Habitat Projects?

C

cyclonenation10

Well-known member
It's been pretty quiet on here. Wondering if anyone had any projects they were taking care of from a habitat standpoint this Spring/Summer?

Got most of our prescribed burning complete - just one more 5 acre patch to get done in the coming days here.
Took a bunch of red osier dogwood cuttings about a week ago and planted them in some low laying swampy ground
Replaced about 100 conifers in our shelter belt with red cedars from the DNR - the spruce trees just didn't really take off
A few weeks and we'll be planting food plots.
 
Good stuff! Are the spruce growing too slow or just not really growing at all? I looked at mine recently and thought they were doing well 2 years after planting as bare root 12” trees. Red cedars seem good too though.

I’m going to try and clean up some weedy switchgrass plantings from last year hopefully asap with a cleanup spray before it emerges. Then, try and plant some more late spring. Have some crabapples and spruce to put in again. I think I should be covered with trees/shrubs after this planting, so that’s nice. And then some fun with the plots as you know. Might try more of a blend this year vs pretty much pure Milo (maybe milo, annual clover, buckwheat, rye). We’ll see. Spring is fun. Before you know it, we’ll have another crop of pheasants running around.
 
SDinWI said:
Good stuff! Are the spruce growing too slow or just not really growing at all? I looked at mine recently and thought they were doing well 2 years after planting as bare root 12” trees. Red cedars seem good too though.

I’m going to try and clean up some weedy switchgrass plantings from last year hopefully asap with a cleanup spray before it emerges. Then, try and plant some more late spring. Have some crabapples and spruce to put in again. I think I should be covered with trees/shrubs after this planting, so that’s nice. And then some fun with the plots as you know. Might try more of a blend this year vs pretty much pure Milo (maybe milo, annual clover, buckwheat, rye). We’ll see. Spring is fun. Before you know it, we’ll have another crop of pheasants running around.
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Spruce growing to slow (basically haven't moved in 2 years, they're getting hit hard by rabbits I believe).

I love this time of year!
 
Planting three dozen blight resistant Chestnut trees. A friend of mine sells them as his business. Problem is I do not live anywhere near the property and it's going to just be put them in the ground (staked and tree tubed) and hope. Deer love both the nuts and the shoots.
 
Our pf group spent 10g last year planting trees. Well between the drought and deer we had to replant 220 some trees. We also upgraded and put in a dozen apple trees. Members of our board and some banquet sponsors showed up to help the conservation district with the planting/replanting.
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We need to get back out and put fence around the apple trees. They are 6' high so we will put the 50" hog panels around them.
 
Picked up my seed from the local supplier so will be seeding it right after soybeans are finished.

She was kind enough to put it in 5 acre bags so I can judge if I have the seeder set right. Always worry about running out too soon, usually end up doing half of it twice.
 
McFarmer said:
Picked up my seed from the local supplier so will be seeding it right after soybeans are finished.

She was kind enough to put it in 5 acre bags so I can judge if I have the seeder set right. Always worry about running out too soon, usually end up doing half of it twice.
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Corn of sorghum?
 
I am planning some projects, but probably a year or two away before I can get my ducks in a row. At the moment I am just doing the best I can to manage what I have.
About 40 years ago Quail Unlimited had an active chapter in Dodge and they did a lot for me before the national went belly up. I was putting ground in CRP then and QU provided cover crop seed which was seed companies left over milo seed with various maturity and colors blended and given free to those of us putting in CRP. It was very helpful and well received.
Since that time I have gotten most of my assistance from KWPD in the form of some seed assistance. Dodge is finally getting a PH Chapter and I am hopeful that they will be of assistance of those of us in the area that like to improve conditions for the wildlife.
On a side note, I had to make a run to Cheyenne and I loved seeing how Nebraska used the Corners For Wildlife(CFW). Many of these projects were in the infancy the last time I saw them and I was impressed how they have matured. Also the Living Snow Fences and Shelter belts. It does my old soul good to see projects like that.
 
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