Rit’s Parcel

[Bowsnbucks]

That 1st pic in post #100 - I guess from a tree stand ? - looks like a great spot. All the uneven field edges & the meandering "walkways" between brush patches HAS to look good to deer. Rye looking good too. Nice work Rit.

 

[Rit]

That 1st pic in post #100 - I guess from a tree stand ? - looks like a great spot. All the uneven field edges & the meandering "walkways" between brush patches HAS to look good to deer. Rye looking good too. Nice work Rit.

Thanks BB. It’s an old stand on the South side of that travel route/plot. I don’t hunt it anymore and have meant to take it down but just crawled up there to snap the photo. I hunted it a handful of times and access is difficult at best. This area really has blossomed into the premier spot on my property. To the left of the photo about 60 yards away is the destination field. From the time I see the deer until they meander through the area I only see them for 3 or 4 minutes. I am fortunate enough to have two huge bedding areas on each end of the plot. My house sits to the right of the plot about 100 yards away so it pinches the deer down into this plot and they just hug the edges.

 

[Rit]

Anyone think this bed is being used much? I cut the buckthorn up a few years ago and removed the lower branches on the cedar. It didn’t take long for a deer to take up the spot. Found a lot of rubs leaving the area.

 

[Rit]

Last week I transplanted this unknown Apple tree into my destination field. I planted it in a terrible spot originally and it didn’t do much the last few years. I completely neglected the tree. I noticed tonight that the buds were starting to swell. Hopefully that’s a good sign. I was able to get a majority of the roots. It’s about 10’ tall. If nothing else I hope the roots survive so I can get into grafting next year.

 

[Rit]

I really took it on the chin this past week. I thought I was making great progress on my never ending buckthorn battle. Well I found three new patches and they were thick. Some of the biggest buckthorn trees I have ever saw. The worst part is there is a life time of seed already sewn into the soil in this area. I never expected to win the battle but thought I could slow it down.

I am not sure I have ever felt so defeated. It takes a lot to discourage me. I reached that point this week. What I thought was going to be a week of habitat work turned in to 3 solid days of killing buckthorn. Even with the sap flowing in the wrong direction I cut and sprayed all I could find. I’ll spray the seedlings next year in the fall. My best guess is that I cut down well over 1500 buckthorn trees. I used every bit of 10 tanks of fuel. The worst part of the battle is the area would be full of cedars if not for the buckthorn. One good thing is I have a Dogwood that seems to be competing with the buckthorn. I think it’s roughleaf Dogwood.

 

[Rit]

Sweet Sixteen apple tree planted September of 2018 with about 40 flowers on it. Honey gold next to has 10 or so. Both red blooms. Not up to par on the pollination chart for these trees. I don’t believe I have anything in the area to pollinate them. New crabs in the ground but they are 1st year bareroot trees.

 

[Rit]

Switch is really starting to pop. This time last year those seedlings were barely sprouted.

 

[Rit]

Streamco Willow screen is really starting to put on growth. Some cuttings have put on 18” of growth already. I think my trial of these cuttings has been a success. I have had about 95% of the cuttings show signs of life. I only did 300’ this year but if these survive I’ll finish the other 700’. What a difference the ground cover makes. I may never plant another tree or cutting without it.

 

[Rit]

South end of the destination plot not in great shape. These may be switch seedlings but I didn’t get close enough. This end had Kanlow seeded last November. Not sure how much longer they will survive in that water.

 

[Rit]

First year Callaway planted April of this year. Good thing it’s on M111. Look at the water.

 

[Rit]

Couple first year persimmons leafing out. None of the fruit trees I have planted this Spring have given up the ghost yet. They all show good signs of life.

 

[H20fwler]

Looks really good Rit, you have had a busy spring.

 

[Rit]

Looks really good Rit, you have had a busy spring.

Thanks H20 I bet we would both have gotten a little more done if not for all this rain.

 

[Rit]

Planted 2018 and we have apples. This tree would have had about 20 apples on it but I pinched them off. I couldn’t resist letting a few grow.

 

[Rit]

I know that CIR is all the rage but I absolutely love this Kanlow. 2nd year switch and we are almost 7’ tall. I seeded it light in comparison to the CIR. Wish I had added more Kanlow.

 

[Rit]

It has been awhile and I have a little more time on my hands than normal so thought maybe it’s a good time to update this thread. I’ll start with 2018s deer. I got the mount back around Labor Day 2019. It may have lit a fire that I have been waiting and hoping would start but I didn’t want to force the issue.

I brought him home and was asked by a certain 9 year old if the mount could go in HER room. My response was no of course not no participation trophies here. Any deer on her wall will be shot by her. 6 months later she is still all in on shooting a deer. First to eat then to mount. It has led to many conversations about deer, cameras, and trees. With warmer weather on the horizon it’s almost time to learn how to shoot.

 

[Rit]

The 2019 season was well the 2019 season. No deer taken but damn did I see a ton of deer. Very lacking in mature deer sightings. That was disappointing but some days I ran into 25 deer. That’s a lot for 40 acres. I only had 4 mature deer sightings. 3 of them were the same deer. That deer just happened to be the kind of deer dreams are made of. A very mature 11 point. From the first time I saw him at 40 yards in late October until the last time I saw him at 10:00 am on November 16th broadside at 18 yards I knew it was that deer or no deer.

I should have killed that deer. I replay the encounter in my head several times a week and usually at night when I don’t sleep or woken up for work. It was just one of those scenarios where I heard him before I saw him and when I turned our eyes met we stared at one another and he walked out of my life maybe forever. I passed a big mature 10 that evening because I had that encounter with “the” deer.

There is no doubt that my habitat work is attracting and holding deer but maybe not always the deer I’d like. It has led to an off season for evaluating stands and camera placements. That mature 11 seemed to know where my cameras were and I watched him on two occasions walk around them. Very odd behavior but I fully believe he knew.

 

[Rit]

I have taken some time away from the forum lately mostly from posting but still browse on occasion. I was just spending way too much time on here and less time focusing on important things. With the kids out of school and schooling online now I haven’t had a lot of time. I did find a little break today to plant some trees. Had some welcome visitors in the field.

 

[Rit]

Big buck tracks in the Spring aren’t something I am accustomed to but they always get my attention. The biggest buck I ever saw had the smallest feet though. With the Winter Rye in full green up we have a lot of deer right now. That will end next month provided crops actually go in this year. Maybe it’s the big 11.

 

[Rit]

Addy my 3rd oldest of 4 girls is an absolute trooper. It doesn’t matter if it’s a quick run to check a camera or 8 hours digging holes for trees. She never complains and rolls up her sleeves to help me. Here she is putting a flag in a rooted red osier dogwood cutting so we can find it when we come back with a weed mat and cage.