WTNUT
5 year old buck +
My wife and daughter think I am insane when it comes to the fruit trees (yes I ordered more for a fall planting). We are at the farm now for a fall Labor Day get away. My 11 year old daughter brought a friend. My wife brought a book and they are all still asleep at the house while I eat and communicate with you from a local country diner. I took them to look at 80 acres that joins us yesterday and which I have made an offer to purchase. They looked at it asking whether the hunting would be very good even though neither hunts. My wife witnessed my obsession with large whitetail bucks for 20 plus years before I became obsessed with fruit trees. My daughter followed a similar but shorter path. As I looked at the property, I would have not noticed a 185 inch whitetail had he jumped in the back of the Polaris Ranger with us. All I could see was the absence of fruit trees and a bountiful supply of prime spots for them. As I explained why the location would be so great for apple trees, pear trees, peach trees and more trees! Only as a 11 year old pre-teen daughter can do, my daughter said "hey Dad, remember deer season it is just around the corner." I had to stop and laugh because she is right it is just around the corner.
My question is how many of you enjoy your fruit trees as much or more than you do hunting. I enjoy it so much that I am giving serious consideration to giving up hunting and simply run a limited number of hunts on our property for clients, friends and perhaps people looking for a place to hunt. I have killed more large bucks than one should get in five lifetimes and I would be content with never taking another. I am not; however, content with not buying any more property and making it better than when I found it through fruit trees and overall habitat management.
My question is how many of you enjoy your fruit trees as much or more than you do hunting. I enjoy it so much that I am giving serious consideration to giving up hunting and simply run a limited number of hunts on our property for clients, friends and perhaps people looking for a place to hunt. I have killed more large bucks than one should get in five lifetimes and I would be content with never taking another. I am not; however, content with not buying any more property and making it better than when I found it through fruit trees and overall habitat management.