own land or total access

[at1010]

for the lucky guys out there who own their own land, what do you spend most of your offseason doing?

I normally spend time hanging stands, and food plotting. I am really struggling this year with if it is more important spending time planting fruit trees or just doing plots. (I am debating if its worth given up some food plot ground for orchards.)

What do you all think??

 

[MK111]

I just do changing around and building new stands. And putting in food plots. Going to clear out about 1 ac. of cedar and homeysuckle bushes for a new food plot.
If I was younger I would plant trees but at 71 I don't see the benefit so will put my energy into food plots improvements.

 

[bowhunter1023]

I used to coach baseball, but that is over. Think I'll spend time getting ready for ducks this year. Might plant some pines and fruit trees if I get a spur in my ass. Also plan to pull all my stands/sticks and paint them all. I used to do all kinds of stuff in the off season, but found it to be a waste of time, effort and money.

 

[rsmith]

I usually prep/plant plots, look for new stand locations. This year I will be planting 3 apple trees around my plot and expanding my plot another half an acre so my hands will be full for a little part of the off season. Also my buddy wants to put in 3, 1 to 2 acre plots at his property which will all need cleared out, and also move some stands for him. Also having a large garden to tend to is a thing of mine so the off season is busy. Oh and practice shooting everyday

 

[Mike]

I have a lot of cleanup to do. Most of the ash trees have fallen or are about to fall. I'll also be getting the low spot dug so it can hold water and support fish.

 

[Big_Holla]

I am still learning the land every time I'm down and the next few months will be perfect for scouting to see how they are moving through it. We have several places that we don't even step foot in that are a little difficult to access to hunt but I can't help but think I am missing out on some great stand sites. As far as property maintenance it's always ongoing. Seems ever time we are down we have trees that have fallen and need cut up. I have a few thoughts to planting fruit trees as well this year but need to put the added effort in to keep them from getting destroyed like the two apple trees we planted this year. My hope is that this will be the year we get some more timber cut and then some hinge cutting done too. Way too open in a lot of places and that's what we figure attributes to deer leaving once fall gets there.

 

[hickslawns]

On my property, I plant trees. Mainly fruit trees, but have planted many pines as well. My property is too small to do any good once surrounding properties have people wandering around them aimlessly.

Chuck might have it figured out. Food plots are good. Fruit trees for long term can be good for owner and deer. If the deer don't feel safe bedding/hanging around . . . .

 

[at1010]

lots of good stuff on here.

I deff need to get my stands pulled an rehung! I just care about that for safety reasons. I have some stands that are sketchy because they have been in a tree for 2 years.

I have several areas that are steep areas of plots, and I am thinking about planning trees there. I need to plant a lot of pines along the road, to many road hunters around our farm! I just love hearing others ideas, plans, etc.

 

[Bigslam51]

On my property, I plant trees. Mainly fruit trees, but have planted many pines as well. My property is too small to do any good once surrounding properties have people wandering around them aimlessly.

Chuck might have it figured out. Food plots are good. Fruit trees for long term can be good for owner and deer. If the deer don't feel safe bedding/hanging around . . . .

I'm in the same boat as you, Phil. We only have 7 wooded acres. I planted 30 pine saplings last year, and 2 apple trees.

 

[at1010]

I'm in the same boat as you, Phil. We only have 7 wooded acres. I planted 30 pine saplings last year, and 2 apple trees.

what type of pines you plant, how'd they do?

I am hoping to plant them along a road. 2 things worry me, deer rubbing them and people driving over them......

 

[Bigslam51]

what type of pines you plant, how'd they do?

I am hoping to plant them along a road. 2 things worry me, deer rubbing them and people driving over them......

Blue spruce, those ones with the long needles (only a few of them are still alive out of 10) , and one other species. The blue spruce are doing the best, they are all alive still and growing pretty fast, some grew almost 8 inches in a few months.

 

[at1010]

Blue spruce, those ones with the long needles (only a few of them are still alive out of 10) , and one other species. The blue spruce are doing the best, they are all alive still and growing pretty fast, some grew almost 8 inches in a few months.

very interested in that! Thanks for info!

 

[hickslawns]

Blue spruce, those ones with the long needles (only a few of them are still alive out of 10) , and one other species. The blue spruce are doing the best, they are all alive still and growing pretty fast, some grew almost 8 inches in a few months.

Probably white pines. White pines will grow pretty fast and can grow in crappy soils. Not always easy to get a pine established without good watering. You might consider buying "tree gators" to assist in the watering. Blue spruce are pretty trees. Think Christmas trees. Seems like Austrian pines are similar to white pines. I need to look them up to verify. Keep in mind, the faster they grow, the weaker the root system.

One other thought for blocking the view would be birch. Clumps of river birch clumps in 2-3 rows might do the trick. Not as pretty when placed this way, but nice block from the road and fairly fast growing.

 

[Bigslam51]

I think they are white pines that I planted, Phil. I've always liked pine trees and hopefully they grow to help the local wildlife in the harsh winters, plus provide more security so they wonder through our place more often

 

[CJD3]

Growing pot on the neighbors land... (JUST KIDDING)

Over the years,I have done food plots and I have done Pines and/or fruit trees, as well as some general habitat improvement.
At this point I have come to the feeling that a food plot is good per season if continued but pines for shelter and fruit trees are a long term investment that at some point will (generally) take care of themselves or could be neglected for a season or two with no real consequence.

This last fall I worked a well pad that was near a sportsman club and discovered the Sawtooth Oak. I saw the huge amounts of mast the relatively young trees produced and how early they started dropping. The deer were going nuts for em and they (the trees) were lining the parking lot where all the crews and roughnecks came and went twice a day. Every evening a few of us would sit at the smoking table and watch these deer come right in. They couldn't stand it to wait. I have some of the acorns I'm going germinate and intend on buying some too. Very impressed w/ the Sawtooth Oak.

 

[Big_Holla]

I completely forgot that we planted well over 50 white pine and a few cedars around our place. Went looking for some the last time we were down and only found a couple where we planted many. Not sure if they dried out and died or perhaps got nipped off. Definitely something we plan to keep doing in some of the open brushy areas too.

 

[whodey1966]

Just remember if you do choose to plant the river birch, they need direct sunlight to thrive. They don't grow in shady areas.

 

[MK111]

If you have access to red cedar it does well in poor soil and grows fast. I have 1000's of red cedar on my farm and it seems every square inch that isn't moved or in pasture has red cedar and honeysuckle gowning on it. Right next to the poison ivy.
Deer don't seem to eat it off.

 

[BlueSpruceOutfitters]

Well, as soon as deer season ends, I'll be in the woods scouting and doing timber stand improvements for better bedding. I'll also be going all out this year. Have 4 new 2 acre plots planned, 3 smaller kill plots, 30 Apple and pear trees and probably well over 100 oaks. Gonna be a really busy spring and summer but I'm in it for the long haul. Gonna make our 170 acre tree farm into a future deer Mecca. Gotta embrace the suck this year so when my boy turns 6 or 7 he can have plenty of moving targets

 

[Hortontoter]

I've owned my 10 acres since the spring of 2004. Most of what I do now is general property maintenance. I think my stands are in the best places I can have them, but I may make a minor move of my outhouse stand come April. I need to finish a retaining wall that I started last summer come spring. And before next fall the outside of my cabin could use a new coat of paint.

I'm like Frank, I'd like to plant some fruit trees, but at 63 I'd probably never really get the benefit of them. I tried a food plot, but just not enough sun where I can plant one.