We blazed this trail through our timber to get access to build a permanant stand/blind. The trail is approx 15'-20' wide and meanders through the timber for approx 600'-700'. We are done needing it for vehicle access but would like to keep it open, free from unwanted volunteer trees and weeds. My question is..........is there something I could/should plant to acheive this? And also is there anything that would thrive and double as a food source/plot? There are some wider areas that were needed to make turns with the vehicle, so I was thinking planting the main trail to one specific mix while maybe making the wider areas into individual plots. I would imagine being fully/mostly canopied will be the deciding factor on what will even work. Any thoughts or sugestions would be great.
JNRBRONC
Well-Known Member
You hit the nail on the head here with the canopy statement, your options will be extremely limited. Good luck.
S
stickflinger
Guest
Kind of agree with this. I would just keep it cleared and mowed, and the deer will use it as a pathway. Set up some stands on those wider areas.
Yeah I've got a few paths through the timber. This one I thought I'd just try and incorporate a food source. Not a must by any means, just thought a food source other than beans/corn may give I'm another option. The blind at the end of the trail is only used late season, so I was thinking a spring plant of oats/clover. I always bump deer on my way in although it doesn't really seem to bother them from eventually coming back through. Main bedding area is nw of this path with a rotated crop field straight south. During the rut they used the heck out of the path, late season they seemed to wander through the timber not really following any of the paths.
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stickflinger said:
I can just keep the volunteer stuff down by mowing, just wondering of there would be something to throw down for a lite more ground cover? Maybe anything I'd throw at it would just die? I don't know enough about any of this. Removed buckthorn, but what's left is just weeds that will eventually take hold again. Would a rye grass take off? Oats? Clover? Something easier to mow??
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major league bowhunter 22
New Member
I have a few paths like that and the deer use them like crazy. There is a logging road that comes from a field and opens up to a meadow and then another logging road going into the woods for about 60 yards and that is a deer mecca. They travel that like the southwest airlines. From what I can see, the woods in your area dont have a lot of briars or thorn bushes, so with that out of the way, you shouldnt have any trouble.
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