Stone Branch, build it, they will come.

[dogghr]

Got your eyes on Native? This is the predominant understory plant, mountain laurel?

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G

Yep looks like laurel. Mountain laurel leaves tend to b more shiny light green underneath and they curl up along leaf edges. Rhododendron leaves have like a hairy fuzz underneath w leaves that tend to have edges curling down. Leaves are also longer. Deer will browse. And love to bed n both. Poisonous to man. Either make for beauty between May - July depending on species. Place looks great G. Congrats.

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[George]

Thanks Doug, that is the info that I gleaned from my resource books. White blossoms on the laurel, I'm looking forward to the show. What did I not see on the property? autumn olive, bush honeysuckle, kudzu, and relatively very little multiflora rose.

G

 

[Native Hunter]

Got your eyes on Native? This is the predominant understory plant, mountain laurel?

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G

Yes, it is, and I love that type of forest. This is especially true where it mixes in with Hemlock. I was working in eastern KY last week close to the Virginia line, and saw so much of that habitat. I would love to have it here, but wrong kind of soils.

 

[George]

Just occurred to me, beech?


Magnolia?



G

 

[George]

Yes, it is, and I love that type of forest. This is especially true where it mixes in with Hemlock. I was working in eastern KY last week close to the Virginia line, and saw so much of that habitat. I would love to have it here, but wrong kind of soils.

Me too, I love these three little pockets of hemlock adjacent to the barn yard. I love this forest too, I have been dreaming about it my whole life.







G

 

[ng270]

Thanks Doug, that is the info that I gleaned from my resource books. White blossoms on the laurel, I'm looking forward to the show. What did I not see on the property? autumn olive, bush honeysuckle, kudzu, and relatively very little multiflora rose.

G

Doesn't look like you have tree of heaven either, which is a nice surprise. I had some work to clean that out of my clearcut area, and still find a few more to kill every winter.

 

[Ryan]

My legs are worn out just from looking at those pictures!

 

[OkieKubota]

Looks like everyplace I hunt...lol

 

[Turkish]

Let’s compare topo maps.

 

[Merle Hawggard]

Pics look wonderful Geo! I noticed your lack of Kudzu so just let me know if you'd like some healthy cuttings. I'd even throw in some sericea lespedeza!

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[George]

Doesn't look like you have tree of heaven either, which is a nice surprise. I had some work to clean that out of my clearcut area, and still find a few more to kill every winter.

Wonderful, let me know if you see any along the way.

My legs are worn out just from looking at those pictures!

No hills in Misery?

Looks like everyplace I hunt...lol

Good.

Let’s compare topo maps.

This one is a pretty active topo. I had a young fella in Colorado tell me that Kentucky was flat, the whole state. This property has enough elevation change to provide me with some exercise.

Pics look wonderful Geo! I noticed your lack of Kudzu so just let me know if you'd like some healthy cuttings. I'd even throw in some sericea lespedeza!

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Thanks Merle but I'll have to pass on either the sericia transplants or the kudzu cuttings.

What a joy it will be to have an uncontaminated property. Thinking back it was the invasive plants that helped convince me that it was time to sell in Iowa.

G

 

[Triple C]

You up mighty early this morn George. Must have habitat projects on your mind...

 

[rlb165]

George, Welcome to KY! I’m about 3 hours SE of you in Hardin County.
I look forward to seeing the habitat improvements that you make.

 

[George]

You up mighty early this morn George. Must have habitat projects on your mind...

You called that one TC, I can't sleep a lick past four any more.

George, Welcome to KY! I’m about 3 hours SE of you in Hardin County.
I look forward to seeing the habitat improvements that you make.

Thank you rlb, any input or advice would be appreciated.

Up the hill Tuesday morning to check out the west property line which circles a good sized bowl and along the ridge top in the photo.




The farm to the west, I believe 355 acres, in the photo meanders the smaller creek that flows into the larger creek that holds the muskies. So ya we can negotiate rights of passage.


So the boundary line here follows the ridge top and


there are some good spots up here.




And as I have already spoke of shared ridges and shared hunting spots this is where one of the guys that lease the company property next door killed the big 10 in November the stand is about 20 yards off of the line.


The border continues to almost the nose of the ridge


then takes a right hand 90 straight down across the drive then straight back up to the top on the other side.


The whole face of this hill side looks to be a beautiful moderately young oak forest with one larger bowl and two smaller cuts.



G

 

[Turkish]

Is timber value factored in to property values there?

The land we lease from a timber company has been managed well enough over the decades that they can harvest over $1k/ac about every 8 years, from a moderate thinning. Makes for good hunting and never having to have the barren look of a clear cut, still holding ~$2k/ac of standing timber after a thinning.

 

[OkieKubota]

Got a dusting so thought I would take a couple pics from the house and out by the shop of how similar our places are except I live on top of instead of the bottom of...

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[HB_Hunter]

Is timber value factored in to property values there?

The land we lease from a timber company has been managed well enough over the decades that they can harvest over $1k/ac about every 8 years, from a moderate thinning. Makes for good hunting and never having to have the barren look of a clear cut, still holding ~$2k/ac of standing timber after a thinning.

Timber is factored in where I am and most sellers feel like they have $1500 - $2500 of timber value per acre . Usually based on their appraisal of the timber.

 

[HB_Hunter]

Enjoying the pics G. Also interested to hear your thoughts on the bowl. I’m spending the majority of my time this habitat season working in and around mine.

 

[Chipdasqrrl]

Nothing like exploring new ground! I take for granted the fact that in my area I can wander aimlessly and not worry about any venomous snakes or spiders, or even ticks. Stay safe!
What’s on the list of future habitat projects so far?


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[George]

yep quite similar Johnny.

Enjoying the pics G. Also interested to hear your thoughts on the bowl. I’m spending the majority of my time this habitat season working in and around mine.

Some areas in the bowls are quite thick


particularly where the laurel is thick.


Most areas are not


and some areas you see from the rim to the bottom.



I will hunt high to better manage my stink so I think that I will manage the bowls as security zones. I believe that I may have seen white flags leaving the bowl that I walked into on Monday evening. On Tuesday Tank gave indication that he had fresh deer smell but I never saw a deer. I am of the opinion the deer have been shot at are a very skittish. In the bowls I will work to bring sun to the ground to increase cover and natural browse. I will probably hinge more than I normally would to try to make some structure and visual barriers up around the rims, down in the bottoms and on benches.

Nothing like exploring new ground! I take for granted the fact that in my area I can wander aimlessly and not worry about any venomous snakes or spiders, or even ticks. Stay safe!
What’s on the list of future habitat projects so far?


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Don't forget chiggers. This spring I will be chain sawing and flicking my Bic.

G