permanent cover questions....

speaking of the small scrubby stuff....do you have a recommendation on how to remove it? a brush hog would be great, but those funds wont be available till the spring. I need to buy a new weed wacker, so I might as well buy a stronger one to buy a brush blade..does anyone know how good these actually work?

 

Whoops a big old pine tree leaning the exact way I did not want to fall!! Long story short my face cut or notch cut was not in deep enough and that she was laying the way it's falling so I made a big mistake and created myself about 2 to 3 hours more worth of work. Overall a very successful morning!! I made a lot of progress clearing the southwest south southeast skyline to let early spring's growing sunlight into the soon-to-be field!! I also want to lie to you right now and tell you that this is the only tree that fell the way it wasn't supposed! to but like I said that would be a lie!!


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Lol got b$tch slapped by a pine branch.... It was under pressure and I didn't notice!!


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Did you ever think about planting eastern hemlocks. They grow pretty fast and give deer good cover especially in snow storms. Deer don't normally bed on my property except under the hemlocks in one corner. During the snow even more deer seem to move into my hemlocks for cover.

 

I'm a huge fan of hemlocks! I grew up hunting out of them in CT state forests! I'll have to look into it.

 

Starting to look like a field!!



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4 degrees 15 mph winds, gusts to 25...perfect time to cut down some trees!!!


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Scary!!! I'll save those two for last I think!!!


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Here's a panoramic view of before I started clearing, and another panoramic view from this afternoon



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Awesome work!

Do you plan to rip up any of the root systems from the trees, or have you done that already?

 

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thanks!! it's a lot of hard work, but its also very rewarding in the long run!
The ground is a little low, so instead of ripping up the roots I plan on back filling over the area with a bout 1' of fill then 4-6" of loom with lime and manure mixed in. I'm going to be renting an excavator to dig a 1 acre pond around 12 feet deep, that will provide much of the needed fill as well as a back yard skating rink in the winter!

 

Swamp...sorry I don't remember if I ever reached out to you. Looks like you are tackling this in an awesome way brother! This place with time will reward all your hard work NO DOUBT IN MY MIND!

 

keep up the good work youll be killing great bucks before you know it!!!

 

Ty, thanks! We spoke via email a few times when I was first tackling this project!! I followed your advice as well as some others, hinge cut FIRST...made bedding areas first to hold the deer on the prop, I hinge cut in three separate areas on the property. I'm about 80% complete with clearing the 2ish acres for food plots and fruit trees. I'll have to take a few pictures of how I handled the field edges. I basically used all the tree tops as impenetrable brush pile line and view block and created 4 pinch points of entry to the field, with perfect trees for the perfect treestand setup. the predominant wind will ALWAYS carry my sent towards the house away from deer access! Unfortunately I wont have the funding available to bring all the fill and loom in for this planting season, but all the small sapling undergrowth in the field should provide a great food source for this fall's hunting season! As soona as the rut is over in late November I will then start bringing in all the fill and loom to be ready to plant next spring!!

 

I just located the emails, good stuff man! Your time and sweat will reward you for sure! I understand the funding as it can get expensive...lesser soils still at times will allow stuff like oats and winter rye to grow "decent" and is fairly cheap, could give it a try if any funding left over...but long term what you are planning brother is awesome! Keep me updated and if you are successful and would be willing I will share your story on my site!

 

Thanks Ty, I'll have to look into a good spot for the oats! I'm sure some round-up will take care of the minor growth. Right now I'm leaving the stumps, and will back fill over them with 1-2' of back fill then a solid 4-6" of fertilized loom over that. Definitely willing to share for your site, I'm trying to take as many progress pics as I can.

 

A few pics of the edge of the field, showing the lines of inpenetrable brush piles which create pinch points. Also a bed under some of the hinge cutting I did. With a foot of snow progress has stopped!


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I am really digging this thread! Keep up the great work swamp!

 

Swamp love it!