J-birds place

[Bowsnbucks]

J-bird - FWIW, I've noticed for years here that bucks, in particular, like to travel along top edges of hills and ridges. I think it has to do with the view of areas below and also thermals that rise / fall to or from those spots. Some of the best buck ambush locations are right along the very edges of steep drop-offs. This was pointed out to me years ago by a co-worker who was a TREMENDOUS deer hunter. I've found his advice to be sound.

If deer are already travelling those edges where Bill drew the lines, maybe take advantage of that natural instinct and place a stand (s) accordingly. Are those lines where the drop-offs are located ??

 

[j-bird]

J-bird - FWIW, I've noticed for years here that bucks, in particular, like to travel along top edges of hills and ridges. I think it has to do with the view of areas below and also thermals that rise / fall to or from those spots. Some of the best buck ambush locations are right along the very edges of steep drop-offs. This was pointed out to me years ago by a co-worker who was a TREMENDOUS deer hunter. I've found his advice to be sound.

If deer are already travelling those edges where Bill drew the lines, maybe take advantage of that natural instinct and place a stand (s) accordingly. Are those lines where the drop-offs are located ??

I have heard the same thing about bucks using the ridges for travel. However this is more of a "bluff" if you will as it is not sloped on both sides. It is simply a change in flat elevations over a short distance. I agree the deer still move along the top 1/3 or so of the slope if they can, but it is a little different. You also have to consider if they have an easy path to follow. If it's a struggle the entire time, they will adjust as needed. That is where they change direction where it gets real steep at the point and as such they go high or low around that area....and as you mention, roughly where I will be sitting to take advantage. I also agree that the view and the use of thermals and the like make slopes a very interesting place for deer.....it also tends to mean they are just a jump or two away from being out of sight if needed as well. The old ones don't get old by accident.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

^^^^ The locations I was referring to (here, in Pa.) are just like you said - changes in relatively flat elevation over a short distance. Our slopes can be much longer because of the mountains, but even smaller drop-offs seem to get the same buck travel patterns. Here, it's very common to see faint, ghost-y trails running right along the top edges of a mountain ( we have flatter ridge tops - not peaks. Think plateau-topped mountains ). Rubs / rub scars will almost always be seen along these faint trails, and sometimes scrapes. You can walk any mountain edge here and find the same travel pattern. I think it has more to do with thermals myself, though I have no absolute proof. Thick woods and brush make me believe it's not so much about sighting danger below - deer can't see very far here.

That's why I made the correlation between where Bill drew his lines on your map and possible stand sites. Maybe the deer there use the same top-edge patterns because of thermals ?? And you're right about the old ones getting old for a reason !!! I think they're the smartest, most fine-tuned animal out there. I admire / appreciate the hell out of them.

Given the aerial pix of your hunting location - I think you'll have lots of traffic there. Make a / some comfy stand (s) !!!

 

[j-bird]

Well we have had about a week of solid rain but the weather changed sunday and I decided to take advantage. The ground was real soggy so I couldn't do any tractor work so I decided to to try to do some things I had never done before.....

A week a go or so I pruned my apple trees and kept some of the ends.....scions as the apple folks call them. So I decided to give grafting a whirl. Now, first of all it may be too early for trying this. As such I retained plenty of scions for later attempts if needed. Secondly I have no real idea of what I am doing. But they say the longest journey starts with the first step, and you can't succeed if you never try!

So - I have no ides what apple types I added to a small section of this ornamental crab I have. I really don't care as this is simply an experiment and a learning experience. Now some will tell me I used all the wrong tools and the like but I used what I had. I used a box cutter with new razor blades, electrical tape and some pruning/tree wound healing stuff - sort of like tar!

I tried 2 different graft types and whip graft and a cleft graft. The razor blades made it pretty easy to cut the soft wood of the scions.

I tried to match the branch sizes as much as I could on the whip grafts and many of the cleft grafts I put two smaller scions into those. On the cleft grafts I use a pocket knife and a small hammer to split the cut end. On both grafts I tried to line up the bark and the like as much as I could. I experimented a little bit with the use of the prune tar stuff some I used and then wrapped, some I wrapped and then applied the stuff others I just used the tape. Again, I have plenty to play with so I am just trying to see what will work. Oh, and I properly broke in the new box cutter! Nothing serious, just enough to make a mess and get in the way!

After I did roughly 8 different grafts I decided I was done for the day with that, as I plan to try other areas of the tree later in the spring to see what sort of affect timing has on the grafting success.

So then I remembered I have a large elderberry plant in an area where I essentially have no deer, because of it's location. So again I decided to try to experiment some. First thing I did was give it a significant hair cut. I have other elderberries that need to be cut way back, but I want to see how this one responds before I attack my other bushes. I them tried to save many of the ends sort of like cuttings. Some I simply stuck straight into the ground. If they grow great if not, big deal. No protection, no nothing, I simply moved to some soft soil and stuck as much into the soft ground as I could.....good luck little buddies! Others I cut to about 8" long or so and decided to stick in water and see what happens. You will see I think I am screwed because the bush had already started showing signs of the buds opening, but again.....I am out nothing more than my time.

I will try to follow up on how things go and post up any positive results. There is a chance all I did was waste my time.....but it beat sitting on the couch!

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Your tape job looks first-rate !! Nice and tight. I'm speaking from an electrician's point of view. Good luck with all the work you did.

 

[H20fwler]

Nice! A little blood while grafting....just like when I do it!
I like adding the odd stuff to a tree too. I've got a red delicious I planted just for that, so far I've added four varieties to it going to ad a couple more crabs on it in a week or two.

 

[j-bird]

Your tape job looks first-rate !! Nice and tight. I'm speaking from an electrician's point of view. Good luck with all the work you did.

I figure it was worth a shot - every one of them may fail, but at least I tried. I am trying to locate a class or the like to actually show me how.

 

[j-bird]

Nice! A little blood while grafting....just like when I do it!
I like adding the odd stuff to a tree too. I've got a red delicious I planted just for that, so far I've added four varieties to it going to ad a couple more crabs on it in a week or two.

I have red and yellow delicious, mcintosh, gala and fuji.....I think ( I was an idiot and didn't label them) and I pruned them and just tossed all the cuttings into a bag, again because I didn't really care. IF I become successful in grafting that little crab apple is going to be an "apple mutt". Once I get some experience I may do the same with my actual apple trees as well.....just because I can. They are all for the deer so I could care less as long as I get fruit. When the time comes I may even add better crabs to them as well. If I get good at this....there won't be a fruit tree safe on my place!!!1

 

[j-bird]

Went out yesterday with my youngest and burnt off some switchgrass. I do this for 2 reasons. First it exposes the cool season weeds that I can spray and kill before the switchgrass wakes up and secondly - I hope it will reveal some sheds. well....no sheds, but did see the stilt grass is awake and needs sprayed. Also helped exposed some of the tree tops I needed to push around as part of my trail project.

Also got some "help". She claim to be "the worlds best tractor driver, fire setter, tree cutter"!!!! Kids! Somebody really liked when the wind would pick up and fuel the fire!!!!

Also sings of the spring green up.....clover is waking up and the winter wheat I overseeded into my beans is green and very evident now as well. My "cedar cross" project appears to be doing OK, but the cedars seem to be fairly slow growing.....but then again I tend to be very impatient!

Hope to get out yet today and see what else we can get done.

 

[j-bird]

Well I got another project started. I went to my "north triangle" area and cleared an area in prep for becoming a clover, chicory plot. Its about 100 yards inside the woods of an inside corner with a bedding area near bay as well as my "scrape vine" is not far as well.

When we started....lots of weeds, briars, downed limbs and the like. Some burning and some tractor work and we got it in pretty good shape.


Tried to leave some trees and the beech to help the security aspect of the plot.....you can see the inside corner in the back I thinks this may be a real interesting staging area type plot.


The water hole has filled nicely with all the rain, but I think I may still need to add some clay to try to ensure it will hold water all summer.

 

[Livesintrees]

Looks great! Btw if she’s the worlds greatest tree cutter I’ll pay for her airfare to come here! bc I have an oak next to the house that needs dropping. Easily 150 feet high and two grown men can’t reach around it and touch hands. It’s a years worth of wood.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Having a plot with / surrounded by cover sounds like daylight shot prospects. Water hole is just icing on the cake in there.

It's great to have sons & daughters involved. Outdoors beats TV and "thumb games". Plus they can keep an eye on Dad !!

 

[j-bird]

Looks great! Btw if she’s the worlds greatest tree cutter I’ll pay for her airfare to come here! bc I have an oak next to the house that needs dropping. Easily 150 feet high and two grown men can’t reach around it and touch hands. It’s a years worth of wood.

She CLAIMS to be a lot of things! One thing she is and that is full of a lot of bull.......like her momma! She just about clipped the side of the garage door opening with the tractor tire - and claims to be the worlds best tractor driver as well.....so I would recommend you getting a real professional and not a 14 yo girl! Claims to the best deer hunter as well, after taking her first deer ever this fall...... The list goes on and on.....

Having a plot with / surrounded by cover sounds like daylight shot prospects. Water hole is just icing on the cake in there.

It's great to have sons & daughters involved. Outdoors beats TV and "thumb games". Plus they can keep an eye on Dad !!

I just like that she enjoys being outside and nature and the like. Some kids take to it more than others. I just open the door and see what they want to do. I have my father and grandfather to thank for my introduction and the HUGE amount of patience it takes/took. You never truly appreciate the patience it took to teach you as a child until you have to teach your own kids.

The "plot" is in an interesting spot and I hope all goes well. The plan is to plant a clover chicory mix with a heavy does of chicory as the deer just hammer it in the fall. I also hope to add some elderberry cuttings and some swamp white oaks as well. I figure if the natural foods take over and the plot peters out that is fine, and if the native foods struggle then I still have a good spot. I got a chance of snow yet this week (after being roughly 50 over the weekend).....so I have some time for seed, but may try to get it down soon to give it as much of a chance as I can yet this year. If it doesn't do so well, I can plant again come fall.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Concerning raising and teaching kids ............ ain't it the truth !! We appreciate our parents lots more when it's US raising our own kids.
I too, have my Dad and uncles to thank for introducing me to the outdoors. They were patient and great mentors. They gave me a lifetime gift, which I passed on to my sons.

I think your plot will turn out well. Another plus for your place.

 

[Livesintrees]

She CLAIMS to be a lot of things! One thing she is and that is full of a lot of bull.......like her momma! She just about clipped the side of the garage door opening with the tractor tire - and claims to be the worlds best tractor driver as well.....so I would recommend you getting a real professional and not a 14 yo girl! Claims to the best deer hunter as well, after taking her first deer ever this fall...... The list goes on and on.....



I just like that she enjoys being outside and nature and the like. Some kids take to it more than others. I just open the door and see what they want to do. I have my father and grandfather to thank for my introduction and the HUGE amount of patience it takes/took. You never truly appreciate the patience it took to teach you as a child until you have to teach your own kids.

The "plot" is in an interesting spot and I hope all goes well. The plan is to plant a clover chicory mix with a heavy does of chicory as the deer just hammer it in the fall. I also hope to add some elderberry cuttings and some swamp white oaks as well. I figure if the natural foods take over and the plot peters out that is fine, and if the native foods struggle then I still have a good spot. I got a chance of snow yet this week (after being roughly 50 over the weekend).....so I have some time for seed, but may try to get it down soon to give it as much of a chance as I can yet this year. If it doesn't do so well, I can plant again come fall.

Women are the greatest at everything. In their minds anyway!

 

[Bill]

I bet those elderberry cutting grow. I put some in one November and they made it the next spring.

 

[j-bird]

Women are the greatest at everything. In their minds anyway!

Saw a thing on FB the other day....

If women are always right and men are always wrong.....when a man tells a woman she is right.....is he still wrong?

 

[j-bird]

I bet those elderberry cutting grow. I put some in one November and they made it the next spring.

We will find out. I have never screwed with them before, so I will try a few things and see what works. I have a few around to get cuttings from next year if needed as well. I figure the wife may not be real happy this summer. Last year I had saw tooth and MG growing on the back deck. This year I hope to have more MG, some Swamp white oak and Elderberry this year.....good thing it's a big deck! I may go try some willow as well, real quick....just for the hell of it!

 

[j-bird]

I planted the plot I cleared in my previous post today. Broadcast 4 lbs of Endure Forage Chicory and 1 lb of Jumbo 2 Ladino clover. Got it from my local seed store. It may be a bit early, but it should be fine. I will continue to monitor it to see how it goes. I wanted a heavy amount of chicory so this should be a real interesting spot for late October and early November.

Also found something odd..... I have a stump where I put a mineral block last year - it was gone around the end of summer last year and I didn't replace it. I went out today to replace the mineral block on the same stump......and in the bare ground around the stump there are clumps of white deer hair.....several. I am not sure if this is normal or something I should be concerned about. With no mineral there I didn't have a cam either, so I am not sure what happened. I am certain it's deer hair.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Shedding winter coat. Your stump looks like the ones I've put mineral on. Deer chew the wood and lick it. Some of our stumps were pretty smooth from licking.

Good seed choices.