Last year I kinda fell into an awesome property to hunt really close to home. Although it has a huge field on it, planted by a farmer who rents it, there is also an abandoned field that looked like it hadn't been planted in 5 to 10 years. I asked my landowner if he minded if I cleared and planted it and he had to problem. It helps that the landowner is my best friend's father-in-law. Here is an aerial view of the property: The plot is on the right. Notice my house on the left of the screen. I lived there for almost a year without knowing that he owned this land. This abandoned field was filled with small trees and jaggers. I did take a pic from a treestand in the middle of it, but I can't find it now. Here are a few shots of what was growing it there. At the one end it was kind of wet and smushy in one spot from a little spring. (propably one of the reasons the farmer gave up on it) I decided that I was gonna make a nice little water hole. I took two 8 to 10 foot logs and made a V at the bottom of the area and then put my rubber boots on and went to work digging the slop out and piling it on the logs. Here is the before and after. (In the after photo it's just starting to fill. After the fact, I thought about reinforcing the back with sandbags, but we will see.) Here is how every food plot day should start out, deer bologna and Vitamin Water. That's because you need to have something to munch on while you wait on the tractor to stop giving us fits. Leading up to yesterday, I had spent the last two Saturdays with my chainsaw and bare hands cutting and dragging most of the saplings and briars out of the field. Mike just got to come and do the fun stuff with the tractor, brush hog and beatup old discs. I also had another buddy their running my fourwheeler with an old spiketooth harrow on it. He was having too much fun.(it was muddy in few spots. By the end of the day, we had a cleared, somewhat disced field, ready to be limed.I am not planting until August, but it's nice to have this stuff ready to go. Here's a shot from either end. After we were all done we went down in the little bottome in the low side of the plot where a small stream runs to send Pat through on my quad to wash it off. We ended up finding a dead head. A small four pointer that Mike and I saw in rifle season in just about this same spot. (He was alive then) He had been hit by a car. We cut of the antlers and decorated the Vinson. All in all, it was a pretty
Way to get in there early and get it done. It will pay off big divedends in the end. What are you going to plant there, Just curious.
Looks good, should provide you with some good action this fall. Be mindful when excavating in potential wetlands, that can cause you some unwanted attention if someone were to file a complaint
Ben, I would let new growth start then hit it with a sprayer, if possible. You can also go back in and try to disk up the field again a few times before planting. This should help keep the weeds down, condition the soil, and help bring up the root mass that would have started on those saplings, etc. Another thing, never mow weeds then try to spray afterward. Once the plant is mowed, it's injured and doesn't take up nutrients (or spray) nearly as well as it would living healthy. Just something to put out there for future battles with foodplots. All and all, looks great for what you started with! Congrats.
ZackCL, Siman08/OH, Rory/MO, and slick814: Thanks fatsbucknut, I am aware of that. Originally I was gonna go bigger and ran into those issues That's why I stuck to the small surface damn type rather than take the backhoe in. I dug less than 6 inches in the deepest spot. Bols, I am gonna mow it once this summer (after some more working of the soil) and then wait 2 weeks for it to green up again and then spray before hitting it with the two bottom plow and the discs again. I am excited about this spot.
Looks good, Ben. What's the plan for the plot? Winter wheat? Turnips? Brassicas? Sorry I didn't get back to you about today. I was at Home Depot carpet and paint shopping, and doing my best to attempt to convince the fiance I need the new RS4511 granite top TS:D Did you get a soil sample?
How else you going to do It? Looks like a great project Ben, looking forward to the finished product! Good luck with It
Shultzy, if I had some extra mulah I'd have rented a skid steer to push what was cut down off instead of dragging. That's the part that wore me out.
Should work out beautifully then Ben. You've got a thumbs up from me! If you disk enough after plowing that plot should be dynamite!
That's what I am hopeing for. I am not gonna have 190 plus hours this year to devote to the field like 2008. I got a future hunter on the way mid summer.:d
Ben and I swung by the spot after shooting a round of 3D today. I was shocked at how big the plot actually was. I saw it this past fall all grown up and I couldn't tell how big it was. I said to Ben then, if he planted this he will have the best archery season ever. I think now after seeing it, if he does it right, which I'm sure he will with a great start he as already, He will have a great season!
Nothing like getting it all ready, and now just to wait for the season to come. Looks like you busted some butt getting all that done.
I'd be there In a heart beat with my skidsteer helping you out If It wasn't so far away, It sucks a guy can't help others out who all think and do allot of the same things!!:mad1: Beers would cover the rent!! I understand the work that you've put Into the tree trimming, tree moving, brush moving. This past week I cut down 140 huge Boxelder and Cottonwood tree's with my chainsaw. I burn wood for heat In the winter. Let me tell you, I was beat this weekend after the long week of cutting wood. The hard work has just begun, I now have a ton of splitting to do!! All my splitting I do by hand but I actually enjoy that part the most even though It's the most work, It keeps my fat ass In shape!!
Looking good, its nice to be out in the warmer weather. I had the same kind of fun this weekend getting ready for a new alfalfa/clover plot. Its amazing what a few friends can get done with a bobcat/bush hog attachment, chainsaws, and a couple atvs. Did hit some rabbits though in some overgrown wheat Nice pics, keep us updated
