DuckSouth.com

The soil thread contained some info I've became interested in lately concerning land management and made me realize the wealth of resource on this site. So I thought I'd get input and see what the different options are on my own place. I'd like to see what your calendar would look like if you had this place keeping I mind logistically and budget wise I'll be renting equipment other than a spray rig on my Rhino. I want to know everything from putting out minerals, spraying, planting, strip disking, pulling riser boards, fertilizing/improving native browse, etc.
Here's the place.

400 acres of 25 yo CRP planted with several varieties of oaks in the lower delta region. Trees are beginning to produce some acorns adding a fall/winter food source. However as they mature the forest floor has opened up significantly taking away thick cover and browse. In between "ridges" of hardwoods are breaks of softwood, mainly thorn trees and willow, mixed with briars, some sort of vine that is prevalent, and other native browse. These breaks normally hold water from November to March or so.
6 food plots
#1-2.5 acres
#2-2.5 acres with a flood structure that I can flood about 3/4 of an acre
#3- 2 acres
Mikes stand- 1.25 acres
Duck pond- 1.5 acres but very narrow and long. 385 yards long and never wider than 50 yards or so
Irvin stand- 1 acre

2 flood structures, the one mentioned above and one more that can flood a significant break of severals acres with about 3/4 acre available for planting. I didn't put boards in this year but I can at any point to hold spring rain water until it's ready for planting millet.

One other natural duck hole that stays moist most of year, flooding to knee deep during winter.

I'm going to devote myself to do as much as possible this year in getting this place back right. The last few years we been lackadaisical in our approach not doing much more than bush hogging in fall and planting attractant plots. I think by doing so we've made it more transitional to deer since the summer browse is somewhat limited, then in early fall they leave us to more attractive Ag fields and mature hardwoods nearby. I want to change this place to hold more wildlife.

So, what would your year look like if this was yours? If you had to rent equipment you want to maximize what you do with it so you're not spending all your money on rent.

I plan to document everything we do as a way of holding myself accountable.

If you haven't already, I'd check out the qdma forums. Tons and tons of habitat talk there.

This won't be what you want to hear, but it seems like the lowest hole in your bucket may be the lack of bedding cover. Not sure what flexibility there is in the WRP, but many many folks will have the same question in the coming years. I'd be inclined to let the edges of some of the plots go fallow and maybe just mow once a year.

If I'm not mistaken a fairly lengthy discussion about this topic (habitat lose in older WRP) occurred a months ago. The last I remember was that the Decision Makers had no come to a final decision on how to reverse habitat lose.

If any decisions have been made, I would be curious as to what they are. Something is going to have to be done, otherwise vast tracts of land in the South Delta will become biological "deserts".

Pond

If the bears become unhappy with the habitat loss, things will be fixed. If the bears tolerate it, the deer won't matter.

Pondman,

Was the discussion about older WRP and habitat loss on the QDMA forms?

Pretty sure he was referring to a discussion on Ducksouth.

WRP discussion with unanswered/unanswerable thinning questions is about ready to be bumped to the top to see if anyone has any information - viewtopic.php?f=1&t=110838&start=15

Thanks for the link.

I wont hijack this topic with my input/questions on older WRP