Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Before our camp decided to make efforts to improve habitat, we had only mature hardwoods and neglected fields of some sort of grayish, wiry grass that deer didn't have much interest in. We didn't have many deer, and those we had were small and had handful racks. We had native hemlocks and white pines, but most were too big to provide cover at ground level. No browse to speak of. And mountain laurel - starvation food for deer with no nutrition to speak of in it. --------That was it.
Several loggings done at 7 to 10 year intervals made some timber $$$ to pay for habitat work. Sunlight on the ground got many new things sprouting, with lots of native forbs where only pine needles and leaf duff had been. Planting Norway and white spruce (a number of them in most years) created thermal / security / bedding cover and kept deer on our property. We planted un-named, small-fruited crabs and Washington hawthorns from our Pa. Game Commission seedling sales. Serviceberry and high bush cranberry came next, along with a native viburnum species that made loads of blossoms for pollinators. Apple, crab apple, and pear trees have been continually planted each year - and we're up to about 95 newer fruit trees this spring. Gly sprays to burn down weeds and crappy grass - followed by regular lime applications improved the soil pH to start food plots of various crops. ROD, Fraser fir, and balsam fir have been planted. Blueberries have sprouted in logged areas. Logged stumps have been caged to protect stump sprouts, which grow readily from established root systems. We even plant native perennial wildflowers to make the pollinators happy. Bluebird houses have been built and placed. We put in a pond, which attracts ducks, geese, and different birds that favor waterways / wetlands. Bald eagles even fly in and watch the pond!
The difference in wildlife we see is crazy good! More and bigger deer - bodies and racks. LOADS of turkeys. Plenty of grouse ...... and even doves which we never had before. We now have a few rabbits in our food plots that seem to set up homes under our pallets of firewood or under stumps. (We didn't have rabbits on our mountain prior to food plots. Natural migration or transplants?) Bird varieties have tripled or better, which helps keep the bad bug numbers down. We have lots of bears too - nice to watch - bad for deer business / fruit tree damage.
The most notable improvements are with deer and turkeys. Lots more of both year-round. The increase in wildlife numbers and variety brought about by habitat diversity is pretty remarkable. Many of our habitat improvements are a result of info learned on this forum from members - especially about crab apples and food plot info. Seeing what diversity has done on members' properties has been an inspiration to me to increase diversity at our camp. Thanks to all here. Diversity works.
Several loggings done at 7 to 10 year intervals made some timber $$$ to pay for habitat work. Sunlight on the ground got many new things sprouting, with lots of native forbs where only pine needles and leaf duff had been. Planting Norway and white spruce (a number of them in most years) created thermal / security / bedding cover and kept deer on our property. We planted un-named, small-fruited crabs and Washington hawthorns from our Pa. Game Commission seedling sales. Serviceberry and high bush cranberry came next, along with a native viburnum species that made loads of blossoms for pollinators. Apple, crab apple, and pear trees have been continually planted each year - and we're up to about 95 newer fruit trees this spring. Gly sprays to burn down weeds and crappy grass - followed by regular lime applications improved the soil pH to start food plots of various crops. ROD, Fraser fir, and balsam fir have been planted. Blueberries have sprouted in logged areas. Logged stumps have been caged to protect stump sprouts, which grow readily from established root systems. We even plant native perennial wildflowers to make the pollinators happy. Bluebird houses have been built and placed. We put in a pond, which attracts ducks, geese, and different birds that favor waterways / wetlands. Bald eagles even fly in and watch the pond!
The difference in wildlife we see is crazy good! More and bigger deer - bodies and racks. LOADS of turkeys. Plenty of grouse ...... and even doves which we never had before. We now have a few rabbits in our food plots that seem to set up homes under our pallets of firewood or under stumps. (We didn't have rabbits on our mountain prior to food plots. Natural migration or transplants?) Bird varieties have tripled or better, which helps keep the bad bug numbers down. We have lots of bears too - nice to watch - bad for deer business / fruit tree damage.
The most notable improvements are with deer and turkeys. Lots more of both year-round. The increase in wildlife numbers and variety brought about by habitat diversity is pretty remarkable. Many of our habitat improvements are a result of info learned on this forum from members - especially about crab apples and food plot info. Seeing what diversity has done on members' properties has been an inspiration to me to increase diversity at our camp. Thanks to all here. Diversity works.
