Foodplots/Trails

[EvinFord]

When do you start cutting your trails and your food plots to prep them for planting in September? Just curious when everyone starts their prep work and what works best. I was at the camp this weekend for the fourth of July and the lease next to our property had a few tractors cutting their trails.

Also, we have some trouble keeping up our trails from hanging limbs and obstacles that slap the hell out of you when you ride the four wheeler or tractor down the trail, any advise on how to take care of this? We usually just get a group of people to walk all the trails with chainsaws and clippers and it is hard work and takes forever. Any better solution?

FYI, my land is in DeSoto Parish so we have a mix of Pine Plantation and Hardwoods bottoms.

-Jordan

[longsidelandry]

We usually cut everything in late August or early September. As far as cutting the hanging limbs goes, we do it the same way but we use a pole saw so that we can cut the branches higher and farther back that way they aren't too bad year after year.

[specktator]

yeh september is when we do food plots and trails

[Montauk17]

We start bushhogging in late august and finish in september.

[whunter29]

I usually start in september but being I am ready for a trip to the camp I am going to do some work this weekend.

[EvinFord]

We are going to have a group of us up at the camp at the end of July to build and place a few new stands so I might run the tractor once down the trails while I am there.

I enjoy all of the prep work just as much as I enjoy the hunting itself.

[FF_T_Warren]

when do you guys start planting rye grass?

[EvinFord]

I usually disc and plant everything at the end of September

[specktator]

Originally Posted by EvinFord

We are going to have a group of us up at the camp at the end of July to build and place a few new stands so I might run the tractor once down the trails while I am there.

I enjoy all of the prep work just as much as I enjoy the hunting itself.

So does my dad! lol He does most of the work by himself. We only plant 3 different areas. Gets the foodplots ready and shreds trails and does a little dozer work from time to time. Then he does not make but 3 or 4 hunts all year.

[RaginCagin]

I plant the end of september and may disc again in early December if the deer have mowed it down. I am at my lease nearly every other weekend either working on my camp or moving stands around. The members think I am nuts but I enjoy it even in the 100 degree heat. Most of the others move their stands around and put out feed about 2 weeks before the season but that is not my style.

[Is it October YET?]

We keep our place up year round. It is easier to keep the trails clear year round. We use a pole chain saw and a hand held. Fortunate enough to have a Kubota with a/c, stereo and a 10 foot bush hog. Makes it a lot more fun in the summer heat. I plant two half acre bow plots in early Sept. And the rest in early October. Fortunatly I am the only one that bow hunts on out place. I have to have back surgery in August so no planting or bow season for me this year. It sucks!!!

[eman]

if you really want to keep deer in your area. 3 things , You need a water source for the deer and at least one year round food plot and a sanctuary area.
Don't give the deer any reason to leave.

[specktator]

We logged 40 acres right in the middle of my property about 5 years ago. Made a big difference. Have been getting some monster bucks on camera 150-170" but those bastids are slick. My buddy killed a 140" last year. Also, this property hasn't held a lot of turkeys last few years. I think the cutover helped with that also by allowing alot more security for nesting.

[whunter29]

Well if we all hunted in a zoo like yall specktator hunting would be easy.lol