Great video. Big fan of your channel. I believe I saw in a past video that you are in the IT field. I am as well and I don’t meet a lot of deer hunters in our profession so that is cool.
Hey Justin, thank you! Yes, I WAS in the IT field, but sold the business last month. We only had one of our techs that was into hunting, but he came from a completely different industry a few years ago. All the best to you.
Mark, thanks for the update. I think you are just a couple of years ahead of me, but I really appreciate the validation of ideas. I’m just beginning to think I need to make bedding areas a priority.
I too have tall grass that little to nothing can get started growing in. I purchased land 10 years ago and the tall grass that was there when we purchased, is still there. I believe you felling the trees into the grass allowed sun to reach either to the ground, or close enough to allow early succession growth to start. Good video. More trees about to fall at my place.
Make sure it isn't reed canary grass though, that stuff is impenetrable! But the fescue type of grass, I think you'll have success. All the best to you.
Mark....thank you for taking us on the journey and sharing the info. We just got 8 plus inches of snow so we are waiting to go in the woods and mark out a couple of mini clover plots for seeding this spring. We are also going to go through and drop a few mature junk trees to open up areas of small pockets in the woods, and possibly hinge cut some trees. Bob
Nice video Mark. The first phase of successional growth is really cool to see and great for wildlife. Looks like you might need help hunting your property though. If you do I’m ready to help.
Thanks for sharing. Super informative and helpful. I have 55 acres all surrounded by private property (no farm land/food) 80% wooded except for 100 foot wide pipeline running through. The land in the area is old strip mine from 80 years ago. All summer had great camera footage of many deer. Mid October hit and it was like a deer exodus. I went from daily pic of multiple deer down to 2 deer pics every 3 days. Still unknown reasons. Hoping to apply some of your tips and methods in order to improve things here this season. I know food is a big driver of deer and the nearest farm fields (corn/soy/bean..etc) is 10 miles away. Just can't envision them moving that far, maybe?? Anyhow, thanks again and open to any suggestions you might have. Rock on Sir 🤘😎
Hey Robert, my #1 suggestion is pressure, you must stay off the land after Labor Day (not even to check game cameras!), and once hunting season starts, you must have ZERO tolerance for spooking deer or leaving your scent anywhere they are not used to smelling it when you go in and out of your stands. We call it our ZERO TOLERANCE strategy, and it is THE reason we have turned our property around. The second would be secure cover, meaning lots of brush and tall weeds from 0-60" from the ground. I know a lot of guys say food plots, but that is because most want to sell seed or equipment. I would put food plots down the list a ways. Good luck to you!!
@@theback40 where I hunt consists of six landowners of this old strip mine area about 350 acres in total. Only 4 of us hunt so not much pressure on the deer. I've had a mineral block under a tree for 7 years now and the deer have the ground decimated 10 feet around it. It is commonly visited. I was using two cameras. One down at Old fence line 100 yards away, the other set up looking at the mineral block. Every 5 days I would go change cards. Starting in August. All kinds of pictures. In September had a sudden increase in coyote pictures, 4 full grown dogs hunting together. pictures of them around the mineral block also. Maybe it was a combination of the coyotes and me... My neighbor also reported a sudden drop off in deer pictures around the same time...... I'm going to run with your suggestion. And have less traffic, will be replacing my card cameras with cell phone service cameras. .. any changes to tree stand or blinds will be done early this spring and then left alone... And my cousin is coming coming in to hunt coyotes. ... Thanks again for your, look forward to your future videos, good luck I'll let you know how i do. 🤘😎
Good video as always Mark. I would consider going into that bulldozed area and dropping a small area of trees like you've done with your other bedding before it gets too overgrown.
I was thinking the same thing, but they seem to still be using it for bedding? If I run out of other chainsaw projects, I think I'll take your direction later this spring. All the best to you.
@@theback40 Yes, I enjoy building it the way I want and am surprised how well it's doing in year two. Take care. I will be posting videos on my channel this Spring.
@@kurtcaramanidis5705 Looking forward to it. Let us all know when you have something posted. Focus on blind locations and stealth access to them FIRST, then work to steer them to your blinds/stands with foodplots and cover.
I debate that in my mind every year, but always decide to leave it open. It's only a couple of acres, and the rest of my property is very thick, so we kinda like have this one open "human" area. But I am certainly tempted everytime I go by there with a chainsaw in hand to start whacking it down. All the best to you.
Hey James, I agree, there is sooooo much information out there, it can be overwhelming. But you can keep it simple by knowing exactly what your goals are, from "just want to see deer" all the way up to "want to harvest a 5+ year old buck every year". Once you have this, make a plan, and follow the plan. Let me know if you want some help. All the best to you.
@@theback40 thanks I'm up in Newaygo and have been reluctant to make changes. I have been to boot camp and didnt like the process. Also, have talked to many tree harvesters' and been leery of their intentions.
@@jamesgillies3710 Yup, the harvesters see every good tree as cash, and bad trees as expense. But I'm sure there are good loggers out there, just gotta find someone you trust. Or, go it alone and do your own thing how YOU want it done. Good luck!
Great explanation of what you have going on there. How long have you owned the property and how big is the west food plot your were showing? I was able to acquire 40 acres but due to my age might not be able to plan of the 15 years of growth you have, but glad you have it, looks awesome!
Hey Greg, owned it since 1998. West food plot is half an acres, and there is a mirror image of it to the east only about 10 yards away with a thick strip of brush between them. Makes a GREAT pinch point. All the best to you.
Hey Mark, it's Mark from Holland. Enjoy watching your videos. Great to see video from local hunters. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Mark, all the best to you.
Great video. Big fan of your channel. I believe I saw in a past video that you are in the IT field. I am as well and I don’t meet a lot of deer hunters in our profession so that is cool.
Hey Justin, thank you! Yes, I WAS in the IT field, but sold the business last month. We only had one of our techs that was into hunting, but he came from a completely different industry a few years ago. All the best to you.
Mark, thanks for the update. I think you are just a couple of years ahead of me, but I really appreciate the validation of ideas. I’m just beginning to think I need to make bedding areas a priority.
Hey Curt, keep thinking! It's pretty much the only advantage we have over deer. All the best to you.
I too have tall grass that little to nothing can get started growing in. I purchased land 10 years ago and the tall grass that was there when we purchased, is still there. I believe you felling the trees into the grass allowed sun to reach either to the ground, or close enough to allow early succession growth to start. Good video. More trees about to fall at my place.
Make sure it isn't reed canary grass though, that stuff is impenetrable! But the fescue type of grass, I think you'll have success. All the best to you.
Thanks Mark… I’m enjoying your simple, down to earth teaching sir. I enjoy your content.
Thank you Robert, very kind and encouraging words. All the best to you.
Mark....thank you for taking us on the journey and sharing the info. We just got 8 plus inches of snow so we are waiting to go in the woods and mark out a couple of mini clover plots for seeding this spring. We are also going to go through and drop a few mature junk trees to open up areas of small pockets in the woods, and possibly hinge cut some trees. Bob
Hey Bob, we just got hammered with snow, too, so need to wait it out now.
Looks good, great way to explain it. Really enjoy your channel.
Thanks Joe! All the best to you.
Nice video Mark. The first phase of successional growth is really cool to see and great for wildlife. Looks like you might need help hunting your property though. If you do I’m ready to help.
Hey George, thank for the offer, you are so generous! LOL.
Thanks for sharing. Super informative and helpful. I have 55 acres all surrounded by private property (no farm land/food) 80% wooded except for 100 foot wide pipeline running through. The land in the area is old strip mine from 80 years ago. All summer had great camera footage of many deer. Mid October hit and it was like a deer exodus. I went from daily pic of multiple deer down to 2 deer pics every 3 days. Still unknown reasons. Hoping to apply some of your tips and methods in order to improve things here this season. I know food is a big driver of deer and the nearest farm fields (corn/soy/bean..etc) is 10 miles away. Just can't envision them moving that far, maybe?? Anyhow, thanks again and open to any suggestions you might have. Rock on Sir 🤘😎
Hey Robert, my #1 suggestion is pressure, you must stay off the land after Labor Day (not even to check game cameras!), and once hunting season starts, you must have ZERO tolerance for spooking deer or leaving your scent anywhere they are not used to smelling it when you go in and out of your stands. We call it our ZERO TOLERANCE strategy, and it is THE reason we have turned our property around. The second would be secure cover, meaning lots of brush and tall weeds from 0-60" from the ground. I know a lot of guys say food plots, but that is because most want to sell seed or equipment. I would put food plots down the list a ways. Good luck to you!!
@@theback40 where I hunt consists of six landowners of this old strip mine area about 350 acres in total. Only 4 of us hunt so not much pressure on the deer. I've had a mineral block under a tree for 7 years now and the deer have the ground decimated 10 feet around it. It is commonly visited. I was using two cameras. One down at Old fence line 100 yards away, the other set up looking at the mineral block. Every 5 days I would go change cards. Starting in August. All kinds of pictures. In September had a sudden increase in coyote pictures, 4 full grown dogs hunting together. pictures of them around the mineral block also. Maybe it was a combination of the coyotes and me... My neighbor also reported a sudden drop off in deer pictures around the same time...... I'm going to run with your suggestion. And have less traffic, will be replacing my card cameras with cell phone service cameras. .. any changes to tree stand or blinds will be done early this spring and then left alone... And my cousin is coming coming in to hunt coyotes. ... Thanks again for your, look forward to your future videos, good luck I'll let you know how i do. 🤘😎
Good video as always Mark. I would consider going into that bulldozed area and dropping a small area of trees like you've done with your other bedding before it gets too overgrown.
I was thinking the same thing, but they seem to still be using it for bedding? If I run out of other chainsaw projects, I think I'll take your direction later this spring. All the best to you.
Awesome video thanks buddy for sharing and giving me ideals for 3 acre patch l stopped farming
Thanks, and good luck. 3 Acres is a nice size for a bedding spot! All the best to you.
Thank you for feeling like talking because I’m always interested in what you have to say. I’m in sync with your thoughts.
Thansk David, appreciate the kind and encouraging feedback. Great minds think alike? All the best to you.
I like what you're doing out there. I'm starting from scratch at Freeedom Acres from converting mostly ag to habitat.
Thank you. You have a clean slate, although it takes a bit longer, you can make it exactly what you want. All the best to you.
@@theback40 Yes, I enjoy building it the way I want and am surprised how well it's doing in year two. Take care. I will be posting videos on my channel this Spring.
@@kurtcaramanidis5705 Looking forward to it. Let us all know when you have something posted. Focus on blind locations and stealth access to them FIRST, then work to steer them to your blinds/stands with foodplots and cover.
From what I hear Freedom acres has really been coming along Kurt
@@bradbrockhaus633 You hear correct.😁
Ha mark, you can trim the sm white oak and tube them to keep the deer off them and they will take off
Hey Wayne, thanks for the tip! All the best to you.
Thank you for the great content. Are you going to thin those oaks that you show around the 6:00 minute mark? Thank you again.
I debate that in my mind every year, but always decide to leave it open. It's only a couple of acres, and the rest of my property is very thick, so we kinda like have this one open "human" area. But I am certainly tempted everytime I go by there with a chainsaw in hand to start whacking it down. All the best to you.
@@theback40 Hey Sir, thank you for the timely and thoughtful reply. All the best to you as well.
Its hard to make the right changes to your deer hunting land. very interesting process.
Hey James, I agree, there is sooooo much information out there, it can be overwhelming. But you can keep it simple by knowing exactly what your goals are, from "just want to see deer" all the way up to "want to harvest a 5+ year old buck every year". Once you have this, make a plan, and follow the plan. Let me know if you want some help. All the best to you.
@@theback40 thanks I'm up in Newaygo and have been reluctant to make changes. I have been to boot camp and didnt like the process. Also, have talked to many tree harvesters' and been leery of their intentions.
@@jamesgillies3710 Yup, the harvesters see every good tree as cash, and bad trees as expense. But I'm sure there are good loggers out there, just gotta find someone you trust. Or, go it alone and do your own thing how YOU want it done. Good luck!
Great explanation of what you have going on there. How long have you owned the property and how big is the west food plot your were showing? I was able to acquire 40 acres but due to my age might not be able to plan of the 15 years of growth you have, but glad you have it, looks awesome!
Hey Greg, owned it since 1998. West food plot is half an acres, and there is a mirror image of it to the east only about 10 yards away with a thick strip of brush between them. Makes a GREAT pinch point. All the best to you.