It's Over....Now the fun begins!

[lakngolf]

Deer season in Alabama ended at dark yesterday. Was great to spend time with some grandkids and neighbors trying to find that elusive big deer, but we had to settle for just freezer meat instead. Couple of decent ones around but deer in our area have decided those green fields and corn taste better at night time!
But that doesn't keep us from trying, and planning. I think one of my grandsons has developed my preference for planning and working over the actual hunt. He and I have begun deciding what projects to tackle in the off season.
With that, I wonder what each of you have planned to make your hunting experience better? Here are a few that we hope to work on
(1) Soil test (2) Move couple shooting houses so they better view major woods areas (3) Clean up storm damage around one food plot and stand that we were unable to use this year (4) Rework culvert bridge to this area (5) Close up some draft holes in the floor of our bunkhouse

What do you have planned?

 

[Native Hunter]

I'm working in my mature woods - the primary goals are to thicken things up and declare war on sweetgum.

PS - 25 more sawtooths on order right now too, and persimmon scionwood ordered.

 

[Chainsaw]

As usual there are plenty of projects to choose from. Here are eleven that are priorities;
1. Cut long shooting lanes for rifle shooting from current stands,(like NH showed us).
2.Plant and fence more apple trees.
3.Create an area of cover crossing the field area that separates the three hundred acres of woods to the west from the three hundred acres of woods to the east(considering combining 2 and 3 and 4 to get this project well started). And maybe dig, divide and plant some Miscanthus Giganteus with the apple tree field crossing planting.
4. Plant and fence white cedars along a field drainage.
5. Put three additional Redneck Tower stands out, one at a proven thirty year woods travel corridor and a second covering a can't miss two acre reliable food plot.
6. Recut and herbicide the most used deer trails/buck sidewalks cut in a few years ago.
7. Reopen tractor roads-Remove fallen trees crossing tractor roads and and kill encroaching MFR and Buckthorn back from tractor roads.
8. Screen in existing Rednecks and redo access walking "bridge" to an existing Redneck to make it safer to cross.
9. Graft and grow more apple trees.
10. Mount gates at entryways to property.
11. Create some great trail cam setups long before the season.

 

[dogghr]

Not much as I consider my place on cruise control as plots reseed themselves and cluster understories are self reclaiming. May commit some AO murder but I’ve been saying that for years. Have already knocked down bunch of cedars w the tractor to increase small game protection.
Whew, all that sounds exhausting think I’ll go take a nap!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[lakngolf]

I'm working in my mature woods - the primary goals are to thicken things up and declare war on sweetgum.

PS - 25 more sawtooths on order right now too, and persimmon scionwood ordered.

Recently, I saw some sweet gum trees I had hinge cut a few years back. The trees had restocked and trunks were larger than when hinge cut. Sweetgums are tough customers!

I also planted 6 sawtooth at my lake house recently. These were grown from acorns from trees I grew and planted in 2013.

 

[lakngolf]

As usual there are plenty of projects to choose from. Here are eleven that are priorities;

That is quite a list chainsaw. I am always impressed with your fertile habitat.

 

[lakngolf]

Not much as I consider my place on cruise control as plots reseed themselves and cluster understories are self reclaiming. May commit some AO murder but I’ve been saying that for years. Have already knocked down bunch of cedars w the tractor to increase small game protection.
Whew, all that sounds exhausting think I’ll go take a nap!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cruise control, huh? Sounds like you and nature are in harmony.
Recently, I learned that a bordering 30 acre property will be clear cut. Not sure what this will change. My bull pen is labeled BP. The area in red will be clear cut.

 

[Elkaddict]

My list goes like this:
Wait for a couple of feet of snow to melt
Order a 3pt boom sprayer
Have welded seems strengthened on disc
Frost seed clover in early March
Kill a thunder chicken with my bow on 5/1 (they walk through the front yard everyday)
Make a decision on a GP no-till planter and arrange for delivery before 3rd week of May
Order lime, fertilizer and RR Corn and or beans
Order bass/trout for pond (my adult sons fish almost everyday when they visit)
Plant corn or beans when fields are dry enough (hopefully 4th week of May-2nd week of June)
Clear trails (3 large oaks, 2 large maple and one large hemlock are blocking my east trail system)
Move two tree stands, install a new one
Make plans for extent of brassica plantings (it will depend on my ongoing war with lambsquarter infestation)
Make plans for grain planting in front of rednecks (this is an archery play)
Start planning for another 10 acres of hinge cuts (those done 6 years ago are a year or two away from not providing the same tonnage of browse as they’ve grown taller)
Plan more camera traps for my ongoing war with trespassers (I had at least 3 more cameras sprout legs during hunting season).
Have fun, enjoy the tractor time, and get some exercise

 

[Cedar Ridge]

My list goes like this:
Wait for a couple of feet of snow to melt
Order a 3pt boom sprayer
Have welded seems strengthened on disc
Frost seed clover in early March
Kill a thunder chicken with my bow on 5/1 (they walk through the front yard everyday)
Make a decision on a GP no-till planter and arrange for delivery before 3rd week of May
Order lime, fertilizer and RR Corn and or beans
Order bass/trout for pond (my adult sons fish almost everyday when they visit)
Plant corn or beans when fields are dry enough (hopefully 4th week of May-2nd week of June)
Clear trails (3 large oaks, 2 large maple and one large hemlock are blocking my east trail system)
Move two tree stands, install a new one
Make plans for extent of brassica plantings (it will depend on my ongoing war with lambsquarter infestation)
Make plans for grain planting in front of rednecks (this is an archery play)
Start planning for another 10 acres of hinge cuts (those done 6 years ago are a year or two away from not providing the same tonnage of browse as they’ve grown taller)
Plan more camera traps for my ongoing war with trespassers (I had at least 3 more cameras sprout legs during hunting season).
Have fun, enjoy the tractor time, and get some exercise

This is a mighty impressive list, Elk. Love it!

 

[lakngolf]

Plan more camera traps for my ongoing war with trespassers (I had at least 3 more cameras sprout legs during hunting season).
Have fun, enjoy the tractor time, and get some exercise

That is quite a list. Sorry about your cameras. I put in some Lemco feeders and locked them with Kryptonite type chains and lock.

 

[MarkDarvin]

I've got a big list for this year. The main project is 2-3 days of dirt work fixing some access trails, digging some stumps, expanding a food plot, and maybe whatever else needs digging. Also have some yard projects so there are some veggies and spices available when I get to the cabin.

Gonna do a bunch of dogwood cuttings this spring as soon as I can push them in the ground. Might even plant some more spruce in the yard.

 

[George]

My list is pretty simple, kill trees.

G

 

[Drycreek]

This year I’ll have my last go-round at cleaning up after timber cutters at our lease, at least for a few years. By the next time they cut I’ll be either too old to hunt, or too old to care.

Then there is a stand to move and one to add, as well as a little lime to be added to a small plot that we planted for the first time last fall.

Have to replace my three point seeder, bought new in 2003, it’s finally gave up the ghost.

We need to take two or three soil tests just to make sure where we are, and amend if we’re off on ph.

Of course the normal mowing, a few more limbs to be trimmed, and spring food plots to be planted.

 

[lakngolf]

I've got a big list for this year. The main project is 2-3 days of dirt work fixing some access trails, digging some stumps, expanding a food plot, and maybe whatever else needs digging. Also have some yard projects so there are some veggies and spices available when I get to the cabin.

Gonna do a bunch of dogwood cuttings this spring as soon as I can push them in the ground. Might even plant some more spruce in the yard.

Sounds like you need Okie Kubota to come visit!

 

[lakngolf]

My list is pretty simple, kill trees.

G

You are brutal with those chainsaws!

 

[lakngolf]

This year I’ll have my last go-round at cleaning up after timber cutters at our lease, at least for a few years. By the next time they cut I’ll be either too old to hunt, or too old to care.

Then there is a stand to move and one to add, as well as a little lime to be added to a small plot that we planted for the first time last fall.

Have to replace my three point seeder, bought new in 2003, it’s finally gave up the ghost.

We need to take two or three soil tests just to make sure where we are, and amend if we’re off on ph.

Of course the normal mowing, a few more limbs to be trimmed, and spring food plots to be planted.

Have you ever tried Fast Acting Lime for smaller plots?

 

[Chainsaw]

Cruise control, huh? Sounds like you and nature are in harmony.
Recently, I learned that a bordering 30 acre property will be clear cut. Not sure what this will change. My bull pen is labeled BP. The area in red will be clear cut.
View attachment 21148

One of the best spots to have a food plot is close to a clear cut on your property three years after the cut. The oldest bucks show up an hour before dark and even at noon sometimes. A second best spot is a plot 100 yards from a three plus year old clear cut even with the clear cut on an adjoining property if there is no low impact access for anyone to the area between the clear cut and your property in line with your food plot. The picture you show seems to possibly indicate the second scenario. If your 100 yard area is also clear cut at the same time that could be a real home run. You could have some super hunting coming Lak. Looking forward to hearing all about it in three years. For now your property will just act as a funnel to give the deer safe travel around the clear cut on your side, not so bad.

 

[George]

You are brutal with those chainsaws!

I'm 80% hack and squirt, 20% chainsaw this year.

The new clear-cut on your west edge should bring you lots of joy in the future.

G

 

[THE LLC]

I got tons of plans. However I found out at Christmas I have prostate cancer and am having to have it removed Tuesday. Doctor says it’ll be SIX WEEKS before I can run a chainsaw and do heavy lifting, so unless some of y’all want to come work for me, I’m just gonna have to live through y’all for a while!

 

[Native Hunter]

I got tons of plans. However I found out at Christmas I have prostate cancer and am having to have it removed Tuesday. Doctor says it’ll be SIX WEEKS before I can run a chainsaw and do heavy lifting, so unless some of y’all want to come work for me, I’m just gonna have to live through y’all for a while!

I hate to hear that. You will be in my prayers.