gjs4
New Member
Posts: 35
Likes: 16
|
Post by gjs4 on Apr 30, 2024 4:53:19 GMT -6
There has been nothing stated in any of the emails on next steps or future expectations from them. That was scaring me.
Both solid points going back to reality. I should be paying more attentions to the warning signs, as in delayed correspondence and replies.
We have teetered back and forth on keeping this place. MY wife loves the area (and Im fond myself) but the hunting hasnt been that great. I firmly believe a lot of the lacking aspects related to deer are related to the invasives. It was chit or get off the commode time. This is a 25k clearing venture (not to include subsequent herbicide applications or planting). I can keep the stuff at bay with my sprayer, mister and bush hog.....but clearing it when we live 6hrs away wasnt going to happen, nor was having it cleared.
I am also concerned about the income tax side of things.
If i had it to do over a again....I am not not sure how much I would tolerate for invasives. Theyre such a pia.
|
|
|
Post by Reagan on Apr 30, 2024 5:11:59 GMT -6
I’d load a backpack sprayer with crossbow and get after them.
|
|
|
Post by smsmith on Apr 30, 2024 6:40:59 GMT -6
I’d load a backpack sprayer with crossbow and get after them. Yep, this ^^^ You don't need the gooberment. You just need the willingness to work
|
|
|
Post by Sandbur on Apr 30, 2024 7:38:21 GMT -6
I may have missed part of the explanation , but is this an area without native topsoil? Strip mine pits or piles with slopes?
Perhaps there is not a good seed bank of natives or perhaps the soil is not capable of growing the natives at this point.
|
|
|
Post by Reagan on Apr 30, 2024 9:22:09 GMT -6
I have a lot of piss poor strip reclaim soil. It had been bushed hogged once at the end of summer for probably 20 years or more. Since 2018 I have let it grow except for where I plot and plant stuff. There are some invasive but not a lot. Bradford pear, multi flora rose, occasional autumn olive. I can stay on them with a sprayer.
There is decent soils for and inch or so I assume due to the organic matter and the years of mowing. Goldenrod and a bunch of other native “weeds” grow in it along with grasses etc. I do wander how the seed bank was established. The laws were pretty loose when this place was reclaimed.
|
|
gjs4
New Member
Posts: 35
Likes: 16
|
Post by gjs4 on Apr 30, 2024 16:43:59 GMT -6
I may have missed part of the explanation , but is this an area without native topsoil? Strip mine pits or piles with slopes? Perhaps there is not a good seed bank of natives or perhaps the soil is not capable of growing the natives at this point. I would say everything here is strip mine reclaimed soils. As for for the capability; Not sure what I can do or say beyond the soil test results. There are also a couple areas of red/yellow clay here that dont grow anything- good or bad beyond a random Virginia Pine or two. I have plugged more in and would love to do something but when you're talking acres needing biochar, organics, etc..... it becomes a very big task. Even the NRCS folks said its "another day" project very one of the 20x's ive brought it up. The above, aside from solid invasives, are pretty typical in coal mine country/Appalachia.
|
|
|
Post by benmnwi on Apr 30, 2024 18:40:17 GMT -6
What do the best hunting properties in your area have growing on them?
If the ideal natives aren’t possible in your area, it might be fine since they likely won’t grow on your neighbors either. You could have the best hunting in the neighborhood if you just have better food and cover than the neighbors.
|
|
gjs4
New Member
Posts: 35
Likes: 16
|
Post by gjs4 on May 1, 2024 5:00:45 GMT -6
What do the best hunting properties in your area have growing on them? If the ideal natives aren’t possible in your area, it might be fine since they likely won’t grow on your neighbors either. You could have the best hunting in the neighborhood if you just have better food and cover than the neighbors. Great take Ben! To answer the first part; I am not sure. If i had to guess they have river bottom ag ground, versus the adjacent hills. Its challenging to answer as the area is diverse and frankly I don't talk to enough folks to know. The anticipated common answer from the locals would be quality cover. I wouldve felt I had amazing cover and it was unique for the area; being so thick and hunted so lightly....but now believe it was too thick and offered very little browse so they were only there passing through or when the adjacent hunting pressure displaced them there. There is some native regen on utility ROWs but no fields of it and there is very little ag. This is where I wanted to try and use natives for both cover and browse, with some quality fall plots laid out for my ease of access and egress.
|
|
|
Post by Sandbur on May 1, 2024 5:18:31 GMT -6
I may have missed part of the explanation , but is this an area without native topsoil? Strip mine pits or piles with slopes? Perhaps there is not a good seed bank of natives or perhaps the soil is not capable of growing the natives at this point. I would say everything here is strip mine reclaimed soils. As for for the capability; Not sure what I can do or say beyond the soil test results. There are also a couple areas of red/yellow clay here that dont grow anything- good or bad beyond a random Virginia Pine or two. I have plugged more in and would love to do something but when you're talking acres needing biochar, organics, etc..... it becomes a very big task. Even the NRCS folks said its "another day" project very one of the 20x's ive brought it up. The above, aside from solid invasives, are pretty typical in coal mine country/Appalachia. I know nothing about your soil, but would rye improve soil quality? It is about all that will grow on some Sandy areas where I live.
|
|
|
Post by Sandbur on May 1, 2024 5:19:20 GMT -6
What do the best hunting properties in your area have growing on them? If the ideal natives aren’t possible in your area, it might be fine since they likely won’t grow on your neighbors either. You could have the best hunting in the neighborhood if you just have better food and cover than the neighbors. Great take Ben! To answer the first part; I am not sure. If i had to guess they have river bottom ag ground, versus the adjacent hills. Its challenging to answer as the area is diverse and frankly I don't talk to enough folks to know. The anticipated common answer from the locals would be quality cover. I wouldve felt I had amazing cover and it was unique for the area; being so thick and hunted so lightly....but now believe it was too thick and offered very little browse so they were only there passing through or when the adjacent hunting pressure displaced them there. There is some native regen on utility ROWs but no fields of it and there is very little ag. This is where I wanted to try and use natives for both cover and browse, with some quality fall plots laid out for my ease of access and egress. Have you tried cutting sidewalks for deer through the thick cover ?
|
|
|
Post by caveman on May 1, 2024 5:52:43 GMT -6
I may have missed part of the explanation , but is this an area without native topsoil? Strip mine pits or piles with slopes? Perhaps there is not a good seed bank of natives or perhaps the soil is not capable of growing the natives at this point. I would say everything here is strip mine reclaimed soils. As for for the capability; Not sure what I can do or say beyond the soil test results. There are also a couple areas of red/yellow clay here that dont grow anything- good or bad beyond a random Virginia Pine or two. I have plugged more in and would love to do something but when you're talking acres needing biochar, organics, etc..... it becomes a very big task. Even the NRCS folks said its "another day" project very one of the 20x's ive brought it up. The above, aside from solid invasives, are pretty typical in coal mine country/Appalachia. Try tossing some sumacs in those spots. Not the ideal deer tree, better than nothing if you want something there.
|
|
gjs4
New Member
Posts: 35
Likes: 16
|
Post by gjs4 on May 3, 2024 18:22:28 GMT -6
I have tried rye- very very little grew. Even tried Brome....the same, very little. Picture a beach, thats uncomfortably hard. The stuff is so slick and sticky when wet and hard when dry.
Had some luck w Blueberries until they got browsed.
Sumac is an interesting idea. I have a bunch here, can grab the some seeds/cones easily.
I wanted to try vetch, but didn't get to it this year.
|
|
|
Post by benmnwi on May 3, 2024 19:58:38 GMT -6
That’s not good if rye doesn’t grow there. I’d probably keep trying as many different plants as possible until you find out what can survive on your land.
|
|
|
Post by smsmith on May 3, 2024 20:17:16 GMT -6
If rye won't grow somewhere, I'd have to question what's going on with the soil. Soil test would be the first thing that comes to mind. If invasives are growing and rye isn't, I'd stop fighting the invasives.
|
|
|
Post by Sandbur on May 4, 2024 4:30:31 GMT -6
If rye won't grow somewhere, I'd have to question what's going on with the soil. Soil test would be the first thing that comes to mind. If invasives are growing and rye isn't, I'd stop fighting the invasives. I agree. Invasives must like the location better than natives. Maybe the government experts have no idea what works. Could invasives penetrate and modify the soil so something else might grow in 5-20 years.
|
|