Standing Water in Woods

Post topo’s and Aerial photos for free advice. Food plotting, land manipulation, water holes, ect.
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Barker
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Standing Water in Woods

Unread postby Barker » Mon Nov 19, 2018 12:44 pm

I'm looking at building a house. I found some land that works well for our needs and it has some wooded acreage which is a great bonus for me. We walked the land yesterday to see what it has to offer. There was about 12 acres split between 3 fields and 35 acres that are split between catty-corner woodlots. When I seen that it came with some woods, I immediately switched to deer hunting mode.

After walking the land we found there was a lot of standing water in the woodlots due to drainage from the farm fields. I totaled it up to 3 large areas of standing water in timber from 1-3 acres each, the biggest being right in the middle of the woods. I noticed the deer sign was funneled around the standing water and it didn't look like it offered any benefit to the deer (or to me as the landowner). What do you habitat specialist think of how standing water this contributes to the quality of the deer hunting/habitat?

I'm not in contract on the land but can understand why such a large chunk is in my price range if its retaining water year round like this. If I can't make it beneficial to hunting I can look at other options.


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Evanszach7
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Re: Standing Water in Woods

Unread postby Evanszach7 » Mon Nov 19, 2018 11:49 pm

I’m not a land specialist but hunt 3 pieces of public that have this issue. It’s not the same as marsh or swamp bedding if you’re describing what I’m seeing. Water is 1-6 inches deep. Deer skirt the areas because the water doesn’t provide a benefit (food or shelter). If swamp oaks grow there, they’re rotten quick. The water isn’t deep enough to deter predators. One of these pieces is a hot zone for late season does. The land eventually dries there, and they’ll dig through rotten pin oaks to eat less rotten ones.
Oldnotdead
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Re: Standing Water in Woods

Unread postby Oldnotdead » Mon May 27, 2019 8:51 am

As a land owner this could have several benefits. You just need to do some easy research. Check with your DNR or DEC about wet land programs. Get s hold of a county water and soil map. Is this possible " muck land or a peat bog? If a percentage of property is deemed " unusable " you can apply for significant tax breaks. If your in a migration fly way you may get wetlands statis and help on deleloping it as such.
Livesintrees
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Re: Standing Water in Woods

Unread postby Livesintrees » Sat Jun 29, 2019 9:27 am

I see the plus sides like this....unusable areas means better prices. Possibly a tax break if it’s deemed a “wetland” as well. Also depending on topography and the location of these areas, possible stand sets placed on the waters edges may have the benefit of thermals sucking your scent in a repeatable direction. These are of course all “ifs” but something to consider
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Lockdown
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Re: Standing Water in Woods

Unread postby Lockdown » Sat Jun 29, 2019 12:40 pm

Not sure what the surrounding properties have for water, if they don’t have it then it’s major bonus points for you. If your property doesn’t have water it means each and every deer has to leave at some point each and every day. Just something to think about.


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