Destination Plot expansion, input needed.

[Jsin]

I have about 3 acres of very mature balsam and Fraser firs on my property. This section is part of the property that was to be utilized by the previous owner for five years and then turned over for my use. I understand the thermal cover it provides for  the deer, but I don’t have a shortage of Christmas trees at this time for thermal coverage. My first thought is to get a excavator in the field dig up the trees and place them against a red pine hedgerow(west side, left in image) creating a natural barrier and funnels.  I do plan to leave a large group of the mature trees on the north and south ends of the field. The yellow shaded area in the image was a soybean plot for a few years. I didn’t do anything with it last year. Thinking about doing some plantings for browse. Any advise or suggestions are appreciated. 

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2022 by Jsin
Image change

[Robhuntandfish]

that area in yellow looks like a large spot.  Could be a great food plot.  If you can spray and plant it in late summer should be a nice draw for deer.   The area to the south of it bedding ?  Is the area to the N of it an AG field? and which way do you enter the property? 

i am far from having the experience many folks on here have but i have learned a bit over the last few years by trial and error and picking some brains.  

You might even be able to sell off those trees to a local Xmas tree farm and make some money?  and then use that space for plots or put in something for better cover. But would seem like a decent bedding area for them now.   

[ZAG]

My 1st question is where are the deer bedding now?

[Jsin]

27 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

that area in yellow looks like a large spot.  Could be a great food plot.  If you can spray and plant it in late summer should be a nice draw for deer.   The area to the south of it bedding ?  Is the area to the N of it an AG field? and which way do you enter the property? 

i am far from having the experience many folks on here have but i have learned a bit over the last few years by trial and error and picking some brains.  

You might even be able to sell off those trees to a local Xmas tree farm and make some money?  and then use that space for plots or put in something for better cover. But would seem like a decent bedding area for them now.   

The area in yellow was a soybean plot for two years. Problem with poachers has pushed me not to plant it. 
 

Yes, the area directly south of the old plot is a thick bedding area. 
 

Yes, this area north of the old plot is still being used for trees. 
 

The trees are of no use to the farmer( active  Xmas tree farm.) They utilized what they could and know it is being turned over this spring. 
 

My access is from the Northeast. I have the option of using the neighbors property to the south for access if needed. 

[Jsin]

25 minutes ago, ZAG said:

My 1st question is where are the deer bedding now?

Multiple doe groups, coming from all directions at times.  I would like to see more bedding in the old yellow shaded area and keep them accessing to the destination plot.  

[Robhuntandfish]

Coming in Northeast and planting a series of food plots in the yellow sounds like a winner to me. Then if you can hunt it from a blind on the northern end facing the plot it would be good for a W or and E wind. 

Maybe plant a mix on the N end of the yellow then some radish/brassica on the south end of the yellow.   That way early season they would be close to the blind for bow and then in gun and after a frost they will be drawn in to those radish and brassicas for the longer shots. 

[Robhuntandfish]

For bow if you made that a food plot and come in from the N  I would look to put a stand at the red spot  for sure. At least from pic it looks good. 

[Robhuntandfish]

You could also let the whole yellow grow in for bedding and put a plot in the field above it to the North. If that's available to do.  

Taking out all those Xmas trees seems like a lot of work if you have those fields already.  

Or even make blocks of plots in it and let spots in it grow in with small strips . 

Lots of options for sure. Let us know how it goes. Love seeing these projects. 

[G-man]

Looking at that propety ariel photo your lacking cover  food is not the answer  imo. Id screen off the old soybean plot using the trees you want to cut down to create a fence.  The area the trees are removed from would then be left to seed itself into a nasty thick area. Thinking ahead you can leave a few fir trees in strategic spots to hunt the food plot in the old soybean plot. As this spot wiĺl become a bedding and staging area used to enter the plot.

   Just my opinion.  

[Jsin]

19 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

For bow if you made that a food plot and come in from the N  I would look to put a stand at the red spot  for sure. At least from pic it looks good. 

@Robhuntandfish, there is already a Hawk Denali ladder stand in that exact spot. I’m very certain that is where the poacher shot one of my target bucks a few years ago. Hence the reason why I haven’t replanted it. There is a certain group of people in my area that value horns more than respecting someone’s private property. 

[phade]

Nobody can tell whether you have enough cover or food from that photo. 

You cannot see understory, soft transitions, elevation beyond the lone 10’ mark, etc. C’mon folks. More so, we don’t know his DPSM and the land’s carrying capacity.

Knowing I don’t know that, the only advice I could throw out there is to keep the trees on the right half/east of the red box plot and make a plot out of the west half. This boxes in the plot and provides windbreaks to limit snowdrift, better security feel for the bucks, and may allow improved entry/exit possibilities for you. Good luck!!

Edited December 15, 2022 by phade

[Robhuntandfish]

2 hours ago, phade said:

Nobody can tell whether you have enough cover or food from that photo. 

You cannot see understory, soft transitions, elevation beyond the lone 10’ mark, etc. C’mon folks. More so, we don’t know his DPSM and the land’s carrying capacity.

Knowing I don’t know that, the only advice I could throw out there is to keep the trees on the right half/east of the red box plot and make a plot out of the west half. This boxes in the plot and provides windbreaks to limit snowdrift, better security feel for the bucks, and may allow improved entry/exit possibilities for you. Good luck!!

thats why we asked questions...and said exactly what you did.  lol 

[Robhuntandfish]

2 hours ago, Jsin said:

@Robhuntandfish, there is already a Hawk Denali ladder stand in that exact spot. I’m very certain that is where the poacher shot one of my target bucks a few years ago. Hence the reason why I haven’t replanted it. There is a certain group of people in my area that value horns more than respecting someone’s private property. 

that really sucks.  My buddy had sole permission to hunt a 50 acre area and he put a stand up and it got stolen.  They didnt take the camera he had out there but they did put a garbage bag over it.  it wasnt even worth bothering wiht at that point cause we have our regular spot.  Bout all you can do is call them in for trespassing every chance you get and make it not worth it for them.  Good luck and hope it works out