Gotta make lemonade

[BradB]

In keeping with all the timber harvest posts I decided to throw my situation out in the fray and see what some of you more experienced hunters suggest for the next few years.My west neighbor is mostly through clear cutting their entire 250 acres of beautiful mature native pine/hardwood forest. Supposedly gonna get sprayed, burned and replanted. So for about 4 years I am gonna have a 1/4 to 1/2 mile barren wasteland between my entire west line and the next woods.I am Orange, my clear cutting neighbor is Yellow.

This is a little more zoomed in. Green are existing plots and Orange is my 6 ac Summer plot now in 3 ac of beans/corn and 3 ac of a summer mix with sun hemp.

So where would you guys who have been through this think my best locations to hunt would be this year and even more important what I can do over the next few years to maximize the benefit of having 250 acres of absolutely prime bedding adjacent to me in a few years.I believe most east/west crossing will move to the south part of the property with less open ground to cover and that sw corner of mine will be where it happens. That 40 is about 1/2 thinned pines which will be burned this year and about 1/2 4 year old clear cut.. Also, whats this gonna do for my turkeys? I assume they will really like it for a couple of years and then will get no benefit when its gets thick again.

 

[willy]

Until it grows up/thickens I would think your hunting would be better as it will force them to travel your land more. I have no experience with hunting that situation so I have nothing else to share. Good luck.

 

[H20fwler]

I agree with willy, I think it will make your farm better for the next decade or so, especially if your neighbor lets the replanted area grow up in low brush while his trees are growing.

 

[bueller]

You mention spraying and replanting. Is he converting that ground to a monoculture pine plantation vs just letting natural regen take place?

 

[chummer]

I also think your hunting will be better for the next couple years. I had 50 acres of prime cover cleared for houses two years ago. It leaves only about 50 acres of woods left behind my develop for a lot of suburban deer. They have been stacked up in there good since. I think they are slowly finding other lots or getting hit by cars but there has been a short term boost in numbers and visibility. It looks like your land would hold more deer anyway. You will be in good shape.

 

[BradB]

They are going to replant 100% Loblolly monoculture. No doubt the hunting will get real good in about 3 years and it will be absolutely prime bedding for another 10 or so after that.My plan is to start beefing up on the food part of the equation so in a few years I can lure them out of the bedroom and into the dining room. Only real negative is the only really good place I have for summer plots is along my west side. All they have to do is keep a fairly wide lane open along their east line and they would be able to massacre anything crossing into my plots. Oh well. Maybe I will just e-fence that whole line if it becomes a problem.

 

[bueller]

I would sure think planting a couple acres of tall grass in your opening would be a great transition between this soon to be pine plantation and your woods to the east. I'd bet in good acorn years this would increase daytime movement from the pine bedding to the west into your hardwoods on the east. You should also get a few deer to bed in the grass.