Recent content by BearCreek

I am assuming USDA/FSA is dictating the available species for your buffer planting? I am not sure I would plant a single silver maple (not a fan), they grow fast but also usually dominate and overtake areas due to growth rate and seed production. If viable I like: Bur, Swamp, and Pin Oak as a...

It's worth the squeeze for me. I battle reed canary grass in my bottoms and bush honeysuckle/multi flora rose on my high ground. I'm getting rid of invasives and other undesirables regardless of the short term impact on deer hunting. The benefit to other species makes it worthwhile to me. I've...

Returning to this thread with a few more years under my belt... I had previously (see #10 above) endorsed using vinyl deer fencing to prevent deer and other critters from accessing shrub and tree plantings. Now almost four years out, I have a better (more experienced) perspective to offer. As...

I'm with Bucksnbears on this one. Something about installing fence to direct deer movement just feels wrong. I have no issue with someone hunting an old fence gap that's been there for 80 years but installing fence to create chokepoints seems unnatural to me. I also don't have an issue with...

If Pin oaks will grow in your area they can tolerate fairly wet soils and hold leaves into mid-winter. As to Hedge, I like to hinge it to get leaves within reach of deer as it is heavily browsed. I also want to make sure it provides sidecover. Often you can just hinge a few big branches, even if...

Resurrecting this thread to see how the Swamp Chestnut Oaks have done since planted. Considering planting some in my bottom ground.

Many good suggestions here. It is probably worth mentioning that loggers as a whole are some of the least trustworthy individuals out there. The profession is overweight these types because of the ease of taking advantage of landowners. I always recommend utilizing a private forester as they are...

Your farm seems extremely dialed in. Makes me wonder about successive EHD outbreaks. Bucks are one thing, but you should be loaded with does with that setup. You can install an alfalfa plot without baling. My plot is mowed (bush hog) 3-4 times a year and has not been hampered by duff/debris. I...

How are you estimating how many deer are on your farm? (Trail Cam, observations, etc.). How often are you on the farm in the off season? Do you have "sanctuaries"? What type of food plots (I saw you mention clover, beans, brassicas) do you have and what approximate acreages of each type? What is...

Short answer, yes. Latest I have planted was November 8. This year the weather looks to be warmer and wetter for the first week of November. If you got it in prior to yesterday's system you will be looking good.

Available now and do not appear to be sold out yet. https://mdc12.mdc.mo.gov/Applications/TreeSeedling/Home/ProductDetails/25 The specimens I planted two years ago, which I purchased from the MDC, are all still alive and thriving in spite of last year's drought.

Does the majority of your crimson come back in spring? Does it depend on intensity of winter?

I won't be harvesting any does this year unless I foresee running out of venison. I have the food and cover and my doe population seems pretty steady, I would assume the EHD and coyotes provide the necessary culling or the doe groups run other does off the property. Also not a good idea to...

A couple hot takes in here. For Illinois: - One buck tag per year and some sort of limit to doe tags (With current predator populations and EHD coming through every other year, the need to harvest does is overblown in a lot of areas, imo.) Second buck tag if you provide access...

CWD is certainly an interesting and divisive (often unnecessarily) topic. Prion diseases are particularly scary because, if I am not mistaken, they always end in death with no known cure or method of treatment. Perhaps even scarier is the ability for these prions to pass from plant to the...