MacIntyre West question

I was doing some exploring this past week in what I believe is the MacIntyre West tract north of Newcomb Lake and came upon a gravel road that had been ditched/mounded across the road every 50' or so. I'm assuming this is Deerland Rd that is labeled on Google Maps. Does anyone know what the ditches and mounds were dug for and by whom? It sure makes walking the road more challenging. We didn't go too far east as the ditching seemed to continue for a ways, the ditching ended going west after a hundred yards or so.

We tried to make sure we were on public lands, but if anything thinks what I'm describing is not on public lands let me know...

I'll try to add a couple pictures...