Here's the deal, you come across a 640 of AG land for sale dirt cheap (don't as how, assume there was a Great Depression drought ). You gave enough to buy the piece by yourself with the intent to deer hunt it. This land is either black or unusable grass land and 110% flat but it is located in a mix of AG and deer habitat area. Could you turn this ground into dynamite deer hunting? Would you? How long would it take you to have 150"s every year on your land? Most importantly, what would you do to make it into a dream deer hunting property if you chose to do it? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Okay, first this. There is far more than what you can do to guarantee such deer on your place every year. Is it possible, oh yeah, definite no. Otherwise if I came across cheap ag land I would without hesitation if I could swing it buy it and let the transformation begin. I even know of a few fellas that have done this and done it with AMAZING results. The key is start with quick cover/sight blocking like switch and transplanting/planting of fast cover hybrid willows, sawtooth oaks, white pines and other greens. Medium length food/cover options like white/red oaks, apple trees and such as well. Then very long term/slower growth like your firs, cedars and such. You could even lease out a portion of the ag fields still to be used to local farmers to help offset some of the cost of all this and/or taxes. I wouldn't expect miracles the first 1-3 years but in 5 years, and especially 10 it is easy to say you could have something taking shape that will be awesome for YEARS.
A full section of ag land dirt cheap? That's a wet dream. Depending on the area, local deer and local hunting pressure, I could have P&Y deer walking on the property consistently in a year. 150" deer within three years and reliably produce them within 10 years. It's going to depend on whether there are any in the area to pull in or not as to how soon results like you want will be obvious. If there are no trophy deer in the area and you have to produce them from scratch then that means growing fawns to mature deer, minimum of 4.5- 5.5 years growth time plus a year to improve the property in any meaningful way. That's in my area...you're so far north in a region I'm completely inexperienced with so that's a big variable from my POV. Overall I feel the same tactics would apply but species for the climate there are going to be different than what I'm used to dealing with. The basic strategy would be to use the fastest growing species of plants I could to enclose the property from the outside borders and focus on making the deer bedding in the middle of the property. The longer their travel distance the least likely they are to wander off property. Cropping a good portion of it will return some capital to the project and provide free food. Look into making the soil health initiative and cover crops part of your lease agreement for the farm land that's left and you'll have better soil and year around food for the deer.
I would keep the 640 in AG and CRP and use it as income to buy a different hunting property. With 640 acres you could have a good protion in ag but also put lots of it in CRP for bird hunting.
Well the only way this would ever happen is if the AG industry crashed so farming it would cost you money Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I would use evergreens to start and plant apple trees and oaks in strategic location and try to find some fast growing hardwoods as well. I think it would be extremely fun Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you own 640 acres of AG land... Your opportunities are endless if you're willing to commit 10+ years of restoration. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I get calls from people all the time who just purchased land for hunting. "Virgin" or year one for food plots should be about setting one up for the future and not just looking at the present. There are numerous factors that come into play. I love helping people develop a plan that helps them grow big deer. I have invented numerous products from plant foods, to deer minerals to attractants to soil amendments. It is fun seeing how people can change their herd. It is a process. I have been involved with quality deer management for about 25 years and it's interesting showing people the genetics and how the deer that were shot many years back are all of similar traits even now. On Grandpa Ray's farm we shoot bucks about 20 inches bigger than surrounding areas in the county and it's not rocket science on how to accomplish this. It all starts with the soil. That is the theme for the book i'm writing. "From soil to success."
