Need Advice on adding more cover

[Born to HUNT]

Hey I just joined the blog and I need some advice. We have a family farm that is around 100 acres. We sold all the livestock so all we are going to do is improve deer habitat, add food plots, etc. My only problem is I dont have alot of woods on the property, a few thickets, grown up fence rows, and small wooded areas but nothing else. I need to do something to add more cover for the deer near my food plots. Planted about 200 pine trees, but that didnt work out to well. Just trying to get us a place to hunt that I know I will not lose, but I have to live with and use the land that was given to us even if it is not the perfect place. Any suggestions?

 

[Anonymous]

Don't be too worried. You have a clean slate to start with. I would just allow natural growth to occur. Deer would rather take shelter in thickets anyway. Blackberry briars, etc. are prime habitat. I'd probably allow at least a 30 acre spot to grow up in the middle of the property as a sanctuary, maybe plant some fruit trees on one side, leave a few spots open for plots, possibly get some free oaks from the hardwood restoration program, etc. Standing corn may be something good to add to your area as well.
My father really ticked me off when he cleared half of our land back in the mid and late 90's. He really destroyed some beautiful woods. However, since 2002 a lot of it has grown back up and the deer are there even more than they ever were. Got alot more older bucks too. I've designed areas to leave open and plant plots in that are favorable to any given wind direction. Maybe some day he'll give up farming those stupid horses and I can do the same with the rest of the place. Then I'll have a whitetail Mecca!

 

[Anonymous]

I've also let strips of natural growth about 100 yards wide grow up leading to my food sources to give them a secure travel corridor. Your fence rows are a good, natural place to do this.

 

[ShaneHallum]

These boys are getting you started in the right direction.. I like putting out wild cedars.. or pines in a area.

 

[Football Hunter]

Can you plant corn next year?Let it grow and than dont cut it,a year or 2 you'll have some thick cover,and some food for em.

 

[ky_madman]

One other thing that you can do is pile brush rows /hedge rows. around openings or in places to break up larger open areas. Discing &/or plowing some of the open areas will allow seeds in the ground to get to the surface which will aid in regeneration.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh, and by the way, you probably want to plant some young oaks in the areas that you're letting grow up otherwise, they'll grow up in mostly junk trees like sweet gums, poplars, etc. That doesn't matter much now but, in 25 years when the oaks start to bear acorns, you or your kids will be glad you did it.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Oh, and by the way, you probably want to plant some young oaks in the areas that you're letting grow up otherwise, they'll grow up in mostly junk trees like sweet gums, poplars, etc. That doesn't matter much now but, in 25 years when the oaks start to bear acorns, you or your kids will be glad you did it.

I'd also add a few apple trees in the mix. They could start producing within 4 years. Also, plant some persimmon trees.

The best and cheapest way - Getcha a chainsaw and go cut several (couple acre tracks) down. I did that this spring and it looks amazingly thick now. We cut a 5 acre track and a 2 acre track right through the middle of our property that connects existing thickets. Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

I've been transplanting wild plums and honey pairs/ quints too.

 

[Anonymous]

crab apples

 

[Born to HUNT]

Thanks guys

 

[sksfordman]

Is that crab apples like the kind that flower in the spring, and have redish crabapples, or are these trees just ornamental?