Food Plots!

[Ron Scott]

Are you using a scent on the hanging branch? Great morning buck activity at the blind.

[beenthere]

Ron
Have never added any scent to this branch. All natural from the bucks and doe smelling, rubbing and licking it year around. Same with the stake in the video. Left it there two years ago when taking the doe decoy home, and it is just a hard maple stake pounded in the ground. Thought that I would hang up another branch this year, but don't see any need to do that. Have duplicate combination at the other end of this walnut plantation that shows the same behavior. 

[beenthere]

Two nice bucks duke it out at midnight a week ago. Appears one gets a wound under his left eye. I am surprised they don't lose an eye or two in these clashes.
While watching these videos, I noticed my hanging branch tipped upside down so made a trip out to re-hang it today. Even when turned upside down (limbs up), a buck came by and apparently could smell it, so stopped to scrape the ground and urinated on his rear legs. 


https://rumble.com/v3sas3m-bucks-fighting-oct-17.html

[Walnut Beast]

Nice video. They are playing. Things can get ugly when it gets serious. Several years ago while bowhunting  two bigger ones were going at it in the field and it turned ugly when the dominant one kept pinning the other buck to the ground and several times blew him off his feet when he tried to get back up.  I about got out of  my stand to get him out. He ended up moving on and it took a little bit but the other one got up and moved on 

[Ron Scott]

A good display on how the large bucks can often injure one another and even become hooked together.

[Jeff]

Its a start eh? Feeding in the clover in the middle of the day between the cabin and the pond. 



 

[beenthere]

Going to take the chance that he will be around and bigger one to two years henceforth? Nice looking deer.  8)

[Jeff]

If I find out no one is hunting around me, I may, but this country is different here in the farther north. So many things to prevent a deer from being here next year. Bears, lions, bobcats, coyotes, wolves, and worst of all for a big rutted buck, winter.

I would surely like to, but Id take him before Id take one of the twin 4pts that live here you may have seen in my videos. I'm sure they were button bucks here the year before. The guy in the video can either become part of my collection, or I may try to eat him. Ive not had a deer in 5 years. Maybe 6

[beenthere]

I'd say take him, if you get a chance. i.e. a bird in the hand...  ;)

Good luck too. 

[Jeff]

A short low flying flight, actually just to practice flying, and to look over what will probably be the best clover I'll ever grow. Its been amazing.

I'll probably never have another clover field as nice as this one. - YouTube

[TroyC]

 I'd vote to let the little ones walk. After a year or so they are likely to survive unless a hunter or the winter is extremely bad. Look closely- 5 bucks feeding in the food plot I planted mid September. Center left is a really nice one!

br>
 




I'll take this one if I see him. Reminds me of an Elk! Right now bucks are feeding at night but rut next week should change things and they will make a mistake.




I think this is one of the oldest deer I've seen on my property. Scars on neck from fighting, broken antlers, and looks like antlers are in decline. Short face.  I bet he is on decline from old age. Not many make it this far.

[Magicman]

My opinion is that if I do not shoot they might make it.  If I do shoot they did not make it.

[Jeff]

Getting bigger

 

[Walnut Beast]

 

 

 You're absolutely right Magicman. With the exception of many variables. Especially of genetics in the area and hunting pressure of harvesting smaller bucks. Everybody's situation is different and you need to make the choices that depend on your variables in your area. Here are two examples of management practices and passing on the smaller ones from two friends one in Iowa and Kansas this year. The one friend in Iowa doesn't use cell cameras by choice and only does food plots. 

[Jeff]

Iowa and Kansas is worlds away from the u.p. of Michigan.

[Magicman]

I have not seen my food plots since I planted them on Oct 7th.  With no rain, my Grandson says that they look exactly like they did when I planted.

The weather forecast says that we have a 47% chance of getting .02" of rain tomorrow.  Our season opens on the 18th and I plan to be there.  Just tradition.

I do not put out any corn.

[JD Guy]

We are in about the same spot as you are Magicman. No rain since planting but we have a "chance",@ .2 inches of precipitation over the next day and a half >:(.

We don't feed either, maybe just semantics putting in food plots but I'm old fashioned that way.

[Magicman]

I think that we got our .02" this morning and I never even had a chance to git nekkid. 

I have native Fescue surrounding my food plots so the deer will come anyway.  They always munch on the Fescue before they come to the plots anyway.

[TroyC]

My plots are looking poorly but today's 1" or so should perk them back up. Rut starting here, should be fun this week!

[Magicman]

Ben was at the Cabin today and he just told me that our plots are finally sprouting.  Maybe this bit of rain that we are getting will make it jump.  Hope so.

They did see a really nice buck but it offered no shot for the grand.

[Magicman]

It's amazing that seed know what to do.  I planted during the 1st week in October and those seed remained in the dry soil for over a month and a half.  With moisture, they sprouted and I now have a nice stand of Oats and Wheat.  Hopefully I can top-dress with Nitrate soon.

[Jeff]

My foodplots are becoming buried. 

[Magicman]

No Sir, your footprints will always be there.
 

 

[Jeff]

  Is my brass on a nail?

I meant here.


 

[Magicman]

OK. 

Yes, I looked for the picture and could not find it.  It's here somewhere.  When I go back I will take another.