New Home with 10 Acres - Seeking Habitat advice/opinions

[csamps10]

New to the forum but see the value in the experience with many of the posts I've read and searched thus far. We are new to our ten acre property and looking to improve upon the existing landscape. Mainly an upland/waterfall hunter with bird dogs but also try to take my deer each year to fill the freezer. Location is southern MN/Northern Iowa.

The property is sandwiched between two other 10 acre plots on either side. and longer than it is wide. A creek bed runs through the back with a low wetland area for 1/3 of the west side. It remains dry 80-90% of the year. We have seen the property through summer/fall and now winter and have been told about spring time from the neighbors (wetland can flood with the runoff depending on spring rains and snowfall we have).

I'd like to get somethings planned for spring when the ground thaws but am having trouble where to start and yet not bite off more than I can chew.
What advice would you give for starting out... what kinds of structure to put in place for the deer/phesants/ maybe ducks as well. Leaning towards a mix of pines some hardwood. Some fruit trees and maybe some native taller grasses from our county tree program, am l too ambitious? Will anything survive in the wetland to give it more structure and cover? Dig out the pond to clean it up a bit, plant some taller switch grass vs the blown over existing grassland.

I think I was given a great slate but also understand how long it can take things to develop. Here are a few snips of the existing landscape. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

[Brian662]

Expand the ROD to the west and introduce bebbs willow for an alternative woody stem. Establish conifers in areas that are likely to never seen standing water. Protect your plantings if you even have a moderate deer density or you're just wasting your time.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I'd put a camera on the deer trail that goes through the NW corner of your land near the bend in the creek. That makes me believe they are bedding in the thicker brush to your north and walking through your land on the way to the fields to the west. If that's the case, you might have pretty good hunting right now.

I would hunt it first to see how the deer are using your place before making major changes. Black spruce, tamarack, ROD, shrub willow and alder would all be plants that could grow in some wetland areas. You just have to be careful where you plant those future thickets since the deer will be hard to kill if they bed on the back side of your land and only have to walk a short distance to get to the western fields. It will be hard to sneak back there to get between their bedding and feeding areas without spooking them.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I should have started out with congrats on the property and you should have a lot of fun improving it over the years.

 

[bwoods11]

Seems like conifers, Spruce, Pine will improve just about any property !

Good luck & congrats!

 

[csamps10]

Thanks for the feedback. Shot a 4 point buck this year, they travel along the east side of the pond right now to the north and south across the property and then from up through the hay field to the east straight down the woodland creek and out the SW side. Basically what field to hay field. I was concerned with pushing them too far west to your point above about the. Just being bounced out to the age crop field to the West! Thanks for the input!

Thoughts on patterns or strips in the wetland with the willow or Rod? North south or maybe at a 45. Hard to funnel I think with such small distance north to South.

How about the pond any sense in digging it out or trying to clean it up, mostly a drainage pond from the run off so it's never really holding the same water.

Thanks again for the feedback!

 

[Brian662]

Thanks for the feedback. Shot a 4 point buck this year, they travel along the east side of the pond right now to the north and south across the property and then from up through the hay field to the east straight down the woodland creek and out the SW side. Basically what field to hay field. I was concerned with pushing them too far west to your point above about the. Just being bounced out to the age crop field to the West! Thanks for the input!

Thoughts on patterns or strips in the wetland with the willow or Rod? North south or maybe at a 45. Hard to funnel I think with such small distance north to South.

How about the pond any sense in digging it out or trying to clean it up, mostly a drainage pond from the run off so it's never really holding the same water.

Thanks again for the feedback!

You may consider leaving open areas for access around your north and south lines to get back to the property corners for potential blind locations.

As far as how to plant them I would do some variation of conifers and ROD/willow that would allow for bedding pockets and edge. The pockets would be 1/4 to 1/2 acre in size with travel corridors in between and downwind along stand locations.

You're limited because of the parcel size and lack of cover around but if your goal is to fill a buck tag or fill the freezer, i don't see any problems.
All of the above will benefit pheasants as well as deer.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Definitely a plus that you can see where the deer already like to travel. With so few acres I would definitely focus on making sure that any changes you make do not make it harder to get into good stand spots. If you improve it too much you might have deer using your property in less defined ways and make it tougher to hunt them.

 

[Foggy47]

Is that creek normally dry in the fall? If so, plan an access route so you can hunt to the other side of the creek....or some culvert or means to cross that creek. You may want to talk with your county SWCD to see if they would help with your pond. How deep does it get? Maybe in a dry year you could clean out the muck.....and seal it so it holds more water. If you like birds and waterfowl hunting.....that may be a direction to go?

Edit: Based on what you say in the first post......I would focus on retaining some water at all times on that property. All wildlife needs / likes water....and the areas with good cover/bedding around a pond / creek. If you in southern MN / Northern Iowa.....then likely you got plenty of farmers to supply the food. Focus on decent cover / bedding.....IMO.

 

[csamps10]

Thanks for the feedback! So far the creek has been plentyful with water. Hasnt dried up or been close yet. The pond too. Its 6' of water then muck and mostly a drainage pond with runoff from the house up on the hill.... it then drains out in to the creek once it gets high which does flood the wetland some as well.

Was considering some switchgrass or more structured grasses in the back vs the blown over reed grass thats there now, hasnt provided much cover thus far. Will be putting in ROD some willows hazelnut and pines/spruce where we can come spring as well.

 

[Brian662]

You can drag tree tops into that Reed canary grass and when the grass grows into the tops and goes dormant, the tops will hold the grass up. Instant structure as well as places for birds to land and poop out shrub seeds. Also you can utilize the tops for protection cages for your shrub plantings.

 

[csamps10]

You can drag tree tops into that Reed canary grass and when the grass grows into the tops and goes dormant, the tops will hold the grass up. Instant structure as well as places for birds to land and poop out shrub seeds. Also you can utilize the tops for protection cages for your shrub plantings.

Great idea. Hadn't thought of that but makes sense and easy enough to do.

 

[SD51555]

Fish pond.

If you’ve got a relatively flat property, have the water police mark your wetland edges and then move 1 foot outside that boundary and dig. Use the spoils to make other property features.


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[Ben.MN/WI]

I like the fish pond idea a lot.

 

[Foggy47]

I like the fish pond idea a lot.

Me too. I wonder if he can get the county to help with costs involved? Seems they like that stuff. May want to find somebody that specializes in pond restoration.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Just a thought here, can't tell from the aerial pic how close the pond is from your house - but it might be worth checking into for a reduction in fire insurance premiums. Having an on-site water source for extra in case of fire sometimes gets lower premiums. Not habitat info, but it might save you $$$. Good luck with your property!

 

[csamps10]

Me too. I wonder if he can get the county to help with costs involved? Seems they like that stuff. May want to find somebody that specializes in pond restoration.

Been in touch with a few. They said no issue with the pond dig out but werent certain on the support they could provide. I assume when you are talking fish pond you are talking about the existing one and not digging a separate pond? The only concern with the existing is the run off from the house area drains into the pond constantly.. then it flows out around the SW corner to the creek. Would I need anything there to keep the fish from exiting? I would love to dig that pond for fish and even swimming potentially. The dogs love it thus far.

 

[Foggy47]

Been in touch with a few. They said no issue with the pond dig out but werent certain on the support they could provide. I assume when you are talking fish pond you are talking about the existing one and not digging a separate pond? The only concern with the existing is the run off from the house area drains into the pond constantly.. then it flows out around the SW corner to the creek. Would I need anything there to keep the fish from exiting? I would love to dig that pond for fish and even swimming potentially. The dogs love it thus far.

I think it's hard to provide much insight on pond development with so little information on elevations and soil types, etc. I have no experience in ponds or fish management. I think you need to talk to someone qualified in doing this kind of work. Your County SWCD office should have some knowledge of whom to contact ? Dunno.

 

[csamps10]

Right, I have been in touch with soil and conservation folks from the county. Trying to arrange a site visit for their guidance on what can be done or what would be best for the habitat. Appreciate the insight here very helpful for some thought starters at a minimum! Thanks all! We have ~180 trees/shrubs to be planted come springtime, conifers, hardwoods, ROD, hazelnut and some willows misc others. Should be a good start. Here is a layout of the initial vision. The west side of the creek usually has standing wet water so hesitant to put much out that far.

Opinions welcome! Thanks again for the input!