stubborn1VT

What did you haul firewood out with zag? I wish I had that problem! I love doing firewood. Thanks for posting. I was was starting to wonder if anyone was working on plots out there. Rain/freezing rain here today, or I'd be doing some cleanup and getting a little wood out myself. Hope all your hard work pays off. Nice to see the progress.

Thanks for sharing some pics, Grow. Are those brassicas in the last 2?

Nice!

Eagles are predators, sure, but they're scavengers too. (As the pictures show) Could they be looking up at other birds? planes? I imagine they feel vulnerable on the ground. Thanks for sharing the pics. I saw an adult bald eagle the week before Christmas. I was working very close to Lake Champlain, here on the VT side. They are a sight to see!

"Woods plot" may be misleading. These are staging plots, as they aren't in the deep woods. One is 50-60 yards from an ag field, and the other is 40-50 yards from an old pasture. I cut firewood in these areas over the past 3 or 4 years to get them big enough. One is close a 1/2 acre, the other is maybe 1/3 acre. I planted a test strip of clover in one plot, just a log road that I widened out. It came in pretty well, although it was a bit thin around the edges. So I'm shooting for clover plots. I may do a mix of all sorts of things the first year as an experiment. I may plant radishes, since they help "till" the soil with their roots. I will probably try cereal grains, since they are easy to grow. I don't expect a full-on clover plot the first year. I think it will take a year or more to get the soil in shape, pH adjusted, but I bet it will be good enough to get attention from deer. I saw lots of turkeys in one area I cleared, even without planting anything. I'm hoping to use some kind of disc harrow. I've done plots like this with a walk-behind tiller, and it's slow and it' WORK. I have a 5 foot tiller for my Kubota, but found out that it doesn't like big rocks, ledge, stumps, and roots. So that's the plan. I'll be doing some finish work with the chainsaws this winter, and using a small stump grinder once the snow is gone. We spring plant clover here (the experts gasp!) because fall planting often leads to winterkill. Hopefully, I will be able to post pictures and results. Seems like that's what the site is here for. I say go for it! If you can clear out even 1/4 acre and get enough light, then it's worth a shot. Good luck!

Just wondering what other hunters had for plans and goals in 2017, as far as land management or personal hunting goals. My goals are to: plant some apple trees for the deer and myself establish a woods plot (or two) expand my existing plot try to do something outdoor or hunting related every day get back to keeping a journal of my outdoor pursuits maintain the wild apple trees on my family's property shoot a 3.5 or 4.5 year old 10 pointer!

Ohio has a different climate, more "big ag", different soil, different topography. It all contributes to a different deer herd.

I was looking at them yesterday. Wasn't really impressed with prices for bare root trees.

Thanks guys. A friend also suggested checking end-of-season sales at bigger nurseries. Less varieties, but low prices.

I have. It only took me 4 years to get it big enough and the right shape!

No moss around there. It's almost all hardwoods, and high and dry. That's one of the reasons I cut wood there, because it stays dry. There is a spring 150 yards away, but that area is well-drained. I have to do a soil test, but it's accessible with a truck or tractor, so I can haul in bulk lime. There's a lime quarry 7 miles from my house. I'm anxious to get the soil built up and a lush plot for the deer and turkeys to enjoy.

I'm hoping to end up with a disc about that size. My plot will be similar I think. It's an area I've been using as a wood lot, so it's trails and areas I've thinned to let light it. It's 75 yards from a hayfield with alot of clover. I'm putting my brush/tops between the plot and the field. Also, by cutting some, there's new growth of seedlings (maple, birch, cherry, poplar) in that area. I found and released 3 wild apple trees. The bucks made a scrape under one apple, and I shot my rifle buck right near there. Anyhow, thanks for the info Grow. I will keep buckwheat and grains in mind. Sorry to go on, I'm just excited about this spot. There is a HERD of deer on the posted land next door, and I'm trying to create a destination for them on our farm.

Thanks zag. I'm thinking clover and brassicas, not beans and corn. At least in that spot. Is there stuff I should plant the first year to help condition the soil? Or should I just start with clover and brassicas? On a separate note, my brother is going to try to build me a small set of disc harrows from stuff he has in the farm's scrap yard. They would be pretty much free (we trade out labor) so I'm hoping to use them. I found out the hard way that tillers aren't always the best tool for food plots.

I'm trying to start a dual purpose "home orchard". I'm planting several varieties for our use, as well as crab apples for deer and pollination. Can anyone tell me how many trees I need to order to get a discount? I can get a few buddies together and place an order. Or should I just wait until later in the spring, when trees go on sale?

Not just crossbows alone, COYOTES WITH CROSSBOWS!

Makes sense. I am surprised, I guess. I didn't even know "bed rugs" were a real thing. HuntingNY not only entertains, it educates! Hope you're scrubbing deer blood out of that rug for years to come!

The Midwest is really rebounding from EHD as well. It took a few years for those big bucks to grow back. I agree that the dry weather had an effect. It really reduced the quality of feed. At least that's what I saw on my family's farm, and in my garden. On the flip side, we saw great deer thanks to a really mild winter. Also, Vermont has had a "no-spikehorn" law since 2005, and our deer have been getting bigger ever since. We don't have the deer numbers of NY, so management becomes even more important. I'm glad that the state actually got one decision right.

firewood, chainsaws, compost, live calves, bulk lime, pigs, bark mulch, sawdust, hay, brush etc... You get the picture. Seriously, the new storage system look awesome. I just think, well, it's supposed to be a truck.

Ha ha! I had to Google "bed rug". Are you frickin' kidding me?

What in the heck is a bed rug?

I have found you can shoot fingers with a bow 36" or longer. Shooting 2 fingers under helps (less contact with the string). I am shooting better with my new 36" Expedition than I was with my 40" PSE.

Nice pics & plots Grow! Just got back from the family farm. Spent a couple hours with the chainsaw in/around an old apple orchard. It needs some help. Thanks for the grain sorghum recommendation. So you're saying it shouldn't be seeded too heavy, or it won't grow to it's potential. Makes sense. How wide a strip would you plant for a solid screen?

I feel like using a release is putting a trigger on a bow. That's just not the point for me. All my friends shoot releases, but I don't feel the need to switch. I started out with a glove 25+ years ago, and I'm comfortable with it. Why change? My best friend can pick up his bow any month of the year and shoot well with a release. I enjoy the practice that it takes to shoot well with fingers. One less piece of gear to buy, lose, or have fail.

Antler, I hope to try traditional archery tackle at some point. Maybe when I retire. The first compound bow package I bought came with sights, and I've used the ever since. I'm pretty sure I could shoot without them, but they do help me. How far do you shoot? What do you shoot for arrows? Someday I hope to take a deer with a bow and arrows that I have made, but in the meantime I'm happy with my compound, shooting fingers, and limiting my shots to 30 yards or less.

I learned that the hard way zag! Planted Wintergreens and they came up beautiful. The first year it wasn't so bad, because the deer didn't know what the brassicas were. The second year they wiped them out before bow season. It was a dry year, so that didn't help either. Thanks for the info.