Recent content by Hawkeye

I would not mess with switch. I can show you multiple fields of switch that are flat as a pancake or severely lodged right now from the snow. If it were me, I would plant clumps of Eastern red cedar, a few scattered oaks, strip disked zones and let it go to succession.

Yup, started out with Thunderheads almost 40 years ago. Bows changed big time along with arrows. I currently hunt with 3 Hypodermic +P, and 1 Montec in the quiver. Which one I nock depends on the set up. Generally, evening hunts in open areas I'll have a Hypo ready. AM rut hunt in the brush...

Great job and thread! You chose wisely making plot area big and diverse in one area. So food plot area is 3 acres still? Do you like spring planted beans with other crops interseeted in fall or cereal grain half/brassica half?

I have been using cell cams in sensitive areas for 4-5 years. Over the past year, I changed them to areas where trespassers would be vulnerable. These are areas where I still get some deer pics. But knowing I will get real time photos of a trespasser eases my mind. Also keep an old broken...

Ill take a quick crack at it. Not sure if you bowhunt or strictly gun. This would be bowhunting set up, but would work for gun. Green food, rotate grains and greens on each N/S half. Water hole in that middle dividing line. Yellow screening. Black fruit trees planted on a 20 foot strip of...

Do deer flow in the direction of your big plots or ag fields in the evening?

Your last sentence says alot for your particular situation. I would avoid disruption at all costs. Perhaps you need 3-5 years to get switch/miscanthus/conifer/oak screening in place so you can slip past. In the meantime, try the accesable small plots to facilitate movement and kill deer. Might...

Small plot will draw deer from smaller distances and won't hold deer for extended feeding times. They are nice for killing, but not nice in a situation when you have a great up and comer 2.5 or 3.5 year old pass through it and jump the neighbors fence 45 minutes prior to dark. Large plot will...

Add food, food, and more food. Keep transplanting cedars for screening. Fall and hinge out a couple more garage sized bedding pockets closer to food. Fall some cedars, limb some cedars. Spray fescue. Continue perimeter access trail along one side. Create a few more travel corridors...

1. Food plots near a home may only draw in young bucks and does. You think everything is good as they come out 2 hours before dark and depart 30 minutes prior to dark. Zero hunting pressure, just observation as I hunt other farms unless something shows up at home. However, the older 4.5+ bucks...

More money than brains. Seems all they know is how to manipulate deer movement using man made blockades like fence crossings or maybe stacking round bales, along with dozing out giant food plots in these spots. Looks like they have done more damage than good on a farm or two. It also seems like...

Thanks everyone so far. Plot was originally installed to hopefully collect fall bucks and hopefully pack a couple doe groups in. Also, I have bullet proof access and blind/stand sites with wind blowing back at house as plot wraps around a couple sides. I can hunt the deer and they have no...

In your experiences with mature bucks and medium to low hunting pressure with a few houses around this area in the timber: What would be a reasonable distance to install a food plot from your house? Current layout is 2 dogs in a fenced in yard, 30-50 yards of heavy switchgrass, then plot...