Purchasing smaller property looking for insight

[chas0218]

So my wife and I are purchasing our little plot of property here in the southern tier. It is a touch over 30 acres narrow but deep ~2500' deep and ~900' wide and just filled with oaks. I was thinking of adding a smaller food plot for some early season browse and another for some late winter browse. Any suggestions the parcel is 100% wooded with maybe 3 pines on the whole property. 

 

I am hoping to just pull a few deer into the property even though there is already a ton of sign. I will only have access via ATV with the following equipment; spring tooth harrow, ATV boom sprayer, small 1 bottom plow that doesn't work the greatest, small disc that would be great for finishing.

 

Thanks for the help!

Chas

[LET EM GROW]

Cant beat clover! Grows year after year if maintained. With all the oaks you probably got a great spot as it is. My question is, where would you put it if its 100% woods?

 

When time is available cut down as big a spot as possible right in the middle.. Let it grow natural or work it into a plot.. 

 

with a quad as long as you have a sprayer to kill of vegetation, a disc and harrow tine drag should be plenty 

[chas0218]

I was planning on clearing a small area and ATV trail that reaches the whole length of the property for better access to the back section. As of right now there is a path that goes up about half way then stops. I was thinking of planting the ATV path in a couple areas to help with erosion control and setup to be a couple "micro" plots. I have been researching and Durana and red clover are supposed to be good in shady areas. I was going to throw down some cereal rye for the time being and plant some clover in the late fall not expecting the deer to have clover then but to help it get by this winter and into the spring where I could plant it again.

[growalot]

You didn't mention type of oak and size of trees...I have several trail and small plots in my red oaks....I also planted a no plow under oaks several years ago the re-seed...that's because no plow use rye grass...but deer do eat and like to bed in it....

 

they do nor need to be bi...they do need sun remember sun angle changes through out the summer/fall...they need a bit more lime due to leaf drops...and good cover around them...all animals  love deep woods plots.

[chas0218]

Mostly red oak with a few ash.

[growalot]

That is a good thing ...ash is one of the better trees for hing cutting  they love to sprout. Reds with get very tall before spreading out and loose their lower branches readily. Seeing they don't' produce yearly a good reason to put a few snacks in under them...good luck  but more important...have fun....

[chas0218]

That is a good thing ...ash is one of the better trees for hing cutting  they love to sprout. Reds with get very tall before spreading out and loose their lower branches readily. Seeing they don't' produce yearly a good reason to put a few snacks in under them...good luck  but more important...have fun....

Thanks, do you plant clover in your plots or just use the "ready plant" bags?

[G-Man]

Personally I'd get.some timber cut and pile and.leave.tops.. deer will eat.oak leaves bud and nuts.. but if you want to keep deer on peoperty you need cover tops are the best as they will protect the young seedlings that sprout up and deer will eat the bud off them. Then they will bed down wind side of them.. 300 yards wide is tough to establish a trail system around. . But. If you have tops pushed and piled on property lines and do a small plot or two in the openings created by tree removal you may get the deer to stop on their way to where they really want to go..

[dbHunterNY]

atv trail doesn't take much space.  you aren't that deep so just make it go around the outside of the whole property as you're not very deep  idea is to go to one end or the other. depending on wind and clean access without getting busted.  similar to what GMan said put cover to bed on the outside of your property at the boarder.  if you design it so the deer have a free view of what's coming people will hardly ever be able to get any shot on a deer boardering your property.  deer will flee to within your property.  put smaller patches of cover a little farther in as a point B escape location.  in the center put a variety of food sources in small plots with Egyptian wheat or something similar between the two.  mow openings between them so deer have to zig zag or go to one side or the other to cross where you've got a easily accessible stand with back cover.  locate the plots in a row to form an '~' in a row from one end to the other.  deer can't see what's in each field without going into it is the idea and multiple doe family groups can come to food at the same time.  plant your atv trails too.  topography and any exposed ledge will come into play more than anything it seems, as you're all hardwoods with no real edges.  52 acres can be a deer haven if it's the right ground and improved right.  that's how I'd initially go about it.

[growalot]

I have planted a variety of different seeds...mostly ag. seeds. If money is tight I'll pick up a bag of something with Gander points.