Thorn Trees

[river runner]

Well I have a new farm about 180 acres. It is a great chunk of ground for hunting, it is almost all woods but has fields on all sides. It also has a huge ceddar thicket for bedding, and a pond and creek for water. There is also a pasture in the middle of it that is about 20 acres in size. I think this would give me a great place to put in a food source that could help hold some deer on this ground and keep them safe, but it has grown up with thorn trees over the years and needs alot of clearing.

My friend is bringing a bobcat to push the trees out after i cut them and spray the stumps (to prevent regroth). So my question is this. What is the best way to go about putting a food plot here? Can I still get a plot in this spring or should i Wait?

Any help would be great thanks

[msbadger]

You didn't mention what state...but Are they buckthorn trees/brush...If they are read up on them and how to kill them because it's not any easy proposition....when you break the soil the seeds they left behind will grow and grow well.....It really sounds like you have a fantastic place...Congrats.

I'm a firm believer in starting out with less expensive annuals to break your weed cycle for the first year or so...in the mean time your building the tilth of your soil and letting the recommended lime do it's job...it will also give you time to find out what ppl around you are planting in the ag fields and any local plotters.... if you talk to the nieghbors...having something differant they'll like is a good thing[;)]...If that field had timothy in it...well that seed lies dormant for years and years....... by the way buckwheat is a very short season growth plant for a first summer plot and turnips great fall...but if your deer don't know them and have lots of other things...the first year will be slow...but usually the second year things will get hammered..so there's one opinion...gather them up and pick out what you think works into your vision and budget...have fun[:)]

[Bob Olsen]

Welcome River Runner, it sounds like the beggining of something great. First you need to know what you want. Second what are you doing about it. And third is it working. I guess what you want is Monster Bucks. So what are you going to do about it. I think you'd like them to stay on your farm and have a "Sanctuary"your 20 acres in the middle is a good start, the more you have the better. I have a 68 acre farm and about 65 acres of Sanctuary. I think having fields on the sides is a blessing, this will turn out to be a good place for food plots. The strategy is to keep Bucks in the Sanctuary and have them come to the food plots where you'll be set up to play the wind. If you have your food plot in the middle all you will do is scare the Deer to the neighbors farm when you go to your stands. I know what I know from reading "Hunting Whitetail's in the Real World" by Don Higgins. The book can be purchased at don@higginsoutdoors.com.

[jonny5buck]

Sounds like it may be ''locust trees''...i know a lot of people hate em ...i have been poked liked a torture from those before...but they are beneficial..the bean pods are eaten by deer late season...and the deer like them ..make em feel safe...

If it's not :than do what you going to do...sounds like a good chunk of land...biggest problem with any food plot is ..does it create an advantage for just you? ..or can your neighbors capitilize on it....???

I learned this one the hard way....also deer feed on some of that natural browse..sometimes a more natural approach is better...controlled burn and planting some ''indian grass'' or ''prarie blend'' with clover spread in it...im also bigger on planting some fruit trees that benefits all wildlife..for years...you can disc and plow and plant like a farm field and it may work out..i personally am not big on that approach...natural is usually easier to maintain...with less work,and longer benefits-just my opinion-

[Bob Olsen]

These would be "male" locust trees. If you plant your food plots where you now have fields, on the outside of the farm, plant red cedar trees for a wind and visual sheterbelt. I would (and have) plant Switchgrass, Indian Grass and Big Blue Stem as a Sanctuary and a place for the Does' to give birth. You'll have this year to get the area ready and next year to burn, let the weeds pop up, chemical burn with Plateau and Roundup, let the weeds pop up again, retreat with chemicals then plant. you should be holding more Deer next year than this year. My ideas are from Don Higgins as I've stated many, many times. My best advice is to get in touch with him. 1-217-752-6829

[river runner]

Hey guys thanks for the advise.

The farm is located in mid missouri,and yes these are thorny locuts trees. The farm was logged probably 10 years ago so the under growth has grown up thick. Also there has not been anyone taking care of this ground for many years so these locust trees have grown up in many places. So what i was thinking was if i clear out the 20 or so acre L shaped pasture and put it in a food source of some kind the deer would feel saf erand stay there since there bedding areas are already on the property, and maybe keep others from seeing them [:D]. I think this would also help the turkey hunting greatly, since this is there roosting areas but tend to strut on the fields around it.

[msbadger]

RR...yep we have locus as well and they reproduce from seed but running roots and once cut those long roots will just send up shoots everywhere...just like a poplar tree....make sure you get a good stump killer...I have a few stands of them I keep in check buy mowing trails around them...the deer and turkey use them a lot...Now you have a much larger area to work with than I...but even on a small area I can incorporate a lot of things....one being annuals and perennials...and plots with variety...ie...buckwheat...turnips and corn...or HSG succraseed...turnips and corn....clover...spring trical/fall turnips and buckwheat /fall turnips

My wild apple trees and the mulberry...hazelnut..peach and grape plantings and the bramble patches and wild grasses they love in winter all figure into the plan..
Don't under estimate the power of winding trails...they like the path of least resistance and doe travel these as well as buck...but buck will cross check them regularly in the rut. Water is very important as well...even a well placed stock tub near a plot can be a good thing or a winding trail from a water source to a food source will work well

Like I said glean out what you think will work for you....really get to know the deer in your area and the lands around you...I've said this before and will stick to my guns ...not all deer act the same way in all areas..Yes of course there are the basic drives ...but herd dynamics to local? ...I have personally seen big differences....I've judged this from here at home to 60 miles away at camp to the low lying valley farm lands not far away...you also need to consider your time and $$ constraints...me I'm cheap ...but have the time available
here are a couple of pics to show ex. ....Just enjoy the work and the fruits of your  labor[;)]

[jonny5buck]

Nice pictures...there is a peach tree on one property that i hunt,the deer bed underneath it and you have one day to pick em before it's bare! Neighbors said they watched does ''boxing at each other to get them....raccoons and deer clean it out quick!

I also agree that the ''locust'' trees can take over an area quickly...i swear them suckers have like a 90% success rate...again that aint bad if they help an area but that is rare...most people whack em down and burn em...good fire wood on the larger ones....

[river runner]

Man great pics. You got a little bit of everything for'em there msbadger.

Them thorn trees are a booger. A buddy of mine just pushed all his down with a highlift, but every peaceofroot that broke off grew a new tree and they were 100X thicker. Then he really had a problem lol

[Bob Olsen]

Contact your D.N.R. forester and axe him what to do. He'll probably tell you that after the trees are cut down you should use Tordon r.t.u. (ready to use) to kill the trees. My forester came to my farm and did a Timber Stand Improvement plan. You can also have your Wildlife Biologist come out and draw up a management plan for your farm.