New plot - Phase 1

[Rutin]

Been MIA for awhile.... laying low on the internet and getting back to basics. This past season was a rough deer season for me, I had several deer over 140" I was trying to kill but just couldn't make it happen. Already stacking the odds in my favor this year. Planted 4 acres of my property this year in food plots. Last year I had a mid 50's clean 10pt I was trying to kill but I never got the opportunity. I just gained access to the 650 acres of farm land he was bedding on, so I hope to relocate him and end this friendship between me and him.

Had a local farmer plant RR Soybeans yesterday on 3 acres, planting clover in a secluded bottom tomorrow along my creek bottom, and turnips/brassicas this fall on the hilltop in the bean field as well. Not to mention I'm planting the entire perimeter in plot screen with wind breaks to force natural deer movements that I've patterned over the year. Here's some before pics, I will post up some mid growth pics, and finished pics from the stand once everything is grown. The deer have been flat out tearing the monster raxx mineral sites up since Feb when my 4 yr old and I put them out. Now we just wait for the seed to grow, the deer to show, and the arrows to turn red.

 

[MK111]

That sound like a neat set you have going to you. Good luck with everything.

 

[at1010]

I hate you for having that much ground to plant! man that tiller is working nice too! I cant wait to keep up with this thread!

 

[Rutin]

I've got the outlined marked by a tilled path around the perimeter. I wish I would of taken pictures of that to give a better mental picture. The farmer planted more beans than I expected so I figure I will let them grow and let the deer eat them until its time for the fall plot, then till them under. I hope it all pans out and I can draw at least one of the bucks that was 3.5 back in this year to get a shot at.

 

[Rutin]

I hate you for having that much ground to plant! man that tiller is working nice too! I cant wait to keep up with this thread!

Sad thing is I only have 10.5 acres. I just chewed up 5.5 in food plots and cover LOL! I plan on doing some hinge cutting tomorrow or Saturday as well.

 

[MK111]

Sad thing is I only have 10.5 acres. I just chewed up 5.5 in food plots and cover LOL! I plan on doing some hinge cutting tomorrow or Saturday as well.

I'm somewhat at lose as to the benefit of hinge cutting trees in this area. I see the benefit in total forest area for winter food but around here there's plenty of green grass growth.
Or am I missing something?

 

[MK111]

Did you spray Roundup on that grass before tilling under? If not the grass will be back. My SIL did the same thing without killing the grass and plowed it under and today I use the same field as a pasture for my cattle.

 

[Big_Holla]

Looking GREAT!!

 

[Rutin]

I'm somewhat at lose as to the benefit of hinge cutting trees in this area. I see the benefit in total forest area for winter food but around here there's plenty of green grass growth.
Or am I missing something?

I'm simply using it to force travel routes rather than a bedding/food source. I know their patterns already on my property but want to make it so there no way they can skirt me on smaller trails and force them to use their main trails.
As far as the Roundup.... yes, I sprayed it with 41 gly 2 days before tilling. I put lime down a day after tilling, and today I will put the fertilizer down and drag it with a spike drag. Tonight I will plant the clover mix and drag it with the non spiked side so I don't force the clover down more than 1/8"-1/4".

 

[Milo]

I'm simply using it to force travel routes rather than a bedding/food source. I know their patterns already on my property but want to make it so there no way they can skirt me on smaller trails and force them to use their main trails.
As far as the Roundup.... yes, I sprayed it with 41 gly 2 days before tilling. I put lime down a day after tilling, and today I will put the fertilizer down and drag it with a spike drag. Tonight I will plant the clover mix and drag it with the non spiked side so I don't force the clover down more than 1/8"-1/4".

another cool way you can do that is drive fence posts and string baling twine between the posts and make "directing trails" if you leave the twine somewhat loose and the wind blows it, the deer are reluctant to jump it because it moves and they question it.

 

[MK111]

another cool way you can do that is drive fence posts and string baling twine between the posts and make "directing trails" if you leave the twine somewhat loose and the wind blows it, the deer are reluctant to jump it because it moves and they question it.

That sounds like a great simple idea. never heard of that before and I will try it.

Another excellent deer fence is to make the fence 3D. That is put one fence up in a normal way. Then put up a 2nd fence up 3 ft. from the first fence. The deer can't or won't jump a 3D fence or so the expert fencing companies report.

Sounds like Rutin has the planting ideas down to a science. Good homework there.

 

[Rutin]

I like the idea Milo, I've already got a fenceline border so this would be an easy tactic to use instead of hinge cutting. As far as directing trails with the plot screen I want a WALL of security up so that I can slip into my treestand without them ever seeing me leave the house. I've even added plot screens that offset in the middle of the field so that no matter where they stand I cant be seen.

Mega wide screen closest to the house:



Big screen along south side with a walking trail as well to get in and out quietly:



North side divider:



Leading down to clover field, screen along top of clover headed south to property line:

 

[Rutin]

Red = Clover
Green = Beans
Blue = Turnips/Brassicas
Black = Plot Screen
Purple = Apple trees

 

[MK111]

Hell of a idea I would say. Good luck.

 

[Boarhead]

Looks real good.

 

[Bigslam51]

Real nice!

 

[finelyshedded]

Very nice Zack, what is planted or going on with the ground next to you to the south? I'm also assuming that the deer are entering these plots from the west,NW or north. Could you please mark your blind/tree stand positions, your entry route as well as the prevailing wind direction so we/I can have a better understanding?
Looking forward to watching how this plays out this season for you! Hope your hard work and planning pays off! You certainly have a great buffet laid out for your resident deer! I remember the two target deer you photographed this past year. The 10 could be something very special if he made it! Good luck!

Also, where is this hinge cutting or twine fence going to be?

 

[Rutin]

Not the best but it'll give you some idea. Yellow dots are my stands, red dot is neighbors stand, blue lines are deer trails. They mostly travel the creek timber and crp fields.




Blue lines are deer trails, yellow outline is my property and the 650 I can hunt, red outline is leased by guys from N.Y., there is 55 acres to the SW of me that is public land. Its all crp and timber with a creek running from the NW corner to the SE corner. Perfect bedding and area surrounded by Ag fields. It will be beans to the south and east of it and corn to the west of it. Between the "N" north logo and the "100 acre crp" will be corn as well. I really wont be hunting my property much. Even last year with that big buck I only hunted my property 5 days. I will be spending more time on the 650 bouncing around so that my property seems as though it doesn't get hunted and they feel safe. The red dot in the first pic of the neighbors tree stand will more than likely get moved since our little talk last year about setting up on top of me and his DNR visit. LOL I can hunt my north stand on a W, SW, S, wind. My southwest stand I can hunt on a NW and W wind, even though in the diagram its offset my wind would blow right down my south property line. There is a actual wire fence along my entire creek except and area I cut out in the SW corner by my stand. I will hinge cut the NW corner right by that guys tree stand if he decides to not move it. The deer don't naturally pinch thru there bc the creek is too deep and that guy has educated them. They usually pass on the other side of the creek out of the 100 acre crp and into a small wooded area, then cross right behind my stand and up into the field I've setup. Its amazing how many deer tracks were out there the next morning after tilling. At least I've kept a few deer around. Now you can see why I wanted to do corn this year, unfortunately it didn't work out but the plot screen will be my life saver.

 

[finelyshedded]

Thanks Zack, sounds like a great plan. I'd go ahead and hinge cut your neighbors treestand location anyway if it were me. Have you considered erecting a couple scrape trees like Mark Drury did a year or so ago? You could at least capture some great video encounters and inventory the local buck population.

Have you also considered erecting a tower stand somewhere in the middle of your plots, also like MAD has done in the past. I imagine when the crops in the immediate area get harvested the deer will gravitate to your smorgasbord.

Thanks for the details and good luck!

 

[Bigslam51]

I'm lost on the whole neighbor tree stand issue. Was yours there first and he decided to set up on your back? Cause it looks like both of you are on the line.