[12bhunting]

i picked up 38 acres this year for hunting. all of it is planted pines. surrounded by large tracts on each side 200acres plus that is mostly hardwoods and pasture. there is a strip in the middle (old fence line) that is about 20' wide and i should be able to clear 100 yrds long. i plan on feeding year round and the strip would run east to west. is this small of a plot worth it? right now besides pine nuts i do not see much else. i was able to take 2 bucks out of it this year and now just hoping i could make it better for next year hoping the more deer i can get to come thru my kids would enjoy it more. thanks jason

 

[waylonb19]

Something is better then nothing. Of course its not going to hurt anything that is for sure. I am not sure what the deer density is in the area but if there are a lot of deer I wouldn't plan on feeding them all yr on that small of a plot. But it sounds like it would make for a good "kill" plot. Good luck with it.

 

[Fantail]

With all those pines will that stretch get enough light?

 

[waylonb19]

With all those pines will that stretch get enough light?

Nothing a chainsaw can't fix

 

[maxx532]

From the way you discribe the area, it sounds like the deer use your pines for a bedding or staging area. A small plot like that should work good for a hunting plot. Somewhere that deer will stage, and get a snack before moving to farm fields etc.

Be careful not to over hunt it.

 

[safe cracker]

Yes its worth it

the pines are a good hidding place when hunting pressure get to great for the deer in the area. and if there is water in the pines that could help keep them there...sound good..........nothing to lose but a little time good luck and have fun....

 

[12bhunting]

thanks for the help guys. i have permission to take down some trees if needed. i was hoping to get away with 2 plots 20-25' wide and around 150-200' long. i have seen deer and plenty of turkeys just not as often i would like to. there is a creek that runs along the bottom and i found out this week that it can get really wet along the back of the property but the front should stay dry. there is a nice area around 6-8 acres that does get pretty thick.

 

[safe cracker]

worth it

to keep the turkeys maybe you could put up feeder...and have the best of both worlds... put in some blinds...spring and fall turkeys...:nod::greenwithenvy:

 

[12bhunting]

yeah man the turkeys are everywhere. had 17 of them 10 yards from me the other morning for 30 min. i just could not make myself scare off a buck over a turkey! but come spring the gobbler is goin down.

 

[Wuggs]

I'm no expert but I believe pines are usually associated with fairly acidic soil so you may have to lime your plot, and maybe fertilize as well. I second the notion that smaller plots, like the one you're considering, are better as hunting plots than year round plots but maybe you can do 2 "crops"/year. Good luck.

 

[12bhunting]

thanks for the advise guys. i was hoping to grow the plots all year and take the kids in the off season to take pics and let em just watch them be deer. in the process of building a box stand between where the 2 plots will be. it will have to be able to hold me and 2 kids. i am a carpenter and i have built just about everything except for a box stand. you fellas have any suggestions? i pretty much have the stand built (in the ole noggin anyway) but i am still undecided as far as windows, is it best to use magnetic catches....have em slide sideways...........or just a plywood flap that props up?

 

[STUDENT-ARCHER]

talk to the sorrounding owners and get the right to access their property to chase wounded deer...before the issue comes up. may save some hassle by being proactive.

 

[12bhunting]

talk to the sorrounding owners and get the right to access their property to chase wounded deer...before the issue comes up. may save some hassle by being proactive.

yeah man i have already took care of that. 2 are good guys and the third i am gonna have to beat on. but i reckon 2 out of 3 is not so bad. 3d guy flipped out because he has cows on the property, but he also has 2 treestands in the pasture that he personally hunts etc.

 

[safe cracker]

blind.....

i would use the plywood flap prop up but use cammo screen over the window opening now you can have some movement inside you know kids can't sit still..let us know how you make out good luck......:happy:

 

[j.d.m.]

Keep after the 3rd guy!!!!! Make him assured that you won't be hunting his land, or be any threat to his cows. I can't tell you how many people post threads on here about shooting a huge buck, and not given permission to retrieve it. I know you can't predict where the deer will run, but if he absolutely refuses to let you recover, even with him tagging along, it might at least help you decide on the final location of the blind. As far as the plot, deafinately do it. I planted a 20'x60' plot of rapeseed this year, and it was in a remote location on our farm, and there is corn, clover/pasture mix all around it so to speak, and i got 1000's of trail camera pics from this plot, and killed a nice doe out of it last Wednsday. Keep that in mind too if you do 2 plantings, plant something for the late season when all the farm fields are done, you have the pines(great for winter cover) and your plot will be right there. Have fun, it's a hoot doing this kind of stuff.

 

[12bhunting]

i would use the plywood flap prop up but use cammo screen over the window opening now you can have some movement inside you know kids can't sit still..let us know how you make out good luck......:happy:

yeah man i am leaning towards the plywood flap. the camo screen is a great idea, i can get about 2 hours out of my little girl....10 minutes from my boy.