bueller's blotter

[bueller]

I've just gotten it at the Middleton coop as they always have it. Pay a premium for it but I only buy one bag so whatever. It's convenient.

As long as the turkeys don't find it. I've got a bunch of hens/poults on camera lately.

Good to know, thanks.

We usually have lots of turkey but haven't been seeing them this year. Sandhill cranes have been on my plot and in the woods at my new place though. Never saw them once on our 40 a mile away in 15 years.

 

[wiscwhip]

This is year 3 planting in the sand (it's Plainfield sand), and the first year I've really had a successful spring planted plot ( with all the rain, kind of hard to mess it up). Although I attribute it mostly to reading what you guys have done in similar soil. I planted Oats, Buckwheat, Sunflowers and soybeans...they were so thick I figured that broadcasting turnips would be a waste because they wouldn't see any daylight....or was I wrong? I can see know that as the hot weather is here and the buckwheat and oats are seeding out that everything is getting thinner allowing more light to the soil now.
Regardless I'll be throwing rye out there in 3 weeks as I'll be out until then returning from my annual Boundary Waters canoe trip. Bueller....I buy Rye either from Kester's in Omro or Jay-Mar up up in Plainfield. Kester's always has it regardless of the time of year...but they are about $5.00 more per bag, which doesn't concern me as I'm only getting one bag at a time.

IMO, broadcasting turnips into that jungle will not give you a thick and perfect looking turnip plot. However some of it will grow and the other plants will provide additional forage and even cover for the deer. With their heads down in my buckwheat they are invisible from the ground level. I like to toss some turnips in at the time of planting. They grow slow under the canopy and benefit from the protection. Then as late summer early fall rolls around they take off as the other plants thin out. At the same time I'll overseed with rye and radish.

I've been to jay mar, never kesters. My local coop likely won't have rye yet. I've heard deer creek seed in Madison just off the interstate sells from their warehouse and may have rye earlier.

I would agree with bueller that you won't have a thick plot of brassicas like you would with a monoculture planting, but after everything thins out(as you are noticing), you will open up room for both the leaves and the bulbs of the turnips. Next year, if you do something similar(and I'm guessing you will since it worked this year), throw down some purple top turnips and maybe even some green globe turnips for variety(or even some rutabagas), and then come back in late summer and put down your fall rye and radish, exactly like bueller has stated.

Both Kester's and Jay-Mar get a thumbs up from me.

 

[bueller]

I would agree with bueller that you won't have a thick plot of brassicas like you would with a monoculture planting, but after everything thins out(as you are noticing), you will open up room for both the leaves and the bulbs of the turnips. Next year, if you do something similar(and I'm guessing you will since it worked this year), throw down some purple top turnips and maybe even some green globe turnips for variety(or even some rutabagas), and then come back in late summer and put down your fall rye and radish, exactly like bueller has stated.

Both Kester's and Jay-Mar get a thumbs up from me.

I'll add that when you seed your fall rye and radish add a bunch of N to give those brassicas a boost and your rye and radish a jumpstart. If the conditions are right I'll even "spike" my spring planting with some urea about 4 weeks after planting.

 

[wiscwhip]

It was only about 5 or so years before dad sold the place that I was finally starting to understand that the "typical plot planting schedule" didn't apply to that sand in central WI. It gets too hot and dry in the middle of summer, especially once the soil temps rise, to count on any rains helping during the time that others typically plant there fall plots. The other caveat is that it gets frost earlier than most places at the same latitude, due to it being in a boggy sinkhole, especially anywhere in the "cranberry" areas near northeastern Monroe/northern half of Juneau/northern half of Adams counties and areas directly north of those. I don't know if this holds true further east of Adams, but it is a very real scenario to get some frost by September 15th in those areas I mentioned in any random year. This really can put a damper on having successful plots if you stick to the "typical planting schedule" that many guys talk about for other areas. It just doesn't work out very well in the central sands region.

 

[bueller]

It was only about 5 or so years before dad sold the place that I was finally starting to understand that the "typical plot planting schedule" didn't apply to that sand in central WI. It gets too hot and dry in the middle of summer, especially once the soil temps rise, to count on any rains helping during the time that others typically plant there fall plots. The other caveat is that it gets frost earlier than most places at the same latitude, due to it being in a boggy sinkhole, especially anywhere in the "cranberry" areas near northeastern Monroe/northern half of Juneau/northern half of Adams counties and areas directly north of those. I don't know if this holds true further east of Adams, but it is a very real scenario to get some frost by September 15th in those areas I mentioned in any random year. This really can put a damper on having successful plots if you stick to the "typical planting schedule" that many guys talk about for other areas. It just doesn't work out very well in the central sands region.

Very well said.

 

[bueller]

My hybrid poplar + dappled willow screen is still trucking along. When I planted it this spring I was hoping to have a screen in place by next fall. If we don't go crazy dry I think it's a possibility.

 

[wiscwhip]

Yup, ^^^and for the 25+years I remember before that. Even back in the severely hot, drought years of the late 80's we got frost in September. It was baaaaddd, up on the Refuge, Rynearson Pool #2 and Suk-Cerney were completely dry accept for the drainage ditch and Pool #1 only had water in the ditches and deepest spot. It may not be enough to kill brassicas, but certainly enough to stop the growth of BW and even non-hardy oats. There is a reason the bar in downtown Babcock is called Frost Watch.

 

[bueller]

We used to only catch young bucks on camera during the summer months but over the years we are seeing more older bucks using our place year round. I believe that some of them were raised here as fawns feeding on our plots and have grown fairly tolerant of our human activities outside of hunting season.

 

[bueller]

These aren't monsters by any means but for what we see in this area I'd put them at 3.5 based on antlers alone (I know, I know, not a very good method for aging).

 

[bueller]

 

[bueller]

Anybody think that is the same buck on 2 or 3 of the different dates? When do you guys figure antler growth is done for the year?

 

[wiscwhip]

I think the Juneau "Trophy 8" is the same deer in all the pics. I could be wrong, goodness knows, that is the "average" 8pt in Juneau Co, so it could be likely that you have a number of those "big boys" running around.

 

[bueller]

We do have a much better one on camera. Have some history with this one. Any prelim thoughts on score?

 

[kabic]

Would be a shooter in my book!

 

[West Branch]

Very nice! I am still a noob at scoring but my first thought was it should break 130 gross when filled out.

 

[bueller]

Those "bulbs" on the tips mean he isn't done growing yet. If he doesn't end up being 130+ I'd be quite surprised. Great J.C. buck :)

When do you figure antler growth is about completed? Mid-August?

 

[scott44]

Anybody think that is the same buck on 2 or 3 of the different dates? When do you guys figure antler growth is done for the year?

I believe they grow until mid to late Aug.

 

[wiscwhip]

We always figured early August. That said, many variables are involved, a primary one being the weather. In extremely dry years, they could be done earlier. Genetics plays a roll as well, if daddy put on late growth there is a good chance that jr will carry the same traits.

 

[bueller]

OK thanks. Those photos are from 7/10 so he should have filled out some for sure. He was a 5x4 last year. Looks like he may make it to a 5x5 this year. And I believe his right brow split this year.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

you can usually tell when they are done growing by looks of the velvet and the "bulbs" like stu said. the tips get pointy, the velvet loses the "swollen" look and it starts to look tight, the nobbs, nooks, crannies, veination, pimples, dimples, etc all start to look more "detailed", and the velvet will start to look less smooth. In my area mid august is about the time i start to see that.

from what i understand antlers grow out from the bases, and consequently they start to harden and "finish" off under the velvet closest to bases first. this buck looks like a classic example of that. The velvet on the bases and brows looks tight and and the pimpling is apparent and detailed, the tips of his brows look much more pointy than the tines further out the beams. His 2's, 3's, 4's and beams above the brows all still look swollen and very bulbous.

I would say that deer should finish at every bit of 130" and probably a little more....great looking buck with some character too. hope you catch up to him this fall!