7 Big Deer Habitat Distractions
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
- These are some great deer habitat improvements, but they can also hurt your efforts if you lack an overall strategic plan...
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I have pine oak plantations would you recommend cutting diversity pockets in them? It’s 10 acres I am think .5 acres spots about 4-7 of them.
I would say with CRP though, the USDA doesn't advertise the CRP program as something beneficial to wildlife or deer. If that's why people plant CRP, sure, it isn't the best option. But the CRP program has always been about removing land sensitive to agriculture erosion, thats basically it. If people are planting CRP for wildlife cover, they're missing the point of the whole program. It's there to reduce erosion, improve water quality etc. The USDA homepage about CRP is very clear about the program's goals, and wildlife isn't really one of them.
Hunters on TV and TH-cam love to toss around the word "CRP field." So, hunters have this engrained thought that CRP and deer are like best buddies. The USDA isn't responsible for that false association lol, hunters are. I would just say, it's a GREAT program for those who want to take out ag land and to improve soil, reduce erosion and the like, because it 100% accomplishes that. The USDA doesn't claim it to be excellent deer cover, because you're right, it isn't in most cases
Unfortunately that's what CRP plan writers, as a whole, represent the program. There are also better ways to accomplish the same goals of erosion and soil quality...but unfortunately the USDA doesn't understand that either. Both sets of goals can be accomplished at the same time at extremely high levels, but you can't do that in a 1 mix wonder bag of seed, unfortunately. Just a lot of missed opportunity...
Apples trees may not produce much and improve the land in 5 years but let’s talk again in 10-15-20 years down the road. Here in the hills of western Massachusetts a loaded apple tree come fall is a serious draw for bucks.
Same in Maine.....and works great for bear hunting too. Partridge love apples too.
We have roughly 50 old apple trees on our land here in MN...several in WI. Cool draw for bucks on the land here and there during the season...but not a draw to bring more bucks on the land, just a spot for them to eat when available and on the way to a bedding area or major food source. We see that in every state we have worked in throughout the last 20 seasons. Around 35 whitetail states. Unfortunately just not available long enough using the season like a combination of hardwood regen, briars, shrub tips, etc. Cool to have on the property...we love ours! But they can only ever be a compliment to otherwise good habitat and high quality season long food sources.
We do this for a living and I haven't even pruned ours yet...just not a priority. One of those tasks that fits into the 80% of the work for 20% of the potential.
I’ve definitely did some of these. Gotta keep evolving. Thanks for this great info. Btw, love the pheasant video in the last one. 🤞maybe some day
Thanks Mark...so true, have to keep evolving! We love the pheasants so much. They are easy to build for around here, but not if you follow CRP and pheasant mixes...
Great video! Especially since i'm looking at properties right now
That's great to hear...and good luck!
Make sure that you check out this video too!
th-cam.com/video/GdMe-TICJTc/w-d-xo.html
Thank you!!
Chestnuts are a Squirrel magnet, and they eat and bury more than deer eat Honey Locust pods are a favorite of deer but not to common in the areas i hunt in Mich but quite common near my Daughters home in SE Ohio.I have sprouted 30 but won't see results in the near future and may not ever as i'm getting up in age,Your thoughts Jeff?
Hi Tex those Honey locusts are magnets! My hope is you get to enjoy those some day 😊👍
The chestnuts grow fast, but unless there are huge #s of them the nuts get gobbled up in most plantings before the season begins
On a property i have hunted since 1993 there is a Hybrid (2)That is barren 1st week in October...@@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751
First
Yep!
got a lot of my hunting friends that blow money on all kinds of things !! they can't figure out why i am the one killing all the bucks without spending on gadgets . thank you for all you do !!
I regret all of the money wasted on gimmick products and gear last year. I should have focused on habitat improvement, bedding areas, and food plots. I didn't want to listen because I thought my property was good enough. I was way wrong come deer season. My focus this year is building the habitat and making a good food plot. I'm doing my chores and spending money wisely. I'm more excited for spring than deer season right now.
Man I love to hear that!! Focus on hunting strategy doing everything that you do while building your habitat, and you will have an outstanding 2024!
🦌😁
Morning Connor!
Our pond does bring alot of wildlife including Deer, but mostly only during the night do I get them on cam. But to your point, this is a fishing pond, and is away from the "deer woods" so its not used as an asset for hunting, but it does attract alot of wildlife. I've seen the deer in the pond almost half their body eating the algae plants
Yes they are cool...but in general they don't bring more deer to the land in general...just help to define movement. In the case of larger ponds, mostly at night. I hope that makes sense. The pond doesn't bring any more deer to the land than would have already been there. Just a spot it attracts them too a little, and mostly at night.
Would you recommend miscanthis grass over switchgrass in northern regions, For the simple fact the snow load lays down switch grass. Or do you think conifer would be a better substituto for screening
Hi Phillip! It just all depends on the situation. For example we are in SE MN and switch us better than miscanthus for us on our land 95% of the time. Miscanthus would be good for some areas we need height. When you get to northern MN, WI, MI, ND... miscanthus grows a LOT slower and shorter than advertised. So then conifers may be your only option but I would still try miscanthus if you need height under a powerline.
@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751 thank you.
Hey Jeff, do you think you could make a video with some tips for the southern states, northern alabama mountains have terrible access, was going to get your opinion
Jeff, I question how often you have to fill your water holes? I am putting one in this summer, but other than rain water, and run-off - I do not have a water source...
Love this one Jeff , spot on.....
Thanks a lot Lee!
I have about 100 apple trees on my property and more in the woods surrounding my property. They drop from late july through November depending on the tree. The deer dont seem to care or eat many of them. Yet my friend fills a 55 gallon barrel every three days and brings them to his property 10 miles away in the mountains and the deer blow through them in 3 days. I have tons of red O dogwood too and the deer dont bother them much. Yet 10 miles north the deer destroy them. Everything varies so much from area to area.
The same with beetsn greens the deer dont bother with them at my place but up north they eat them to dirt.
Clover, alfalfa, corn is king in my area. Which is Northern Ny.
Pretty good information, some of these are like the cherry on top after a solid foundation!
Good Alex, I like that 😁
Define hardwood regeneration
After hardwood is cut (various methods) and it grows. The shoots of regrowth
Fantastic work! ☝🏼
Thanks a lot Carlo!!
great content.... right on info, thanks!
Thanks a lot Gary I hope it helps folks get their priorities in line 👍
Thank you Jeff! Ended my season here in S. W IL yesterday. Didn't tag one this year, but had probably the best hunt of my life. I got in quiet and had for bucks(both my target bucks) bedded together behind me 60-70yd my wind was nowhere near them and watched my big one rub until the other 3 got up and moved, then they ate on all the breyers, and shurby stuff then bedded on the hill just down from where they were
Watching the 2 more mature being abt 3.5 maybe 4 not sure it was incredible just watching them knowing they were not coming to me but learning for next year.
Man all so cool Andrew!! Sounds really pretty with all the recent snow...I love this time of the year! Just drove this NW iL coming back from the ATA.
Thanks Jeff
For sure...happy to!
learned a lot 👍
Very good...I hope it helps folks out!
I would never give up my pond. It's a magnet for wildlife/frogs/turtles/waterfowl and deer use it heavily. The drought this year showed the amazing drawing power of a pond.
Very cool for lots of wildlife! Not a priority for a good deer parcel tho 😉 cool to have
@@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751 All of my mature bucks visited in daylight last Fall. :)
Learned that the hard way last year. I planted 100 cuttings right before we got a 40 day drought. They all died. Gonna try again this spring! Good luck everyone.
I planted a total of 400 oak, maple, poplar and plum. Had to hand water a couple times throughout the summer. I lost less than 5 that had tree tubes and they grew like crazy! Some trees were in a fenced area protected from deer so I didn't tube them and the survival rate dropped but still good and they didn't take off like the tubed. Barely could tell that they grew for that matter. I used the 5' Tree Pro tubes. Two foot plantings and I had maple and poplar coming out the top of the tube by a few feet in some spots. Good luck on your plantings this year.