Foggy's Deertopia Proving Grounds - Happenings

[Foggy47]

I was at my land today for the first time this spring. Had allot of straightening up in my shed.


Finally was able to hook onto the Great Plains 3P500 drill......and see how I penetrated the sod here. I used the drill in a place that is quite compacted from frequents vehicle travel and I was able to easily get about 2" of penetration by the openers. I now "know" I will be able to plant into my typical sandy / loam soils. I have lots of set up still to do......but I think that should go pretty quick.

The winter rye does not seem to be thriving as it was last year. Maybe it's just a bit early as the soil temps here are still cool and it was snowing last week. The rye is "there" it just seems "stunted".

I got lots of Common Mullien rosettes in one of my plots.....and I am going to get them spot sprayed tomorrow. Must have a couple hundred of 'em.

We had a really early HEAVY snow storm. The snow stuck to all the "evergreen" trees......and broke lots of them off.....others are bent or otherwise leaning from the snow weight.....which lasted much of the winter. Today I had to push many of those over and broke lots of young trees. Good thing I have "too many" (volunteer regeneration) red pine and jack pines. Most of them will not be missed.

Got my well hooked up and operating today so I can spray tomorrow. Also did allot of re-organizing that just takes time.

I've got about 8 acres of very nice clover (with winter rye drilled into it last fall). Another two acres are under development for the same plan. Basically I grow clover the year around.....and then terminate some plots in the clover to plant brasica each July. Then in late August plant more clover(s) and winter rye with my drill and/or broadcasting.

Trying to simplify the way I operate.

 

[Bill]

Nice tractor and drill set up. Like you said that drill will cut through a lot, there so much heavier then they look.

I bet the rye comes on as it warms up.

 

[Bill]

And I love the sign!

 

[omicron1792]

Looks great fog.

You’ll want to level the drill out a bit. I had to get a longer hydraulic top link for mine. With it tilted that far forward the press wheels won’t close the trenches very well.

 

[Foggy47]

And I love the sign!

Yeah.....my land got named by a visitor from OZ a few years back. (Arizona). Then I figured if Grant Woods could have a "proving grounds"......why not me? All in good fun.

 

[Foggy47]

Looks great fog.

You’ll want to level the drill out a bit. I had to get a longer hydraulic top link for mine. With it tilted that far forward the press wheels won’t close the trenches very well.

Yep......gotta get that drill to level out allot. Just did a short "test drive" being I had it mounted on the three point. The guy that owned it had it set up to drill beans about 2 1/2" deep. I did level it up but did not get a picture of that. When t was level the drive wheel was not in contact with the ground......still I was pushing into over 2" of my compacted "driveway" sod. Too many other things to do......so I put it away for another day.

 

[omicron1792]

Yep......gotta get that drill to level out allot. Just did a short "test drive" being I had it mounted on the three point. The guy that owned it had it set up to drill beans about 2 1/2" deep. I did level it up but did not get a picture of that. When t was level the drive wheel was not in contact with the ground......still I was pushing into over 2" of my compacted "driveway" sod. Too many other things to do......so I put it away for another day.

I’ve moved drive wheel down to next to lowest setting. Really nothing I plant needs to be over about an inch deep.

I planted with it on the middle setting this past fall, and my plants seem to get a slow start. I think they were all planted too deep. They came on great the spring, but I am planting much more shallow this year. Also, we put a thick layer of thatch over the top which acts like soil also.

 

[Foggy47]

I have about a 2 acre plot of clover and rye.....and in some sections I have a pretty bad flush of Mullien rosettes that were bugging me. So I decided to spot spray the Mullien in hope I could corol them long enough for my rye and clover to better take ahold. My plan is to plant brassica in part of this plot in July.....and I will likely kill a portion of this plot where the Mullein is the worst and plant the brasica there. All no till. Then today my sprayer developed some more issues. the main tank leaks at the threaded connection where the strainer is located. I think the threads are shot.....and I do not know how to fix such a thing. I think it's time for a new one. Seems FIMCO is the only brand that is supported with parts around here. Likely will do some research and buy one for a UTV. I think I am stuck with a 3 outlet "boomless" model.....as that seems to work best on my land / plots.

I started to just provide a "Tip" on how to prime your pump after a winter of storage. I use an air gun to pressurize the tank slightly.....which primes the pump like a champion. Never fails.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Ever grouse hunt on your place? The woods on the edges of your plots look perfect for grouse and woodcock hunting. It is hard to beat walking a field or food plot edge when grouse hunting.

 

[Foggy47]

Ever grouse hunt on your place? The woods on the edges of your plots look perfect for grouse and woodcock hunting. It is hard to beat walking a field or food plot edge when grouse hunting.

I do have some woodcock and grouse. I have shot but a few grouse at my place as I tend to leave it alone for deer hunting. However I'm not opposed to a golf cart ride with the shotgun some days. I can drive trails for a few hours - or walk 'em.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I do have some woodcock and grouse. I have shot but a few grouse at my place as I tend to leave it alone for deer hunting. However I'm not opposed to a golf cart ride with the shotgun some days. I can drive trails for a few hours - or walk 'em.

When I go to my cabin I always try to fit in a quick grouse hunt on my field edges and tree rows right before we leave home. I don't want to mess up the deer hunting early in my stay, but I have no problem walking around with the shotgun right before we head home.

I skip grouse hunting right before and during the deer gun season though.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Have any deer pics?

 

[Foggy47]

Have any deer pics?

I've got some pics from about two weeks ago.....and you can see the ribs on the starving deer. They already loo so much better now with some green stuff to eat again. Mostly doe pics. Interestingly (to me) it appears like I had better forage a month ago than I have now. (I got one cell camera that shoots this same field regularly.).

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

I've got some pics from about two weeks ago.....and you can see the ribs on the starving deer. They already loo so much better now with some green stuff to eat again. Mostly doe pics. Interestingly (to me) it appears like I had better forage a month ago than I have now. (I got one cell camera that shoots this same field regularly.).

View attachment 52668View attachment 52669

Well I wanna see some horns!!
You have a beautiful place, how’s the buck population?

 

[Foggy47]

Well I wanna see some horns!!
You have a beautiful place, how’s the buck population?

Seems I can feed and photograph some pretty good bucks all summer.....but by rifle season....we just don't see the better ones. We do shoot a few deer for some meat....but trophy bucks are not very "forthcoming". lol. No horns to show you from this year.....yet. I really dont save many pics.

 

[Brian662]

I have about a 2 acre plot of clover and rye.....and in some sections I have a pretty bad flush of Mullien rosettes that were bugging me. So I decided to spot spray the Mullien in hope I could corol them long enough for my rye and clover to better take ahold. My plan is to plant brassica in part of this plot in July.....and I will likely kill a portion of this plot where the Mullein is the worst and plant the brasica there. All no till. Then today my sprayer developed some more issues. the main tank leaks at the threaded connection where the strainer is located. I think the threads are shot.....and I do not know how to fix such a thing. I think it's time for a new one. Seems FIMCO is the only brand that is supported with parts around here. Likely will do some research and buy one for a UTV. I think I am stuck with a 3 outlet "boomless" model.....as that seems to work best on my land / plots.

I started to just provide a "Tip" on how to prime your pump after a winter of storage. I use an air gun to pressurize the tank slightly.....which primes the pump like a champion. Never fails.
View attachment 52665View attachment 52664

Another thing that works for priming the pump is to disconnect the line going between tank and pump, then thread a garden hose into the pump and turn on hose/pump. This method also helps to wash/clean the check valve after using "milky" chemicals which tend to gum up the check valves.

 

[Barndog56]

Just wondering why you felt it necessary to spray the mullein? It has a very deep tap root which brings up lots of nutrients to improve your soil once it decomposes. Here is what is said to be contained in the leaves.
ALUMINUM Leaf 1,090 ppm;
ASCORBIC-ACID Leaf 776 ppm;
ASH Leaf 86,000 ppm;
BETA-CAROTENE Leaf 43 ppm;
CALCIUM Leaf 13,300 ppm;
CARBOHYDRATES Leaf 803,000 ppm;
CHROMIUM Leaf 14 ppm;
COBALT Leaf 128 ppm;
FAT Leaf 13,000 ppm;
FIBER Leaf 111,000 ppm;
IRON Leaf 2,360 ppm
MAGNESIUM Leaf 3,230 ppm;
MANGANESE Leaf 120 ppm;
PHOSPHORUS Leaf 5,700 ppm;
POTASSIUM Leaf 13,200 ppm;
PROTEIN Leaf 108,000 ppm;
RIBOFLAVIN Leaf 1.1 ppm;
SILICON Leaf 74 ppm;
SODIUM Leaf 760 ppm;
TIN Leaf 12 ppm;
WATER Leaf 786,000 ppm;
ZINC Leaf 4 ppm;

A good use for it would be to cut the leaves off when mature, and use them for mulch around apple trees. The cobalt provided to the tree the following year will help prevent scab.

 

[Foggy47]

Just wondering why you felt it necessary to spray the mullein? It has a very deep tap root which brings up lots of nutrients to improve your soil once it decomposes. Here is what is said to be contained in the leaves.
ALUMINUM Leaf 1,090 ppm;
ASCORBIC-ACID Leaf 776 ppm;
ASH Leaf 86,000 ppm;
BETA-CAROTENE Leaf 43 ppm;
CALCIUM Leaf 13,300 ppm;
CARBOHYDRATES Leaf 803,000 ppm;
CHROMIUM Leaf 14 ppm;
COBALT Leaf 128 ppm;
FAT Leaf 13,000 ppm;
FIBER Leaf 111,000 ppm;
IRON Leaf 2,360 ppm
MAGNESIUM Leaf 3,230 ppm;
MANGANESE Leaf 120 ppm;
PHOSPHORUS Leaf 5,700 ppm;
POTASSIUM Leaf 13,200 ppm;
PROTEIN Leaf 108,000 ppm;
RIBOFLAVIN Leaf 1.1 ppm;
SILICON Leaf 74 ppm;
SODIUM Leaf 760 ppm;
TIN Leaf 12 ppm;
WATER Leaf 786,000 ppm;
ZINC Leaf 4 ppm;

A good use for it would be to cut the leaves off when mature, and use them for mulch around apple trees. The cobalt provided to the tree the following year will help prevent scab.

That Mullien is pretty invasive......and if you leave it go to seed.....your gonna have a chiton of mullein for a long time to come. The deer dont use it.

 

[Foggy47]

What a difference a week makes! We got some decent rain over the weekend.....and things warmed up ALLOT. MY rye and clover have both taken off like gang-busters. Very please with what I saw today. Also killed most of that Mullien that had invaded one of my plots. Got hundreds of plants in the early rosette stage......so that is a good feeling.

 

[Foggy47]

Also today......I cleaned up ALLOT of trees that had tipped over from a heavy snow storm last November. It hit the pine trees especially hard as the snow load bent many of them to the ground and kept them there through the winter. Others broke off......but I have hundreds of bent and deformed trees. I did as well as I could with the tractor and grapple to save some....and tore the rest out. I have an over-abundance of small trees (red pines, jack pines, birch, aspen, willows) so I was quick to cull many of those trees and save a few of the more desirable species. Also used my flail mower to mulch a screen of egryptian wheat and sorghum from last summer. Did a nice job of it. Hopefully I am done with the winter damage work....and can move onto better projects. Winter here on the Tundra can be devastating.