Hello everyone, this is my first post but I have been reading and learning on here for a while now. I just got into a new lease in North Florida this year and the 2500 acres that I will be hunting is about 85% planted pines with deep drainage rim ditches around the pine plots. There is a very good mix of 5-25 year pines across the property and I have found two good areas to plant some small plots for this upcoming season along an old clear cuts butting up to some 20 yr pines.

My problem lies in the fact that I cannot access the areas I would like to plant with any kind of bush hog or mower due to the ditches. There are small foot bridges (aka 4 pine logs banded together) that are crossable by a four wheeler and I will be using that to disc but dont have a mower for the ATV. My current plan is to rent a brush cutter (imagine a weed eater with a skil saw blade attached) to clear out most of the areas but it seems VERY time consuming. This place was once planted years ago but now is full of vines and very thick Fla brush.

Can anyone toss me some ideas on what to plant and how to possibly clear out a small area? I will only be bow hunting it, so it doesnt need to be very large. Thank you all in advance for your advice. Good luck on the upcoming season.

Try home depot. They rent those walk behind brush mowers. I've used them and they are pretty tough. I think they went for like $50 a day.

I would try spraying the area and killing it back. It will take a couple of years to get the result you want, but do what you can with clearing this year and spray the remainder up till mid Oct with Gly mixed with asenal (in 15 gallons of water use 32 oz Gly and 81/2 oz of arsenal with 3 oz surfactant).

I also live in north Florida. After using the brush cutter an option beside using a disk would be, if you can tow a trailer across the bridge, rent a walk behind tiller, more work but it would turn up the ground. After seed spreading drag it with a section of chain link fence. Also the post regarding using Gly is right on. I have also found that most soils here in north Florida need dolomite added so whatever you plant will grow as desired. I would recommend going to your county agent and get a soil kit and have the University of Florida test it. Cost about $10. They will make good recommendations regarding ph and fertilizer. For fall planting winter wheat, oats and clover are a good choice. If turkeys are on your list chufa is a good choice also.

I also hunt north Fl. It is probably going top take years and $$$ unfortunately to get a good plot established. Pines make soil very acidic. Pelleted dolomite stuff runs off in rain or pools in one spot. Get powder if possible or turn the pelleted stuff in good. If you can get strips going, get a perennial clover in. Keep it mowed so it reseeds itself. Kill weeds regularly. Then mix in peas and the other suggestions for seasonal stuff. Get a good sprayer and learn your chemicals and when and on what to use them.