Yup, it's time to start thinking about this Fall/Winter's hunt. Marty, Grandson Luke, and I went to the Cabin this morning to start the initial preparations.
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I did a bit of herbicide spraying to kill the grasses and weeds in the plots that will be seeded with Oats and Wheat.
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I do not provide any corn or other supplemental feed but obviously my neighboring landowners do. It seems that deer have eaten corn somewhere and then "planted" it here in my food plot, probably will some "fertilizer" too.
After this vegetation dies I will bushhog it to the ground before subsoiling, disking, and planting.
Wow that is a big area to spray! Good equipment to ease the burden but that is a big area to spray!
You sure that's corn Lynn? At first I thought Milo, but then the seed head in the middle of the second photo said Johnson Grass.
Yes there is Johnson Grass which is primarily what I was spraying for.
Milo, I think that you hit upon something because I did see a seed head that I wondered about. Actually a couple of seed heads are visible in the picture. This makes sense that a few Milo seed were mixed in with either the Oat or Wheat seed when I planted. I saw the wide leaves and thought Corn without really examining the stalks very closely. Thanks for the sharp eye.
I will spend several days at the Cabin next week getting the food plots subsoiled, disc, and planted.
Only one month and Marty and I will be leaving on our Colorado Elk Hunt. No time to waste.
Got a kinda late start this morning but I should be able to finish tomorrow. I sprayed herbicide on July 21st so the grass was already dead.
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First I bushhogged the dead grass to sorta tear it up.
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The single tooth subsoiler does a good job on the initial breaking before discing. I have one more small patch to subsoil in the morning before I start discing.
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PatD had a Prime Strip medium rare with the fixin's ready when I quit for the day. food3
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Subsoiling finished so this morning it was a simple matter to disc all of the food plots.
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A hopper full of Bob Oats and Wheat, covered and done. Well that was until a Grandson decided that he wanted to plant an opening in the woods.
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Unfortunately it had not been sprayed but I still did the bushhog, subsoil, and discing. He hand planted, I covered, and then we called it finished. Now we need a Magic Buck to show up.
I'll check my rifles' zero and do some shooting tomorrow getting ready for Colorado in October.
Good thing you do not have any Cogongrass. That stuff is miserably bad down here. It is so invasive, it is unreal. I hope you do not get that anywhere up there. The plots look great.
I planted on September 21, and this is the first time that I have seen it since then.
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This looks good!! Happy Happy Happy!!
I should finish bushhogging this evening since I only have about 15 more acres left. So far it's Bushhog 1 and rattlesnake 0. :o
I did finish the bushhogging and this is in the Strawfield looking toward the food plot. The Strawhouse is directly behind me.
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The final snake count was Bushhog 1, Rattleshake 0, and Cottonmouth 1. Yup, when the Cottonmouth realized that it was going to be a battle with the tractor/bushhog, it checked out.
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My "Sweetie" did bring me some refreshments. Now for you tree guys, what are the saplings that I am bushhogging? Some are over 6' tall and that is this year's growth. I am gonna have to give them a shot of 2,4-D Amine next year.
Now you need just the perfect amounts of rain this year.
It's raining now so I just might make a trip over about Tuesday and top dress with Ammonia.
I see that a rattlesnake with an aggressive nature has been removed from the gene pool, too bad the cottonmouth was a wus and ran. ;D
cheers
Al
Speaking of magic bucks...
The Forestry Forum Buck. - YouTube (https://youtu.be/5tENIMVcJe4)
Now that there is funny I don't care you are.
Yup and oftentimes "Magic Bucks" get the last laugh. :D
Many times!
I top dressed the food plots with ammonia today.
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If you scrolled back you would see that all of the food plot prep pictures have been taken from this same spot with one exception when the Grandson was planting.
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The Strawhouse even said that it was ready for Deer Season. ;D
I am not happy with what I found today because Army Worms have wrecked havoc with my food plots.
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Here is my Strawfield food plot on October 4th. The young Oats and Wheat are 4"-6" tall.
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And here is the same food plot today. I top dressed it with Ammonia on October 9th so it should have been thick and close to 10" tall.
The only thing that is green is junk weeds that have sprouted after I planted. I found no Oats nor Wheat. :-\
Well that ain't good!
They did it quick. The trail camera pictures show that there was grass on the 12th and gone on the 17th. :-\
Thankfully both the Strawfield and the Back plots naturally have a good stand of Fescue which will serve until whatever else may still come up. I may hand seed Rye which will sprout without being tilled/covered.
Can you get some crimson clover and toss that in too?
Probably but it would not come up until Spring.
Around here if I plant Crimson until early October it will come up the same year, and leaf out, then come spring it will take off.
Didn't know that. It's amazing what you can learn here on the FF that has nothing to do with forests. I'll throw some in my mix next year. ;D
Bad thing about Army Worms is that you are not safe until the first killing frost and for us that might not happen until December. :-\
I went to the Cabin today and broadcast another 150 lbs of Ammonia on the two food plots. There is still some late germinating happening plus the worms did not get everything. I believe that the partially salvaged plots plus the Fescue will still be enough draw for the deer. The plots are in a bottom bordering the creek and has always been an evening gathering place anyway.
Our rifle season opens on Nov, 17th and continues through January 31st. The rifle bag limit is 3 bucks (10" inside spread or 13" main beam) and three does. I have a self imposed limit and have not killed 3 bucks since the 1996-97 season. I doubt that I have ever killed 3 does during any season year. I just love to go and sit.
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This has been my opening morning view for many years. :)
I like that minimum size requirement. It sure would help around here, hardly anything makes it past 2.5 years old, 150 lbs live weigh is considered big, we could have some really nice deer in these parts with a little more management and a little less "if it's brown it's down" approach.
Polk County, Texas. We catch these on well fertilized pasture and game management areas that feed minerals year round.
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I got his brother last year. :o :D
Too bad about the food plot. Whats the ammonia supposed to do?
Im curious, would it not be better to turn the initial grass under with a light rototil for soil building? Thats a lot of free nitrogen. Or maybe roll crimp it and seed into it as a cover crop? That bare dirt dries out real fast and growth rates get stunted for lack of moisture retention.
I dont know if deer like it but my collards and buttercrunch lettuce took right off when the temps dropped, still growing fine. Im told turnip and potato greens is the magic deer crop. Next year.
I've shot plenty of both, but prefer a doe for the best eating. I'm not into looking for a big rack, but I will shoot one if I get a chance. 3 years ago, my grandson shot a 7 point buck from my shooting house in the blueberries. It weighed 235# hanging weight. That is unusual for around here. The heaviest buck I ever got was only 185# and I actually got 1 doe that was 175#, most are 120-150 and most busks here are 135-160. We have no minimum size for bucks, thus most shot are 1.5 or 2.5 years old. I however once got an old timer, well past prime at 9 or 10 yrs old, almost no teeth left and his 7 point rack was very small.
In my blueberries I allow many others to hunt there, but only by permission. I only want 1 in there at any time except a party of 2 can hunt, usually one on drive while one sits in the shooting house. The shooting house is between 2 blueberry fields, that way the driver can walk towards the shooting house with the wind at their back. Our normal wind is from the north or north west, or from the south east or south. Either direction works at this location. With just a shooter in the house, with the house essentially in the middle they can look out any window where the wind is blowing into it. I have even seen plenty of deer when the wind is going towards the deer in this location too. Likely because there are people in the fields so often, because workers are there every few days up until the snow gets too deep and then again as the snow starts to melt.
Mike, everything was not totally destroyed. The Army Worms missed some plus there is volunteer and late germinating seed still sprouting. To till would kill and eliminate this growth thus putting any new growth weeks away. I considered broadcasting Rye (which does not require covering) but I felt that the new growth that I saw would be sufficient. Also as I previously mentioned, both plots are surrounded by Fescue. I bushhogged it forcing new growth which will make it more attractive.
The Ammonia Nitrate (Urea) that I broadcast will give the volunteer and late germinating sprouts a jump start. Even though I was sorta ripped about the Army Worm damage, I will be OK.
Sorry lynn i wasnt clear enough in my question, i was referring to the initial grass you had to spray. Id have thought tilling it in a few inches would have helped richen the topsoil and save on spray cost. It looks to be a big patch!
For several years I tried just subsoiling and discing but the root clumps refused to die. This next year I plan to spray very early and kill such as Bahia and Johnson grass before it seeds. If I can get ahead of the curve maybe I can eliminate all spraying.
smiley_thumbsup
Magicman - Johnson grass spreads by seed and rhyzome, so by discing it you will actually help it to spread. The only effective way to kill both Johnson grass and K31 Fescue is what they call "spray, smother, spray" where you apply an early burn down, followed by a heavy planting of a nurse crop - sugar cane would work well in your area, maybe even mix in some cow peas for nitrogen that is then terminated - rolling works better I find, and no tilling in your target crop.
I sat in the Strawhouse this evening and saw 11 deer before the wind got me. Also 13 turkeys.
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An 8 and a 6.
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Same two bucks. Neither were shooters but it was nice to see them. Our season opens Saturday.
Pat went with me this evening to the Strawhouse. We saw 22 deer which included 6 branch antlered Bucks, nothing outstanding.
I will be sitting on my normal opening day perch tomorrow morning.
We saw 16 deer this evening, 4 of which were probably some of the same bucks that we have previously seen. I had a real show this morning with a spotted fawn rubbing his head on a Black Locust sapling. I had forgotten to carry the video camera with me.
That sure is a lot of deer to see, very nice indeed. It was opening headache day here today too. Usually there is no traffic out our way - since there really is no population, but today it was a constant stream of pickups racing by with a GPS in hand trying to get ahead of the dogs. I laughed this evening walking back from moving cows as I passed through the log yard and could see that the mud I cut tracks in yesterday with the skidder was absolutely polluted with deer tracks.
Our deer sighting numbers are running normal. I saw 5 yesterday morning which was also normal for a morning hunt. I was in the woods and our leaves have not fallen yet so you may not get more than a glance as they move through. We seem to have a massive crop of acorns.
Deer are coming to the food plots even though the Oats/Wheat is sparse but they are also spending more time in the Fescue as I predicted that they would do.
I have gotten a better look at the 6 & 8 pointers that I first saw Thursday evening. They are much older than I thought so they may get taken out.
Wish I had a picture but don't the game wordens cought a pocher up by Killdeer N.D. with what thy will be a state record Mule deer record.
Yes I did not get mine.
We finally got a "Magic Buck" on the meat pole.
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A Grandson got this 17" inside spread 8 point yesterday evening.
Nice!
The same Grandson has gotten two more......with his truck. One last night and another tonight. Instead of going to the butcher shop he will be going to the body shop.
He is sick. He just bought the 2017 Toyota Tacoma last week.
Well - the one in the photo is a nice buck. What did he weigh?
Not weighed but our bucks normally run 150-175 lbs.
Quote from: Magicman on November 22, 2018, 07:07:41 PM
The same Grandson has gotten two more......with his truck. One last night and another tonight. Instead of going to the butcher shop he will be going to the body shop.
He is sick. He just bought the 2017 Toyota Tacoma last week.
He's not wasting any time breaking that truck in is he?
Gerald
I saw 3 this evening. Doe, 6, & an 8. It was raining and they came in late. I'll hunt tomorrow and then plan to be back next week. I hope to skid that big Red Oak out.
I saw 10-12 this morning with a small 8 point. Some were being chased by 2 dogs. Legal but still makes me angry. There has been no dog hunting in many years. These were "porch" dogs out on their own.
I do not hunt anymore, so, this morning at 6:30, 6 does paraded across my back lawn, beautiful.
I hope that the day never comes when I have to shoot to enjoy hunting.
I saw nothing this evening.....as in zero.
I saw 19 deer this evening, 5 of which were bucks, 2 of which were 8 pointers, 1 of which was nice. Nope I did not shoot and I had no intention of shooting when I went. I went to enjoy and I did. :)
Looks like the Grandson has moved from Bucks to Ducks.
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Very few young people enjoy the outdoors like he does and it doesn't matter whether it is hunting or fishing. Deer, ducks, turkeys, or doves. Archery or gun. He is "all in".
I declare fowl. :D I came to this site to see big dead deer not Daffy and Daisy's cousins. For shame! >:( >:(
I bet the dog had a good time.
I love labs.
Looks like the grandson is is quite good at ducks. Beautiful Lab.
think im getting warmer on one of those "magic bucks."
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He went thataway. Now what rifle is that?
Thompson center, think its a venture in "weathershield" finish. .270 winchester.
Getting some weird racks in Polk County.
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The girls do well in Polk County, as well, notice mom in the background wonder what dad has got himself into now
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Really nice pair of bucks!
Where is the big fence?
Right!?
You can put a lotta hours in the woods here over rubs, tracks, scrapes, fresh pellets etc and not see a thing. When you do, one leaf crackle or wrong gust and poof, gone.
Jeff, probably high fence, but not for sure, we have produced some of these in open range.
Hmmm--- mom looks like a cow elk.
I was wondering who else would catch that. Not surprised that it was you. :D
At least she's not a duck. :D
I think we need more pictures of pretty ladies with big bucks on the FF.
Not to many cow elk in east Texas, but would make a shorter trip for Magic. 8)
Quote from: WV Sawmiller on December 14, 2018, 09:42:40 AM
At least she's not a duck. :D
I think we need more pictures of pretty ladies with big bucks on the FF.
Your wish,,,,,
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No Bucks but more Ducks.
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He and his buddies are doing quite well. The good thing is they don't eat Duck but the Grandson does. ;D
Granddaughter got a big old 8 point buck last night.
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Ouch !!! She is OK, but the deer and her car didn't fair too well. :-X
Lynn,
For Christmas be sure and stop at your nearest truck stop and get her a stick on deer decal like the truckers use to put on their trucks like airplane pilots used to paint plane or tanks or other "kills" on their planes. :D :D :D
Get her a green star - combat aviators will know the significance that WV is talking about. :D
WATCH: Police car hits deer sending it flying through air, the animal escapes, Kenton County Police - YouTube (https://youtu.be/hHOzo3lJweg)
It looked like he scrambled to his feet and ran off? Nice recovery.
This one didn't scramble and run off.
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Grandson got this 8 point this morning.
Very nice Buck BUT in this country we'd call that a 4 point Buck.
I've only ever seen one 7 point and heard of one 8 point in this country. The 7 Pointer was an old buck that was in still nice shape but you could tell he was starting to fade as he had a definite limp on his rather stiff right front leg. I couldn't even bring my rifle to my shoulder to take aim he was so magnificent. I just let him walk away.
Shot a 6 point that year about a week later. That was november 1978.
Quote from: Bandmill Bandit on December 25, 2018, 12:50:38 PMBUT in this country we'd call that a 4 point Buck.
BUT he ain't in your country. ;D Yes, I am very familiar with the "Western count" which counts the single antler with the most points and is mostly done with Elk, Mule and Blacktail Deer. In some areas in Western states the count is now stated as a 4X4, 5X4, 6X6, etc. which gives credit for all of the points that a buck/bull is carrying.
Yea MM I like that 4X4 etc a lot better at least wed all be speaking the same jargon when it comes to the bucks points.
If he pronged ya in the chest it'd leave 6 holes!