The Hunting beast project

Post topo’s and Aerial photos for free advice. Food plotting, land manipulation, water holes, ect.
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Zona
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The Hunting beast project

Unread postby Zona » Wed Dec 21, 2016 1:40 pm

Fellow beasts, I have the opportunity to purchase 116 acres in a good section of PA woods for big bucks. The property has not been logged in 40 years and has very good timber value on it. The dimpled areas on the enclosed map is old reclaimed strip mine areas and consists of mature pines. There are 2 ponds and springs on the property also. Most of the neighbors are from out of state and lease their properties to groups that practice QDM. The nearest ag fields are 2 miles away. Most of the buck bedding appears to occur off this property, but deer travel routes seem to funnel many parcels onto this one. What could I do to make this a whitetail destination? Please feel free to mark up my map.
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby dan » Wed Dec 21, 2016 9:27 pm

Most of the bedding will occur at or around the 1700 elevation where the steep drop off occurs. Logging the high woods and leaving the valley will help this. Thick should be created right up to the bedding edge.
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby Zona » Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:57 am

Dan
The tops are full of oaks. Are you talking about clear cutting the tops or select cutting them?
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby PK_ » Fri Dec 23, 2016 3:13 am

What Dan said is spot on.

Sell the timber of value, hinge the stuff that is not of value. Make it thick and lots of browse. But do it with a plan of how the deer will use the parcel and how you can hunt it.

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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby Twenty Up » Fri Dec 23, 2016 11:18 am

It seems that your accessibility will only be from the South and the West... So it I would make small trails around the perimeter of your property to make hunting various winds a possibility. Seems to be a good North wind property though.

Not sure what Dan and the other guys would say about this, but I would consider adding a small native grass and evergreen section to encourage doe bedding above the 1700 at the top of the ridge. Could be a good way to catch some rutting bucks in November and increase your probability of harvesting a good buck on 40 acres.
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby Zona » Tue Dec 27, 2016 2:20 pm

tech difficulties
Last edited by Zona on Tue Dec 27, 2016 2:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby Zona » Tue Dec 27, 2016 2:21 pm

oops
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby Zona » Wed Dec 28, 2016 3:12 am

Image

My first design attempt.....This property would be a family hunting location for primarily rut archery and rifle hunting. I should of titled this thread differently because this area would not be hunted "beast" style. It's only 116 acres and I would burn it out pretty quick. My family likes to see deer and fill a tag once in awhile so my goal wouldn't be on growing big bucks. Having multiple doe groups and safe zones for bucks to hide during our heavily pressured rifle season would be my focus. I took ideas from multiple designs and came up with the one above.

The entire area would be select cut (red) except the hollow to the Northeast which would be saved for future timber income. I choose 6 location to improve bedding habitat (orange). The 6th one is in the Southwestern corner of the map. This 8 acre section across the road is probably the only mature buck bedding the property could offer. I added kill plots near a few bedding areas where access would be optimal with the predominantly west winds the area experiences. Since I am trying to get deer on the property I didn't want to cut roads around the land's borders and add unwanted pressure so I located them to access hunting spots and food plots in the interior of the property. The focal point of the property would be a 6-8 acre plot planted with a 50/50 bean/corn mix.

I will be walking and evaluating the timber later this week. Any other tips I should be looking for?
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby JMAR85 » Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:51 pm

Can I ask what county this is?
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby Zona » Mon Feb 06, 2017 3:50 am

We pulled the trigger and bought the property. The previous select cut resulted in very good diversity and cover on the property. Deer numbers look good and there is sign of big bucks using the property. The hollow to the north east is thick, nasty and steep with a lot of good sign coming from it. Once the closing is over with we will start setting up cams for inventory purposes and begin mapping out existing bedding areas. The surrounding areas do not have much to speak of for agriculture so, the first year plan will be to get the destination plot (+-3 acres) in to the east of the pond and prep/seed the trail system. If time and money permits, we will put in a few micro plot locations on the ridge per our scouting also.
JMAR85 wrote:Can I ask what county this is?

The property is located in Jefferson County.
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby JMAR85 » Mon Feb 06, 2017 1:09 pm

Congrats on the property
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Mon Feb 06, 2017 1:39 pm

8-)

Congrats Zona! It will be fun to follow along with your land improvements.
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby hunter_mike » Tue Feb 07, 2017 6:29 am

Sweet! Cant wait to see what becomes of it for you!
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby Bucky » Wed Feb 08, 2017 3:57 pm

The top of that draw on East end of top is killer.... super funnel. I'd make it thick to the North and South... open up the top if possible. I think you could hunt that draw without any improvements and kill a good buck if they exist in that area
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Re: The Hunting beast project

Unread postby Josh03 » Thu Apr 13, 2017 8:51 am

Any updates? I look forward to seeing the improvements develop.
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