|
|
Post by honker on Mar 17, 2018 19:45:11 GMT -6
I have had this project in my head the last three years, but I'm suffering from over thinking it and just need to commit to a path. It will be on the south end of the pond that is being dug that I described in another thread. I'm targeting the 2 acres in south west corner of the hayfield for a food plot after the 1.5 acre plot is put in. I drew the crude plan that I have in my head in the picture The green area would be a Millet, Milo, Sweet grass mix that will actually be planted around the perimeter of the pond. This will be for the waterfowl and game birds. I was thinking of having the red be the Frigid Forage Plot screen product that Brooks did a great job selling. The orange area of 1.5 acres would ideally be forage beans or corn in the future. The area to the west is old field on the edge of the woods that is growing up in hazel, willow, dogwoods, etc. Planning on doing some spraying in there this summer to promote natives and getting some clover patches going as well. The brown spot is where I put in the small plot with the box blade last year. Oats, winter wheat, and peas that did great. The current hayfield is primarily grass with a low concentration of alfalfa and clover. Super rocky ground so I'm thinking no till might be a better option that running the two bottom plow and disc over a minefield. Anyone have any past successes or failures that they can share from a similar situation to help formulate a plan of attack?  |
|
|
|
Post by nhmountains on Mar 18, 2018 2:47:38 GMT -6
Hi Honker,
No experience here on dealing with screenings as I don't have much open land. What do you have in mind for the north and east sides of the pond? What's beyond the field area there? Should you extend the screening up that full east side?
|
|
|
|
Post by MoBuckChaser on Mar 18, 2018 5:35:05 GMT -6
I would not dick around putting a food plot that close to two roads, screening or not. You have enough corn and beans grown in that area for food. I would plant that whole field into spruce trees and go for cover
|
|
|
|
Post by batman on Mar 18, 2018 8:07:01 GMT -6
I did a learner in my fence and moved their only food source to within view of the road. About 60 yards from road to feed on the edge of the woodline. Deer would not come until 20 minutes after sunset and they were spooky. Then I moved the food 20 yards into the woods and they would show up 2 hours before sunset.
Can they push the dig spoils into berms to accomplish your visual barrier?
|
|
|
|
Post by honker on Mar 18, 2018 11:40:36 GMT -6
I did a learner in my fence and moved their only food source to within view of the road. About 60 yards from road to feed on the edge of the woodline. Deer would not come until 20 minutes after sunset and they were spooky. Then I moved the food 20 yards into the woods and they would show up 2 hours before sunset. Can they push the dig spoils into berms to accomplish your visual barrier? The pond location happens to be in the natural bowl of the field so the the spoils will actually be used on the west side of the pond to build up the dam effect they are going for to create the pond. They will actually be bringing in soil and build up the border to match the surrounding topography rather then doing much digging out. |
|
|
|
Post by honker on Mar 18, 2018 12:06:16 GMT -6
I would not dick around putting a food plot that close to two roads, screening or not. You have enough corn and beans grown in that area for food. I would plant that whole field into spruce trees and go for cover Yeah I'm stuck between the desire to have this feature on my own land and the reality that I might not have the best location for it due to the dirt road borders. |
|
|
|
Post by honker on Mar 18, 2018 12:15:14 GMT -6
Hi Honker, No experience here on dealing with screenings as I don't have much open land. What do you have in mind for the north and east sides of the pond? What's beyond the field area there? Should you extend the screening up that full east side? I was planning on keeping the remainder of the field rented for hay for now, just to keep some income from the property on the tax statement. Long term I would like have a spruce/shrub border along the roads with blocks of warm season grasses in the majority of the existing field to provide cover and compliment the food coming up in the old field area. I was looking to benefit the pheasants as much or more than the deer with this section of the property. As that will be a significant investment to establish, I'm not sure how far out in the future long term will be. The food plot idea was more of a short term project to provide some food and hunting opportunities, but might not be worth the cost. I have to plant the buffer zone around the pond either way. |
|
|
|
Post by Freeborn on Mar 18, 2018 19:57:12 GMT -6
In the long run you will want a permanent screen near the roads and I would plant 6 rows of white spruce on each side. I would not draw deer near the road with a food plot until you have the trees established. You could plant a smaller screen near the pond for ducks etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by mnaaron on Mar 19, 2018 6:40:54 GMT -6
I personally would plant spruce rather than pine. Our screens are three rows of white spruce. Not fully grown yet but neighbors have exact same and looks nice
|
|
|
|
Post by batman on Mar 19, 2018 7:23:36 GMT -6
In the long run you will want a permanent screen near the roads and I would plant 6 rows of white spruce on each side. I would not draw deer near the road with a food plot until you have the trees established. You could plant a smaller screen near the pond for ducks etc. I don't mind plots next tp roads if the deer feel safe. Access gets no better if you are going to hunt the plot than having it right next to the road. |
|
