Annual To-Do List: Whitetail Property Management

[Stressless]

With one wedding in Mar now done and the next in early June plus actual job work I'm flat out of time and . Only the highest priorities in the late spring/early summer farm "Chores List" are gonna get a chance. These are the wildlife mgt ones I hope to get done.

- Mow plots and 1st and 2nd year switchgrass- mow trails if I have time
- Kill Knotweed with 4qt Gly + 2 Pint 24D-ester with 1 Quart Crop oil and 5# Ammonium Sulfate per 25 gal tank. My rate is 12.5 gal/acre
- Assess Plots (they are all legumes now) Reseed as/if required
- Spray clethodim on plots that require it (after mowing)
- Take soil samples on all plots
- Take water sample from Crescent Pond - send off
- Stock two other ponds other with minnows (FHM, GSH) - hatchery guy fumbled that one in late Apr when I normally stock

As you can see I'm trying to get strong plots established up front of the summer weeds and dry spells. I'll maybe spray Cleth again in July if required. After this visit the next will be in mid-late summer and there just won't be much I can do to steer them towards success at that point. I'll be overseeding Cereal Rye and annual Crimson Clover in all my plots in Sep.

This should get my plots to the point where I'm in maintenance mode with one Frost seeding and One overseeding and 2 or three spraying / per year. No disc'ing, no turning the soil, always something growing, I'll prolly do some other experiments but I'll only do a plot or two a year to see how other species benefits what my land can support from a browse pressure prespective.

This springs results from one of the legume plots overseeded with rye and annual CC last Sep.

 

[bowhunter1023]

Looking at the forecast and seeing those cool mornings this week has me all sorts of excited! We originally planned on camping at Strouds this weekend, but plans changed and we're headed to the farm. That means old dad can get some deer chores done! It reminded me of the Whitetail Partners guys and what they are recommending be done right now. My goal this weekend is a Best New Stand, Safety First, and Cams/Mock Scrapes. Time to start ramping things up!

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With much of the initial spring field work done, it is time to go into the timber to checkout your hunting access and setups to ensure success this fall. Here's what we will be doing this month:

Best New Stand - Hang new treestands from winter scouting and replace those old reliable stands with some high comfort, high quality setups. Getting those sets done now will give time for them to soak.

Safety First - Check straps and life lines - any sign of wear, remove and replace. Make a schedule of strap age if you haven't already and stick to it.

Cams - Put cams out to enjoy the summer velvet pics and see what bucks are back.

Hunter Access - Clear 6+' wide trails to make them easy to walk without touching vegetation. There will be a final clearing come Labor Day, but get the initial work done now and make it easier and less invasive then.

Clear Deer Travel - Brush mow deer corridors and main paths (2-3') through bedding areas.

Mock Scrapes - inspect all existing setups, tuning heights, replacing broken licking branches and making sure the ground is level enough for scraping.

Waterhole Maintenance - clean out leaves and other debris, make sure you have two good rodent sticks and that drainage is still working into the hole (lip of tank should be at least a few inches below grade).

Fields - Back on the plots, get your 2nd spraying in if planning conventional tillage for fall plots. If cover cropping, make plans for your 1st or 2nd round of crops (depending on your location) trying to target ~6 weeks before your fall planting dates, which usually means mid to late June for most of us in the upper Midwest.

Shoot - Get into a summer practice routine. Order new accessories or parts asap as some have long lead times.

Invites Out - Find one new hunter to take out this fall and put that early season doe hunt on the calendar.

Reservations - Get your date for off-season consulting with @whitetail_partners - it has been encouraging to hear from a bunch of you regarding a property walk-throughs, designs and other services for 2023. Call today to get on the calendar!

 

[Stressless]

That is a solid list. Pinched spine nerve took me out of the couple days I was at the farm. Stand MTX is going to be key after a strap broke on me last fall. Safety first - love it.

 

[jagermeister]

Solid list indeed.

I spent the better part of the morning spot-spraying Canada thistle and Bull thistle. This is the 4th time I’ve gone around the property waging war on thistles. I hate them with a passion. Most of the farm is currently bare soil and thin/new growth, so the thistles are trying to get ahead of me. Happy to say I am making great progress, though.

If anyone needs to battle some thistle of their own, pick up a jug of Clopyralid… also known as Stinger. I’m using an off brand, Alligare’s Sonora. It is very expensive chemical, at 250-300 bucks per gallon. But a little goes a long way and it is extremely effective on thistle. It is especially useful in new tree plantings, as it can be sprayed overtop of most hardwoods and conifers without damaging the trees.