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Post by JS84 on Sept 25, 2023 18:42:25 GMT -5
I'm starting to work up a plan for my 20 acres
The property is a rectangle with dimension 1250ft x 715ft and made up mostly of mixed oaks. The front 5 acres, including the home site, are walkable with the back 15 being pretty thick and overgrown. I'm thinking about hiring a contractor to run a forestry mulcher to cut a path around the perimeter and then do some underbrush clearing in the interior as well.
I have no experience in this area and that is really why I'm starting the conversation. Is a forestry mulcher what a should be leaning towards or is there a better option? I was quoted at $750 per day by a guy in Alachua, which sounded like a fair price. Second contractor I contacted quoted $2500 per acre but he had more equipment and a crew for overhead.
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Post by james14 on Sept 25, 2023 19:48:58 GMT -5
I think doing the perimeter is a good idea. This would enable you to burn the interior as another option. Before doing any major underbrush clearing let the deer tell you where they like to be on the property, including where they like to cross the property line. You can do some plots, but having high quality browse will go a long ways.
My dad has 20 acres in Alabama and it sets up well for perimeter access as well as having 1-2 lanes cut across that you can shoot down. This enables you to stay out of the interior as much as possible to keep them feeling safe inside.
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Post by bswiv on Sept 25, 2023 20:21:23 GMT -5
Coppicing......look that up.
Whatever you end up doing as far as mulching/mowing keep in mind that hardwoods, especially younger oaks and gums, come back from the root in a tangled angry mess. Herbicides are your friend when it comes to that issue.
And internal.....openings so that you have more herbaceous vegetation.....is that part of the plan?
If so the use of very selective and individually applied herbicides so as to kill individual trees is a good plan. And it's a whole lot less expensive than mowing. Once the trees are dead the lack of foliage will allow plenty of light to the ground so you just let them slowly deconstruct, something woodpeckers love.
Whether you mulch or mow the other rim the time to follow up with herbicides so as to keep things from coming back is immediately.....as in hours not days. If you do it that fast you can use a herbicide with NO soil activity which means you don't kill what you don't want to kill.
And as soon as you've got more light to the ground and more grasses/forbs rather than oak leaves then you can light it up. Oak leaves do not burn well at all.....and if there is shade it's even harder to get them to go.
Pictures and a map with elevations....??
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Post by JS84 on Sept 26, 2023 10:17:53 GMT -5
That's interesting, I wasn't familiar with the term, nor the practice of Coppicing.
Here is what I'm thinking; perimeter trail 4ft wide and jogged at the corners to obscure the view from the road. This will also give me better access to mend fences. Then clearing some underbrush in 2-3 areas totaling around a 1/2 acre cleared give or take. Feeders as well in those 2 or 3 areas. Next weekend I'll finally have some time to spend up there and will walk the thick stuff which I've yet to dive into. I'll also toss a couple cell cameras out so I can get a look at what's frequenting the property. Found several nice rub lines with scrapes mixed in as well. Then on our way back we jumped a nice group of 10-15 turkeys. Looked like a mixture of jakes and hens but it was hard to tell from where we were.
So we know there's wildlife there.
I'll post up some maps and pictures here shortly as well. Still waiting for the property appraiser to update the parcel info online to the official property lines.
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Post by 6thgen on Sept 26, 2023 12:59:49 GMT -5
My cousin does tractor work up there. He lives north of High Springs off 441. He has also hunted up there his whole life so he knows what to do. I have a similar set up, most of my property is mature hardwoods and palmetto's. His bushog has no problem with it, and he can disk your firelanes around the perimeter as well. I know you said your place is on the suwannee. How close are you to branford?
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Post by JS84 on Sept 26, 2023 14:52:02 GMT -5
Here are a couple shots of the property. I'm still trying to figure out what all I can pull from the Lidar system. It seems like it would have the most data.
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Post by cadman on Sept 26, 2023 15:25:06 GMT -5
Nice piece of property.
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Post by bswiv on Sept 27, 2023 5:30:03 GMT -5
Pictures from the ground?
Looks like it is in a place where it drains quickly....??
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Post by james243 on Sept 27, 2023 7:21:56 GMT -5
If I were you I would be interested in how many depredation permits are issued around there.
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Post by JS84 on Sept 27, 2023 7:55:02 GMT -5
This has crossed my mind as well. We have a 300 acre corn field across the street and about a 1k acre hay field we share a rear fence with. With corn and melons I can see depredation permits but I'm unsure about hay fields for lack of experience.
I have a couple pictures from the ground but will take a bunch more next trip up.
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Post by cyclist on Sept 27, 2023 11:21:54 GMT -5
I would definitely have someone who knows plants survey the site before you send someone out with a dozer. Brush and shrubs may be valuable seedling trees, fruiting blueberries, deer browse, and other types of desirable species. Never hurts to understand what you are taking out.
I can't tell you how many times I have seen landowners remove the best, healthiest and most desirable plants and leave unhealthy crap, all based on where they were located. I know some clearing has to occur in certain areas, but planning roads and traffic areas and trails based on the vegetation, seed trees, good groundcover, etc. can be very helpful and valuable. I have seen property become much less desirable and valuable after unintelligent clearing of the best trees.
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Post by JS84 on Sept 27, 2023 13:25:06 GMT -5
Great advice
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