MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
I’ll stick exclusively to your habitat suggestions only for my own safety!!!
Acres of Freedom
- Thread starter MilkweedManiac
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MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
This is a fun picture I took last week. I was checking on some persimmon trees that I had planted and took a few moments to look around an Elm tree that is slowly losing the bark at the top.
MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
There ended up being quite a few fresh grays and yellows around the Elm...enough for a nice little meal.
MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
Still popping up around here.
MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
It’s been a while since I updated this thread. I plan to do a “year in review” to document all I did (or attempted to do) so I have a way of remembering things. It will take a lot of time to dig through all of the pictures so for now I’ll just post a few things I’ve been into lately.
I was able to clean all the cattails, etc. around the smaller pond. I let it all grow back for a couple weeks and then hit it with an aquatic herbicide. I’m very happy with what I’m seeing so far, as nothing is really springing back to life and I’m starting to see the cattails turn yellow. My goal is to plant some more desired habitat along the pond that is good for all involved, and not so quickly spread by seed.
I found some green arborvitae shrubs on sale so I put three of them off the corner posts of the dock. The hybrid poplar pictured is one I stuck in the ground during spring to one day be a “bank of cuttings” when needed. It’s super wet in that area so the six feet of growth I’m sure is because of that and full sun.
I was able to clean all the cattails, etc. around the smaller pond. I let it all grow back for a couple weeks and then hit it with an aquatic herbicide. I’m very happy with what I’m seeing so far, as nothing is really springing back to life and I’m starting to see the cattails turn yellow. My goal is to plant some more desired habitat along the pond that is good for all involved, and not so quickly spread by seed.
I found some green arborvitae shrubs on sale so I put three of them off the corner posts of the dock. The hybrid poplar pictured is one I stuck in the ground during spring to one day be a “bank of cuttings” when needed. It’s super wet in that area so the six feet of growth I’m sure is because of that and full sun.
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MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
When clearing out a food plot behind the bigger pond, I found a bunch of red and white oak seedlings that I will end up caging or at least wrapping with some pvc at trunk level. My little lady especially likes this one so of course it stays.
This area was fun because I direct seeded 10 Dunstan Chestnuts there this spring using the pvc and window screen method and 8 of them survived. So I’m hoping this will be a nice little food plot area in years to come.
This area was fun because I direct seeded 10 Dunstan Chestnuts there this spring using the pvc and window screen method and 8 of them survived. So I’m hoping this will be a nice little food plot area in years to come.
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MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
Sadly, it feels like I have pulled more deer out of this pond than fish this year. It is our turn to get hit by EHD this year, and the total for my area (that we know of), is 10, 8 of which were found on this farm. I posted separately in general discussion, so I won’t repeat each post again, but so far 8 does and 2 bucks is the tally.
There is a noticeable decline in trail cam activity and I am noticing multiple fawns by themselves when I do see them.
There is a noticeable decline in trail cam activity and I am noticing multiple fawns by themselves when I do see them.
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MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
But on a far more pleasant note, I’ve been able to hit the bank a handful of times this summer, usually right before a rain or when overcast just to see if I could entice some nice bass. They aren’t as aggressive this year as they were last year for some reason. The preference seems to be finesse over reaction and they aren’t hanging in the usual spots as much. I always try to properly introduce myself to the up and comers.
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MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
Yes, she’s fairly big for 2...definitely taking after daddy’s build. Thank God she has mommy’s looks.
MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
Yes, wacky and shaky head seem to be quite effective. I haven’t thrown a Ned at them yet this year, so I may try that before I put the poles up for the year.
MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
I have never taken the time to try a Paw Paw in all the years I’ve been around them, probably because the window is pretty short and I’m usually busy with other things this time of year. But as fate would have it, I happened upon a small tree with some fruit behind Dad and Mom’s house this evening and they seemed very soft like a ripened avocado. It definitely has the texture of custard and a hint of citrus to it. The three of us really enjoyed!
j-bird
Moderator
That paw-paw doesn't look ripe! Normally they are more black in order to get them soft enough for eating (at least those I have seen).....try eating a firm one....VERY bitter! Looks like you got you a nice fish pond as well going. The kids will enjoy that for years to come. Nice find with the oak saplings.... getting them caged and exposed will help with their growth. Mark that one with your little girl.....someday she will need to return to that tree to see how they both have grown! In both cases, you will wonder where the time goes.
MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
Interesting! This one was was very soft to the touch and scooped out much like an avocado. I can tell it probably wasn’t as sweet as it would have been had I left it on the tree longer. I stuck the rest of them into the fridge so some of the family could try.
Yes, I intend for Saydee’s Oak to be a reoccurring visit!
j-bird
Moderator
Cool....it's good for the kids to have some sort of connection to the land. If it was soft (say like a banana) it should have been pretty decent. I try to wait as long as I can, but it's a race here with the coons for them.
MilkweedManiac
5 year old buck +
I made a couple of GIFs for fun to get me in the mood for the upcoming season.
GIF 1 - A turkey who seemed to "pose" at just the right moment.
GIF 2 - A buck we've been chasing for quite some time around here and who I hope is still around given the recent EHD affliction. In this video he is chasing a doe in a protected thicket on the farm, hence the title, "Baby, Come Back!"
GIF 1 - A turkey who seemed to "pose" at just the right moment.
GIF 2 - A buck we've been chasing for quite some time around here and who I hope is still around given the recent EHD affliction. In this video he is chasing a doe in a protected thicket on the farm, hence the title, "Baby, Come Back!"
