The pace of this edit and video is awesome man! So cool to see all your bow setups….Impressive all around!!

@PFHabitat

27 күн бұрын

I've had a great mentor with this stuff!

To Fritz: do a soil test. Scrape up the area with a Mantis tiller, with the tines reversed, in their cultivation mode. Follow with a leaf blower. Use liquid lime and Harper’s other liquid fertilizers on the scraped area. Ferns are an indication of very low Ph. The seed bank will have been released, and the lime and food sprays will jump start new growth.

@PFHabitat

27 күн бұрын

Thanks for sharing Susan!

Water holes are great addition to a community hub too!

@PFHabitat

28 күн бұрын

Absolutely! I had some in the plans this year where they're definitely needed, just haven't gotten around to it yet

Mock scrapes are fantastic. If you ever need one in a special spot it works great to cut a junk tree down. Then dig it into an open spot and get some overhanging oak branches on it. I like to zip tie the oak branches to the branches of the junk tree and I can fasten it however I want. Sometimes screws are involved. All cheap, easy and quick. I love to put them on edges. Remove the lower limbs and get that oak branch arched out and put it at belly button height. That seems to be the perfect height in my area. Conifer areas seemed to be highly preferred spot to put them. Oak branch is flat out the best in my woods (N MN).

@PFHabitat

28 күн бұрын

Yes great idea! We have a spot that is thick with 10 foot tall oaks. They're growing a foot a part. I thin them a little more every year and sink in the thinned trees in front of stands as you described

One of my best stands ever was only about 7-8 ft to the platform. Can’t wait to put in mock scrapes in the area I improved during winter

@PFHabitat

28 күн бұрын

Yah the older I get the more I like staying low. Hope you get some good activity on that mock scrape!

Nice, I got several also. I cut off an ash tree that was 5” diameter about 7 feet off ground. 4 years of pruning all vertical growth and pulling down the horizontal branches I got a 12’ diameter bush now. I use ratchet straps to pull 2 branches per year down to proper height and rotate annually so they survive. Last year had a circle scrape all the way around it 23 yards in front of my stand. Just an idea, works for real !!

@PFHabitat

28 күн бұрын

That's a great idea! I've used paracord to tie down branches. But your idea is thinking outside the box. I love it! Thanks for sharing

Awesome setup

@PFHabitat

28 күн бұрын

Thanks Terry, these spots are definitely fun to sit in the fall

Man, I’m jealous of your understory. I see young maple sprouts everywhere. Everywhere we logged on ours (either thinned or clear cut), we ended up with ferns. Sometimes the seed bank just isn’t going to give you what you hope for.

@PFHabitat

28 күн бұрын

How long ago did you log?

@Fritz-VictoryWildlands

28 күн бұрын

@@PFHabitat Hi Sam- this summer is the second growing season since logging, so we still have some time. Aspen regeneration has been good, but everything else is taking its time, except for those bracken ferns.

@PFHabitat

27 күн бұрын

Often the woody stuff eventually wins the day. I have spot treated ferns when they're really rank with glyphosate. They kill best in the fiddle head stage. Susan had some good thoughts she shared too in the comments regarding ferns.

One of my favorite improvements on my property! Ever do water holes as part of your mock scrape set up?

@PFHabitat

28 күн бұрын

Yes sir! That's a great addition

So I did the vine for a few years but then switched to an oak branch. Dont know why but it seems they like the oak branch better. Its toothpick thin where they use it and branches off a couple ways but they seem to prefer it. Any thoughts?

@PFHabitat

28 күн бұрын

When vines aren't available I have said oaks are a great alternative. I am a little surprised they didn't hit your vines but deer don't always fit in a box. Glad you kept trying and found a set-up that works.

@stevegermain1222

27 күн бұрын

Love your set up, It looks like a great piece of property

@PFHabitat

27 күн бұрын

Thanks Steve! It's been a great property for sure

Great video! I have an off topic question on cutting oaks. I had a large red oak uproot and fall partly into a food plot. The roots are still underground so the tree will survive. Would you suggest leaving it until the threat of oak wilt is over or am i ok to cut it up now? Thanks for all your content.

@PFHabitat

27 күн бұрын

The oak wilt window can very by location. Here in MN the DNR suggests not to cut between April 15 and July 15. If you're in an area known for oak wilt I'd wait and cut outside your oak wilt window

@danwilkinson2489

27 күн бұрын

If I haven’t seen any wilt in the area am I safe to cut during that window?

@PFHabitat

27 күн бұрын

@danwilkinson2489 just because you don't see it doesn't mean you can't be the one to introduce it. Cutting during that window does have risks. If you're in an area not prone to oak wilt you're "safer" but not 100% safe. There's a map on the MN DNR showing the known oak wilt areas of Minnesota

Do you replace the vine every year?

@PFHabitat

26 күн бұрын

No they're good for several years. I replaced all mine this year. They had probably been hanging for 5 years