Good QDMA article

[scn]

https://www.qdma.com/6-ways-ive-changed ... 2019-01-02

The info on the number of pounds of deer food per acre under various management schemes was particularly interesting to me. It is becoming pretty evident that a bushhog is likely a much better management tool than a disc or plow in providing quality deer food. It may not be as "pretty", but is much cheaper and better for the deer.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Interesting read. Thanks for sharing. The info on the number of pounds of deer food per acre is really interesting.....I have somewhat seen evidence of this on our place where we have a powerline easement....years ago I started bush hogging strips to increase visibility....creating "shooting lanes" if you will..... quickly I noticed the deer started using the strips and feeding in them.....but as you said....these strips are not as "pretty" as the manicurd food plots.....but the new vegetation growth near thick cover seems to work well.....and other than tractor fuel it doesn't cost much to create....we do have some more areas that we've considered bush hogging strips in....and this article certainly motivates me to do that.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Good article. New natural growth of grasses and forbs add so many benefits and nutrients to wildlife. Can not wait to find out if I'm selected to be a TN prescribed fire burn manager in the next couple weeks. If so, we will have close to 100 acres to be burned every 3 or so years.....It will be a game changer if it all works out. Whether it's simply bush-hogging or burning, there are so many things we can do to benefit wildlife and hunting

 

[megalomaniac]

Burning is far superior to anything. But bushhogging can be incredible if done at the right time.

My papaw used to bushhog twice a year, and fields were short and devoid if food during winter. Deer hardly used them.


I learned several years ago that by bushhogging once a year in early August, I can keep fields from growing up in cedar, bodock, and hackberry, yet still have more than enough growth of coral berry and catbrier before first frost to produce incredible native forage for deer.

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[DoubleRidge]

Burning is far superior to anything. But bushhogging can be incredible if done at the right time.

My papaw used to bushhog twice a year, and fields were short and devoid if food during winter. Deer hardly used them.


I learned several years ago that by bushhogging once a year in early August, I can keep fields from growing up in cedar, bodock, and hackberry, yet still have more than enough growth of coral berry and catbrier before first frost to produce incredible native forage for deer.

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Great advice....makes sense.....can't say I've always bush hogged in early August.....but it's always late summer with plenty of time for new growth to start up.

I want to burn portions of this area some day.....just want to have more experience and support before I attempt it.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

Growing deer tv has several shows on burning

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Growing deer tv has several shows on burning

I've gained a lot of knowledge from this, especially in burning and other habitat improvements. I'm addicted to his show

 

[gobblesandgrunts]

Do people do this for income? I would be completely lost if I tried it. Dont want to burn the farm down either lol

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[JCDEERMAN]

Do people do this for income? I would be completely lost if I tried it. Dont want to burn the farm down either lol

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Yea - you can have it done, but it's fairly expensive. I want to be trained on it...so we can do it whenever the time is right for it

 

[gobblesandgrunts]

Thstd be awesome to have in your back pocket

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[MickThompson]

Anyone can burn their own land in TN granted that they get a permit from TDF. That said, get professional help for the first time or 2.

 

[FTG-05]

Growing deer tv has several shows on burning

I've gained a lot of knowledge from this, especially in burning and other habitat improvements. I'm addicted to his show

Found a new YT channel to watch I did. :party:

 

[FTG-05]

Interesting read. Thanks for sharing. The info on the number of pounds of deer food per acre is really interesting.....I have somewhat seen evidence of this on our place where we have a powerline easement....years ago I started bush hogging strips to increase visibility....creating "shooting lanes" if you will..... quickly I noticed the deer started using the strips and feeding in them.....but as you said....these strips are not as "pretty" as the manicurd food plots.....but the new vegetation growth near thick cover seems to work well.....and other than tractor fuel it doesn't cost much to create....we do have some more areas that we've considered bush hogging strips in....and this article certainly motivates me to do that.

Bushhoging in strips and bushhoging far less than in the past are by far the biggest part of my plan for 2020. Why it took me so long to figure it out, but it's clear to me that I've been bushhoging far too much of my land for deer and turkey. :cry:

 

[DoubleRidge]

Interesting read. Thanks for sharing. The info on the number of pounds of deer food per acre is really interesting.....I have somewhat seen evidence of this on our place where we have a powerline easement....years ago I started bush hogging strips to increase visibility....creating "shooting lanes" if you will..... quickly I noticed the deer started using the strips and feeding in them.....but as you said....these strips are not as "pretty" as the manicurd food plots.....but the new vegetation growth near thick cover seems to work well.....and other than tractor fuel it doesn't cost much to create....we do have some more areas that we've considered bush hogging strips in....and this article certainly motivates me to do that.

Bushhoging in strips and bushhoging far less than in the past are by far the biggest part of my plan for 2020. Why it took me so long to figure it out, but it's clear to me that I've been bushhoging far too much of my land for deer and turkey. :cry:

Ironically I've had our main tractor down for some time with injector pump problems (ouch$$$) and while I was able to do some bushogging last summer with smaller back up tractor.... most of what I normally keep "clean" was allowed to grow up.....and watching it grow up at first was frustrating....but the more I read and studied on habitat improvements the more interested I became in "rotational bush hogging" or bush hogging strips and watching natural vegetation flourish....and seeing how wildlife of all kinds we're using the area more..... anyway, also ironic....today I picked up tractor from injector pump repair (again...ouch$$$) so I have bigger tractor back....but no doubt I have a more selective plan going forward for what will get bush hogged and when....it's an affordable way to impact habitat in a positive way...and I enjoy the time on the tractor....so it's win-win.

 

[TheLBLman]

It is becoming pretty evident that a bushhog is likely a much better management tool than a disc or plow in providing quality deer food. It may not be as "pretty", but is much cheaper and better for the deer.

Been telling you that for years :tu:

Last Friday, January 3, from a little before 8a to 10a,
I watched a mature doe take over 2 hours to travel about 200 yards towards me.
When I first saw her, she was on the edge of a nice plot of winter wheat & clover, but she never stepped in it.
Her two fawns did, but she did not.

Instead, she slowly followed a bush-hogged trail, steadily feeding on mainly honeysuckle, greenbriar, and blackberry. The entire time, she was hard to see due to waste-high weeds which had grown up since the last mowing. Someone hunting the food plot likely would have never seen her. More interestingly, she valued not stepping out in the open more than eating lush winter wheat & clover!

When I field dressed her, she was loaded with fat, and her stomach contents were mostly honeysuckle. There was some winter wheat & clover in there, which I assume she ate under the cover of darkness.

Think about how much mowing can be accomplished with the same time and money one might spend on food plots, and how many more older deer might get killed if hunters focused more on hunting instead of watching food plots.

I'm not saying food plots are bad ideas, just over-rated, and can be a direct cause of fewer older deer getting killed when hunters spend too much time on food-plotting at the expense of learning better woodsmanship and hunting.

A great efficient food plot is to simply mow an area early each spring, add lime, and let Mother Nature choose what grows.
Mow a few strips thru it in early September to provide shooting lanes.