Eastern NC 35

[Charlieyca]

Been awhile since I was at the farm, spring time fishing takes away some free time. Did some hack and squirt on some sweet gums yesterday and snapped some pictures along the way.

Havent Identified this shrub yet, but it makes some large white flowers, has green "bark" almost to the bottom of the shrub before it gets woody.

You can see the green bark in this picture.

Here is another area we edge feathered. The road curves to the left with a box stand at the end of the road next to the creek bottom. Did leave a few large trees near the road as they were water oaks and I have very few on the farm.

I have wild blueberries but these I believe are Dewberries. Much darker color and very plain tasting. Can see one of my million red maple leaves on the right side.

 

[Charlieyca]

Found a couple different areas with winged sumac. Most of them were small trees and very vertical so I could not tell if they were browsed or not. They could be growing vertical due to lack of light or all their bottom branches were browsed off, I dont know.

Found this after I had hacked and squirted some red maples and then started kicking myself. This is a stump that was cut last fall and this spring put out large amounts of sprouts. It is right next to my road plot that was crimson and clover. I will save the hack and squirt for the sweet gums.

 

[Rickey]

Charlie,
Sorry to jump in but have a quick question if you don't mind. Yesterday I found a few wild blueberry plants on my little place. Do you guys eat yours? I have not read of any that are not safe. I was thinking of adding some more store bought plants to the gene pool out there.

 

[Charlieyca]

Ate about 2 dozen yesterday while sitting on a stump taking a break. Ate about 2 dozen blackberries too! I have 3 maybe 4 types of blueberries growing wild out there, Im not sure the species but the really black ones i have eaten but they dont have any flavor at all to me.

 

[Rickey]

If I get a chance I'll go out and post some pics. Mine are no where near ready to eat.

 

[Charlieyca]

The majority of mine were not ready, I was getting 2-3 off each plant that were ripe! Same with blackberries, maybe 1 or 2 per plant were ripe. Maybe have to put my briar pants and long sleeves on and pick some next weekend before the birds do!

 

[Charlieyca]

Hung a new stand in the back 1/3rd which we have not hunted in the 2 seasons we have owned the property. Here is a trail through the thick brush coming into an opening near the stand.

On the other side of that trail is the neighbors new cutover. Lots of signs down the edge of my property which buts up against the new cutover.

Here is the opening with the stand in the forked tree in far background.

Here is the view of the opening from the stand.

Here is the view to the left. Huge evergreen thicket behind me.

and here is the view to the left, another opening surrounded by thickets, with my sanctuary to the back. It is definitely high impact stand being so close to my sanctuary and surrounded by cover, but with the right wind, should be good.

 

[Charlieyca]

Finally getting some down time after summer to get caught back up. My farm is divided into thirds, with the front third closest to the road and the back third mostly sanctuary
1st third- planted 8 pear trees and 3 chesnuts from lowes. All trees were 5 gallon and 7-10ft tall. White clover was mowed in late spring. Sprayed cleth to kill grasses and overseeded just the bare spots with mix of ladino, medium red, arrowleaf and smidge of chicory. This is the oldest and best clover plot on the farm.
2nd third has the most openings and plots. There is a center plot that is a little over 3/4 acre, with shooting lanes coming off it in all four directions (think wheel spokes). I understand this stand isnt the best option low impact option, but it was what we started with and very difficult to clear thick brush due to logging ruts. This plot has 12 pear trees from years past. SE lane is newly cleared and was planted heavy in cereal grains with a little leftover radish. The NW lane drains very poorly, so it also got heavy cereal grains. The NE lane is the best soil and was planted with brassicas mix with some white clover that I hope will last through spring.
Center plot- This is the largest plot I have and has been planted and amended 3 years and the most reliable location I have for a plot. This year I went with a much more diverse planting. For 3/4 acre I mixed 50lb wheat/oats/rye mix, 2 lbs turnips, 3 lbs radish, 5 medium red clover, 1 lb chicory, 10 lbs sunflower, 10lbs buckwheat, 3 lbs arrowleaf clover. I have never used a mix with that much diversity, so im a little nervous about how it will all work it.
3rd third- put a new box stand over looking the plots with 3 lanes, plot is to the northeast with lanes north south and southeast. This stand is setup for any west wind. Lanes were bushhogged this summer so regrowth is the only draw there. The main plot is cereal mix and medium red clover.

Forest service called and their are available to bulldoze fire lanes next week. At only 35 acres its hard to get them to come out when they normally work on 100s of acres. Would rather wait till after season for them to bulldoze, but they are essentially circling the property to make access easier which would benefit this year. Opinions? If i wait til winter, they may not come

 

[Kabic]

Get it done while you can. It is a long term benefit and I don't think the short term impact in deer movement will be as bad as you fear.

 

[nchunter1989]

Looks good Charliey!! Definitely a long ways from the 1st few posts I saw. Once you move from "just hunting" into property & habitat management, it becomes a year round obsession.

 

[Charlieyca]

It definitely has improved. Lots of thick cover, but difficult to see them and not spook them

 

[nchunter1989]

It definitely has improved. Lots of thick cover, but difficult to see them and not spook them

Yeah that’s what I’m running into on this property. Early fall a deer can be 8ft from you & you would never know it.I really see the importance of getting lanes cut & trails cleared.


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[Charlieyca]

This time of year I can see maybe 5 to 10 ft into the woods. I bushhogged a path through the back of one of my plots to a creek this spring. 5ft wide by 50 ft long. It was so thick by july 30th you couldnt have seen an elk walk thru. I edge feathered some spots around my plots this winter and they are so thick, I hope to be able to see antlers walking through them in december.

I have very few open areas on this farm. The majority of them are planted to food plots because I have very limited food on the farm, and most of that food is surrounded by thick cover. This combo does not bode well for deer movement. As most of the deer have enough cover they can wait until dark to walk 10 feet to a food plot to feed. I feel like we are in a catch 22. All the thick cover makes great habitat, but we don't have enough open areas to hunt. We are working to cut some areas and let it regrow fresh tender growth. On the other hand we know deer are using the land day and night. I never thought I would be clearing the thick overgrown areas where the deer might bed, to make paths and shooting lanes.

If you had a blank slate 150yds wide and 100yds deep. ALL in thick cover, no trees over 15 ft tall, how would you lay it out?

 

[Charlieyca]

Yeah that’s what I’m running into on this property. Early fall a deer can be 8ft from you & you would never know it.I really see the importance of getting lanes cut & trails cleared.


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We have cut lots of lanes and have now planted most of them, cause without clearing lanes I would be hunting 1 main road through the property.

 

[Charlieyca]

Get it done while you can. It is a long term benefit and I don't think the short term impact in deer movement will be as bad as you fear.

May have missed my chance, called them back an hr later and 3x since. No answer. I have been calling them monthly for 2 years and this is only 2nd time they called back. Last time was june 2016 and they called me back to say they had no money left for jobs this fiscal year and to call back in a couple months.

 

[nchunter1989]

This time of year I can see maybe 5 to 10 ft into the woods. I bushhogged a path through the back of one of my plots to a creek this spring. 5ft wide by 50 ft long. It was so thick by july 30th you couldnt have seen an elk walk thru. I edge feathered some spots around my plots this winter and they are so thick, I hope to be able to see antlers walking through them in december.

I have very few open areas on this farm. The majority of them are planted to food plots because I have very limited food on the farm, and most of that food is surrounded by thick cover. This combo does not bode well for deer movement. As most of the deer have enough cover they can wait until dark to walk 10 feet to a food plot to feed. I feel like we are in a catch 22. All the thick cover makes great habitat, but we don't have enough open areas to hunt. We are working to cut some areas and let it regrow fresh tender growth. On the other hand we know deer are using the land day and night. I never thought I would be clearing the thick overgrown areas where the deer might bed, to make paths and shooting lanes.

If you had a blank slate 150yds wide and 100yds deep. ALL in thick cover, no trees over 15 ft tall, how would you lay it out?

I feel your pain- very similar to what I have with 80% of my property being clear cut. I’ve walked out after dark, walked the same trail in the next morning & have tracks that were not there just a few hours before. I’m sure you have read or heard this, but I have started to rethink “thick areas” as deer bedding.Mainly, if the area is too thick for you to walk through, the deer may think the same thing. I believe it was Sturgis I saw talking about that-

Regarding the blank slate- I’m definitely no expert but trails around the property, focus on the corridors between food & trails. Possibly position stands on the perimeter for the wind.thats just off the top of my head- I’m sure none of it’s new.


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[Charlieyca]

we are working to make the thick areas smaller pockets scattered around the farm instead of large continuous thick areas. Essentially making lots more edges of cover. If the forest service ever answers the phone, we plan to put a fire lane 10ft wide around the property to make access much easier. Stands are currently in the middle simply due to necessity right now.

 

[nchunter1989]

Yeah I feel you there. Hope you can get FS out there this year,I believe you’ll see a difference in movement, bc deer are lazy to a point. If they have an easier path they will take it. I know it can be expensive, but have you considered a forestry mulcher or brush cutter on a skid steer?


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[Charlieyca]

We had a forestry mulcher out to clear the road and the 3 main plots. I was a deer hunter at the time and not a land manager so to speak. The bulldozer through the forest service is about a 1/3rd of the price of contracting a forestry mulcher or dozer around here. Only found 3 people that will even do this small of an acreage and they want 2k a day. Forest service is less than half that.
We have a tractor and bushhog, but it we need 3 or 4 weeks of drought during summer to reach much of the areas that need cleared.

 

[nchunter1989]

If you are comfortable running it your self, whiteville equipment has a forestry mulcher they rent for $600 a day I believe. For them to deliver & pickup would be $2-300 cheaper then the machine we just rented from Fayetteville Bobcat. Only issue is their machine is currently down. Wilmington Bobcat has one as well, but the Bobcat dealers require you to have separate liability & rental insurance. I believe they are $7-800 a day.


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