Your Plans for 2015

[foggy]

Is that classified as a pathetic year or a normal year in MN?? I am not sure which it is.

My wife says NORMAL is just a setting on the washing machine. ;) Hard to know what normal is for buck sightings in your area. I saw one, plus a few nubbins & spikes.

 

[West Branch]

The biggest thing is hoping for a mild winter to bring the deer #s up. We will also keep talking to neighbors about deer hunting, we are pushing close to 1,000 acres of hunters that are doing some sort of passing yearling bucks. But the last two winters did not help at all.

On my 40, somewhat in this order:

1. Start clearing 3 <.25 acre foot plots around the edges of the main woods/sanctuary areas, hopefully get a start around Christmas when up at the farm
2. Replace roof and fix up some siding on the cabin
3. Plant 500 conifers
4. Plant corn in the ~1 acre foot plot north of the cabin for winter food and cover from the road
5. Remove the one hang on stand that is too far into the woods and put somewhere better
6. Put up two just purchased ladder stands that have comfortable seats for all day sits

On my brothers 560, probably won't get all of this done in 2015 but its on the list.

1. Have many discussions over some beers about what he should let me do to improve deer habitat
2. Transplant some conifers and plant some new ones for screens and cover
3. Plant some rye, radish and rape plots
4. Move some stands around
5. Do some fixing on the shack where needed
6. Make some firewood for the shack
7. If brother plants beans for ag, get him to leave ~2 acres for winter deer food
8. Figure out if its worth it to hunt the south 200 that has cattle on it.
9. Work towards a future of no cattle in the pasture and/or better fencing off of the woods
10. Start planning a ~10 acre pine tree planting in the cattle pasture west of the farm - should be good deer cover starting out but my brother will wants pine vs. spruce for the long term $$

 

[j-bird]

Buck seems to have an "aggressive" management style!!!!

 

[bat man]

The biggest thing is hoping for a mild winter to bring the deer #s up. We will also keep talking to neighbors about deer hunting, we are pushing close to 1,000 acres of hunters that are doing some sort of passing yearling bucks. But the last two winters did not help at all.

On my 40, somewhat in this order:

1. Start clearing 3 <.25 acre foot plots around the edges of the main woods/sanctuary areas, hopefully get a start around Christmas when up at the farm
2. Plant 500 conifer

On my brothers 560, probably won't get all of this done in 2015 but its on the list.

1. Have many discussions over some beers about what he should let me do to improve deer habitat
2. Transplant some conifers and plant some new ones for screens and cover
3. Plant some rye, radish and rape plots
4. Move some stands around
5. Figure out if its worth it to hunt the south 200 that has cattle on it.
6. Work towards a future of no cattle in the pasture and/or better fencing off of the woods
7. Start planning a ~10 acre pine tree planting in the cattle pasture west of the farm - should be good deer cover starting out but my brother will wants pine vs. spruce for the long term $$

Throw up some aerials that include current deer travel, current deer bedding and current hunter access

 

[MNAaron]

1. Continue building relations with the neighbors to pass up bucks and work on managing doe numbers
2. Burn and plant 13 acres of native grass this spring
3. Plant 4 thousand trees this spring (CP 22 crp practice)
4. Hinge cut a whole bunch of iron wood and maples
5. Build 3 new tower stands and have windows in them
6. If enrolled in Prairie Pothole Initiative then plant 12 more acres of native grasses this spring
7. Clear some better trails for access to a couple stands
8. Block a bunch of trails to funnel deer by bow stands better
9. Conduct deer population survey via trail cameras
10. Create new food plot near one of our sanctuary
11. Host a land tour for you crazy guys.
Holy crap I need to quit thinking about this since I am a weekend warrior and I am already getting stressed about getting it done.

 

[bat man]

Be fun to do a weekend at MNAarods, Bigflakes and BornFreezings when the crappies are going or the turkeys are gobbling next spring.

 

[biglakeba$$]

Hey now! Well, I resemble that remark, but hey now!

Aaron/Freeball,
Do you have any wetlands on your property?

If so, you best be checking in the the Wetland Easement program if you have not done so already.....

And I like the idea. We have a damn good panfish lake in East Battle.....

 

[MNAaron]

I like that idea Batman...how does the bat mobile handle snow and ice covered lakes?

We have 40 acres of willows on the west side of our land. It connects to a private ditch. Can that be enrolled into WRP or whatever it is called now. I didn't think it could...any help would be appreciated.

 

[MNAaron]

I have one piece of property (owned by friend) I would love to have you guys walk. It is great hunting but access sucks. Always good to have fresh eyes and ideas. I know that I am going to create some new access trails to some of the stands prior to next year. I should get opinion from this rowdy bunch first however. Not sure I want everyone's opinions...look what happened to Foggy. We created weeks worth of work cutting down all those mature pines. Ha Ha

 

[shawnv]

Home farm: Get a few acres logged, plant some spruce and plum trees, prune a bunch of overgrown apple trees, move my plots and water hole.

My 30 acres: Either log a couple acres or deal with the large pines and hinge the smaller oaks, plant some spruce, plant some more apple trees, clear out some scrub oak for a plot, prep some new stand locations.