Food Plots Reclaimed Pasture

[CBU93]

Not sure this is the best place for it but it's going here for now.

I've had some cows being run on part of my property for the last 10 years or so. Part of a deal made before moving closer to the property. I had my reasons…the hobby farmers did not take care of the place like I wanted them to so I have told them to leave and take their cows with them…well not I. Those terms but they will be gone by December. I am planting the pasture and hayfield the cut hay off of in tree. I know from a deer habitat standpoint I should just let it go fallow, but I want my kid/grand kids to be able to get an income off the property in the future. Pines on the hills, hardwoods in the bottom land. Firebreaks on the propert edges.

Question is, how would you look to manage…I am thinking access road along ridge in middle of property, leaving 2 acre dove field and around another two acres in food plots…also planting fire break sections along northern property line that joins 200 acres of cutover…what else should I think about?

Over all property is approximately 100 acres, quite a bit of road frontage, one major ditch/creek running through it…

Deer is the primary focus animal, followed by dove, then small game..no spring turkeys but would love to draw some local birds in….

 

[megalomaniac]

Figure out now whether you want it for timber income or primarily for wildlife habitat. While the 2 aren't mutually exclusive, number of trees planted for timber income will be 3x more than what you would plant with a focus on wildlife. If it's a decent chunk of ground, and hunting will be a primary concern, I'd go ahead and spend the $$$ on a wildlife consultant to draw up a plan for the property. If mostly timber, I'd get with a forester to develop your 25 and 50 year plans

 

[CBU93]

@megalomaniac it is not a major income producing endeavor…it is sentimental property that telling my wife about tree income is the only way I get to keep from turning it into a huge lawn to mow…

If it were up to me, I'd sell it and buy a condo at the beach.

 

[megalomaniac]

@megalomaniac it is not a major income producing endeavor…it is sentimental property that telling my wife about tree income is the only way I get to keep from turning it into a huge lawn to mow…

If it were up to me, I'd sell it and buy a condo at the beach.

In that case, I'd contact a wildlife consultant like BSK or Grant Woods to put boots on the ground and draw up a plan for what trees to plant and where... but more importantly, plan for a water source if not already present, locations of food plots and other openings with native warm season grasses, etc.