New property… how deep you dive year one??

[Garrett S]

So if you just (post winter) acquired a piece of ground;
How deep do you go year one?
What are the priorities ?
If there is an obvious “lowest hole in the bucket” (food, cover, water) how much do you add?
Get a consultant or aim for a final layout plan or just sit back and observe?
Mistakes and success made in your first year?


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[Kooch]

Sit back and observe. I wish I’d done that.


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[Kooch]

Scout for travel corridors. Hang a couple low impact stands. That’s what I should have done. Mine was 100% woods though.


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[SD51555]

Focus on infrastructure first, if anything, so you can get around to your project areas.


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[Howboutthemdawgs]

^^^
Yeah I was going to say focus on things like roads, trails, gates, fences, no trespassing signs, try to meet neighbors, hang cameras, meet warden. As tempting as it is to go do a bunch of habitat work it’s probably not as important as those other projects off the jump. If you have any time on your hands spray some invasives and next thing you know it’s deer season

 

[Maddog66]

My place needed food. So year 1 I planted about 6 acres ( 4 plots) of existing fields into perennial clover, rye, and a few brassicas. Then i put up a few well-placed cameras and sat in low impact stands the first bow season. The following spring I was the first to green up in the area and I had my intel from the previous fall for setting stands and improving my plot layout.

I felt like hunting it “wild” the first year wasn’t that valuable to me……since I knew big change was coming no matter what I saw.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

I fit this description perfectly. Just bought a new farm a few weeks ago. It was mostly pasture and had cattle on most of the farm for the last 40 or so years. We are not having cattle. So immediately there is going to be some big changes from the wildlife's perspective.

Our plans are to reinforce cattle fencing and gates, improve creek or ditch crossings, and then to work with a USDA private lands biologist to create a master plan for improving habitat over time. I'm currently on the fence for doing any food plots. Deer movement is going to change quite a bit anyways without the cattle, so we would in theory need to wait a whole other year to see what the "wild" movement would look like.

 

[Maddog66]

A day invested working on literally anything at our land is truly my happy place now. I have a habitat list as long as my arm plus 100 other things I want to get done or try. I hope I never get to the end of the list.

 

[Buckly]

It’s important to have a plan in place first. After that you should be able to do everything you need to do in 3-4 years so I don’t think it matters too much where you start but I like to do things that take a while to see results first Like planting trees. They take the longest to see results so I would do that first If it’s in your plan.

 

[Garrett S]

Scout for travel corridors. Hang a couple low impact stands. That’s what I should have done. Mine was 100% woods though.


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Similar deal- and there is no food around- that’s why I am anxious to clear and plant more than the 2.5 ac of open grassy areas (on75 ac) I have now.


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[Garrett S]

^^^
Yeah I was going to say focus on things like roads, trails, gates, fences, no trespassing signs, try to meet neighbors, hang cameras, meet warden. As tempting as it is to go do a bunch of habitat work it’s probably not as important as those other projects off the jump. If you have any time on your hands spray some invasives and next thing you know it’s deer season

I have enough invasive a I could spray until
My obit was published. Lol


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[Garrett S]

Truth be told- I had it late fall and ran cams (for deer and people) from basically Nov on. Learned some on the limited deer presence there in its wild state… and just kept thinking the 2ac neighbors corn pile likely had more action than my woods or brush. Feeling like this is where the angst comes from to clear and plant all sorts of food rather than play it slowly with just a few acres of food.


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[Howboutthemdawgs]

I have enough invasive a I could spray until
My obit was published. Lol


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Lol unfortunately we all do. Don’t let it overwhelm you.

 

[bigboreblr]

How is it far as logging goes? A logged place can be alot better in a few years. They may also help you with food plot clearing. That starts to cycle of regenration which equates to shelter.

Once they log, throw some rye and clover on the trails, won't be perfect, but be an easy start too.

I would think you should come before deer. Little homestead if you need it. Electric service. Water.

A little experience and possible fustration can be a educator and motivator for next year.....

 

[b116757]

I bought another farm last summer and planted a small 1/2 acre or so orchard centrally located last fall adding another dozen or so more fruit trees to it this spring. I also lined the 1/4 mile drive with Burgamble oak trees last fall. With as much time as it takes trees to start bearing mast I prefer to try and get at least some started as early as I can. This spring I’ll bark graft several invasive pear trees over to useful fruiting verities and I’m going to clear some ground around one of the ponds for a small food plot. I’ve replaced 3/4 mile of fences this last fall/winter and just Monday planted 25 lbs of Durano white clover on all the disturbed ground.

 

[buckdeer1]

I closed on a 80 in feb,whether good or bad it birders my farm so I kind of know how it hunts.There will only be a few choice stands and the ground isn't good enough for food.It will be mostly bedding,how to improve that I haven't decided yet.But if you don't have food on your property then the deer will be gone quite a bit during 24 hour period,same said if you don't have bedding.So I think a guy can start making improvements the first year and fine tune after that.I would aways suggest to plant trees asap.

 

[Garrett S]

Lol unfortunately we all do. Don’t let it overwhelm you.

If there was a thread for things not to do in Ohio- I would post do not bring anyone to the property you have already heard use the word “invasives”. DNR, Co, consultants, habitat friends, etc…. I was beaten into thinking I just spent a chit ton of money to buy an impossible project to which I am now morally married. Totally overwhelmed, depressed and pondered selling after the first two meetings. I would need a 800k a yr job and 51 free weeks a year to even approach things remotely as they act like everyone would want to.

While not caring or managing these species is irresponsible…. Some folks need to find multiple life purposes.

 

[Garrett S]

How is it far as logging goes? A logged place can be alot better in a few years. They may also help you with food plot clearing. That starts to cycle of regenration which equates to shelter.

Once they log, throw some rye and clover on the trails, won't be perfect, but be an easy start too.

I would think you should come before deer. Little homestead if you need it. Electric service. Water.

A little experience and possible fustration can be a educator and motivator for next year.....

I have spoke w two foresters and have been apprehensive to just reach out to a logger. The private forester hasn’t been able to meet me yet, and the dnr one basically said “leave every tree forever and shoot all the deer”

My apprehension with the cabin is, I much rather move on to a new property if hunting sucks here than lower the profitability of resale and run debt up higher.


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[SwampCat]

Food plots as soon as I could. That has been the number one management activity to improve my deer herd. THat said - if you are ever going to plant fruit trees - or any trees for that matter- the earlier you do it the sooner you will see results.

 

[BenAllgood]

Inventory should be the first step. How else can you manage something without knowing what it is you're managing? That's basically what we're all trying to do. We're managing vegetation in various growth stages to promote use by wildlife that's advantageous to our goals. It'll let you know your property intimately.