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Post by antiwheeze on Jan 31, 2017 16:51:17 GMT -5
Buddy just bought 70 acres in SE Indiana. There hasn't been much hunting pressure on the property lately and on a scale of 1-10 for deer sign its about a 9. We looked at a lot of property. There is another great property nearby that is also excellent but has 300 feet of elevation (buddy reminded me we are not getting younger). If anyone is interested I will proved info for it.
My question:
What things should we not do or would be of little benefit to improving the current habitat? I realize this is impossible to answer without walking the property, so I offer an alternative question:
What have you done with the goal of habitat improvement you regret?
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Post by boonechaser on Jan 31, 2017 17:24:21 GMT -5
Best thing IMO to quickly enhance your property would be to have selectively logged. I would leave all white oak and red oak. 3-5 years you will have tons of fresh browse and tops provide immediate bedding areas. Get a few $$$ that can be put back into property or to purchase equipment to help maintain. What part se IND. I'm in Switzerland
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Post by featherduster on Jan 31, 2017 18:56:26 GMT -5
Question: If this property is a 9 out of 10............... WHY DO ANYTHING?
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Post by antiwheeze on Jan 31, 2017 20:40:57 GMT -5
Question: If this property is a 9 out of 10............... WHY DO ANYTHING? exactly......but if we do any improvements we want them to be sound and without regret. Its hard to hear all the discussion on food plots, hinge cutting ect and do nothing. would just like to know if anyone has had any pitfalls or wastes of time |
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Post by antiwheeze on Jan 31, 2017 20:46:05 GMT -5
Best thing IMO to quickly enhance your property would be to have selectively logged. I would leave all white oak and red oak. 3-5 years you will have tons of fresh browse and tops provide immediate bedding areas. Get a few $$$ that can be put back into property or to purchase equipment to help maintain. What part se IND. I'm in Switzerland Thanks BC not much there to be timbered at this point. Lots of dead ash that will open up the canopy. It also has quite a bit of red cedar and surprisingly little Osage. |
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Post by boonechaser on Jan 31, 2017 20:57:33 GMT -5
Hear you on dead ash. Terrible. Cedar I's good for thermal cover and bedding. Best of luck. SE Indiana is some of best hunting in state.
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Post by davers on Feb 1, 2017 5:31:29 GMT -5
Best thing IMO to quickly enhance your property would be to have selectively logged. I would leave all white oak and red oak. 3-5 years you will have tons of fresh browse and tops provide immediate bedding areas. Get a few $$$ that can be put back into property or to purchase equipment to help maintain. What part se IND. I'm in Switzerland |
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Post by featherduster on Feb 1, 2017 7:21:50 GMT -5
If you have a property that is holding game then leave it alone,your intrusions will push the animals that call that property their home........... out.
Cutting shooting paths,ATV trails, clearing areas for food plots will make the place look pretty but who cares how it looks the animals don't.
Folks think they need to start doing SOMETHING on their property because they read where others have or they see televisions shows that give you ideas how to create the "perfect place".
Save money, save time and enjoy nature as she intended you to.
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Post by davers on Feb 1, 2017 7:45:08 GMT -5
If you have a property that is holding game then leave it alone,your intrusions will push the animals that call that property their home........... out. Cutting shooting paths,ATV trails, clearing areas for food plots will make the place look pretty but who cares how it looks the animals don't. Folks think they need to start doing SOMETHING on their property because they read where others have or they see televisions shows that give you ideas how to create the "perfect place".
Save money, save time and enjoy nature as she intended you to.V-E-R-Y......TRUE!! |
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Post by parrothead on Feb 1, 2017 8:10:45 GMT -5
What county you in Antiwheeze
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Post by throbak on Feb 1, 2017 8:43:10 GMT -5
Biggest mistake I see is jumping the gun to do anything Go through a few seasons first Then think about what can be done
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Post by MuzzleLoader on Feb 1, 2017 9:08:00 GMT -5
If there is tillable acreage get with a local farmer for soybeans or corn. Make some money and you don't have to worry about maintaining it. Make sure you get a cover crop for it after the harvest (winter wheat). You get paid to have a food plot for your deer the whole year.
Any hay fields? Ask a local farmer to come and cut it unless you have a tractor already. Let him have it or you can split the hay.
Fuel cost, time, seeds and spraying cost a lot of money.
We been going through this with my buddies new place he just got in SE. Indiana. But its and old farm and just the general clean up on two houses and a old trailer has kept us busy for couple years now. Started on the clean up of and old pond and expanding it. Just need it to dry out enough to continue the work.
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Post by steiny on Feb 1, 2017 10:53:08 GMT -5
Lot's of new land owners want to run out, buy a tractor and implements and start putting in food plots right away. In most cases I think that heavy security cover is more important than food. Some easy low cost things you can do:
a. Stop mowing unnecessary trails.
b. Restrict people and ATV traffic.
c. Learn about hinge cutting, then hinge cut areas of existing timber to make thicker cover and add browse.
d. Get your tree stands and shooting stands done well in advance, then stay out.
e. If you do elect to do some food plots, it's hard to beat white clover. just disk, plant & mow a few times per year. It's good feed from green up to hard freeze.
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Post by HuntMeister on Feb 1, 2017 12:37:50 GMT -5
Biggest mistake I see is jumping the gun to do anything Go through a few seasons first Then think about what can be done This...take a season to get to know things a bit and then you should start getting some ideas as how to improve it if needed. I do believe that some hinge cutting is always a good thing though! Creates browse and if enough is done in a concentrated area it will open the canopy allowing thick growth to follow. |
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Post by antiwheeze on Feb 2, 2017 20:26:59 GMT -5
What county you in Antiwheeze I live in Marion County  |
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Post by antiwheeze on Feb 2, 2017 20:34:47 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies. Sounds like he wants to get some chestnuts started. May cast some white clover along some of the mowed trails. Would love to try some hinge cutting but that may follow. Sadly one of his bucks was victim to an auto. It had already shed its antlers. Mixed feelings about a property that deer enough to be a traffic hazard.
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Post by ms660 on Feb 2, 2017 21:15:14 GMT -5
Buddy just bought 70 acres in SE Indiana. There hasn't been much hunting pressure on the property lately and on a scale of 1-10 for deer sign its about a 9. We looked at a lot of property. There is another great property nearby that is also excellent but has 300 feet of elevation (buddy reminded me we are not getting younger). If anyone is interested I will proved info for it. My question: What things should we not do or would be of little benefit to improving the current habitat? I realize this is impossible to answer without walking the property, so I offer an alternative question: What have you done with the goal of habitat improvement you regret? In your eyes, what makes this property a 9 out of 10? What are you goals as far as filling your tag? There's a big difference if you are wanting to hunt and tag a mature buck than if you will be happy with any deer as far as what can or should be done. Maybe nothing at all, or there could be a lot of back breaking, hot, sweaty work in your future. |
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