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Cow areas and Turkey and Deer

Old 03-28-2004, 05:07 AM
  #1  
Nontypical Buck
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Default Cow areas and Turkey and Deer

This thought has gone threw my mined for sometime. After reading a few topic's here I Decided to maybe get some opinions here from you fella's.

I own a small 20 acres out in the remote country area, the area is damp in places, but the woods on my property is thick, some of it is damp and some not bad. Deer are here often, but don't tend to stay on it. Back a few years ago , I cleaned up the woods with a saw to have it a little more open, well this made the deer move in a little better, but the Turkeys don't seem to stay in the area. My thoughts are its too thick for them.

I've been wondering if I fenced off areas and let Cattle use the area, this may open it up a little, by browsing and trapping down all the under growth. The thing that scares me is would it hurt the area for hunting because of the cattle tramping it all down or do you think it may open it up and allow the game to see better.. What kind of opinion do you fella's have on this thought ???? ...BT
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Old 03-28-2004, 06:52 AM
  #2  
Boone & Crockett
 
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Default RE: Cow areas and Turkey and Deer

Not familiar with the types of vegetation you have, but remember that it has to be something that the deer find palatable. The thickets are good for cover and bedding, but often the food value is lacking. Agriculture fields in the area will win unless you have something comparable. The turkeys in our area prefer more open areas. The hens need open fields with a good supply of grasshoppers and other insects for the poults to feed in, therefore they will usually live in the same areas. A turkey depends on its eyesight for safety and dense woods allow predators a better ambush. A good chufa patch will help in keeping the turkeys around. If the hunting aspect of the tract is of great value, I would get a dozier and do some serious clearing.
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Old 03-28-2004, 06:53 AM
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Join Date: May 2003
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Default RE: Cow areas and Turkey and Deer

HI Adrian...the issue is to not overgraze a timber....there is a balance that you can achieve....but recognize that cattle in a timber will cause some erosion issues due to their habit of striking a trail and continually using it to cross streams and creeks. And the y can harm mature trees if they are on the timber too long and cause soil to erode and receed from the root collar. They will however help reduce the understory...a Forester would go ape thinking of cattle in a timber, but its possible to do as long as its not over done...short periods of intence activity and a little bit each year will help motre than anything.
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Old 03-29-2004, 04:32 PM
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Nontypical Buck
 
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Default RE: Cow areas and Turkey and Deer

Adrian; at my property, about an hour west of you, the turkeys are using the mature pines and hardwoods (with and without under growth) for nesting/roosting and then feed in my uncut fields. They rarely feed in the cattle pastures to the west and north of me. Cattle will trample and compact the woods and will probably clean up the grasses and forbs before they ever touch the undergrowth. The area that I hunt near Brantford is heavily overgrown and the turkeys and deer both inhabit it.

Dan O.
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Old 03-29-2004, 04:38 PM
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Default RE: Cow areas and Turkey and Deer

Adrian the cattle will definatly clear is out for you. We have a little bit of forest fenced off here that our cattle roam through and have cleared out the underbrush and opened things up nicely. But i do not hunt this area at all so i really don't know how it would affect deer/turkey travels.
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Old 03-31-2004, 04:46 AM
  #6  
Nontypical Buck
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Default RE: Cow areas and Turkey and Deer

Thanks Guys,...BT
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