If you only had 10 acres of open field

First it will be costly and time consuming in whatever you decide on that said. It will not see results tell many years later so even with the time and money it is considered an investment. So with house changeover an averaged about 6 years if memory serves me correctly, I am suggesting that you make sure this is what you want, before moving forward. Or what has been mentioned larger parcel for one.

The white and norway spruce is a good idea around the perimeter of property. Norway is considered medium rate of growth white is slow that being said one maybe more supported by your soil than the other. I am suggesting 4 rows planting rows about 10 ft and trees every 10 ft and about 3 to 6 ft inside property line to start first row. This will create a bedding/travel route/wind and snow burm. Even in the upper handle if enough room around house will help shield house from cold winds and will help in fuel bills, along with keeping travel corredors also keeping southern open for sun to heat area.

Inside this starting behind house a row of white oak and a roselow crab 10 ft apart. White oak will end up being 20 ft apart which is recommended but in the middle of them is a roselow crab. Both mature acorns and crabapples mid to late October, the roselow crab trees when mature produces about 27lbs per shrub which will produce cover, shelter, along with fruit hanging on tree into February/March They also are a tree that will be needed for the apple trees I will be recommending to pollunate.

What is left of center of field divide up into three food plots. To seperate each food plot a man made treeline. So on the inside of the top widest part to the north you have 53 to 56ft from or to property line would add another row of apple/crabapple but continue all the way across to east border of trees leaving an area for ingress egress in the middle. The two man made treeline's again would be the same apple/crabapple. The preferred apple is northern spy emla111 semi dwarf grow about 20 to 22 ft height. Again blooms early to mid May missing frosts hopefully producing fruit more often than others effected by frost. Another plus is fruit ripens mid to late October and fruit also may stay on tree late as February/March.

Three food plots should be able to accommodate summer/spring fall with cool season/late season brassica etc. For summer a good crop is buckwheat then turned over to winter wheat. After 3 to 5 years rotate fields cool season like clover switch field to late or summer field and vice versus switch all fields.

This is a suggestion. The acreage or farms surrounding the 12 acres give food in fall/cover depending on what's planted. The deer will need to feel safe but will need spring summer and late season and in to winter. Also during peak rut if you have the food they want and cover it is a win win situation. Chestnut mature in September so there is nothing left by late October and they are asceptable to desease more than the white oak. Also if you want some early bearing fruit apple tree many years that they bloom early as well you may not haver fruit or very little because of late frost in spring, thus the reason I recommended northern spy. Some is always better than none and I prefer to have food available for deer thru all 4 seasons it helps in good fawn crops along with antler development. The apple trees will may need to be fenced the roselow crabapples are very resilient and will be browsed on again they will mature to a shrub about 8 ft high and about 10 to 12 ft around when matured.

On the two fence lines I would suggest a center field ingress and egress opening. If you want to stagger one on either side you may have a higher risk of bumping deer once everything matures.

 

I'm sure you will find something soon! It took my wife and I a few months before we found our property.

 

Keep looking you'll find the right piece of land. Vacant farm land can really be turned into good hunting land but it takes time. Living on the land makes it much easier and more fun. I started with an over grown 24 acres surrounded by good farm fields and wooded plots. When you do but land plant screening cover around the edges then go for brushy cover with small food plots that you can get to easily. Think bedding or if it's in the right spot turn it into a transition area between to good pieces. The sooner you get started the better.

 

One nice thing about vacant farm land is that the soil was probably maintained. These field regenerate quickly. My place was cut corn when I bought it. The next fall the goldenrods were tall enough to conceal a deer. In three years there is enough natural regeneration the deer feel secure moving around. I added several tree plantings, that will add to the cover in the future, but the current natural growth has been phenomenal. This is in a good agricultural area to begin with so the soil quality certainly helped the regrowth rate.

 

One of my old friends told me the same thing.

 

And now....shes yours!