Ridgerunner I'm going to put a bit of a damper on what you want. I will do so by example. Neighbor allowed her 50 acres to revert from pasture to natural. . Since she added another 50. So she got some mix of slashings and golden rod. Now mind you the deer were on our place 24/ 7 at the time. She wanted to do what you want to do and her significant put his foot down and said no. So I told them mow a series of tractor trails through the slashings and the goldenrod. Any where you mow up here clover grows. Then clear around all wild fruit trees so they produce. My deer sightings during the day dropped 75% with in 5 yrs. They all, buck and doe bed on her and get up walk those trails eating and then bedding again. They hide in there all bow and gun. I get mostly rut movement now.
How plans can change. I chased down logger because he was driving by WAY to slow. No coat ,in slippers..lo! Anyhow I passed him in Gator turning into lower property. He passed and then slowly came back as I stood in drive. Long short he pulled in . A logger we all know,his truck uses hand controls, a tree got him 6 yrs ago. We talked a bit then turned him over to hubby...seriuosly it's freezing up here no coat and slippers ! Hard maple is way up and he has a Chinese market for ash plus does fire wood. We have way too many standing dead ash ,beech ,and maple. We have one area I'd clear cut of mature maple . Then apply for the American chestnut planting study. I actually wrote them last week to see if my having 2 dozen chinese hybrids across the road. The Americans would be out behind the house. We'll see, though all this would completely change my planting plans. All my main planting trails and plots are old logging roads I kept clear on the property. So that would take out some major areas. Including two spots I JUST frost seeded..Id also not be able to set a couple of blinds I have geared up for.
OND I am following your example I have been doing a little scouting for a stand site down in the swamp. I have an over grown 2 track that I plan on mowing and putting down a clover mix on it. The two track goes right thru a classic pinch point. The neighbor on the other side of the swamp wants to feed the deer to thwart my success, it will work to my advantage she will be drawing the deer right thru that pinch point.
Sounds like a great plan. Today I finished raking rocks on a 200 ft trail into gully then laid down clover. It was limed last year. This should keep them farther from the farm field. Hoping they feed and walk that in light before hitting field late. Unfortunately the farm field next to house..WW was just fertilized heavy on phospherous. Probably had clover in it. Just as I planned more on me. So another gear switch has to happen.
Looking over the past 15+ years or so, I've decided to go more towards the pumpkin/ squash type foodplots. I typically don't start even hunting till late October and by then, my oats,clover plots are gone.
I've done pumpkin squash and melon plots , wiped out after first frost. I plant annual clover as the plants get first leaves then heavy hit it in fall with WW orWR before a heavy rain.
Weather is shutting me down a bit took pic of plot I raked by hand and planted in clover seed. Then the plot I had planned on planting in peas and grain with clover...Gator in that pic. As you can see not soon, it's a muddy mess.
Things just keep changing. I have an excellent amount of clover coming up so that is changing some summer plots. All fields around us have been left in the WW so now I want to get some corn in and as per usual it will be late due to tractor prep. I'm not allowed to touch the tractor until he does spring maintenance. I'm swamped at this time so OK. A Arbor day planting of 2 apples and a cherry lost one apple. So I called and told them due to no tag just send a late apple replacement their choice. Got an E mail they are sending all 3. Being honest I called and explained again just one died. Guy said I didn't put the order in but they apparently want to replace all three. OK,lol Going down to dig the holes then make the wire cages for the new trees. My tree plot is getting a tad crowed I may have to plant one apple else where. All of my chestnuts are looking great and loving finally being outside. A mistake gift tree, suppose to be a chestnut , is a persimmon made it through winter and is leafing out well.
The clover plots are just showing some decent growth. Hubby finally got the disc on then gave a no use order..lol thats OK. I have some spraying to do if the weatherman would stop lying to me. Established clover looks great but weeds are bad at the moment. Lawn mower finally spring prepped but after he mowed the "lawn" areas gave the no use order. Don't even ask, it's like a ritual every spring , I just laugh now Now to a plot plan I do that starts the prior year. I will post pics in a bit. That said last year I allowed my WR to seed. I laid down clover and then mowed down the ripe rye. I dragged this around the plot. Late fall I laid down turnip seed. I mentioned this before it makes for small late winter bulbs then early spring greens. Well now I have rye starting to head out and in one area a heavy growth of flowering turnips. Now these yellow flowers feed the bees and they will produce a crazy amount of seed. When the rye drys I will mow all of it and roll all of it down because I don't want to drag out the established clover. Great for deer and the turkey. Bedding , bugging, poult protection and seed to scratch. This is a good $$ saving practice..
So the tree replacements came. One great looking Stayman and a tiny blk. Tartan cherry and a early harvest just as tiny. No complaints I only asked for one. I'm glad I got the holes dug last week. After soaking 3 hrs. I had a no rain pocket and got two in. Now I have more storms on me so early is still in bucket. I may have to soak up some pennysavers and wrap the roots up then bag it for in the morning. I amended the soul with 5yr old dog kennel humus. It turned out great! and will help hold a bit of moisture in that sandy loam. Think I'll add a bit of pelleted lime to some and use as a mulch. I used straw and pine chips in the out door and indoor kennel .
Got that last tree planted last night just before dark. Then another storm rolled through dropping temps nicely and soaking everything in well. perfect for transplanting. I'm not looking forward to digging 12 holes for those chestnut trees I potted up this spring. Think I'll do 1 a week.
So mid July and plans have changed several times will have the one new elevated blind done. Also a couple of new plots. In fact going out now to disc in lime on a small travel plot to get deer close to the new blind. Which I already took a turkey from this spring. I have cut several bad and shading trees. I just winched down a 70' Basswood that was pretty rotted up and down trunk. It didn't cut right, angled at bottom but leafy top was just heavy enough on back side to "balance" it. I hate when that happens! Though with rope and winch line I was able to park off to the side and use a tree in line with the cut tree to winch it right where I wanted it. As the tree fell past the front off Gator I had several big trees between me and it but was worried about just one thing. Were there bees in those hollows in trunk of in canopy. I lucked out. Now my trail is safe again. Well gotta run.
Holy Crap! There had to be a hundred deer fly attacking me on the tractor. I feel like I've been beat with a dematting brush. But I got the first round done. Decide not to spray the grass and clover in the laneway plot. Just went in and chopped it good. A weighed harrow drag will dethatch it when I go in to fertilize and smooth it all out. . Did as well as I could around the blind plot. There are a few boulders in there that won't come out with out a backhoe I'll just hard rake clover in the bare spots. Blind just needs door window and ladder. Then the tree I winched down along my trail. I'll chunk it up on a cool morning , before deer flies get active. I'll watch weather and plant in a week or so.
I beat the rain and got those plots dragged and the bigger rocks picked out. Still need to get the big pry bar out and remove some small boulders. If I can get them out or up enough to catch the bucket under it. Rain tonight and tomorrow. Then dry 2 days before more rain. I'll plant just before the next rain. With the soil loose the rain will be able to soak in well.
It's so dry here in TN. right now. I've been messing around on the tractor getting things ready for mid to late August. The last 3 weeks I haven't done much. I just hope we get some rain. We got a ton of rain up till a out a 3-4 weeks ago. Not a drop since Sent from my SM-S102DL using Tapatalk
Thank you, usually just plant winter wheat, winter peas, purple top turnips. Might try some sugar beets. Not sure. Sent from my SM-S102DL using Tapatalk
Thank you, usually just plant winter wheat, winter peas, purple top turnips. Might try some sugar beets. Not sure. Sent from my SM-S102DL using Tapatalk
