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Need your thoughts/ideas AND reason why

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stunmags

PMA Member
So my wife and I finally did it...we bought a house with some land on it and moved to Iowa from WI. Been here a total of 1 week and I actually think I am in heaven....so quiet, peaceful, everything we have been looking for.

Anyways, I am starting to think about the land. I have already spoke to a forester and I am in the process of meeting with them and coming up with a game plan for the majority of the property. However I have this area near the house that I am not sure what to do with. So in the photo, you can see the house, shop, and yard. The green areas I was thinking of making these clover plots and the orange areas I was thinking of putting those into tall grasses with forage (trying to reduce the amount I have to mow...lol). The bluish area towards the middle of the property I will be looking to make bigger and plant a mixture of beans, clover, and brassicas as this area is roughly 3 acres and hoping to make into 4 or 5 areas after talking with the forester. I really don't plan to hunt much at all this year, but am thinking about getting it ready for next year.

So are these good/bad ideas? Don't worry, I don't take anything personal and I would be very grateful and appreciative for any feedback I can receive from anyone on this forum. I am just trying to make this property the best that it can be to hold and protect deer, especially during the gun/muzzleloader season as I am only a bowhunter.

Thanks for the thoughts/ideas in advance!!!
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Congratulations on your new place!
This is my biggest piece of advice.
Get to know how the deer use your land. Where they bed, travel routes,what bucks do during the rut. Since you are an Archery hunter, make sure you have good access routes in and out of the food plot.
Good luck! Post updates!
 
I like it. Best soils for plots if possible. Guessing the blue is that. I agree on or like putting non use areas into grasses or trees so it reduces mowing.

I wonder if any area be big enough to hot wire some grains down the road & still have room for brassicas & Dbltree cereal rye mix? If not- ur clovers are great. & then get those 2 others in rotation. Once u got ur food down….
TSI!!!!! Then- spots picked out that are low intrusion as far as entrances & exits. Making that farm be a “safe place for deer”.
Looks great. Lots of fun & memories ahead.
 
Sligh1 said:
I like it. Best soils for plots if possible. Guessing the blue is that. I agree on or like putting non use areas into grasses or trees so it reduces mowing.

I wonder if any area be big enough to hot wire some grains down the road & still have room for brassicas & Dbltree cereal rye mix? If not- ur clovers are great. & then get those 2 others in rotation. Once u got ur food down….
TSI!!!!! Then- spots picked out that are low intrusion as far as entrances & exits. Making that farm be a “safe place for deer”.
Looks great. Lots of fun & memories ahead.
Click to expand...
Yes the blue area is where the best soils are which is why I was thinking of planting beans in that area with a hot fence around them until November 1st. I have always heard that if you plant too small of a plot with beans, they will never make it. That bluish field is a minimum of 3 acres and I was recently down there where I think I can easily add another acre. So I was thinking 3 acres of beans and an acre of brassicas. Thoughts?
 
Be careful with the forester sure he is on same page as you!! Some only know how to manage timber for timber production make sure you express your goals !! Dont be afraid to get a different point of view if he doesn't fit your plan !!

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I am going to be the odd man out. I would forget how the deer use your property. I would cover every inch of the property doing habitat manipulation to force the deer where you want them to go. Plenty of free research online to figure out a great habitat plan. Good luck! Nothing more exciting than getting a property that's a blank slate to work on with a totally different deer herd to hunt. Should be lots of fun!
 
Another thought:

The 3-4 acre field is the obvious choice for a food plot.

You could go ahead and put a plot in this year to see how deer use the property and work out the game plan for the rest off that.

When you're doing the TSI in the future, keep in mind where the heavy trails are crossing the creek if/when you start dropping trees.
 
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