permanent cover questions....

Winter Rye for 1st planting

I just put out 112 lbs of winter rye seed in an area that was a gravel pit behind my house. It is already starting to sprout. I will post a picture of it to show you how the rye will grow just about anywhere. My intent is to repeat the plantings to start a base for soil build up. It will take a few years but it will work.

 

Finally getting ready to plant this spring!!! Still have about a foot of snow that needs to melt. So tomorrow I'll be out doing some hinge cutting to make more bedding areas and breaking up the long open sight lines. I was out looking around last weekend and realized I need a lot more done. Once the snow melts and the ground is saturated, I figure it will be the easiest time to pull up the small saplings and smaller roots.
I've been doing more research and I'm think of planting just clovers for the first year. I plan on making three sepwrate growing areas, and leaving some of the thicker taller saplings standing for cover, as well as the stumps. I originally wanted a big open field, but my new plan is so much better and more practical I believe. I'll post up some pics of the planting areas and my new hinge cuts tomorrow!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Wasn't able to make it out on Sunday. We got 4 inches of snow Saturday night and all the limbs and branches were covered in snow till late afternoon. To risky to be cutting trees with snow on them, can't see if branches are dead, and the snow adds weight making things more unpredictable. Hoping to get out for an hour or so today!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Finally made it out!! Spent about an hour and a half hinge cutting and dropping some big mature trees. Made a few nice buck beds with custom back rests facing SW. Felt good to be working on my land again!! Might spend another hour or so tomorrow doing the same, then start pulling up saplings and bushes.


The pics do it no justice, so I didn't take to many....
But couldn't resist taking an AX-MAN selfee!! Lmao!!!




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Went out for a walk today to game plan for another hinge cut area to make tomorrow and saw that my work from yesterday is already producing results!! Found several new beds. Very rewarding!!


It's tough to see but they are there!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Not to be a critic here..But..If you are hinging for beds..The hinges should be no lower than shoulder height. Also..You cut the largest tree first and then hinge smaller tree's to land on it.

 

That's what I've been doing. The pictures suck, it's hard to get the feel of what I've been doing with the pics.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Incorporating a few select lower hinges can provide back cover a deer really embraces at times though as well. I agree though about 80-90% of hinging for bedding occurs at a higher level...but Swamp just sucks at pictures is all bahaha!

 

so with money being extremely tight, I thought this whole project was being put on the back burner for a few years....UNTIL yesterday when my 18year old nephew was asking me when I was going to plant stuff back there? and I said, I need a tractor with a bucket to scrape up a few inches of ground, and to clear all the new growth back there...and he said well my friend has one, so I then said, "does he burn wood?" BARTER SYSTEM!!!!!!!! I have 5-10 cord of wood stacked along the perimeter of my cleared area, that's ready to split and burn, it's been out there for over a year! He and his father will be coming by this afternoon to take a look.

Now im thinking I WILL have time to do a late season planting, of winter rye and oats perhaps? where should I buy them from? I looked at BPS and cablea's website, but it all looked like junk, with all kinds of crapped mixed in. I don't live in a region where I can mozy down to the co-op and get some seed....lol!! I stopped in at the local feed store and the kid said, we sell oats...50 pound bag for $14. I'm thinking he was meaning food, not seed. (forgive me if its the same thing, I really don't know!!) any advice?

 

That local feed store should have both...or the means for both. Be your best and cheapest bet, 50 lb bags are your friend for price/lb.

 

ok, I'll have to stop back by there tomorrow and be a bit more specific. Winter rye seed and oat seed for planting?

 

Yup just say you're doing some food plotting and need winter rye and oats.

 

Ok thanks Ty!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Wouldn't be afraid to ask while in there if they got any other stuff as well....never know what they got till ya ask. Is this where you get fertilizer and lime too? If not I'd even ask if they carry that, just for future use.

 

Tractor will be here on sunday, and the work will be done a week from today!! Can't wait! I will be planting next weekend. I stopped back in at the feed store, same kid was there. I asked him more about the oats and he said it is feed, but it grows like crazy in the rocks and even in the sawdust near where it's kept.....I'm still not to sure though. He's checking into the rye seeds for me.

 

dumb question....Will the deer hammer the new growth before it can grow? will that be an issue?

 

rye/oats will keep growing even while being browsed on.

 

oh great, thanks!!

 

Great read. I bought and started on a forty last year. An unending project. Enjoy reading these posts to get ideas for my place. Will continue to follow this one for more ideas.

 

Thanks! it truly is never ending, but I love every second of it! I'm really hoping the food plots help seal the deal on the property this year, Even though I have seen and shot great bucks from the property already!