I'm no farmer, with rough land
11-27-2002, 04:56 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toronto Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,796
I'm no farmer, with rough land
Is there anything a group of young guys with strong backs can do to improve the deer habitat in a cold northern climate where the land is all swamp, bare rock, hardwoods, and thick pines?
We are all country born but live in the big city so we don't own tractors and plows, and can't make the 3hr drive to the land every weekend. There is no agriculture within 10 miles.
Everyone keeps talking about a food plot but I can't see making it happen without spending alot of coin, and I'm sure these guys will change their tune whene they find out what it might cost.
Any suggestions on seed that grows in dappled sunlight? How about a small orchard? I hear pears trees mature quickly, but will young ones get eaten by the deer and/or survive an Ontario winter before they bear fruit?
Any suggestions on improving the land itself or should we just buy a feeder?
"guns aren't for killing people, guns are for killing dangerous and delicious animals"
- Homer Simpson
We are all country born but live in the big city so we don't own tractors and plows, and can't make the 3hr drive to the land every weekend. There is no agriculture within 10 miles.
Everyone keeps talking about a food plot but I can't see making it happen without spending alot of coin, and I'm sure these guys will change their tune whene they find out what it might cost.
Any suggestions on seed that grows in dappled sunlight? How about a small orchard? I hear pears trees mature quickly, but will young ones get eaten by the deer and/or survive an Ontario winter before they bear fruit?
Any suggestions on improving the land itself or should we just buy a feeder?
"guns aren't for killing people, guns are for killing dangerous and delicious animals"
- Homer Simpson
11-27-2002, 06:50 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: ALBERTA CANADA
Posts: 844
RE: I'm no farmer, with rough land
Can you cut trees? if so I'd go in and drop several different .5-1.5 acre tracts. The property I hunt, had a fair amount of slash cutting done(roughly 150 acres) 2.5 years ago. The numbers have exploded since on the property(6 of us saw 120+ during the gun hunt last week). When the pressure starts all the deer in the area seem to head to these cuts and bury themselves. Im hunting an area with probably Ontarios biggest deer herd(Manitoulin), but this cutting definitely boosted the herd on the property and pulled deer out of the neighbours properties!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Edited by - swampthing on 11/27/2002 19:52:15
Edited by - swampthing on 11/27/2002 19:52:15
11-27-2002, 07:19 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 2,059
RE: I'm no farmer, with rough land
I agree with swampthing about the clearings. You can then do all your spraying and planting with an ATV. Where is your land? If I know the location I can recommend apple/fruit varieties.
Dan O.
Dan O.
11-27-2002, 07:58 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toronto Ontario Canada
Posts: 1,796
RE: I'm no farmer, with rough land
Wow, I wasn't expecting replys from fellow canucks in this forum.
The land is in WMU62, north of Napanee, south of Hwy 7. Not the most dense deer population, but I hunt with a great group of guys and we get a few every year. During the open season we have the run of +/- 800 acres, problem is most of that is through leases and permission, we only own 150 and are surrounded by lots of 100 acre camps that get hunted hard. In reality we are looking to make our core land more attractive to the deer, improved racks would just be a bonus.
During years with a good mast crop we have twice as many deer around than years like this one where there were few acorns and fewer deer.
All suggestions are appreciated.
"guns aren't for killing people, guns are for killing dangerous and delicious animals"
- Homer Simpson
The land is in WMU62, north of Napanee, south of Hwy 7. Not the most dense deer population, but I hunt with a great group of guys and we get a few every year. During the open season we have the run of +/- 800 acres, problem is most of that is through leases and permission, we only own 150 and are surrounded by lots of 100 acre camps that get hunted hard. In reality we are looking to make our core land more attractive to the deer, improved racks would just be a bonus.
During years with a good mast crop we have twice as many deer around than years like this one where there were few acorns and fewer deer.
All suggestions are appreciated.
"guns aren't for killing people, guns are for killing dangerous and delicious animals"
- Homer Simpson
11-27-2002, 08:27 PM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: ALBERTA CANADA
Posts: 844
RE: I'm no farmer, with rough land
Why werent you expecting replies from a couple of Canucks?? Some of us take our whitetail hunting very seriously!(Moose what the hell is that, nothing but a big swamp cow<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>)
In all seriousness, some well placed cutting can do wonders! The cuts will grow into poplar/birch forests within a couple years providing tremendous cover and feed. If possible I'd try and get in over the winter to do it, give them a little extra feed to get them through the winter and you just might up the core population you are already working with. If they can find everything they need on your property they will not leave!
In all seriousness, some well placed cutting can do wonders! The cuts will grow into poplar/birch forests within a couple years providing tremendous cover and feed. If possible I'd try and get in over the winter to do it, give them a little extra feed to get them through the winter and you just might up the core population you are already working with. If they can find everything they need on your property they will not leave!
11-28-2002, 05:15 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ontario Canada
Posts: 2,059
RE: I'm no farmer, with rough land
It appears that you're in climate zone 4b - 5a. Your soil is precambrian shield. This means that you're too cool for commercial apples/pears but if you choose areas with soil you should be able to grow the hardy varieties for personal/wildlife use.
The main apple varieties would be Macintosh and Cortland. Bartlett and Gifford pears should grow. Your best bet is to visit a nursery in the closest town and see what varieties they sell/recommend. When you're planting you'll need to find deep (2-3') areas of soil (preferably clay) so the trees aren't droughted in the late summer.
Dan O.
The main apple varieties would be Macintosh and Cortland. Bartlett and Gifford pears should grow. Your best bet is to visit a nursery in the closest town and see what varieties they sell/recommend. When you're planting you'll need to find deep (2-3') areas of soil (preferably clay) so the trees aren't droughted in the late summer.
Dan O.
11-30-2002, 03:56 PM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Livonia Mi USA
Posts: 551
RE: I'm no farmer, with rough land
You have a difficult situation... Some vitamin/mineral supplements and some of the no til type products are about the limitation, combined with the trees. Dan O will be a great wealth of information for your area. Fertilizing the swamp lines will assist.
Romans 10:9 Psalms 42
Romans 10:9 Psalms 42
