Bucksnbears
Well-Known Member
For those that have never seen what they look like, I took a few pics today.
This is right by my cabin.
If it weren't for them, our deer herd would be almost non existing.
Need to explain this and how important they are.
I'm about 1.5 miles from the Red River that splits Mn from ND.
100% ag other then the riverbottoms themselves. Almost ZERO topography change for miles.
Super flat ground but arguably, some of the very best soils in the World.
No such thing as using Lime here.
Over the years, farmers have carved out about all they can along the riverbottoms. So, in a nutshell, the red River and it's tributaries that dump into it is basically not much more then ribbons of woods. Miles n miles of nothing but 50/ 100 yard stretches of mature hardwood.
Heck, miles n miles, you can stand in an outer row of bean,corn,beets and fall into the river. (Not kidding)!!
100s of miles of basically ZERO browse again, (not kidding).
Between floods and mature canopy, nothing gets to grow other then spring,summer weeds.
Once frost hit. Done,.
Farmer here are working ground behind the combine. Black dirt!!
The saving grace is those that plant Sugar Beets which is what the Red River Valley is Famous for.
During harvest, allot of the smaller ones get left in the field. Not sure why/ how.
I'll give you all a typical scenario that plays out year after year here.
Even on my piece, which is the best cover for miles n miles, once hard winter sets in, the deer here will within a couple days boogie and will go MILES to a SugarBeet field and spend ALL winter there. Caviet here is it HAS to be in close proximity to a riverbottom with good cover which is SO hard to find here.
It's easy to say but harder to explain but...unless every landowner does it, (habitat improvement), up and down the rivers, our deer die and are gonna die during harsh winters!
Been hunting these riverbottoms for 40 years. Know bout every foot of them stretching 20 miles north,south,east,west (REALLY).
other then a couple guys,(few) their is ZERO things done to promote habitat.
Bottom line is, without SugarBeets, our deer numbers would be so dismal.
This is right by my cabin.
If it weren't for them, our deer herd would be almost non existing.
Need to explain this and how important they are.
I'm about 1.5 miles from the Red River that splits Mn from ND.
100% ag other then the riverbottoms themselves. Almost ZERO topography change for miles.
Super flat ground but arguably, some of the very best soils in the World.
No such thing as using Lime here.
Over the years, farmers have carved out about all they can along the riverbottoms. So, in a nutshell, the red River and it's tributaries that dump into it is basically not much more then ribbons of woods. Miles n miles of nothing but 50/ 100 yard stretches of mature hardwood.
Heck, miles n miles, you can stand in an outer row of bean,corn,beets and fall into the river. (Not kidding)!!
100s of miles of basically ZERO browse again, (not kidding).
Between floods and mature canopy, nothing gets to grow other then spring,summer weeds.
Once frost hit. Done,.
Farmer here are working ground behind the combine. Black dirt!!
The saving grace is those that plant Sugar Beets which is what the Red River Valley is Famous for.
During harvest, allot of the smaller ones get left in the field. Not sure why/ how.
I'll give you all a typical scenario that plays out year after year here.
Even on my piece, which is the best cover for miles n miles, once hard winter sets in, the deer here will within a couple days boogie and will go MILES to a SugarBeet field and spend ALL winter there. Caviet here is it HAS to be in close proximity to a riverbottom with good cover which is SO hard to find here.
It's easy to say but harder to explain but...unless every landowner does it, (habitat improvement), up and down the rivers, our deer die and are gonna die during harsh winters!
Been hunting these riverbottoms for 40 years. Know bout every foot of them stretching 20 miles north,south,east,west (REALLY).
other then a couple guys,(few) their is ZERO things done to promote habitat.
Bottom line is, without SugarBeets, our deer numbers would be so dismal.
