Gravel Road
5 year old buck +
Lookin good. Come build one for me next!
Today we closed on Maple Hill Farm! Habitat Projects
- Thread starter Turkey Creek
- Start date
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
The few that I put in tree pots grew ok. The ones I direct sewed never made it as far as I can tell. I haven't checked on them lately, the drought might have done them in.
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
We have been doing a little trapping. I love to trap, I did it professionally for about 12 years. I have trapped since I was 10. I have seen good fur prices, I have seen dismal fur prices. Nonetheless critter populations are either regulated by Mother Nature or us. I believe we do it in a more humane way. Anyhow we have a few dog proof coon traps out and I put in 4 coyote/ bobcat sets yesterday. Dang its fun to roll up on a bobcat! The youngest says the luck all lies in wearing pajama pants! LOL Whatever it takes to get him off the video games for a few minutes.
I will put in a set or 2 to target bobcats more the coyotes if I think they are in a prime location. Generally speaking bobcats tend to have more fur value than coyotes so sometimes it is nice to try and cause them to shy a way from a set trap. Coyotes don't typically work traps set back in tight cover and while bobcats will hone in on a visual flag, coyotes will often shy away. Unfortunately coons, possums and skunks like bobcat sets just as well as bobcats. Keep in mind that bobcats are big visual hunters. Traps sets that stand out are more likely to catch a bobcats attention.
I hung a few snares more specifically for bobcats as well. Smaller loop guarding a lower opening. Bobcats will slip through a coyote size loop more times than not, I have seen the proof of that by tracks in the snow on more than 1 occasion. Deer trails are ok as long as you give the deer something to step or hop over. Mose cats will duck and go through. I do have break away stops on my snares though. Any leg caught deer can pop the end of the cable off and escape.
I will put in a set or 2 to target bobcats more the coyotes if I think they are in a prime location. Generally speaking bobcats tend to have more fur value than coyotes so sometimes it is nice to try and cause them to shy a way from a set trap. Coyotes don't typically work traps set back in tight cover and while bobcats will hone in on a visual flag, coyotes will often shy away. Unfortunately coons, possums and skunks like bobcat sets just as well as bobcats. Keep in mind that bobcats are big visual hunters. Traps sets that stand out are more likely to catch a bobcats attention.
I hung a few snares more specifically for bobcats as well. Smaller loop guarding a lower opening. Bobcats will slip through a coyote size loop more times than not, I have seen the proof of that by tracks in the snow on more than 1 occasion. Deer trails are ok as long as you give the deer something to step or hop over. Mose cats will duck and go through. I do have break away stops on my snares though. Any leg caught deer can pop the end of the cable off and escape.
Last edited:
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Trapping has been slow. The footholds are buried in the snow and I haven't really wanted to mess with digging them out as I figured the snow will maybe melt at some point soon LOL. I have limited amounts of waxed dirt this year to rebed traps. I have kept the snares operational for the most part, they are far easier to work with in poor weather. I like to brush in the snares pretty heavy, bobcats don't shy away from them. However, with the brush over the snare every snow typically crushes things down a bit often blocking the snare loop until I readjust things. Setting them with loops big enough for coyotes typically results in missed bobcats, so I have them all targeting bobcats right now. It sure puts a smile on your face when you cut a set of bobcat tracks in the snow and they are headed towards a snare up ahead. You can kind of see the type of location that makes a great snaring location for bobcats. I think of flowing water, typically that is where the best brushy travel lanes are anyways. This is a dry gully on our place. I should have another snare or two set in it, but I don't currently. During warmer weather coons can fill up a lot of snares quickly. Since we are coming into the main breeding season now, the Toms will be on the prowl looking for females. Season lasts until mid February so I feel like the odds of picking up another cat or 2 are pretty decent.
Turkey Creek
5 year old buck +
Haven't had much time for anything habitat related lately. I did have a borrowed GP drill here a couple of weeks ago to drill 5 acres into a forb mix. Trying to kill off a cool season grass hay pasture, which has zero wildlife value. While I had the drill I drilled my Spring Oats and some Austrian Winter Peas that I had wanted to plant last Fall. It was so dry though last Fall I figured it would be an absolute waste of time and seed. Unfortunately I had been planting for awhile when I noticed a few of the main seed box tubes were clogged. The main seed box never typically gets used only the Native Grass seed box and the small seed box. I made the mistake of not testing the seed drop before I started planting. So I expect there will be empty rows and big skips..... live and learn. Curious to see if the deer and turkeys will utilize it much before I plant it into my warm season stuff in a couple of months.
Austrian Winter Peas
Oats
Austrian Winter Peas
Oats
