Starting Point

[bigorangmd]

I'm ready to get started with more serious work to implement a QDM program. While I'm familiar and understands the basic steps I wonder how to start given what I have on hand. Again I have 1000acres I splint with my cousins. We hunt 600acres of it. We rent it to a farmer who raises soybeans on my cousins 1/2 and mostly cotton on ours. We do have about 200 in beans. About 100-150 acres is Hardwoods which were select cut about 10 years ago and is so thick it is hard to walk through. With respect to food plots A) I wonder if we need them given what's on the land. B) Given that my grandmother needs to keep the farmer happy how could a food plot coexist within the confines of his Ag buisness - would it be worthwhile to ask to compensate him for a few acres and try to raise some food plots that way (would his crop control mess up foodplots on the edges of his crop areas? I'm about to start a camrea survey and this spring were taking chainsaw to some of the areas of hardwoods but what else should I try? Soory to ramble but how to develop the initial game plan is daunting. -- Thanks BigO.

 

[Chaneylake]

get with the farmer and drive over the farm when its dry enough to do so, he will tell you or point out any sorta dead corners that are a headache to plant, especially if he is using the larger equipment, those small corner/pockets can be a problem for him and an asset to you.

 

[bigorangmd]

Thanks, I had thought about that as a possibility just didn't know how his crop prep would hurt the foodplot in that close proximity or vice-versa.

 

[BigGameGuy]

With 20% of your land in beans I'd save your money and not invest it in foodplots. I'd create habitat that makes it easier for you to hunt your land such as improved corridors to and from the bedding areas (such mowed strips that you allow to go fallow). If you do go with food plots, plant "candy" foods for stand placement since you will not be adding any nutritive value to the overall habitat.

 

[TheLBLman]

With 20% of your land in beans I'd save your money and not invest it in foodplots.

Excellent advise from the BigGameGuy.

Food plots are highly overrated, period, IMO.
Mainly a time and money drain that's been "sold" to hunters.
Makes hunters FEEL better, but does little to help the deer.

Periodic rotational mowing is one of the best and most efficent things you can do to improve and help diversify your habitat.

You said "starting point" on the QDM.

Keep it simple and fun.

Start by simply killing no more male than female deer, and you probably need to kill more female than male deer.

Learn to distinguish "yearling" bucks from 2 1/2 and older bucks by body profile instead of by antlers. Do this and you won't need any "antler restrictions", which can become more harmful than beneficial.

 

[bigorangmd]

The first stage of my self education was in "trigger management". I've taken 4 does this year and no bucks because I've seen no mature bucks (mostly due to the fact that I got back from Iraq 3 days before bow season and couldn't scout). I'm just now getting into the land management aspect of QDM. Guess the number one investment I need is a good chainsaw. Not looking forward to that part because those woods are THICK!

 

[Chaneylake]

With 20% of your land in beans I'd save your money and not invest it in foodplots.

Excellent advise from the BigGameGuy.

Food plots are highly overrated, period, IMO.
Mainly a time and money drain that's been "sold" to hunters.
Makes hunters FEEL better, but does little to help the deer.

Periodic rotational mowing is one of the best and most efficent things you can do to improve and help diversify your habitat.

You said "starting point" on the QDM.

Keep it simple and fun.

Start by simply killing no more male than female deer, and you probably need to kill more female than male deer.

Learn to distinguish "yearling" bucks from 2 1/2 and older bucks by body profile instead of by antlers. Do this and you won't need any "antler restrictions", which can become more harmful than beneficial.

I was told in 91 or 92 by a TWRA biologist to bushog and fertilize your natural veggies, if you want the best results, anything else I do is just to make people happy