Riggs field day/land tour

[Riggsgwp->]

I missed the woods part of the land tour, but I am very impressed with what you have done in so few years.

You ask what you should do. Well I like my crab apples.

You may have covered this before I arrived, but do you have wooded or brushy travel lane planted from the future NW sanctuary leading to a specific spot to the southeast? You probably do not need it through the CRP, but a short line of spruce or shrubs could bring those deer to a specific spot on the SE side of the CRP. I have even seen one or two lone taller trees focus deer movement across a field.

By the way, Riggs can cook!

Art I have a row of cedars running east/west between the crp and that new plot. That little area to the NW allows bed to feed to the new plot. It requires a ground blind to hunt and I was successful 3 yrs ago there. The crp is in a contract so I will have to burn it at some point so trees will not be an option to get established within the grass. I have a few hundred crab apples growing in the SW corner surrounding the point but the popple re growth is insane and the guys thought they may get choked out there.

 

[Freeborn]

Riggs,

Great place you have and the diversity you have put together is a real attraction. The rolling hills provide the deer some nice hiding spots.

Looking at your place you have allot of food so I don’t see that as a limiting factor. You mentioned you were having difficulty keeping the bucks on your place late season, I would figure out where they are going and why? Add whatever you need to keep them on your property. Some of this will probably change when your trees get bigger and your sanctuary comes in but it would be helpful to know what the bucks are doing. You would think if you can keep the does on your place the bucks would come to you.

Like you I have fields and I think adding length of movements into or across fields can provide edge where deer will travel. I have found that using rows of deciduous trees/shrubs (doesn’t have to be evergreens) can get deer to move in the direction you want them to go. I would look at where the deer are coming out of your woods and if it makes sense add trees to guide them to your stand.

Great place and you have allot of options.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

I have a feeling I just need to be patient and allow things to develop more. Things will definitely change when I'm looking at 8-10 ft trees in a few years. The big issue I have seen which Freeborn touched on is that the bucks show up when the does are in heat and then 5 days later my property is left with nothing but fawns. The does seem to get run off the property and it happens at the worst possible time(gun season). I think the concept of "lines of movement" will be the most important project for me to focus on in the future. I want the deer to be secure and travel in cover from bed to feed. It's not an easy task when over half of my property was farmed a few years back.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

One other thing that Brooks suggested was giving the deer my SW corner and not hunting there. The deer are going to bed there and it will be hard to hunt that stand without bumping a deer from the bed and that junk pile point already has enough cover to be a sanctuary. Great advice I thought.

 

[foggy]

Looks great Riggs! I wish I could have made it. Looks like a good crowd.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

Brooks, I was thinking about taking that stand on the dam(south side of fish pond) down and possibly putting a ground blind near a clump of willows right on the edge of the pond. Then I could use the canoe for access and I would only have to walk a few yards to the blind. I'm not sure I would have enough elevation for shooting but it would be pretty bulletproof with a southerly wind. The tree you picked may work too but I'm worried I would be skylined in it.
I could even build a 4ft elevated platform to put the blind on in case it gets wet in there.

 

[bat man]

Brooks, I was thinking about taking that stand on the dam(south side of fish pond) down and possibly putting a ground blind near a clump of willows right on the edge of the pond. Then I could use the canoe for access and I would only have to walk a few yards to the blind. I'm not sure I would have enough elevation for shooting but it would be pretty bulletproof with a southerly wind. The tree you picked may work too but I'm worried I would be skylined in it.
I could even build a 4ft elevated platform to put the blind on in case it gets wet in there.

4 foot platform. Use screws instead of nails and adhesive on plywood or deck boards. Carpet. Creaks can hurt you. Make sure no snow can get in as well as that gets supper crunchy underfoot.

May even lean towards a couple scoops of dirt with the excavator as a platform for the blind. We have done that in spots and it works great.

The other thing I was wondering is with the parcel perimeter of trees. Are the does going to be setting up shop all around your perimeter? Others may have more experience with does in new tree plantings. I don't know how your programs work, but I prefer 'dead spots' on the property the deer don't like to use for travel or bedding. Dead spots are great access/exit, and spots for wind to blow when on stand. North and East side of fish pond by camper may be a good dead spot. Dead spots dictate with limited deer use are just as important as thick spots for helping predict deer activity. If you find does bedding/bucks traveling all around the perimeter, can you brush hogs areas or are the trees part of the program?

Cant wait to see your lines of travel fill in so you can mow trails for the bucks to scent check areas during the rut.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

I will definitely mow trails and add sidewalk hinge cuts to get predictable lines of movement in the future. I'm not sure what will happen once deer start bedding around perimeter. FSA are not likely going to inspect my property but once the tree planting program expires I will not renew it(maybe). That way I have options to change things around. I will however likely keep my grasses enrolled for long term. I like the idea of building a dirt platform for a blind. That will be a next year project. Thanks Brooks.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

If I could figure out how to create trails that I only use and trails that deer only use I would have it made:confused:

 

[West Branch]

The land tour and food were great. Great layout for 40 acres and it seems much larger, like some have said. That pond makes it even better.

I have a feeling I just need to be patient and allow things to develop more. Things will definitely change when I'm looking at 8-10 ft trees in a few years. The big issue I have seen which Freeborn touched on is that the bucks show up when the does are in heat and then 5 days later my property is left with nothing but fawns. The does seem to get run off the property and it happens at the worst possible time(gun season). I think the concept of "lines of movement" will be the most important project for me to focus on in the future. I want the deer to be secure and travel in cover from bed to feed. It's not an easy task when over half of my property was farmed a few years back.

I think that the thermal/bedding cover, windbreaks, etc. that are planted all over will make a huge difference once they grow larger. It will be interesting to see how it changes deer usage, but I would think there would be more doe groups that would use the property. Might make a difference on the fawns only issue during the rut?

Getting a stand on the NE side of the neighbor's pond that you can access by canoe was another idea that was kicked around that I liked the sound of. A lot of acorns in that area and great pinch point.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

My brother in laws land that butts up against mine has what I would call dead spots because he has such a canopy to his woods with little undergrowth. The deer travel through parts of that open timber but they only bed in the thicker cover. That's why I think my access is good coming from the south road or his home as long as I steer clear of any cover.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

The land tour and food were great. Great layout for 40 acres and it seems much larger, like some have said. That pond makes it even better.



I think that the thermal/bedding cover, windbreaks, etc. that are planted all over will make a huge difference once they grow larger. It will be interesting to see how it changes deer usage, but I would think there would be more doe groups that would use the property. Might make a difference on the fawns only issue during the rut?

Getting a stand on the NE side of the neighbor's pond that you can access by canoe was another idea that was kicked around that I liked the sound of. A lot of acorns in that area and great pinch point.

The reason I have a stand on the north side of my small pond is I can catch deer coming from the south and east also with that hinge trail from the east. I can still get to that stand by canoe because his pond and my little one are connected with water. He has a canoe over at his place I can use. I will have to think about moving that stand though as I'm pretty commited to where it is now. Great suggestions so far!

 

[Riggsgwp->]

You guys never saw this but I also have a stand on the south side of my brother in laws big pond that I can access by canoe as well.

 

[biglakeba$$]

How big are the bluegills in there? I didnt even think about that part of it. I wish our pond was deeper.

I threw bass and pike in there one summer to try to eat the minnows out of house and home in desperation to try to make it better for ducks.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

They sure weren't biting on Sunday though.

 

[biglakeba$$]

Geepers....... Thats the icing on the cake for any property right there.

 

[Riggsgwp->]

He asked:D

 

[biglakeba$$]

How about the secchi disk reading? :)

 

[Riggsgwp->]

It's nice to get a few compliments on the place. I often hear complaints from my wife how everything is a bunch of weeds and expensive plots and my father in law thinks I'm a moron for cutting trees and then spending money to plant new ones:confused:

 

[sandbur]

It's nice to get a few compliments on the place. I often hear complaints from my wife how everything is a bunch of weeds and expensive plots and my father in law thinks I'm a moron for cutting trees and then spending money to plant new ones:confused:

My friends tell me that I plant apple trees for wildlife, then I cage and screen them to keep wildlife away. Tell your wife to blame the crowd you hang around with. All of the rest but me are a little crazy. :D