My Land Tour...The Big Woods

[H20fwler]

Great job, H20!! Your places have become wildlife / pollinator havens.

Thanks Bows, it has been quite the learning curve the past ten years. Fun to see it coming together now.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Thanks Bows, it has been quite the learning curve the past ten years. Fun to see it coming together now.

I remember when you started. Big, positive changes since then. Pheasants breeding on your places will keep Darcy happy.

 

[TonySoprano]

Here’s my gray ghost. Planted in 2021 most likely. Hasn’t been touched since.

How does the Grey Ghost stand up to CAR and Japaneese beetles ?

 

[buckdeer1]

My gray ghost had FB strikes this year,2nd year in ground. Out of 34 trees I planted from 4 different orchards only 1 other tree showed any issues.The gray ghost and sheepnose had FB and 1 other is showing some CAR

 

[TonySoprano]

My gray ghost had FB strikes this year,2nd year in ground. Out of 34 trees I planted from 4 different orchards only 1 other tree showed any issues.The gray ghost and sheepnose had FB and 1 other is showing some CAR

Copy that , I won't be planting any of them then. I will say both the Death Wish and Feather Up crabs I planted this year from Whitetail crabs are both growing clean.

 

[H20fwler]

How does the Grey Ghost stand up to CAR and Japaneese beetles ?

Haven’t had trouble with the jap beetles or much CAR with mine here yet or FB, oldest around 10 years youngest maybe fourth year. They have been very slow to fruit.

 

[H20fwler]

Had a small dust up with the county mowing crew a couple weeks ago.
They have the “right to mow out to 30’ from center of road. They mowed 42’ from center and mowed down a couple dozen silt/hybrid/flame willow and a few nice arborvitae I planted around ten years ago.




I drove straight to the county engineers office and pretty much lost my shit.
The guy was so nice about it I couldn’t stay mad at him. They had contracted the late season mowing out and that crew was obviously overzealous and not pro nature habitat.
He offered to have the county reimburse me for the cost and labor, but being mostly willows I think there is a good chance they should grow back. And I am going to put up “Do Not Mow” signs.

Had a chance at this buck at 40 yards second day of gun law but held off.


I have kind of been waiting this guy out.



Have some history with him from last year, and we found his weak side shed this spring. The pics don’t do him justice he is a pig with good mass. Notice the split in his ear.
This is last year



Here he is with a normal size buck, I think he is pushing 300lbs on the hoof.


Also getting a lot of turkeys at the feeder, mostly bachelor bunches.

 

[H20fwler]

Darcy and I have also been having a hoot at the farm chasing pheasants, I think I enjoy this the most.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I'm sure Darcy is happy on those outings! Nice brace of birds.

That mowing overreach sucks. I'd have lost my shit too. Can't re-do time lost. I hope your willows pop back up for you. Arbs grow fairly fast, if you have to re-plant a few. "Don't mow" signs are a good idea - IF they can read! Takes all kinds .......

That buck is a brute. Ear split probably from fighting? I've seen that here with bigger bucks.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I’ve never seen a green rooster before, did you buy those from a pheasant farm or are they native?

Hopefully you get a crack at that heavyweight buck. How much more time does your gun and bow season last?

 

[H20fwler]

I’ve never seen a green rooster before, did you buy those from a pheasant farm or are they native?

Hopefully you get a crack at that heavyweight buck. How much more time does your gun and bow season last?

I've got a month of bow season left, second gun is this weekend, but I am "supposed" to work.
We stock some birds and have some carry overs that have bred on the farm now. I saw some half-grown pheasants this summer while mowing.
The green/black rooster is a cool color phase; I'm surprised they can stay ahead of the foxes and hawks being that color.

This pick was from this past spring right where the county mowed a few weeks ago.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

That green/black bird looks like he has mossy oak camo on in that picture. That's a really cool looking bird.

 

[H20fwler]

Darcy has had a very good year, I don’t know if I could get any up without her as thick as the cover is.