I mentioned at one point this spring that I picked up a piece of property (100 acres) in Michigan's northern lower peninsula two years ago. It is probably one of the tougher areas of the state to build a deer hunting property since the soil is very acidic, there is high hunting pressure, low deer densities and few larger properties that practice management of any kind, but it is close to a cottage that has been in my family for almost 60 years so it is convenient and I know the area. My property is primarily rolling oaks. There is no low swampy ground and few conifers so I don't have good thermal cover for the winter. There are a couple of areas that the previous owners had clear cut and some small food plots that were in place, but they were in rough condition. I have picked up a small Kubota tractor with a front end loader, a PTO driven tiller and a rotary cutter. I also have a fertilizer spreader that goes on the back of the quad. All in all the soil tests told me I needed to be able to spread a lot of lime, a lot of nitrogen and a lot of potash. My life has been improving plot fertility and planting Norway spruce, speckled alder, sumac and cover type plants. I have also had a forestry management plan drawn up to allow me to enter a program call Quality Forest Program, which set up periodic timber harvest and re-plants as well as reducing my taxes significantly.
All that being said, here are some pictures of where it is today. I have Buckwheat and some Legumes planted for spring that help build soil will be tilled under for fall plots in late July or early August depending on rain forecasts. The little cabin has no electricity or water, but there is an inverter that lets me run lights off a trolling motor and a hand pump outside. It has a woodburner for heat. I can sleep 4 easily and more if I get creative.
It is rough now, but I hope to make a lot of memories over the years. We are not shooting does on the place until the herd numbers improve. We took one 8 point off it last year and that is the only deer we have killed. Turkey hunting can be pretty good. I get a lot of bears on camera and I need to get rid of some coyotes. There are bobcats that cruise through regularly and the grouse population seems to be doing well. My brother's setters are happy!
D.P.
