New Hope Creek Home

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I am adding these laminated help sheets to the barn wall (where hunts commence and end) and in each blind this season. I am generally not home during firearms season, so this is helpful for the kids and grandkids who hunt the property. I could have used the drop chart last year when I missed a doe at 250 yards by "guessing" a drop of 12" with the .243 when it was actually a drop of 6".



The food plot supplies for the cabin "hidey hole" plot are ready to be loaded into the pickup. It's about 3 hours to the cabin, so planning a trip around work and rain is always a challenge. There have been many seasons the work has been done in the dark! The seeds will be broadcast at the same time as the fertilizer and lime. Lime, 12-12-12 and a mix of radish, oats, clover and turnips will be broadcast. The plot was nuked with glyphosate last week.


Down the road I am looking at converting this hidey hole into a native food plot, with a focus on controlling invasive and grasses. To accomplish this I have terminated some additional trees using hack and squirt. The first two years I disked, broadcast and harrowed the plots, which resulted in rocks everywhere... Starting win 2014 I transitioned to no-till, using throw & mow and chains behind an ATV to promote seed to soil contact. What was once rocks now has a nice soil base with a pH of 6.6 and 6.5% organic matter. These food plots have contributed to building up the soil and increasing the organic matter available, and the plot has shown an impressive improvement in just 11 years.


Great soil where there once was rocks. Since this picture, a number of additional trees have been cut.

 

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The first chore of the day was to cut a new access route to the kill plot. While I am only moving the blind 50’, the change required cutting a 70’ path through woods, brambles and vines. This is one of the spots I can hunt on north wind and no wind days.

I mowed the access trails today, and checked out the acorn situation. Not as many as last year, but the Burr oaks all look good. My wife stained two tower stands—the 5 1/2’ 4x4 for the new four panel OuttaSite blind and a 4 1/2’ 6x8 tower that is yet-to-be-finished that will support 5 panel OuttaSite blind I’ve had since last season. My son is coming over tomorrow to help place the blinds.

 

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With the help of my son we finished one of the tower stands. The wasps were not happy at being dislocated, and expressed their anger on my son twice. This blind may be moved next year, but will be a good rut/rifle blind for 2025.






We also placed a 5.5’ tower for bow hunting at a transition point. I will be putting a soft sided blind on this tower and removing a Tri-pod stand that has graced this location for eight seasons. I post some pictures once the project is complete.

I noticed the fall plots are coming up...we had .34" of rain two days after planting on August 9th and none since that time. With the first official heat wave on the season continuing for another day or two, this is starting to seem like a repeat of last year's total plot failures. The plots with more shade are doing OK, but those in full sun are brown.

 

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It’s hard to believe season opens in 15 days at the New Hope Creek Home. This weekend’s task included finishing placement of a box blind tower, completion of another hard-sided tower and adding some mock scraps and rubs. I also am building a new archery range using RR ties & horse mats for the backstop. Once done I’ll post a few pictures.


Several years of observation suggest this is a good location for evening hunts. This is one of the few towers where trap door access makes sense.


OuttaSite five-panel blind ready to be moved to the field. This is the new 50 yard access trail to where the tower will be placed.


Working on scrap and rub setups. I am slowly putting in more rub posts, but this is one of a handful of traditional mock scraps I am using on the farm.

The drought has done a number on the food plots. This plot is in the shade and is showing signs of life. The only other plot that looks good is the soybeans plot planted in early May that will be standing after the ag fields are harvested.

 

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The archery target and backstop is almost done. I still need to add a pitched roof to reduce exposure to the elements and some ground posts for a 3D target.

 

[Turkey Creek]

I like those rubber stall mats for backstops. It can be a bit challenging to pull your arrow, but I look at that as a reminder to not miss... LOL!

 

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. . . It can be a bit challenging to pull your arrow, but I look at that as a reminder to not miss... LOL!

Good tip. I need to remember to carry that over to the deer and turkey :-)

 

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While I should be doing other chores, I chose to finish the archery backstop so it will be ready for our Pre-Deer Camp Sept 12-14th.

I also finished some mock scrapes. I’m trying cedar branches instead of oaks this year. If it doesn’t attract movement, I’ll switch back to oaks.



The white acorns are starting to fall. This will definitely change the feeding patterns.


Finally, I pulled the old Tri-Pod stand out of the woods. I put a new seat on last year that is holding up well, so I may find a “one and done” location.

 

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I was pleased to see these hens on the property. Our turkey population in the area seems to be rebounding. I had the first picture of poults this season (one picture, two poults) and this is the first picture with more than two birds.

 

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It doesn’t look like Dangles, one of my target buck is going to make it to the opener. I’m pretty sure he has a brain abscess.

 

[Catscratch]

I never had as much luck with cedar licking branches as I did oak.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

It doesn’t look like Dangles, one of my target buck is going to make it to the opener. I’m pretty sure he has a brain abscess.
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Hate to see that man. I’m sorry.