23-24 Habitat Work

[Wildcat]

6 minutes ago, ZAG said:

Sounds like a fun time with the boys.

I always enjoy the offseason habitat work. As it helps set the tone for the following season and hopefully its better than the past reason.

We have been at this habitat game for a lot of years making improvements each yr on our land and I think we’re making a better place for all the critters and hopefully deer spend more time on our place vs others! 

I firmly believe that there is a direct correlation between the amount of time and effort put in during the off season and what happens during the season.   Plus, I learn so much about deer habits and movement when I spend time down at my place during the winter.

[ZAG]

3 minutes ago, Wildcat said:

I firmly believe that there is a direct correlation between the amount of time and effort put in during the off season and what happens during the season.   Plus, I learn so much about deer habits and movement when I spend time down at my place during the winter.

No doubt. I watch a ton of YouTube videos every night it seems again.

We’ve gone from seeing smaller bucks and some doe to many more decent bucks and more mature bucks as time goes on. We also didn’t like shooting many doe each yr but those numbers have drastically increased as well. 
Trail cams have been an a game changer for over herd #s too. I’ve had times this yr where I had 5-7 does in one plot and 3-4 in the other at the same time. Over 90 acres I think thats good and its only data off two cams.
Hard work will always pay off!!

[Robhuntandfish]

7 minutes ago, ZAG said:

No doubt. I watch a ton of YouTube videos every night it seems again.

We’ve gone from seeing smaller bucks and some doe to many more decent bucks and more mature bucks as time goes on. We also didn’t like shooting many doe each yr but those numbers have drastically increased as well. 
Trail cams have been an a game changer for over herd #s too. I’ve had times this yr where I had 5-7 does in one plot and 3-4 in the other at the same time. Over 90 acres I think thats good and its only data off two cams.
Hard work will always pay off!!

Been great following along with it.

We broke our trail cam record last week of 7 deer in our one tiny little plot we named Littlefield!  The work we have done has made a huge difference, even small game too.  The rabbits have gone amok out there!  lol Gonna hopefully take a few of them soon too. 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Robhuntandfish

[ZAG]

4 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Been great following along with it.

We broke our trail cam record last week of 7 deer in our one tiny little plot we named Littlefield!  The work we have done has made a huge difference, even small game too.  The rabbits have gone amok out there!  lol Gonna hopefully take a few of them soon too. 

 

Rabbits = great deer habitat!! Sounds like ur well on ur way!

[Wildcat]

39 minutes ago, ZAG said:

No doubt. I watch a ton of YouTube videos every night it seems again.

We’ve gone from seeing smaller bucks and some doe to many more decent bucks and more mature bucks as time goes on. We also didn’t like shooting many doe each yr but those numbers have drastically increased as well. 
Trail cams have been an a game changer for over herd #s too. I’ve had times this yr where I had 5-7 does in one plot and 3-4 in the other at the same time. Over 90 acres I think thats good and its only data off two cams.
Hard work will always pay off!!

I think one of the misunderstandings people have is around doe and if/how many you should shoot...   I always looked at it from the standpoint that if you have good habitat, cover and food sources (on your property and surrounding) there will be a constant influx of new deer at all times.  I own 115 acres and this year we have taken 8 doe and will likely take 2 or 3 more thru ML and Holiday hunt..     There will not be a difference in deer population next year at all..  At the same time as the habitat improves, the quality of the bucks gets better and better..

[dbHunterNY]

@ZAG use some caution thinning the pines with heavy canopies and open understory. think about this pines draw birds that promote young successional growth at hardwood edges like bluejays and acorns. also heavy canopies provide thermal cover in summer months and warm early season days to keep deer cool.  if it's next to your food plot it might allow you better access to hunt that food plot. deer don't typically loiter in wide open woods, it can be quiet walking, and you can plant an edge barrier to shield your approach from deer out in the plot. some stuff to think about is all. you can make your whole property a deer utopia but if you can't hunt it without getting blown up by deer every time, your hunting season might be a frustrating one that's harder to nail down patterns of particular deer.

[cervidchasers]

On 12/4/2023 at 2:13 PM, Robhuntandfish said:

Been great following along with it.

We broke our trail cam record last week of 7 deer in our one tiny little plot we named Littlefield!  The work we have done has made a huge difference, even small game too.  The rabbits have gone amok out there!  lol Gonna hopefully take a few of them soon too. 

 

Do you need any help thinning that doe population down ..lol
Thats more deer than I seen the whole season

[Robhuntandfish]

2 minutes ago, cervidchasers said:

Do you need any help thinning that doe population down ..lol
Thats more deer than I seen the whole season

Lol.  I'm hoping to be minus one this weekend.  My buddy hasn't tagged yet so it's doe patrol this weekend to fill his freezer.  I actually didn't want to take a doe this year.  Weve taken 5 out in the last two years and would like to have a few more around.  Would like it to get to a point where we really have to take does.  Not quite there yet.....prob 2 years of laying off them. Pending the neighbors take too.   

[ZAG]

5 hours ago, dbHunterNY said:

@ZAG use some caution thinning the pines with heavy canopies and open understory. think about this pines draw birds that promote young successional growth at hardwood edges like bluejays and acorns. also heavy canopies provide thermal cover in summer months and warm early season days to keep deer cool.  if it's next to your food plot it might allow you better access to hunt that food plot. deer don't typically loiter in wide open woods, it can be quiet walking, and you can plant an edge barrier to shield your approach from deer out in the plot. some stuff to think about is all. you can make your whole property a deer utopia but if you can't hunt it without getting blown up by deer every time, your hunting season might be a frustrating one that's harder to nail down patterns of particular deer.

Appreciate the input. Entry and exit is always a challenge 4 sure. 
I don’t think ill have to thin any of those pines. May thin out some dead ash, smaller maple and remove some of the dead logs. Hopeful just cleaning out understory will promote some grasses to germinate and thicken up from the current bare state its in.
 

[Nomad]

That’s a pretty ambitious plan ! My goal for next year is to move two ladder stands , that’s the exact plan I had for this year too lol .

[dbHunterNY]

14 hours ago, ZAG said:

Appreciate the input. Entry and exit is always a challenge 4 sure. 
I don’t think ill have to thin any of those pines. May thin out some dead ash, smaller maple and remove some of the dead logs. Hopeful just cleaning out understory will promote some grasses to germinate and thicken up from the current bare state its in.

hard to say but it'll likely be a monoculture of whatever is dormant there. even if it's just ferns, it'll be more fawning cover.

[LET EM GROW]

Dont be afraid to try White pine and spruce mix. They work well together to provide thermal cover, and the white pine is a food species in winter while young. Are you set on removing the Dead Ash? You could leave it and let it fall on its own since youll neve rbe in there, and plant your pines in clusters like an "X" pattern. tree at each 4 corners and one in the center..      

[LET EM GROW]

On 12/3/2023 at 3:09 PM, ZAG said:

2nd area is a block of pines that border our newest food plot. As you can see there is not much understory. Thoughts on how I can enhance growth as I’d like to get something growing underneath to provide more cover. 
One of my thoughts is clear out the understory duff with the front loader exposing the soil and see if that generates new growth in spring and also though about planting something somewhat shade tolerant pine/cedar clumps or something else. Don’t really wanna cut the existing pines.

I think your spending too much effort with little reward with this plan. I would leave the dead and rotten stuff it will crumble away real soon. Mark your preferred trees with paint that you want to keep. The other big un wanted trees you can either double girdle(if your not going to be in the area much, it will fall on its own, but while dead still allow tons of sunlight in.) Hinge some of the smaller stuff. That red pine is garbage, I would cut those right down and leave them, it will add structure. 

A burn is ideal here but I know not always the safest or most comfortable way to do things. 

I would certainly mark your trees you want to keep, and remove the low value trees, which looks like a majority of it. You can move some of the trees to form a wall to funnel movements or some piles to promote small game usage. I plan to do the same thing with a 12acre section on my property this winter as well. Looks alike, other than I have a bunch of poplar which will make good winter food as well. 

All your tops will give deer winter feed, so instead of dropping all the trees at once do it in portions to keep fresh food on the ground for them. 

[ZAG]

6 hours ago, LET EM GROW said:

Dont be afraid to try White pine and spruce mix. They work well together to provide thermal cover, and the white pine is a food species in winter while young. Are you set on removing the Dead Ash? You could leave it and let it fall on its own since youll neve rbe in there, and plant your pines in clusters like an "X" pattern. tree at each 4 corners and one in the center..      

I’ve thought about each pine variety, I like the scotch/jack pines the best, can provide thermal yet lower limbs die off so should still have understory growth.

In the first stand I’m not messing with the ash just autumn olive and thorn bushes. Once thats cleans up I plan on planting pines in clumps. 2-4 here 2-4 there. Ideally to support multiple areas for different doe groups. 
My vision is lots of grasses/goldenrod providing cover from ground to 5ft and natural browse. Pines will provide additional bedding cover and thermal cover.

 

[LET EM GROW]

15 hours ago, ZAG said:

I’ve thought about each pine variety, I like the scotch/jack pines the best, can provide thermal yet lower limbs die off so should still have understory growth.

In the first stand I’m not messing with the ash just autumn olive and thorn bushes. Once thats cleans up I plan on planting pines in clumps. 2-4 here 2-4 there. Ideally to support multiple areas for different doe groups. 
My vision is lots of grasses/goldenrod providing cover from ground to 5ft and natural browse. Pines will provide additional bedding cover and thermal cover.

 

As I always said before, Update us with pics, I love following the adventures/projects. The vision of grasses and golden rods or sanctuary blends mixed amongst more mature trees is a pretty sight!