My new hunting woods

[Cody Cantrell]

This could be a long story...

In 2003 my wife and I, fiance at the time, bought 20 acres.  It is about 2/3 crop field and 1/3 timber.  It is a long narrow piece of ground so I could get more timber out of it, the timber runs along one side of it and kind of flares out at the end of the acreage.  The woods are composed mostly of osage with some locust hackberry and oaks thrown in for good measure, not to bad for a guy that makes osage bows.    About 2/3 of the way towards the back of the property there was an old leaky farm pond that occasionally had deer tracks by it but was not much more than an eye sore.  Since osage doesnt draw the deer or turkeys in like say oaks hickories persimmons, etc I finally decided to remedy some of my properties faults and make it more appealing to wildlife.  I hired a dozer man last fall and had a new pond built were the old one was.  There is also a 1 acre pasture directly south of the pond that was planted in crops last year and held a little bit of wildlife but I thought that I could do better.  In November I ordered 200 trees from the conservation department for around $70.  I got white oaks, bur oaks, chinkapin oaks, pin oaks, pecans, hickories, walnuts and persimmons.  I started planting yesterday and got a little over halfway done I plan to finish up today.  So back to the title of my story I should have my new hunting woods in about 20-30 years.  What do you guys think?

[4runr]

Way to go Cody. It's always been my dream to create a haven for wildlife. Sounds like you got a good start on yours!!

[varmint]

Sounds like some hard work that should be very rewarding and self satisfying.

I love messing with my land,trimming,discing,planting food plots,cutting trails,ect..........even tho it's hard work,it is very relaxing to me.......

[Hot Hap]

Better get some of that black plastic field tile to put around the trunks of those trees. Hap

[Kip]

You will be suprised how fast they will grow.I have 400 acres of timber and had to clear cut a piece to afford it back in 1993 it was great for the deer and other game except sq.My brother-in-law and I bought it together and planted some 700 oaks plus the stump shoots and today could hunt sq. today but still a little young.Not nearly as thick now for the rabbits and deer and food not as plentiful.Good luck you with your project it will be rewarding.Kip

[madness522]

You could always plant corn or peas or something to help them get thru the first 10 or so years until the trees bear their fruit.

[Killdeer]

I think you just made that 20 acres smile. I know I am smiling!

Killdeer  

[bbassi]

Sounds like a great start Cody. If you're really interested in turning your piece into a wildlife magnet, might I suggest calling your state DNR? In some states they have people on staff that will come out and evaluate your property and make suggestions based on what your goals/needs are. If the state doesn't do it, some of the conservation organizations have people on staff that do that sort of thing also.(NWTF, QDMA, etc.)

[cajunbowhntr]

Cody,nutall oaks are a quick growing mast tree that will produce mast quicker than most oaks.The only down side they drop real early and will play out in early october.Also planting soft mast like persimmon can pay dividends.

CB

[OconeeDan]

What bbasi said.

Sounds like you are well on your way, it's a lot of fun isn't it?

You don't have to wait for years for results.  And you don't have to have "big acres". Start food plots now, even if you only have one small one.  Test the soil and get it right if you can, the food plots can help wildlife right NOW, instead of waiting for years.

Make your property desireable for what you want to hunt during the appropriate time of year.  For example, we don't have many deer on our property right now, but during deer season, we do.

If you deer hunt, find out what fruit trees produce quickest, and plant them.  In my neck of the woods, pears produce faster than apples, for example.  But we are loaded with natural crabapples.

Do you have a tractor? if not they are very helpful.

Your pond sounds like you went the extra mile and you'll enjoy it.

Dan

[Eric Krewson]

I would plant a bunch of sawtooth oaks and tube them. They will be producing in 5 or 6 years.

 http://www.growtube.com/shelters.html

[TimBow2]

Cody, sounds like a great piece of land, also plant some of those field in Pines, when they get about 6 to 8 feet high they hold a ton of deer, and it's money in the bank ,,,,when the pines get mature.........

[Pat B]

We planted Saw Tooth oaks(Quercus acutissima), like Eric suggested, on our club in GA about 7 years ago. Last year they were over 20' tall, full canopy, at least 6" diameter and loaded with large acorns. It will take a white oak 75 years from acorn to acorn. You did right by planting trees for the future but if you can find saw tooth oaks and they will grow in your area, PLANT SOME! Both deer and turkeys love them.   Pat

[Cody Cantrell]

Thanks for all of the positive responses.  It is very fullfilling work and I do enjoy working my land very much.  There is 60 acres that surrounds ( our 20 was part of an 80) our property that gets farmed and it will have corn this year I am thinking of planting a food plot next year though. All of the trees that I planted came from the MDC (MO Dept. of Cons.) indigenous species I guess.  Next year I plan on ordering evergreens to mix in with all of my hardwoods any suggestions?  I plan on cedar but anything else? what type of pines?

Thanks bbassi I will see what I can find out from the DNR.

Cajunbowhunter I planted 25 persimmons I hope about 1/2 put fruit on (females).  Are there other soft mast trees that I should plant.
The MDC sells nutall oaks but not sawtooth oaks I guess they're not native around here.  I saw on a hunting show that Burr oak produce acorns in about 5 years and they are big acorns.

OconeeDan I have planted all flavors of fruit trees in the yard which borders the woods.  This way the deer have to come in the yard for the real treats, so even if I dont see them while hunting I can enjoy them while drinking my coffee of a morning.  

Anyone have any other suggestions for property improvement?