shawnv
5 year old buck +
As you read below, here is what is going to happen on my 30 acres if it works out to keep it. It's beeb a learning experience already and will be into the future so I thought I would start this thread to share it with you. Feel free to point out anything I may not have considered or any comments you have.
1) The mile out view...
Larger outline = 30 acres
Smaller outline = In-Law's home and 10 acres.
Yellow boxes = Home's or cabin
*Neighbor to the East has a ridge running West to East behind their house. It tapers into my place and everything else around it pretty flat except where the old railroad grade runs from West to East just North of the pond and current food plot.
;
Close up of the 40 as it is now the way my dad left it before his passing in July. The 1/2 acre food plot is the North Central location with 1/2 dozen apple trees around it. Feathered edge with briers, shrubs and red pine to the East of the plot. Another Acre+ is cut out on the North East corner. Has some doe bedding and the bucks will bed here close to the rut. Scatted doe bedding South of the Pond and in the far West side. Almost all buck bedding is on another property, primarily the Swamp that runs from the NW to the NE a 1/2 mile away. The Central potion of the property is a mix of mature trees and 2-4" diameter oaks so the forest floor is open, this is the buffer zone from the activity at the house and the 10 acres my in-law has.
The zoomed out plan...
While my Dad's set up was good to keep the activity away from the neighbors who hunt to the North, East and West (Only the North Side has bow hunting pressure) It was not set up to have bucks living there. The does are bedding on the edge of the property or way off so it's rare to see a buck bedding there.
The timber area where the access trails cut through is an area where you can get in and out of without bumping deer since the bedding is North, East and West. The 1/2 acre plot in the past was always clover but this year I planted 2/3rds of it in the LC mix and it was hammered. The lesson was that that mix was more attractive and that I need more area in plots and that I need to plant 10-14 days earlier.
Until 10/20 the area saw very little mature buck activity but it picked up and I had a fair amount on camera or spotted on stand up until 11/19 because the plot was the central hub for five doe family groups to come and feed. Once gun season started, the mature bucks retreated to their core areas leaving some of the younger bucks and doe groups around.
One could argue that the buck activity was good enough where some might be happy with it but I think it could be so much better so that leads into the new plan. I had asked Steve about the property months ago and he was nice enough to spark some ideas for me to address. Due to pressure from the neighbors and the day to day activity from my in-law, bedding in the central area with plots and access on the edge will not work as he suggested.
What I have come up with after a full fall to hunt and observe the deer here is what you see below. I may not get the logger and dozer in when I want so if that happens to be delayed then it will will hunt in 2015 just as it had in 2014 and we'll get things started right after gun season.
Legend:
Off White = Cleat cut or Hinge cut area
Light Green = Food Plots
Dark Green Dots = Spruce tree planting
Brown lines = Access trail
White lines = Main deer trails
Red dots = Stand locations
Old Railroad grade runs West to East and North of the pond and current food plot. The three North Stand locations are located right on the grade.
*I will also be adding more apple trees along the new larger plot.
*The NW plot will be a tiny 15x15 clover plot
*The West plot will be 1/2 clover 1/2 LC mix.
*The little plot line leading from the spruce planting to the main plot will be clover
*The main plot will be buckwheat early summer and LC in the fall. I may fence 1/3 of it to hold soybeans until the last week in October and then remove the fencing.
*The clear cut will be on the West side and I may add a couple pockets of Spruce there too.
The zoomed in plan...
Off White = Cleat cut or Hinge cut area
Light Green = Food Plots
Dark Green Dots = Spruce tree planting
Brown lines = Access trail
White box = Buffer area where there is little deer activity
Red dots = Stand locations
1) The mile out view...
Larger outline = 30 acres
Smaller outline = In-Law's home and 10 acres.
Yellow boxes = Home's or cabin
*Neighbor to the East has a ridge running West to East behind their house. It tapers into my place and everything else around it pretty flat except where the old railroad grade runs from West to East just North of the pond and current food plot.
Close up of the 40 as it is now the way my dad left it before his passing in July. The 1/2 acre food plot is the North Central location with 1/2 dozen apple trees around it. Feathered edge with briers, shrubs and red pine to the East of the plot. Another Acre+ is cut out on the North East corner. Has some doe bedding and the bucks will bed here close to the rut. Scatted doe bedding South of the Pond and in the far West side. Almost all buck bedding is on another property, primarily the Swamp that runs from the NW to the NE a 1/2 mile away. The Central potion of the property is a mix of mature trees and 2-4" diameter oaks so the forest floor is open, this is the buffer zone from the activity at the house and the 10 acres my in-law has.
The zoomed out plan...
While my Dad's set up was good to keep the activity away from the neighbors who hunt to the North, East and West (Only the North Side has bow hunting pressure) It was not set up to have bucks living there. The does are bedding on the edge of the property or way off so it's rare to see a buck bedding there.
The timber area where the access trails cut through is an area where you can get in and out of without bumping deer since the bedding is North, East and West. The 1/2 acre plot in the past was always clover but this year I planted 2/3rds of it in the LC mix and it was hammered. The lesson was that that mix was more attractive and that I need more area in plots and that I need to plant 10-14 days earlier.
Until 10/20 the area saw very little mature buck activity but it picked up and I had a fair amount on camera or spotted on stand up until 11/19 because the plot was the central hub for five doe family groups to come and feed. Once gun season started, the mature bucks retreated to their core areas leaving some of the younger bucks and doe groups around.
One could argue that the buck activity was good enough where some might be happy with it but I think it could be so much better so that leads into the new plan. I had asked Steve about the property months ago and he was nice enough to spark some ideas for me to address. Due to pressure from the neighbors and the day to day activity from my in-law, bedding in the central area with plots and access on the edge will not work as he suggested.
What I have come up with after a full fall to hunt and observe the deer here is what you see below. I may not get the logger and dozer in when I want so if that happens to be delayed then it will will hunt in 2015 just as it had in 2014 and we'll get things started right after gun season.
Legend:
Off White = Cleat cut or Hinge cut area
Light Green = Food Plots
Dark Green Dots = Spruce tree planting
Brown lines = Access trail
White lines = Main deer trails
Red dots = Stand locations
Old Railroad grade runs West to East and North of the pond and current food plot. The three North Stand locations are located right on the grade.
*I will also be adding more apple trees along the new larger plot.
*The NW plot will be a tiny 15x15 clover plot
*The West plot will be 1/2 clover 1/2 LC mix.
*The little plot line leading from the spruce planting to the main plot will be clover
*The main plot will be buckwheat early summer and LC in the fall. I may fence 1/3 of it to hold soybeans until the last week in October and then remove the fencing.
*The clear cut will be on the West side and I may add a couple pockets of Spruce there too.
The zoomed in plan...
Off White = Cleat cut or Hinge cut area
Light Green = Food Plots
Dark Green Dots = Spruce tree planting
Brown lines = Access trail
White box = Buffer area where there is little deer activity
Red dots = Stand locations
