bueller's blotter

[sandbur]

Have you tried any clover or rye trails to focus deer movement? Perhaps you cannot grow clover in that type of soil I have a few, very dry, blow sand hills.

My area where I live is probably at about 5 dpsm, pre fawn. They bed in the thick stuff and I have far more bedding areas than deer.

 

[bueller]

Art, we did try planting food on some of our trails a couple years ago. We have since stopped that practice for several reasons. Lack of sunlight and poor soil limited production. We were spending money to amend the soil and seed the trails and just weren't getting much growth. We are not at a point where we want to "open" up more woods. The stuff that did grow was browsed by the deer however they did not follow the trail. Instead they would come in perpendicular, stop and feed for a brief time, and then move on. Other than getting them to stop while crossing the trail it really did nothing to influence their movements.

On top of that consider this. The closest ag field is about a mile away. We are the only ones in our little area with food plots. Because of this our plots get lots of attention. Spreading our food out by planting trails actually makes our land harder to hunt. There are weeks at a time where no human steps foot on our property. Couple that with the only food plots in the area and the deer get very comfortable when we are not around. I believe this contributes some to the deer bedding in the open areas which also happens to be within close proximity to our plots. Why would they go far from the food if they don't have to?

 

[bueller]

Stu, we have figured out some pretty decent patterns over the years. Us having the only food in the area, especially on years with a bad acorn crop, gives us a huge advantage. When we first started planting plots they mainly received attention in the afternoon hours. That has changed over the years and pretty much anytime of day we stand a good chance of a deer stepping out for a bit to feed.

We have a road on one side of our property. I would estimate that 90% of the deer that cross that road do so at one specific point. Why, I really don't know. I would see deer cross there in the afternoon while headed to our fields so I assumed they were bedding across the street where it is pretty much a 50/50 mix of woods and meadows. A couple years ago I set a camera on this "crossing" and was amazed at the results. Deer, bucks included, would come and go from our property at all times of the day with no specific pattern based on time of day or anything. While a group of three may leave our property at 10am, a group of four might enter an hour later. And in the afternoon hours sometimes the deer come in but sometimes they go out. I do have a stand inside our woods at this crossing and it is always fun sitting there because you just don't know what is going to happen.

I think our human pressure actually benefits us at times. Hunting on our neighboring properties has been light for the past 5 years or so. I don't need the deer bedding close to our fields so that I kick them up everytime I try to move. At this point I would rather they bed in our sanctuary, which includes the low pressure neighboring properties. This gives us the chance to set up without kicking out all of the deer. Again because of the food draw deer cross our borders into our land during the afternoon. Even before we began plotting this property has always hunted better in the afternoon.

 

[wiscwhip]

Even before we began plotting this property has always hunted better in the afternoon.

That is interesting and reminds me of how the old place hunted. On the property north of the Little Yellow, the mornings were always better. I believe for the most part, it was due to the pressure from it bordering a large chunk of county land. Those deer made there way towards the security of the thick river bottom cover at the first sign of any human pressure, that area was more the open pine barren/oak savanna type habitat. On the south side of the river, the afternoon always seemed to produce more sightings, but we were surrounded by private property on the south, east and west sides, with the river to the north. I also think that the deer bedding on the property south of us made there way to the river bottom(and our south food plot) to drink in the afternoon and early evening, especially if it was hot during early bow season.

 

[wiscwhip]

bueller, I don't know how many(if any) waterholes you have on your place, but I know you said you aren't on the Yellow or any other water sources, so a water hole would be a huge draw on your place. I know it's a tough gig on that leachy sand, but a pond liner or even a small pool would make a big difference. One every 10 acres or so wouldn't be to many, IMHO.

 

[bueller]

bueller, I don't know how many(if any) waterholes you have on your place, but I know you said you aren't on the Yellow or any other water sources, so a water hole would be a huge draw on your place. I know it's a tough gig on that leachy sand, but a pond liner or even a small pool would make a big difference. One every 10 acres or so wouldn't be to many, IMHO.

We have two and both receive lots of attention from all different types of wildlife. I may add a third at some point right along a cruising route the bucks use during the rut.

 

[wiscwhip]

I kind of thought I remembered you saying you had some water sources in another post somewhere. Do you have to fill those, or do they keep water in them on there own?

 

[bueller]

I kind of thought I remembered you saying you had some water sources in another post somewhere. Do you have to fill those, or do they keep water in them on there own?

They stay full on their own. Sure they drop a couple inches when its hot and dry but that's it. I usually get some pictures of a young fawn bathing/playing inside of the smaller tub, hopefully this year doesn't disappoint.

 

[Terrific_tom]

Great thread!

 

[bueller]

Finally got up to the property today to get my brassica plot in. I may not get back for awhile so it was a one day shot. Sprayed gly, broadcast brassica mix, broadcast potash and urea, rolled it with a heavy steel roller behind my atv, and prayed for rain. We missed the rain today :mad:, but more is in the forecast for the next several days. Unlike MN we are pretty dry here right now.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

bueller - I know I'm in a different state, but a couple things you said above are very similar to what I've seen here in Pa. During spring, summer, early fall, the deer bed much closer to our plots. As you said - why go further than they have to. As soon as human activity picks up in Oct., the deer bed further away. Later arrivals at the plots. You also said in bad acorn years you see much more use of your plots. Yep - same here. Last year we had very few acorns and our plot activity/apple tree visits were HEAVY. Good acorn years the plots get much less use and usually after dark. Question about your road crossing - is it at a low spot in the terrain? Even slightly lower than surrounding area? Like a ditch or depression. The reason I ask is that over the years, I've seen many deer cross roads or open areas at low spots. Maybe it's because cooler air sinks and gives them a summary of smells in the area to judge safety there. I've had several CLOSE encounters with big bucks that involved them creeping thru low ditches, depressions when they had no idea I was there. ( wind was in my favor/ up in a tree stand ).

Once while driving with my wife, a BIG 10 pt. crossed the dirt road we were on. He obviously saw us and I told my wife I'd drive past the spot for 100 yds. or so & pull over to watch. She asked why we were waiting. I told her he'd cross back to check & see what we were or if we left. I told her " he'll cross at that little ditch back there. "
That's exactly where he crossed back over about 8 to 10 minutes later. She asked me how I knew where he'd cross. I told her I'd seen too many deer move or cross thru low spots.
That's why I asked if there's a low spot at your crossing - even a very slight one.

 

[bueller]

Bowsnbucks, We have very flat ground but I think "the crossing" does come through a spot slightly lower than the surrounding terrain on either side. At this spot once inside our tree line the ground rises to a ridge maybe 8 feet higher. The rest of the tree line along the road has no incline.

 

[bueller]

Last year this half of my plot was brassicas that I overseeded with a light rate of rye. The plan for Friday was to spray, broadcast seed, broadcast fertilizer, and roll.

The other half was red clover from 2012 that I had hoped to get another year out of but the weeds established in the last month so I also sprayed, broadcasted, and rolled this half.

Pics taken after rolling.

After seeing how it looked after rolling, I wondered if I should have sprayed after rather than before.

 

[bueller]

A couple years ago I planted a few elderberries in my plot. They have benefited greatly from the fertilizer and water and now tower over the 5' cages.

Last summer I took the cage off one to see if they could now handle browsing and rubbing from the deer. The bucks tore it up pretty good last fall and this is all that is left now. Still alive at the bottom but will the deer ever allow it to put that kind of height on again?

 

[bueller]

Chokeberries planted last year.

With cage

Without cage

 

[bueller]

Summercrisp pear that I thought died over the winter. It has new shoots towards the bottom :D. Will this still be a Summercrisp or now a "wild" tree from the rootstock?

 

[bueller]

I wasn't going to run the sprinklers but with urea on the ground and the fact that we missed forecasted rain Friday night I changed my mind. Once the brassicas are up and form a canopy I will likely cut off the water.

 

[bueller]

Saw deer on and around the plot several times throughout the day on Friday. Also have a lot of trail cam photos and videos, I'll try to post some of the standouts later this afternoon.

 

[bueller]

First fawn pic was on 6/4.

Fawn production appears just fine following a brutal winter.

This momma with her long nose looks to have some years on her.

 

[bueller]

This camera has been on a coyote den for a couple months now. A mature coyote or two had been frequenting it but no sign of them for the past month. However now there are 4 pups. Do coyotes build a den for their offspring while they actually stay in a different den nearby? No fawns brought back to the den yet.