Set up question

[dacker]

Ok the aerial shot is a power line that I've had for several years now. It is and has been a big producer for me since I got the place. I have noticed the deer tend to stay more at each end next to the taller crp grass which I expected. I feel like if I created a smaller more hidden environment for them it would make it even better. Here are also some pics from the house looking either way. I am elevating the house about 8' after the season because I ran out of time this year. The power poles in the pictures are marked with the yellow x's. My thought was to plant the blue boxes with a winter mix or whatever and possibly a strip (the white line) up against the wood line opposite of the shooting house with the same. Then in the black box plant something tall (6' or 7' if it needs to be that high)that they could possibly feed on in the summer but would stay standing in the winter for "cover" in their minds anyway ha ha. Then the next spring I could cut it and plant it all over again if needed. So the couple of questions I have is #1 is this a good set up or would you set it up a little different (strips, small blocks, other) and #2 what would you all do for the screen or tall plants? The total length from end to end is about 600 yards and the house is the red marker on the right side sitting almost half way. Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Canuck5]

1. Does it run North/South? The reason I ask, is because I do see shade and if it runs N/S, as trees get taller and covered with leaves, it will make things, within 30 feet, along the length of them, harder to grow.

2. What's your deer population? If it is average or higher, I would want to plant as much of it in a clover mix as I could.

3. With 600 yards in length, I'd plant a couple 50 foot wide strips across the power line, with deer corn and fertilize heavy. Just do a germination test on it first. The reason being, is you could split up some doe groups and make them more comfortable.

4. Fall plantings should have cereal grains, turnips, radish, rape added to the clover. Put at least 2 mineral sights in there as well, in the shadier areas.

5. Have you taken a soil test? Make sure your soil ph is where it needs to be.

 

[Canuck5]

Deer corn .....

 

[sportsman94]

I like your plan. I would probably use wgf sorghum. That seems to get tall enough the deer feel comfortable, but short enough you can still get a shot if needed. It also produces grain the deer like to eat and seems to be more drought resistant than corn. Instead of leaving the white path along the woodline, I may put it in the middle of the sorghum/screen and snake it through so there is no long straight aways they can look down

 

[Deernut3]

Whatever you decide to plant I would do like an hour glass where two points come from each side but don't quite meet in the middle. It'll be a sure spot for cruising bucks that want to look into your plots.

 

[dacker]

It does run north and south. Here are the soil test reports from a couple of years ago as well as your answer to the deer population lol.

 

[Canuck5]

Looks like a good deer population!

Soil ph says that there might be a few other things you can grow, that will do well in that sandy alkaline soil, like dwarf essex rape, oats, wheat, radish, joint vetch and mustard's ..... all acceptable to deer. Having said that I would still add red and white clovers in there.

You could broadcast buckwheat in there for some added summer food too.

Is your property south of Montgomery? I know it says Tuscaloosa, but I know of a strip of property that has a soil ph way above 7 that runs thru there.

 

[dacker]

No this is in Demopolis Alabama right on the river.

 

[Bigearl68]

The best thing you can do based on that “deer population “ photo is start shooting deer. You want to make them more comfortable? Shoot every doe you see for two seasons. Then and only then will start to see real improvements to you local deer herd. I know it sounds counterintuitive to kill deer to have deer but this is one species where you looking for quality not quantity. If you like watching a bunch of does and small bucks goofing off all the time you’re on the right track. If you want good deer then you need less deer.

 

[Canuck5]

Soils of Alabama - Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Learn about Alabama's 7 major soil areas. Most of the soils within each area were formed from materials with similar characteristics.

www.aces.edu

Blackland Prairie dirt? Is your dirt black? Just my curiosity

 

[Canuck5]

Alabama Soils: Blackland Prairie - Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Alabama is home to 6 different soil areas. Blackland Prairie soils formed from clayey deposits laid over a soft limestone, known as Selma chalk.

www.aces.edu

 

[dacker]

The best thing you can do based on that “deer population “ photo is start shooting deer. You want to make them more comfortable? Shoot every doe you see for two seasons. Then and only then will start to see real improvements to you local deer herd. I know it sounds counterintuitive to kill deer to have deer but this is one species where you looking for quality not quantity. If you like watching a bunch of does and small bucks goofing off all the time you’re on the right track

 

[dacker]

We shoot a pile of them. We have our fair share of quality too.

 

[Bigearl68]

We shoot a pile of them. We have our fair share of quality too.

Shoot more lol!