2021 North Central Wisconsin “Lake Farm” - 35 acres on two lakes and surrounded by National Forest

[Travis Aasen]

I thought I would start documenting my little slice of heaven in Northern WI. My wife and I closed on the property earlier this month after several delays. Like all properties this one has great potential, but a ton of work ahead.

Quick details:
My 35 acres borders a national forest (2000+ AC ), contains access to an unnamed small private lake, has a tamarack marsh, full swamp, mature hardwoods, and a small 1000 sq foot 3 season (Stinky) cottage w/1.5 acres on full rec 250 ac lake. Little bit of everything held on this property.

Goals:
Whitetail Habitat Priority #1 as well as creating access to duck blind on the small lake..crazy not to. I'll be carving out long windy food plots, perimeter access, outside stands, stay the hell out of 90% of it.

Feeling Really Good About:
1. actually own it now
2. The property has a nicely cut in survey surrounding the border, but I need to turn a "survey" trail into a 4 wheeler access trail and post it. Started two weeks ago making a great trail through the woods to the lake for ice fishing. Primary approach to the big lake is steep with oodles of steps. why bother with that when I can create a scenic ride to the lake.
3. The transition sections are just fantastic between lowland, conifers, & swamps
4. Deer sign is off the charts. However, needs more cover, switch grass, lots, lots of chainsaw work

I'll start posting pictures of the habitat and get the hunt x overview tomorrow

I'll post my approach and priority list in the am. Looking for feedback. ie. You're off your rocker with....

 

[Mennoniteman]

I thought I would start documenting my little slice of heaven in Northern WI. My wife and I closed on the property earlier this month after several delays. Like all properties this one has great potential, but a ton of work ahead.

Quick details:
My 35 acres borders a national forest (2000+ AC ), contains access to an unnamed small private lake, has a tamarack marsh, full swamp, mature hardwoods, and a small 1000 sq foot 3 season (Stinky) cottage w/1.5 acres on full rec 250 ac lake. Little bit of everything held on this property.

Goals:
Whitetail Habitat Priority #1 as well as creating access to duck blind on the small lake..crazy not to. I will say upfront I've been following Jeff Sturgis from Whitetail solutions for a couple years and his plans are golden to me. So, I guess you can call me Whitetail solutions groupie. I'll be carving out long windy food plots, perimeter access, outside stands, stay the hell out of 90% of it.

Feeling Really Good About:
1. actually own it now
2. The property has a nicely cut in survey surrounding the border, but I need to turn a "survey" trail into a 4 wheeler access trail and post it. Started two weeks ago making a great trail through the woods to the lake for ice fishing. Primary approach to the big lake is steep with oodles of steps. why bother with that when I can create a scenic ride to the lake.
3. The transition sections are just fantastic between lowland, conifers, & swamps
4. Deer sign is off the charts. However, needs more cover, switch grass, lots, lots of chainsaw work

I'll start posting pictures of the habitat and get the hunt x overview tomorrow

I'll post my approach and priority list in the am. Looking for feedback. ie. You're off your rocker with....

Looking forward to following. Have you any pics?

 

[Travis Aasen]

Priority List (I live 3.5 hours away) and will be visiting 3/4 weekends per month. Been my usual travel plans to the north woods.
1. cut the border in around the property. Securing the property is very important to me. dumping the logs/trimmings to the outside
2. get the long narrow food plot cut in - I have it mapped out.. I "hope" i can get this complete before March 15th.
3. Order up some nice conifers to plant in all the trees im cutting ( Need a place to order from/suggestions on types)
4. start on bedding, clear spots for switch grass
5. corridors, mock scraped - Mayish
6. continue working on food plots, liming, maybe find a nice spot where I can plant a few crabs in 2022 - Mayish
7. rest of the summer working on Lake frontage to keep my wife happy. Oh yea, Walleye fish.

 

[tlh2865]

Congrats and looking forward to seeing what you do!

 

[badgerfowl]

For conifers, look at Itasca Greenhouse. They’ve got a nice selection of plugs. Easy to plant and I’ve had good luck with the ones I planted from them in the past. Have about 100 coming again this year.

 

[Travis Aasen]

Quick look at the cottage. Bulldoze in 5 years is my goal.

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[Travis Aasen]

Overview of land. Formerly Jones property

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[Travis Aasen]

Private lake no houses. Averages about 11 feet deep

Main lake

On to the habitat
4 wheeler trail cutting through

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[Travis Aasen]

Few pictures of the habitat.
Some is thick and beautifully nasty. The Tamarack swamps in certain sections can be really wet as you see in this last picture.

I'll post some more pictures as I plug away this weekend

 

[lakngolf]

Good luck. Interesting big lake access for folks. Do some have road access across the Jones property? To an alabama boy it looks COLD

 

[George]

Zone 4 looks cold to a Michigan Boy.

Have fun on your adventure.

G

 

[OkieKubota]

Priority List (I live 3.5 hours away) and will be visiting 3/4 weekends per month. Been my usual travel plans to the north woods.
1. cut the border in around the property. Securing the property is very important to me. dumping the logs/trimmings to the outside
2. get the long narrow food plot cut in - I have it mapped out.. I "hope" i can get this complete before March 15th.
3. Order up some nice conifers to plant in all the trees im cutting ( Need a place to order from/suggestions on types)
4. start on bedding, clear spots for switch grass
5. corridors, mock scraped - Mayish
6. continue working on food plots, liming, maybe find a nice spot where I can plant a few crabs in 2022 - Mayish
7. rest of the summer working on Lake frontage to keep my wife happy. Oh yea, Walleye fish.

When you say dumping logs/trimmings to the outside what do you mean? Between your trail and edge of your property or on next door property?

 

[Travis Aasen]

When you say dumping logs/trimmings to the outside what do you mean? Between your trail and edge of your property or on next door property?

Yes, on my property, but between the 4wheeler trail and the lot line. bad Idea?

 

[BoneCrusher20]

put on your priority list to monitor predator control.....pretty familiar with that area and few wolf packs run that forest and plenty of bears to go around.

for conifers...check WI dnr website where there are the cheapest around by far and never had issues w/ quality.

 

[Paradise725]

Priority List (I live 3.5 hours away) and will be visiting 3/4 weekends per month. Been my usual travel plans to the north woods.
1. cut the border in around the property. Securing the property is very important to me. dumping the logs/trimmings to the outside
2. get the long narrow food plot cut in - I have it mapped out.. I "hope" i can get this complete before March 15th.
3. Order up some nice conifers to plant in all the trees im cutting ( Need a place to order from/suggestions on types)
4. start on bedding, clear spots for switch grass
5. corridors, mock scraped - Mayish
6. continue working on food plots, liming, maybe find a nice spot where I can plant a few crabs in 2022 - Mayish
7. rest of the summer working on Lake frontage to keep my wife happy. Oh yea, Walleye fish.

You might consider piling the logs/trimmings to the INSIDE of your perimeter access trail to provide visual screening as you travel around the farm. This is assuming you are trying to set the property up for deer to be bedding inside your property. The key point i am trying to make is to use those logs to your advantage to screen you from where you think the deer you are hunting will be while you travel the perimeter trail.


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[Travis Aasen]

You might consider piling the logs/trimmings to the INSIDE of your perimeter access trail to provide visual screening as you travel around the farm. This is assuming you are trying to set the property up for deer to be bedding inside your property. The key point i am trying to make is to use those logs to your advantage to screen you from where you think the deer you are hunting will be while you travel the perimeter trail.


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Damn good advice and yes, thats the goal. Bed inside the property lines and screen. -- Thank you

 

[Travis Aasen]

Good luck. Interesting big lake access for folks. Do some have road access across the Jones property? To an alabama boy it looks COLD

Good eye. Yes, a logging road gives access on to two cabins. The logging road runs an outside perimeter of hunting land and kind of splits my little cottage from the land.

This is the logging road- To the right would be my little. To the left is all the hunting land. future plots etc. Straight ahead down this road 200 yards is anotrher lake cottage that has 1.5 acres and a small slice going to the private lake and main lake.

 

[Chainsaw]

Looks like a paradise in the making. Looking forward to following your thread.

 

[bearcat]

Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing your progress


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[dogghr]

Great looking place. looks like a fun tag along. Some times it doesn't hurt to sit back for a year to get a feel for what deer already do and plan your management around what already exists. Good luck.