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1023's Shoestring Acres Project

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Another long day, but I buttoned up the gun safe side of the garage, at least until spring when I paint the walls and shelves. I'll work on the workbench/dog kennel next weekend and I have some shelving to build between the steps and freezer for shoe storage, but I'm closing in on it!
 
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bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
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bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Amazing the difference shutters will make! We still need some touch up paint on some of the soffit and other trim, and we'll be replacing the front door, lights, and vent covers yet as well. Once we get gravel, all the curb appeal stuff will be done. With how our land contract is structured, this is easy $ returned to us when we buy it outright. Our neighbor's are making great progress on the remodel of the house that sat empty for 13 years. They're investment will be a huge help to us in terms of curb appeal and should really help the value of the houses in our immediate vicinity.

Making progress a little at a time.

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bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
For several reasons outside of my control, I'm not on the water chasing ducks today, so that means I can work on a long list of chores. Got a woodworking project which forces me to confront this gremlin. My dad still has a lot of stuff to get out of here and later when I move to the garage, I'll be bringing stuff down here. I'm slowly wrapping my head around how I will adapt the space to my life and hobbies. And if we have a 3rd kid, this could very well be a 4th bedroom as there's a full bath down here too. So here's this workshop and the mess I inherited!

28x15 with 2 windows and access to the crawlspace that's 12x10. There's a 7x7 utility closet that holds the HVAC and H2O tank behind the radial arm saw. We also have a whole house vac that's not being used. It could be retrofit for dust collection if I put my saws in here. I bought the chop saw you see in the pics for $50 off dad and it'll stay put. Not sure what I'm doing with the table saw and my other sliding miter saw. The biggest issue with a basement workshop is 4x8 sheets and 10'+ boards. Ideas welcome!

This will be my Sunday AM, hot coffee, good bluegrass spot. From bow tuning, to arrow building, to 4H projects, I'll spend a lot of time here over the next couple of decades!
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Funny how time slips by and you find yourself still working on a project 2 years later. I've barely made a dent in this space, but I'm committed to getting the entire basement cleaned up and restored to a point we can use it. I've got my head wrapped around the layout of the workshop and am cleaning stuff out slowly, but surely. I took down all the decor that showed behind me on the podcasts and put a TV up. I can stay entertained while I get to work turning this space into a legit man cave!

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bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
For years, I thought this part of the property needed to be a food plot. It seemed like a waste to let open space like this grow up with weeds. It's not great soil, classic red clay and it's a bit swampy in areas, but I'm going to work on make it better. First step is to mow it off, then I'll spray, mow, and maybe spray again to remove all the competition. The plan is to plant a strip of screen near the barn to make it feel more private, then seed it with some sort of fall blend as an experiment. If I see decent sign of life, I'll plant @at1010's spring mix in it next year. I also considered a native grass type mix, or even a "crp" mix. If I'm able to get a viable food source here, it'll really improve the hunting here at the house.

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finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,855
260
SW Ohio
I like the CRP mix idea. Big mature bucks seem to love them as well. Everyone I know that is blessed to have CRP in or right next to their hunting properties have had tons more encounters or sightings than those that don’t. I know someone who was hunting a huge CRP field(100-140 acres I think) and had like 5-6 bucks on camera that’s gross 150-200+. The farmer came in and mowed it early September and they all disappeared. Several never came back, one was killed on neighbors property and others a couple miles away. I just wonder how his hunting season may have went had that CRP not been mowed. How many times do you see big boys pinning a doe down in it or cruising through it on the downwind side?
Just my opinion.👍

Good luck Jesse, whatever you choose to do will only help it than not doing anything.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I like the CRP mix idea. Big mature bucks seem to love them as well. Everyone I know that is blessed to have CRP in or right next to their hunting properties have had tons more encounters or sightings than those that don’t. I know someone who was hunting a huge CRP field(100-140 acres I think) and had like 5-6 bucks on camera that’s gross 150-200+. The farmer came in and mowed it early September and they all disappeared. Several never came back, one was killed on neighbors property and others a couple miles away. I just wonder how his hunting season may have went had that CRP not been mowed. How many times do you see big boys pinning a doe down in it or cruising through it on the downwind side?
Just my opinion.👍

Good luck Jesse, whatever you choose to do will only help it than not doing anything.
Turkeys also love it.

Could you imagine a couple dozen apple trees that drop all season with crp in them😍