Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
It looks like the local herd has moved in and approves of your goodies. That mower does a nice job. I've found that our deer will walk the mowed trails I make rather than through high stuff. Maybe the younger, succulent new growth after mowing is the attraction ??
Young fruit trees and cam pix look really good.
Young fruit trees and cam pix look really good.
scott44
5 year old buck +
Planted my brassicas into last years rye throw and roll. We were supposed to have rain on thurs. but nothing and nothing till next Sat. maybe.
Got all the grass cleaned up in the orchard in and out of the cages and weed whipped and sprayed around tree tubes.
Trail cam pics
Got all the grass cleaned up in the orchard in and out of the cages and weed whipped and sprayed around tree tubes.
Trail cam pics
scott44
5 year old buck +
Got a good kill on the rye and stuff for the brassicas now if we could just get some moisture.
Trying a throw and spray strip with some brassicas in some grass.
My dad always put Birdsfoot Trefoil in our alfalfa so I used to add it to my alfalfa/clover mixes this year with it being so dry the trefoil is really taking off in some sections of plots. My deer will use it but they prefer alfalfa, I think I'm going to go back and add it to my mixes just because of it's drought tolerance.
We did our annual fishing trip on Lake MI last Saturday, a beautiful, calm day with good fishing. We limited out on Lake trout and caught a couple kings.
A few trail cam pics.
Trying a throw and spray strip with some brassicas in some grass.
My dad always put Birdsfoot Trefoil in our alfalfa so I used to add it to my alfalfa/clover mixes this year with it being so dry the trefoil is really taking off in some sections of plots. My deer will use it but they prefer alfalfa, I think I'm going to go back and add it to my mixes just because of it's drought tolerance.
We did our annual fishing trip on Lake MI last Saturday, a beautiful, calm day with good fishing. We limited out on Lake trout and caught a couple kings.
A few trail cam pics.
scott44
5 year old buck +
Finally above the grass, these were planted 3 yrs ago with not much care, often I thought this was a failure planting but this year the conifers really came on.
3+ inches of rain last week and everything is looking ok again. Sorghum mix plot.
Made it out and cut some tails through the switch, DR worked great for this. Also some MG planted in the switch is coming along good.
The last couple years I've noticed turkeys and does and fawns bedding more in our switch plantings, these guys have been in the switch about 40yds behind this camera.
3+ inches of rain last week and everything is looking ok again. Sorghum mix plot.
Made it out and cut some tails through the switch, DR worked great for this. Also some MG planted in the switch is coming along good.
The last couple years I've noticed turkeys and does and fawns bedding more in our switch plantings, these guys have been in the switch about 40yds behind this camera.
scott44
5 year old buck +
Mowed some yesterday prepping for some NWSGs and MG. Going to try planting the NWSGs/forbes in strips and letting them fill in over time versus planting it all and having it thick, this is 3-4 acres of fallow grass that I haven't done anything with it was a hay field years ago but it has natural drainage through it that made it tough to get to some wet years.
MG and NWSGs are going to screen off the hayfield and strips are following the low spots.
Pretty soon this will be all switch as it is pushing the Big Blue and Indian grass out.
I have some Chinese chestnuts grown in RM's making it out of the tubes.
A few trail cam pics.
MG and NWSGs are going to screen off the hayfield and strips are following the low spots.
Pretty soon this will be all switch as it is pushing the Big Blue and Indian grass out.
I have some Chinese chestnuts grown in RM's making it out of the tubes.
A few trail cam pics.
Davewp
5 year old buck +
with all those tubes out there in that field. You just know theres a bigger plan taking shape. Big part of being able to look back / forward at the 5 yr plan and see whats worked, and tweek what has not.Mowed some yesterday prepping for some NWSGs and MG. Going to try planting the NWSGs/forbes in strips and letting them fill in over time versus planting it all and having it thick, this is 3-4 acres of fallow grass that I haven't done anything with it was a hay field years ago but it has natural drainage through it that made it tough to get to some wet years.
MG and NWSGs are going to screen off the hayfield and strips are following the low spots.
Pretty soon this will be all switch as it is pushing the Big Blue and Indian grass out.
I have some Chinese chestnuts grown in RM's making it out of the tubes.
A few trail cam pics.
scott44
5 year old buck +
When I bought this place it was a 40 acre hay field and I took the back 10 acres and started with plots, should have started with cover but I learned and priorities changed.
Davewp
5 year old buck +
i have enjoyed making changes - cover, fruit trees, sanctuary areas, then watching how deer have responded and changed their behavior. Changing woods to plots, or fields "starting" woods. Huge factor in wether to sell or not. I have this five yr plan to see. (But next yr will start a new project to see through another 5 yrs.)
scott44
5 year old buck +
Not much habitat work this last little bit, we spent some time on Lake MI vacationing, did a couple twilight fishing trips and did ok the numbers weren't there but the size of the salmon was. 5 fish at 107 lbs the biggest was a 28.5 lb.
The brassicas are doing good with some timely rains.
The brassicas are doing good with some timely rains.
H20fwler
5 year old buck +
Nice fish, that one is a HAWG! Sweet little herd of deer too, everything is looking good.
Wife and I went up through MI this past weekend to Marquette for a nice four day getaway, stopped at Gustafson's on the way home and picked up some smoked salmon and seven year old sharp cheddar to snack on until we get back up there this fall.
Wife and I went up through MI this past weekend to Marquette for a nice four day getaway, stopped at Gustafson's on the way home and picked up some smoked salmon and seven year old sharp cheddar to snack on until we get back up there this fall.
scott44
5 year old buck +
My largest salmon.
scott44
5 year old buck +
Last year I extended this plot with cereal grains and clover I hadn't done anything with it until a couple weeks ago I mowed some and released the clover yesterday I did another throw and mow cereal grain mix with the rest.
Going through so old pics and thought I'd do some comparisons then to now.
In May of 2013 I put in my first MG screen, it was 110yds on the edge of a food plot trying to screen ag field from plot. The plot was 2-3 acres but when I put it in I didn't think of it's location so I let it go fallow and started planting NWSG's and forbes in it. Here's some progression pics from May of 2013 until now of both the MG and the old plot.
5/6/13
For the first couple years I planted a strip of e-wheat and sorghum.
Wheat harvest 8/13
A year later same e-wheat/sorghum screen.
A couple weeks ago, NWSG's are kinda sparse but are coming along.
One more comparison on some NWSG's first pic was July 2014 and the next ones were this last week.
Rain was in the forecast for today so I put some urea down on my brassicas yesterday, the weatherman wasn't wrong this time raining here good this A.M.
Going through so old pics and thought I'd do some comparisons then to now.
In May of 2013 I put in my first MG screen, it was 110yds on the edge of a food plot trying to screen ag field from plot. The plot was 2-3 acres but when I put it in I didn't think of it's location so I let it go fallow and started planting NWSG's and forbes in it. Here's some progression pics from May of 2013 until now of both the MG and the old plot.
5/6/13
For the first couple years I planted a strip of e-wheat and sorghum.
Wheat harvest 8/13
A year later same e-wheat/sorghum screen.
A couple weeks ago, NWSG's are kinda sparse but are coming along.
One more comparison on some NWSG's first pic was July 2014 and the next ones were this last week.
Rain was in the forecast for today so I put some urea down on my brassicas yesterday, the weatherman wasn't wrong this time raining here good this A.M.
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scott44
5 year old buck +
Plenty of moisture here lately, things are growth like crazy. I did most of my plots this year with the throw and mow/roll and it all looks good because of the moisture.
I'm trying a TnM spraying and not spraying with cereal grains, these were seeded and mowed the same day, lots of clover coming up in the non sprayed side.
One of the brassica plots is looking good with clover in there.
A week ago Wed. we had a storm roll through with straight line winds and we lost power for awhile, the rain and the winds also knocked down some switch waiting to see if it stands back up.
I put up a rubbing/licking tree and it didn't take long for them to find it.
Some trail cam pics.
Juvenile bald eagles use trail cams as a perch.
I'm trying a TnM spraying and not spraying with cereal grains, these were seeded and mowed the same day, lots of clover coming up in the non sprayed side.
One of the brassica plots is looking good with clover in there.
A week ago Wed. we had a storm roll through with straight line winds and we lost power for awhile, the rain and the winds also knocked down some switch waiting to see if it stands back up.
I put up a rubbing/licking tree and it didn't take long for them to find it.
Some trail cam pics.
Juvenile bald eagles use trail cams as a perch.
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scott44
5 year old buck +
I thought there was a good chance I would never see any acorns from trees I planted but I was wrong, last year this Bur Gambel oak had acorns and again this year and the tree in the tube next to it this year, I thought they were both Bur gambels but apparently the other is a Bur of some sort. These were both planted the spring 2012.
Bur gambel
Bur
Our older mature apple trees didn't have as many apples as they usually do, I'm not sure what they are.
Some other apples I planted in 2015 that I let have a few apples this year, bad thing I didn't tag them some I'm not sure what they are, lesson learned I tagged everything I've planted the couple years.
Earlier this year while cleaning out tree tubes I took the tube off this hazelnut thinking it was gone, apparently it sprouted from the roots, going to throw a cage around it and see how it does.
Bur gambel
Bur
Our older mature apple trees didn't have as many apples as they usually do, I'm not sure what they are.
Some other apples I planted in 2015 that I let have a few apples this year, bad thing I didn't tag them some I'm not sure what they are, lesson learned I tagged everything I've planted the couple years.
Earlier this year while cleaning out tree tubes I took the tube off this hazelnut thinking it was gone, apparently it sprouted from the roots, going to throw a cage around it and see how it does.
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