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b116757
5 year old buck +
My wife and I are both 47 we have three boys she and her mother own a 640 acre working cattle farm in SE Kansas. I own 35 acres in SE Kansas and 80 acres in Northern Wisconsin. Between the two of us we own 7 houses some of these being rentals. We’re both working professionals her in education and myself in the rail industry. As others have stated I stumbled across this site looking for info on property improvements. I started planting apple trees probably around 1998 on my property in Wisconsin then when I moved to Kansas around 2002 I started another orchard at the home 35. Last fall I decided to up my game and tackle some larger property improvements on my wife’s place so I picked up a used bulldozer which is why I decided to join this forum lots of good folks with like minds and good info. My only regret is not starting many of these improvements on my wife’s place many years ago as they say “the best time to plant a tree was 10 years ago”. For those of you that like to shoot long range I have a 1000 yard rifle range with poured concrete shooting benches and invite friends over some weekends to ring steel. My closest target is at 500yds. and occasionally I’ll set one out at 1200yds.
WLD
Yearling... With promise
Extremely close, we might even hunt the same deer!
I only have 7 acres and am looking to be a fall attraction food destination. The area I live in has almost zero ag and is mostly big woods. I spend most of my time hunting 1000's of acres of game lands within a few minutes of my house but since I began releasing some wild apple trees and planting new ones I have seen deer traffic increase in the fall. So far I have roughly 35 fruit trees (apples, pears, persimmon, and pawpaw) along with 10 or so chestnut trees. 8 years ago when I first bought the place I saw a grand total of 5 deer in my first two hunting seasons. Last year I arrowed a 4.5 year old that was dogging 7 doe while another nice buck ran off some doe. The power of food in my area is huge and reading here has helped me immensely.
PatinPA
5 year old buck +
Welcome rogersb, where are you located? The only food around would be a very nice attraction.
In the Poconos north of I80 for a general area. Just outside of White Haven to be specific.
PatinPA
5 year old buck +
Ok I figured you were from PA when you mentioned Game Lands haha. I bear hunted near Blakeslee a couple of years ago. I'm about 30 min. north of Harrisburg in Perry/Juniata County.
spartan huntr
Yearling... With promise
Hello all CK here.
New member from Michigan... pleased to meet you all....
My hunting land is In the "thumb" which is a normal description of where your land is if you live in our state but for the rest of you i hope looking at the map explains it.
I have 80 acres and a habitat nut. I am convinced i want 500 acres but struggle to keep up with 80. I have a nice bunk house and pole barn for my toys. No running water but electric/gas so perfect for a hunting place. I spend as much time as can at my place, but never enough to get to my list done. Hats off to all of you guys who has a loving wife who supports your habit... I will just say, I have a wife and she hates mine. LOL. I am blessed though that she did give me 4 great kids. My three girls are teenagers and my son is 9 and took his first buck last fall. My 14 year old daughter has two under her belt but is now chasing teenage life. I am also lucky to have a good job (great job actually). I work way too much, but they take great care of me so i am the walking example of work hard and play hard. (lots of hunting and habitat toys).
I started hunting when i was 13 but endured the tough years in Michigan when our herd was a mess. I think from ages 13-18 i saw about 5 deer and shot a single doe.... my dad is my hunting buddy and still struggles with his excitement because he hunted 30 years like that... He is not used to someone (me) suggesting he let that 8pt walk because he is too small. :) But the last two years he has taken the two biggest deer in our camp so i hope he is a convert... At 18 i enlisted in the army... visiting Panama, Saudi, Iraq and Kuwait on my world tour in 88-92. Didn't start hunting again until i was in my 30s after my education and marriage... bought my land about 10 years ago.
On other forums i declare myself an amateur and believe i am compared to so many guys who are so good with their land. But, I will admit I have tried many things and have experiences i hope can help others. I have read the books (all of them i think), hired a consultant and watch way too many you tube videos to try to learn something every day. I look forward to learning even more here.
Food plots are fun and so i have some... but a strong believer in cover, cover and more cover. When I bought my place i started with expanding and creating more food plots. It was my first place with food plots so i thought for sure that was the answer to seeing big bucks...Spent the first 3 years on that and didn't see a whole lot of change. When i started to mess up the woods by dropping trees/hinge cutting, etc. our buck sighting went off the charts... now working on the maturity (holding). And that would be the "more cover" part of my story.
Last...my posts are always too long. LOL... Look forward to learning from all of you.
New member from Michigan... pleased to meet you all....
My hunting land is In the "thumb" which is a normal description of where your land is if you live in our state but for the rest of you i hope looking at the map explains it.
I have 80 acres and a habitat nut. I am convinced i want 500 acres but struggle to keep up with 80. I have a nice bunk house and pole barn for my toys. No running water but electric/gas so perfect for a hunting place. I spend as much time as can at my place, but never enough to get to my list done. Hats off to all of you guys who has a loving wife who supports your habit... I will just say, I have a wife and she hates mine. LOL. I am blessed though that she did give me 4 great kids. My three girls are teenagers and my son is 9 and took his first buck last fall. My 14 year old daughter has two under her belt but is now chasing teenage life. I am also lucky to have a good job (great job actually). I work way too much, but they take great care of me so i am the walking example of work hard and play hard. (lots of hunting and habitat toys).
I started hunting when i was 13 but endured the tough years in Michigan when our herd was a mess. I think from ages 13-18 i saw about 5 deer and shot a single doe.... my dad is my hunting buddy and still struggles with his excitement because he hunted 30 years like that... He is not used to someone (me) suggesting he let that 8pt walk because he is too small. :) But the last two years he has taken the two biggest deer in our camp so i hope he is a convert... At 18 i enlisted in the army... visiting Panama, Saudi, Iraq and Kuwait on my world tour in 88-92. Didn't start hunting again until i was in my 30s after my education and marriage... bought my land about 10 years ago.
On other forums i declare myself an amateur and believe i am compared to so many guys who are so good with their land. But, I will admit I have tried many things and have experiences i hope can help others. I have read the books (all of them i think), hired a consultant and watch way too many you tube videos to try to learn something every day. I look forward to learning even more here.
Food plots are fun and so i have some... but a strong believer in cover, cover and more cover. When I bought my place i started with expanding and creating more food plots. It was my first place with food plots so i thought for sure that was the answer to seeing big bucks...Spent the first 3 years on that and didn't see a whole lot of change. When i started to mess up the woods by dropping trees/hinge cutting, etc. our buck sighting went off the charts... now working on the maturity (holding). And that would be the "more cover" part of my story.
Last...my posts are always too long. LOL... Look forward to learning from all of you.
Troubles Trees
5 year old buck +
Welcome to H-T CK! Love the views from your treestands bud!
Catscratch
5 year old buck +
I'm south central KS. Southeast of Wichita. About how far east of me are ya? Always nice to see a fellow Kansan around.
Derek Reese 29
5 year old buck +
Welcome! I am just outside Williamsport a little bit West of you...If you need some ideas for good fall food let me know...we have been doing a pretty good job with plots in the woods or meadows and the results certainly speak for themselves.-Derek
Thank you, I will reach out if I need anything. Williamsport is a nice area, I grew up in Bradford county. The Williamsport high school has a saltwater frag sale every year I attend.
Derek Reese 29
5 year old buck +
my in laws live in bradford county outside of canton...i havent even started to think about what i can do on their farm....and there are some bruisers up there
Chainsaw
5 year old buck +
Your pictures tells us a lot; Welcome to the group and I'm looking forward to reading about your habitat journey.
entropyfx
Yearling... With promise
Hey all, just wanted to say hi.
I own 40 acres in NW Iowa I bought last fall, as well as 2 other small family farms that I manage. I have just started down my habitat journey, learning as much as I can. I took the QDMA Deer 1 course last fall and have been reading a ton.
Recently started with planting apple, persimmon, and crabapple trees, as well as a grass screen to screen off a 2.5 acre food plot and get into my future tower blind easier.
Food plot planting is next!
Thanks for having me!
Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
I own 40 acres in NW Iowa I bought last fall, as well as 2 other small family farms that I manage. I have just started down my habitat journey, learning as much as I can. I took the QDMA Deer 1 course last fall and have been reading a ton.
Recently started with planting apple, persimmon, and crabapple trees, as well as a grass screen to screen off a 2.5 acre food plot and get into my future tower blind easier.
Food plot planting is next!
Thanks for having me!
Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
scott44
5 year old buck +
Welcome entropyfxHey all, just wanted to say hi.
I own 40 acres in NW Iowa I bought last fall, as well as 2 other small family farms that I manage. I have just started down my habitat journey, learning as much as I can. I took the QDMA Deer 1 course last fall and have been reading a ton.
Recently started with planting apple, persimmon, and crabapple trees, as well as a grass screen to screen off a 2.5 acre food plot and get into my future tower blind easier.
Food plot planting is next!
Thanks for having me!
Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
Teeder
5 year old buck +
Hi, I'm Kevin and I'm an oakaholic!
I just found this forum yesterday. What a great place!
I'm 54, married with 4 kids (2 of mine and my wife's 2) plus 1 grandson. My 2 and myself love to hunt and we all love the venison.
We live in NWPA and have 10 acres at the house and another 37 about 5 miles away. 5 acres at home have a garden and the beginnings of a small berry farm, blueberries, raspberries, elderberry. The other 5 is for me to plant oaks. Our other land has about 12-15 tillable, that's currently in beans, 1.5 as a food plot in a hidden corner, and the rest is a hardwood ridge going down to a creek-bottom. I got interested in oaks mainly to diversify the available deer food. There are none anywhere near my house, and only a handful of producing Northern Reds on our other piece. They've turned into a bit of an addiction through the last 20 years.
Really looking forward to catching up on the reading here.
Thanks for having me!
I just found this forum yesterday. What a great place!
I'm 54, married with 4 kids (2 of mine and my wife's 2) plus 1 grandson. My 2 and myself love to hunt and we all love the venison.
We live in NWPA and have 10 acres at the house and another 37 about 5 miles away. 5 acres at home have a garden and the beginnings of a small berry farm, blueberries, raspberries, elderberry. The other 5 is for me to plant oaks. Our other land has about 12-15 tillable, that's currently in beans, 1.5 as a food plot in a hidden corner, and the rest is a hardwood ridge going down to a creek-bottom. I got interested in oaks mainly to diversify the available deer food. There are none anywhere near my house, and only a handful of producing Northern Reds on our other piece. They've turned into a bit of an addiction through the last 20 years.
Really looking forward to catching up on the reading here.
Thanks for having me!
