Help me layout my new property

[skip122]

Long time lurker here. Finally got some property of my own. 99 acres in central ny mostly open fields all were hay. About 20 acres of timber on the north end. There is about 100 crab apple trees between the south west field and the center field. We are going to be putting a cabin in the south east field.. i was curious as to what you guys would do to make this into a quality habitat property. Planting trees food plots etc.. feel free to use my photo and draw all over it with your ideas.. thanks for the help and input

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[bwoods11]

Looks good, food plots for sure, maybe identify and clear around the apple trees for now? I personally like to hunt the farm before I do too much as far as habitat work. You learn a lot that first year.

 

[Peplin Creek]

Are you looking to lease out the fields? Or are you wanting to completely revamp the entire property?

 

[jsasker007]

Looks like you have a really nice spot there. Do you know if the last owners hunted the property? Maybe you don't have to do much at all. I agree with the wait a year and see what next years' hunting season looks like. A nice thick buffer between the two fields would be awesome.

 

[skip122]

Looking to revamp whole property.. farming community is pretty poor in this area people cant afford to pay for farm ground

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[jsasker007]

Will you also live on the property? That seems to make foodplotting easier if you do---travel and hauling stuff to the hunting land gets old after a while.

 

[BenA]

Really nice layout. I like that 13-14 acre brushy strip down the middle. That could make for a killer sanctuary especially if expanded out some more. What kind of grass is in the fields now?

 

[Belchertown Bowman]

Whats the black dotted line?

 

[Mortenson]

Congrats on a terrific looking property. Do you have any deer hunting game plans in mind yet? Do you know the area and where deer are most likely to come from? Where's the hunting pressure, cut-off properties, line sitters, safe farms? I'd want to know a lot of that kind of stuff before getting started on too many projects.

 

[Bill]

Really nice layout. I like that 13-14 acre brushy strip down the middle. That could make for a killer sanctuary especially if expanded out some more. What kind of grass is in the fields now?

I see that strip as one big killing funnel. Sanctuary also if hunted right.

 

[Troubles Trees]

Great looking land there bud! If it were me I would move the cabin just a little north and west of your pin, at the tip of the wooded point that ends in the field for the best view of those fields but nothing wrong with where you have it. It probably looks different than being there on the ground. Honestly a blank slate is a great way to start. I am also in NY (just south of Syracuse) and had a similar blank slate situation but only 38 acres to work with.
If I were you I would look at the DEC Seedling sale (I will paste the link at the end of this post, if the link doesn't work just google search "NYSDEC seedling sale") and your local SWCD sales. With the DEC you have to repetedly call until you get through on the opening day of the sale which always opens around January 2nd. Most of the good stuff like Oaks are sold out within a few hours of the sale opening. The DEC does sell cold hardy and blight resistant Allegheny Chinquapin every other year, they didn't offer them this year so plan for next year. IMHO Allegheny Chinquapin are very underrated and often overlooked. They are a 15-20' tall bushy tree that grows fast if properly maintained, but they are known for producing a small chestnut in the first 4-6 years after planting with large harvests when fully mature. You won't likely find any for sale now, for over a week I have been looking for them for a friend that is beginning his Habitat Addiction, I haven't even been able to locate seeds to try and go the long route.
I will warn you that there are alot of sources for these but not all are the same, so be sure to seek out the latin name "Castanea Pumila" because there are several different strains that are not compatible to our area, one is from Florida. That is why I would suggest our DEC Nursery, (Saratoga Tree Nursery) is right here in NY and grows their own from seeds collected from their stock on their land in NY. That is the only way you can be sure they are both cold hardy and blight resistant for our area. The DEC also offers alot of uncommon options depending on what you are planting for (you didn't specify). I am focused on Deer and Turkey so this year I ordered Highbush Cranberry, Burr Oak, Red Osier Dogwoood, Witch Hazel and Beach Plumb. I do plant a little for everything, rabbits, grouse and some stuff for my beehives.

https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/75799.html