The Farm - Eastern KY

[HB_Hunter]

There is one ridge covered in white oaks to the west of this plot. The rest of the timber is mature, but is mainly ash and poplar. The plan is to have a logger come in and cut what he will take. I'll hinge or cut what's left to improve the bedding around this spot and add some blockades to keep those 4yos from getting by me .

 

[HB_Hunter]

The view from the top.

 

[HB_Hunter]

This trail is in the only spot that a cliff line doesn't block the path to the top of the mountain.

 

[Native Hunter]

The beauty of your area and those plots you have created blow me away!!

 

[HB_Hunter]

Here's an example of what some of the benches look like. It's about 5 yards wide. I plan to open these up to encourage travel and make blockades on the ones I don't want the deer to travel. I'm sure they will find a way by despite my best efforts . Big persimmon in this picture.

There is one bench that is quite a bit wider and I plan to improve it for bedding.

 

[Native Hunter]

How does that big persimmon fruit at that spot?

 

[HB_Hunter]

Another goat path I call a bench. This one might be 4 feet.

 

[Chainsaw]

You have a special place. And as important you must have infinite drive. You have accomplished so much. I look forward to following your thread. For me it is a tossup as to which state is prettier from what I've seen on this forum. Kentucky sure is in the running!

 

[HB_Hunter]

How does that big persimmon fruit at that spot?

I am not sure. I have not been up there when it would have fruit. I usually only venture up this time of year.

 

[HB_Hunter]

You have a special place. And as important you must have infinite drive. You have accomplished so much. I look forward to following your thread. For me it is a tossup as to which state is prettier from what I've seen on this forum. Kentucky sure is in the running!

Thanks Chainsaw! The pictures get better as I head north . I really enjoy hard back breaking work on the weekend. It might have something to do with sitting at my desk and in meetings all day.

 

[HB_Hunter]

Here's a big persimmon Native that is at a lower elevation that fruits well. It just happens to be on my way out so I checked it this fall. It was still holding fruit in November. Flanked by white oaks. That's a browning BAR against the tree. Dad got tired of carrying it around so I tote it these days.

 

[HB_Hunter]

Hard to see the fruit in this blury, zoomed in iPhone pic.

 

[HB_Hunter]

Another trio of persimmons I pass on my way out of the stand that were loaded in mid November.

 

[HB_Hunter]

This is the end of the main ridge. That big white oak has been loaded the last two years.

 

[lakngolf]

Beautiful land and some healthy trees. I am guessing that it is a LOT steeper than the pictures show!

 

[HB_Hunter]

The other end of the main ridge right before it opens up to the power line. There are always rubs on the pines going down this trail.

 

[HB_Hunter]

Beautiful land and some healthy trees. I am guessing that it is a LOT steeper than the pictures show!

Thanks lak! The pictures don't do the slopes justice in most cases. The lowest elevation is around 600' and the highest is around 1400'. Definitely makes for some challenging hunting at times.

 

[HB_Hunter]

Hollar in the middle.

 

[HB_Hunter]

There are some decent white oaks here as well.

 

[Native Hunter]

That is one of the things I love most about persimmons - they are essentially a climax tree that can compete and fruit in a forest. Other things I love about them are:

• fruit that is an excellent draw for deer as well as being nutritious
• no worries with disease and no special care needed
• long lived and produce a log worth harvesting at some point
• I'm not saying a deer won't rub one, but I have never seen one rubbed, so can at least say unlikely. I did cage a couple of seedlings last year that I planted 12 years ago, but doubt it was really necessary. They started fruiting and looked so good I just felt the need to do cages.

You have some great old trees there.... I also have some old native trees, but mine didn't grow that straight up, because they are in a fence row rather than a woodland setting.