish acres of alfalfa and 10ish of soy beans
Today I went back to start marking important trees to not damage once I start running the skid steer around doing prep work. This got me thinking about making a staging area along with the water hole. This is painful as I have no mature trees on this property except in this corner and fence lines. My thought is cut every tree that's not an oak (most of the neighbors oaks had been logged off a few years ago). This should create enough sun for white clovers and other somewhat shade tolerant plants. Current mix is pretty even spread of oak, maple, ash and cherry. A couple giant white pines exist as well.
Questions are
1- is there a size of oak that is most productive? Maybe removing a few of the giant 24" diameter plus ones would free tons of light if say old trees bare less acorns??
2- will deer even utilize this area as staging area being that it's lower elevation than the surroundings limiting there view?
3- obviously the east neighbor has a prime funnel. Am I standing a chance of competing with that or just helping the neighbors?
The red box on south prop line I had planted 3000 white pine, 1000 Norway spruce and apple trees on very south fence line. Hoping this becomes a travel corridor to a 3 acre orchard to the west(my yard). As the wp get to thick I'll tree spade some out to sell or move onto other areas of property. Currently I'm reluctant to plant much of it as ag land in the area is at a premium and brings in some high rent rates. Only bought as it surrounded my initial 5 acre home plot. Farmer renting it has agreed to plant 2 crops each year so he currently has
20ish acres of alfalfa and 10ish of soy beans
