Tree plot question

Do you guys edge feather food plots?

I do get doe traffic at this specific kill plot location on a daily basis and I hunt november so thats why its worked oit for me. I also have got nailed iI have such a hard time handling this but I believe everything you are saying. I know I can kill a 125" buck every year or every other year at this location and on my propererty. Ive been watching my cams and I dont have a buck over 125 there this year. Its the strangest year. I know everyone baits around me, we had 160+ in the general area, this year my place got weird. I kept telling my old man, just give it time and for the first year in many we had no legit shooters. Several in that 125 range and a 130 8 point that showed up a couple times. I do however have a lot of young 2.5 year olds that should blow up next year and year after if they can get that far. I had a cool pic the other night of four 110 to 120" bucks fighting in my plot, two appeared to be officiating. I feel like this was just a year that I didnt house a big buck, I hope thats it. I am at the drawing board now and trying to make a plan for my week long visit this summer.

I know I want to. Chainsaw the ash trees that have fallen, cut gaps on the trails that paralell my plo. I really feel like this prohibited escape to a degree, i know they could jump the logs but i feel like they likely dont like the idea of downed logs on the trails they use to walk. Ive got the 9 new trees coming and gotta figure something out, got some time to pkay with ideas. Im almost 40, Ill be retired at 50 and moving back to the family farm, i just want to be in the game when I get there....
This thread is interesting in that it shows how strong our need is to create. The key to the original post is "This is a proven location already. " Habitat is always changing. Usually slowly but sometimes fast, especially when man gets involved. It is really hard to find those sweet spots that regularly produce mature bucks. I've found places like that on a large military base I used to hunt. There were a few specific location where I had regular encounters with mature bucks year after year. Why there? I could never figure it out. Vegetation, topography, interrelationships between many things, wind patterns, whatever.

Our desire to "improve" our land is so strong that we are itching to change things. I think my neighbor is baiting....They just clear-cut 100 acres to the north...maybe I need to.....

I have to say that over a career of hunting finding these little gems is rare. We will make significant habitat changes to "improve" these at the risk of losing them. I've done it. I'm sure many of us have. I have NEVER been successful at improving one of these proven locations. I have screwed them up.

Once again, if it were me, I'd leave well enough alone as long as it keeps producing mature bucks. If an when that ends, it might be time to make some changes.

Just reiterating my 2 cents.

Thanks,

Jack
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I'm on a pine farm with a pipeline. We plant the pipeline as our main feeding plot. It had a very hard edge with the pines. When we thinned the pines, we had them take out a row or tow along sections of the pipeline. So, we now have a combination of hard and soft edges on the feeding plot. We just let it naturally regenerate and when it gets almost too much for a bush hog, we bush hog it. Edge feathering is a great technique that supports a variety of wildlife in addition to deer.

Thanks,

Jack
 
Probably not a good idea but here it goes. I could connect the kill plot with a snake plot along the contour/bench leading to the larger plot and attach the snake trail plot to the main 1 acre food plot with the established fruit trees??? This would be on already established deer trail? Would strengthening this movement work? It would be a south facing hillside, add a couple fruit trees along the way? Would a long plot like this with fruit stations allow for different doe group feeding areas and less stress?

Im just spitballing ideas here. I have the ability to make a 600 yard snake plot with clover or grain on this bench system. Strategically place a couple fruit trees along the trail system?

Let me know if its a horrible idea.
 
BUT! Come December bucks do show up at apple trees again.
Come December I am all boarded up and settled in for a long winters nap!
 
Probably not a good idea but here it goes. I could connect the kill plot with a snake plot along the contour/bench leading to the larger plot and attach the snake trail plot to the main 1 acre food plot with the established fruit trees??? This would be on already established deer trail? Would strengthening this movement work? It would be a south facing hillside, add a couple fruit trees along the way? Would a long plot like this with fruit stations allow for different doe group feeding areas and less stress?

Im just spitballing ideas here. I have the ability to make a 600 yard snake plot with clover or grain on this bench system. Strategically place a couple fruit trees along the trail system?

Let me know if its a horrible idea.

I wouldn't put fruit trees along a snake plot.
 
I wouldn't put fruit trees along a snake plot.
Im curious, why wouldnt you plant along a snake plot? Are you on board for one main plot?
 
Im curious, why wouldnt you plant along a snake plot? Are you on board for one main plot?

Apples tend to be a destination food source. I think that would disrupt the intended function of a snake plot. I have planted all mine in my main plots.
 
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