New Property Layout Suggestions

[phil@thesidehill]

it's a quick and dirty attempt. its certianly not 100% accurate, but as you can see the topography shifted one way or the other is much different....its mostly SE facing.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I should clarify my earlier post about spruce plantings, based on what J-bird said. If spruce are planted as seedlings, they'll need sunlight to get going. The owner should put them in areas where there are openings ( natural or by cutting/hinging ). At my camp, we planted them in smaller openings made by dropping maybe 8 - 10 trees and planting the spruce seedlings in those openings using the tops as " protection " from deer until the spruce got a few years growth on them. It broke up that " city park " look the woods had and added good cover. Just depends on what your friend is willing to do.

Around our area, cabins use them as road screens too. Once established, they are a living wall - no seeing thru them. For us, they've been a good thing.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

I should clarify my earlier post about spruce plantings, based on what J-bird said. If spruce are planted as seedlings, they'll need sunlight to get going. The owner should put them in areas where there are openings ( natural or by cutting/hinging ). At my camp, we planted them in smaller openings made by dropping maybe 8 - 10 trees and planting the spruce seedlings in those openings using the tops as " protection " from deer until the spruce got a few years growth on them. It broke up that " city park " look the woods had and added good cover. Just depends on what your friend is willing to do.

Around our area, cabins use them as road screens too. Once established, they are a living wall - no seeing thru them. For us, they've been a good thing.

I have used spruce and pine plantings on my property and my other friend's upstate NY farm, as screening and security cover in more open transition/staging areas adjacent to plots and other open areas of concern. A good portion of my friend's new property is exactly like you said...."park like". other portions are thicker beech regrowth, other areas are hemlock, and there are a decent amount of existing small openings. as i said, my friend is on board with most improvements barring a complete clear cut. Hinging and removing some trees is on the table. Tree plantings are definitely on the table.

 

[shawnv]

While a food plot is great, it looks like a lot of mature forest. I think having an area or two that is logged will greatly increase the number of deer visiting the property as long as what can sprout up back is preferred browse.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

While a food plot is great, it looks like a lot of mature forest. I think having an area or two that is logged will greatly increase the number of deer visiting the property as long as what can sprout up back is preferred browse.

Typically preferred forest regen, especially on small scale cutting will be browsed out in short order, with out protection. Our game commission and DCNR fence areas on Game Lands and State Forest Lands after a timber sale is complete in order to protect regen for desirable/valuable species.

 

[SD51555]

For that size property, I would have to base much of what I do on the neighbors. If there is good bedding there, I'd focus on giving them food during hunting season. That would mean a few apples, crabapples, and persimmons. Maybe a few chestnuts. Some really thick bedding in the middle might be nice when deer a looking for a safe spot during rifle season.

With the way the hemlocks are going downhill, starting some spruce and pine would be a good idea for thermal cover in 10 years.

I couldn't agree more. That's the same idea we have on our property. We're putting in what doesn't exist anywhere near us. Lots of water near our property, so water isn't on the agenda. We're focused on late season/winter food, cover, and getting tree tops on the ground for winter browse. Soft mast is also hard to come by if you don't count the tsunami of raspberries out there. We don't have white oak because the previous owner logged it off. The surrounding area has a fair amount of white oak, but I planted some anyway just because I thought it was the right thing to do.

 

[wiscwhip]

First thing I would do is get some trail cameras up in the areas near that drainage to the NE(red dots) and see how those steeper slopes on the NE and S neighbors properties affect the deer movement onto that end of the new property. Are there opportunities to do some hinging to direct the movement onto the new place, regardless of food plot or bedding locations? Once you know the natural pattern the deer are using, it may only take slight changes, such as a few strategically placed hinged areas to direct them past likely stand locations. Also, if you figure out how they are using/traveling through the new place, it will make plot and tree planting location selection that much easier and the deer will be more willing to use them, as they are already using those patterns/areas in the first place.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

First thing I would do is get some trail cameras up in the areas near that drainage to the NE(red dots) and see how those steeper slopes on the NE and S neighbors properties affect the deer movement onto that end of the new property. Are there opportunities to do some hinging to direct the movement onto the new place, regardless of food plot or bedding locations? Once you know the natural pattern the deer are using, it may only take slight changes, such as a few strategically placed hinged areas to direct them past likely stand locations. Also, if you figure out how they are using/traveling through the new place, it will make plot and tree planting location selection that much easier and the deer will be more willing to use them, as they are already using those patterns/areas in the first place.
View attachment 2117

Thanks Whip! The first step of the plan is to hunt this season, maybe even next before any of the habitat design work starts....exactly for the reason that you infer. I really want to see what the natural patterns are and how the neighbors are in terms of pressure before doing much of anything. I think the perimeter trail will be the first project, although it is not really a habitat design. It affords access from the margins, makes posting and patrolling easier, and makes our presence known to neighors.

 

[chickenlittle]

thanks Chickenlittle! Are those hops in your profile? I love hops! What part of columbia county are you in?

Yes, those are hops. I have 4 types growing, Sterling, Cascade, Fuggle, and Nugget. Like most of my gardening, I often don't have time to take care of them. I'm late getting them strung up the trellis and missed harvesting them this year. I plan to dig them up next spring and replant. Half are in a too wet area and I need to add a raised bed for them. The others are getting moved because I want to plant some paw paw trees in that spot. I should probably add them to trade listing for next year as I'll have more rhizomes than I will need.

I hunt my parent's farm in Columbia county. It is along the NW edge of the county, just over the hill from Lycoming Co. I drive up and down Rt 220 all the time between their place and my house in NY. I have lots of family history in Sullivan County and relatives there. When I was kid, we had the family reunion at the Forksville Fairgrounds. Things are smaller now that all of my grandmother's generation is gone.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Yes, those are hops. I have 4 types growing, Sterling, Cascade, Fuggle, and Nugget. Like most of my gardening, I often don't have time to take care of them. I'm late getting them strung up the trellis and missed harvesting them this year. I plan to dig them up next spring and replant. Half are in a too wet area and I need to add a raised bed for them. The others are getting moved because I want to plant some paw paw trees in that spot. I should probably add them to trade listing for next year as I'll have more rhizomes than I will need.

I hunt my parent's farm in Columbia county. It is along the NW edge of the county, just over the hill from Lycoming Co. I drive up and down Rt 220 all the time between their place and my house in NY. I have lots of family history in Sullivan County and relatives there. When I was kid, we had the family reunion at the Forksville Fairgrounds. Things are smaller now that all of my grandmother's generation is gone.

Very cool! Hops are on the wishlist for the garden....I would like to get set up to start some home brewing before adding the hops to the garden....so that i can use them as intended! I do believe i read something that Madison and Onondaga County NY were once the Hops growing capital of the US.

My family goes back to some of the original settlers of Sullivan County. Both my parents are Sulco natives (laporte and dushore). I wasnt born here, and didn't live here until i was 26. But i spent a lot of time here growing up. I spent the entire weekend on the fairgrounds at the PA Bowhunters Festival. My grandfather was one of the founding members of the festival and was the inventor of the running deer target 58 yrs ago. I am now the crew chief for the running deer target area. Shoot me a PM...chances are that i know some of your relations....its a pretty small community..lol!

That part of Columbia County is some good country! Every time I drive through on 42 i think to myself how much i would like to own some ground down there! I have a buddy that lives and hunts in the Millville area...he has some real slammers!

 

[shawnv]

Good idea holding off doing any work right now. Gauging how the public land next to you is being used or not used and when will be to your advantage as you make habitat plans as any pressure there will have a significant impact on what happens at this place.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

Good idea holding off doing any work right now. Gauging how the public land next to you is being used or not used and when will be to your advantage as you make habitat plans as any pressure there will have a significant impact on what happens at this place.

i completely agree. The previous owner said he had only ever seen one other hunter in there since 1991. The creek that runs through the middle of the public land is also wide enough deep enough to deter most from crossing. I spoke to the local WCO about this piece of public land, because it does not have any visible public access from looking at the aerials, plat maps, and topos. he said that there is a narrow right of way on the opposite side from my friends property. He said it doesnt really have a parking area and there is only a small sign that isn't very apparent from the road. So i am thinking that there isn't a whole lot of pressure in there....but we are waiting to see what happens first hand.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

I pulled the card from the one cam up at the new property about 10 days ago. had a decent amount of deer and at least 2 adult bears, one boar and one sow with 2 cubs. Only one buck. The cam is set up on a prominent run that crosses the central trail about 200 yds from the barn. On my way in i saw three fresh scrapes along the central trail! here is the only buck on camera. Looks to be a decently racked 7 point.