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Post by gwinnman on May 23, 2011 9:32:26 GMT -5
Looking at property to lease in Greene County. It is 120 acres 30 of it is hay field and rest is mature hardwoods. Everything about this property looks good. Worn down trails throughout, fair amount of white oaks, 1 nice creek runs thru and it is secluded. As we drove around the area there is no grain crops anywhere. EVERYTHING IS IN HAY. My question. What size antlers can bucks grow in this kind of habitat? ?? We usually hunt woods with crops around so we are used to big bodied corn/bean fed deer. We aren't total trophy hunters but the reason we lease is to have a CHANCE to harvest a 150+ deer. I know there are a whole bunch of variables to antler size. I'm basically asking if any of you hunt in this kind of habitat (nice wood with no grain fields only hay) and what size bucks do you see running around. It looks like we can put food plots in. What do you recommend for this set up.
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Post by freedomhunter on May 23, 2011 10:02:03 GMT -5
they can grow big racks if plenty of oaks are around, look at some of the bucks that come out of brown co., I would put out soybeans for a food plot, maybe with some corn buffer strip on the outside
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Post by tickman1961 on May 23, 2011 10:08:29 GMT -5
Big deer in Greene County regardless of the immediate access to grain crops. I would not be suprised if you would see a 160-170 class deer as long as their is plenty of thick cover.
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Post by swilk on May 23, 2011 11:07:16 GMT -5
The large majority of a deers diet is made up of native browse .....
Also, what is the composition of the haying fields? Clover?
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Post by gwinnman on May 23, 2011 11:27:38 GMT -5
it seems to be mostly grass with clover mix. They cut half the field along road but they don't even sell it. The guy that cuts it says its low quality. If the landowner will allow us to food plot some and maybe put in some summer grass to give them cover. this will gives alot to work with.
this property has alot of potential.
What would be a ballpark figure to put in 1 acre food plot and maintain it with spray. I know there are all sorts of variety but i'm just looking at something good but not high $$$$. Local farmer can supply equipment so we'll just pay him something not sure yet what he'll charge. I guess I'm asking what you use in food plot and what it cost you per acre.
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Post by parrothead on May 23, 2011 12:28:07 GMT -5
I would offer to buy the alfalfa seed if he plants it and he can have the hay.
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Post by throbak on May 23, 2011 15:19:44 GMT -5
You can frost seed ladino into the hay with no problems . ask the farmer first the clover takes longer to dry and some dont like it. I do it in MY hay fields, works great but keep it on the edges in the bigger fields to keep the deer close
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Post by hornharvester on May 23, 2011 15:29:17 GMT -5
Bucks can roam 5 miles or more so the deer you see might not even be on the property yet. h.h.
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Post by drs on May 24, 2011 5:14:29 GMT -5
Bucks can roam 5 miles or more so the deer you see might not even be on the property yet. h.h. .....Whitetail Bucks roam quite frequently, especially during "Rut".
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Post by duff on May 24, 2011 5:58:36 GMT -5
There are no big deer in Greene Co, nothing but runts and basket racks. Get your lease in Parke Co. Just kidding sounds promising. You might check to see where I-69 project is going to be in relation to this place. They are already working down around Scotland south of Bloomfield and heading N-E towards Bloominton so if you are looking in that general area I would be real sure where all the work will be done. Lots of activity and disturbed areas while they build the highway.
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Post by drs on May 24, 2011 7:48:08 GMT -5
Looking at property to lease in Greene County. It is 120 acres 30 of it is hay field and rest is mature hardwoods. Everything about this property looks good. EVERYTHING IS IN HAY. My question. What size antlers can bucks grow in this kind of habitat? ?? It looks like we can put food plots in. What do you recommend for this set up. Where I live in Ky. there are no corn or soybean fields being grown & the closest bean or corn field is five miles away. Around me it's pasture land with cattle, goats, and sheep. This really doesn't affect the size of antlers, which is largely influnced by genetics. Deer should have good natural browse available for their diet, including acorns. I harvested a nice 10-pointer back in 2009 which weighed 245 pounds, on my property, with has natural browse & acorns. You could improve your area by planting food plots, but if there is plenty of natural grasses and other "good" browse available, there is really no point and it would be extra expense for you. However it's your call on this.
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2011 8:20:18 GMT -5
Sometimes, you'll see bucks with broomed or narrow racks, but still it's age that determines the trophy caliber. Just because it's forested, does not mean that you can't have good bucks, but the carrying capacity of forest land is lower than row crop land for sure.
But you could improve the land and the carrying capacity in several ways, but it's still best to keep the number of deer in check. Fod plots would help, but openings in the canapy and even a logging operation would help increase the amount of food stuffs available. Also you can fertilize acorn trees and other mast sources to increase the yields.
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Post by drs on May 24, 2011 8:57:57 GMT -5
Sometimes, you'll see bucks with broomed or narrow racks, but still it's age that determines the trophy caliber. Just because it's forested, does not mean that you can't have good bucks, but the carrying capacity of forest land is lower than row crop land for sure. But you could improve the land and the carrying capacity in several ways, but it's still best to keep the number of deer in check. Fod plots would help, but openings in the canapy and even a logging operation would help increase the amount of food stuffs available. Also you can fertilize acorn trees and other mast sources to increase the yields. GOOD POINT, Tom.......
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Post by gwinnman on May 24, 2011 9:36:10 GMT -5
Just got some good news... Talked with landowner and he is going to plant most of the 30 acres in grain crops next year. Now that property will be the only grain crop for miles. Now we won't have to have an extra expense of food plots.
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Post by drs on May 24, 2011 9:53:49 GMT -5
Just got some good news... Talked with landowner and he is going to plant most of the 30 acres in grain crops next year. Now that property will be the only grain crop for miles. Now we won't have to have an extra expense of food plots. There ya go! Sounds like a plan!!
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Post by 76chevy on May 25, 2011 17:59:28 GMT -5
looks like you got a pretty good lease there
greene county has been good to us over the years.
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Post by 76chevy on May 26, 2011 5:57:30 GMT -5
as far as what to plant... Look at the clover chicory and the soybean products www.kitchenseed.com/wildlife_blends.php#whitetailthe soybeans are roundup ready so you can spray glyphosate over the top and kill all the weeds, they also are highly shatter resistant so the beans stay in the pods over the winter I planted the whitetail salad mix last fall and it grew awesome and the deer loved it
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