time to start

[land 1]

well with the last day of ml tmrw ill be heading to camp next week and start dropping a bunch of trees. Great food source for the deer during winter and all the new growth comes spring makes a natural food plot and in a few years additional bedding.....The spot i did last winter worked out great deer had lots of feed from it and it was used for bedding somewhat not really thick enough yet to provide security cover

[dbHunterNY]

added to the farm. getting that portion logged to open up the canopy.  another portion i'll be hinge cutting less desireable trees only for bedding cover and travel corridors in between and do the same to release or give some more desireable trees some space to populate. it's a section of woods that's got a lot of growth that's low value to me and deer. it works like a natural funnel though during the rut.  they'd move through it quickly or use it for open random bedding.  right now it's only got a small strip of browse that gets attention.  I might find a couple right trees to sucker at the base to make mineral stumps from along the way too.

[sailinghudson25]

I cut a tree or two of maple towards the end of rifle.

One year cut down and chunked the main trunk 2 big maples trees mid day.  Harvested a deer feeding on it towards sunset the same day.

Noise can make them as curious as they can be weary.

 

You can do plot work too.  I scratch the frozen ground to kill some grass and then frost seed.  Commercial farmers add lime in the winter too.

If the place is new to you, scouting common tracks in the snow can really pay off next season.

[The_Real_TCIII]

When is the time to prune apple trees?

[goosifer]

49 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

When is the time to prune apple trees?

Well, if my neighbor with the commercial orchard is any indication, after Dec 1 starting at 8:00 every day of the week. Chainsaws only. I keep telling myself the deer get used to it . . . .

[Just Lucky]

55 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

When is the time to prune apple trees?

I was always told any month ending with ber. 

[corydd7]

Apple trees go dormant during the winter which is a good time to prune them, they shouldn't go into shock unless you prune to main branches. I believe the idea of this is to never prune any apple tree when it's in the growing season because you would shock the tree and stop growth. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

Ok cool. Its the only one in the area and its pretty choked out but still had fruit. Early on I had bucks under it just about every hunt until they were gone

[goosifer]

You know, I have a couple apple trees on my property that I should probably prune, now that I think about it. The apples were very good baking apples, actually.

[land 1]

well i was delayed but made it to the property and dropped about 40 trees lots more to do tho,,,,, on a side as of the last day the deer hadnt touched the turnips well they been busy because most are all gone 

[corydd7]

I'm a week behind you. I plan on taking down about 150ish trees. I hope to additionally add 3 acres of food this year. Good to know about the turnips your not the first person to mention that. 

[land 1]

I plan on adding a few acres in plots too lots more trees to drop to get some new growth going..... def going to plant more big n beasty it cost more then most seed but the  results were great

[corydd7]

What's your ph level in that bignbeasty plot? My soil is 5.3 so I need to decide on trying a brassica plot or a combo of winter wheat, triticale, and cowpeas to condition the soil. Deer crushed winter wheat this year so it' not the worste option. 

[land 1]

i didnt do a soil test im guessing the ph is very far from perfect i did put lime down but that takes months and months to do anything I did fertilize when it was planted and again when the plants where about 4in high the fertilizer seemed to give it a boost,,, I planted on the 8th of august and had plants 13to 15in in around 6 weeks and bulbs softball size by october

 

[land 1]

dropped another 40 or so trees today, checked my last trail cam i had out since jan 15 i have 1565 pics all does or at least no horns,,, there are basically no turnips left...they truely crushed them.... bigger plots coming this year

[corydd7]

4 hours ago, land 1 said:

dropped another 40 or so trees today, checked my last trail cam i had out since jan 15 i have 1565 pics all does or at least no horns,,, there are basically no turnips left...they truely crushed them.... bigger plots coming this year

How much snow did the deer go through to get to the turnips?

[dbHunterNY]

On 12/20/2017 at 2:44 PM, The_Real_TCIII said:

When is the time to prune apple trees?

winter. getting a little late now with all this warm weather but we've held a seminar mid march a couple years ago. you want the tree to be pretty dormant is my understanding.  less shock and problems with potential disease or bug infestations.

[dbHunterNY]

On 12/20/2017 at 3:56 PM, The_Real_TCIII said:

Ok cool. Its the only one in the area and its pretty choked out but still had fruit. Early on I had bucks under it just about every hunt until they were gone

you want to open it up so you get more air flow to prevent mildew.  also to allow more sun light into the top to produce more apples than just on the outside. ....my basic knowledge anyway. no expert here.

Edited February 28, 2018 by dbHunterNY

[G-Man]

Now is time to prune and release appletrees

[land 1]

i got pics of deer going threw a foot or more of snow to get to the turnups

[land 1]

well just re-built old harrow spring plow put together the atv implement lift i got a while back did some frost seeding of clover a couple weeks ago and took a few more trees down.... now its about time to start clearing and expand the plots....the deer hit the tops of the trees i dropped hard during march and april...

[land 1]

last years clover is coming back nicely and the stuff i frost seeded is just popping up, got the first turkey of my land too

[land 1]

Well brush hogged some areas for expanding the plots  a couple weeks ago and  sprayed  the the new areas on the 23rd . Hpefully will be able to burn those areas off in like 3 weeks and then start turning the dirt and adding lime......

[land 1]

well had to spray most of the plots a second time was able to burn one and turn it over . brush hogged the trails  finished off the camp fire wood all split and stacked..

[land 1]

Well headed to camp tmrw spread fertilizer and turn the plots for last time and  spread seed got to plant about 2 acres, im hoping from the rain we got the soil will have moisture and chances of rain in forecast sunday thru tuesday.  Going in a little earlier this year a couple of the new plots im just not sure how stuff will grow and if some thing dosnt ill be able to go back with oats in late august early september. Planting Frigid forage big n beasty and tall tine tubers from WI