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Ohio Habitat Work

Wasn't planning on doing anything for this year at the new Ohio camp, but temptation got the best of me. We do have a 1 acre field, but the camper is sitting on it and the neighbor puts up hay on it. Since the place was timbered 4 years ago there are some spots that are opened up, but boy are they thick with brush, old tree tops, and saplings. Picked a spot that doesn't lay that badly and decided to clear it. My son and I work on it Saturday and today. We finished about 1PM. We also cut a path in each direction to connect to two other logging roads that we had cleared this Spring.

At my house in PA, I have a 65HP tractor w/loader and most of the implements needed to do the work. Unfortunately I can't haul that tractor with my truck and trailer so I am stuck with the Swisher mower, chainsaw, and a brush cutter on the weed wacker. I now have an appreciation of what some people go thru using small equipment like this. It took alot of work to get about a 1/4 acre or so cleared. If I had the tractor, we would have been done in a hour or two and wouldn't have broken a sweat. With now having a desk job, I am not in the best of shape and not used to the heat. I am feeling it this evening.

Will be back down there for the labor day since squirrel season comes in. Plan on putting down winter wheat or rye, and will probably thrown in some clover seed. Will also set a blind up. Won't be able to till, but figure I will put the seed heavy and hope for the best. I have a tiller, but there are so many briar and tree stumps that it wouldn't work. Maybe in a year or two once they rot out.

Plan on cutting more this winter to hopefully get it up to 1/2 acre or more.









 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
Nice work, that's some tough work though! All I have is a big rear tine tiller and a blade on the weed whacker that I do plots with so I know where your coming from. Sure feels good when it's done though!
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Good work! Hopefully it pays off for you this fall. Habitat improvement can be back-breaking but it is always rewarding, even if it doesn't result in a trophy on the wall.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Good work! Hopefully it pays off for you this fall. Habitat improvement can be back-breaking but it is always rewarding, even if it doesn't result in a trophy on the wall.
This. I've done a ton of stuff on our farm in the last decade that's results in $0 being spent at the taxidermist. But I love the work. You're off to a good start! Hopefully you see some immediate payoff.
 
This. I've done a ton of stuff on our farm in the last decade that's results in $0 being spent at the taxidermist. But I love the work. You're off to a good start! Hopefully you see some immediate payoff.

Yep Bowhunter and Jager. I have had a food plot or two planted in PA for many years. The only buck that was taken off of a food plot was this buck that my oldest daughter took. As you can see it is a monster. LOL. It was her first buck though. As a sidenote she shot the doe about 10 minutes before the buck so it was a good evening. We have taken a bunch of doe over the years off of the food plots. Hunting the acorns and an old apple orchard have been far better as far as hunting is concerned.

 
Well. Over the weekend we got the plot sprayed with gly on anything that was still green and planted clover and winter wheat. I seeded extremely heavy with both since there was no soil prep. It is really dry down in SE Ohio so hopefully it gets some rain this week. Lots of deer manure in the area so they have been checking out our work.



 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Our camp is in Washington County.
You guys from Maryland?

Nevermind. Seen you were from PA. Pumped gas next to some guys from Maryland today just south of Beverly. They spent the weekend doing habitat stuff at their camp. I'm a Washington County resident...