sandbur
5 year old buck +
Stu has mentioned that to me.
The Sandbox
- Thread starter sandbur
- Start date
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
No need to apologize, Bur. Never get tired of seeing pix of the Sandbox !! Boy.... that looks like good deer country. With all your spruce, popple, crabs and that grassy, weedy stuff plus agri. fields........ deer would put down roots there I would think! That area looks like it could produce some monsters if you could get a few doe groups to move in so they could start dropping fawns.
That crab looks like it'll be a good one for you, too. If I'm reading your metal tag correctly, it looks like Platte River crab? Is that one of those " wet area " crabs you speak of? If it's still holding apples this late - that's a plus for sure. I planted a seedling this fall I started from a seed in an apple core. It grew to about 4' tall this summer in a pot. From the look of the leaves, I think it'll be a crab of some sort. I hope it's a good one for deer.
That crab looks like it'll be a good one for you, too. If I'm reading your metal tag correctly, it looks like Platte River crab? Is that one of those " wet area " crabs you speak of? If it's still holding apples this late - that's a plus for sure. I planted a seedling this fall I started from a seed in an apple core. It grew to about 4' tall this summer in a pot. From the look of the leaves, I think it'll be a crab of some sort. I hope it's a good one for deer.
sandbur
5 year old buck +
That year I collected seed from a wild crab growing along the Plate River. It was up the bank a bit from the river's edge, t least 2-3 feet above usual water line.
It was the fastest growing seedling from that planting and was planted on some of my best soil.
Not what I call swamp crab.
It was the fastest growing seedling from that planting and was planted on some of my best soil.
Not what I call swamp crab.
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sandbur
5 year old buck +
For a handful of years, my wife and I did not shoot any does. I had a few family groups of deer when nobody else had many. Then I listened to QDMA. Few oaks were growing without browsing and started killing some does.
Now I kind of wish I never had done so, but I did want to let my girls shoot any deer that wanted when they started hunting.
It looks like it might take a long time to bring deer numbers back so I have three does on the 170 acres. My only hope might be that a fair number of deer are hiding in the several standing corn fields.
Now I kind of wish I never had done so, but I did want to let my girls shoot any deer that wanted when they started hunting.
It looks like it might take a long time to bring deer numbers back so I have three does on the 170 acres. My only hope might be that a fair number of deer are hiding in the several standing corn fields.
sandbur
5 year old buck +
That is the pattern that I see. Lottery areas or hunters choice seem to have smaller land holdings with large numbers of deer.
Landowners who have practiced trigger restraint on does have more deer if they have larger properties and connecting cover. My connecting cover has disappeared through the years.
I posted this somewhere recently, but D and DH had an article in the Dec. issue. Texas manager said that the one thing that is needed for big bucks in lots of healthy buck fawns. Lots of buck fawns means that you are more likely to have one or two with great potential. Where do you get lots of buck fawns-from lots of does.
That is the one thing that those who push for APR's need to remember. Can the doe herd supply plenty of fawns if hunting pressure is shifted to the does?
I suspect that is what has happened in Camp Ripley. A lot less does, so less fawns, and that will mean less big bucks for a number of years.
I have been in tears many times over what I have seen our DNR do to our deer herd. I just can not believe the attitudes of our area wildlife managers and those above them.
I got to get back to habitat. I get depressed and pissed off over these issues with the DNR.
sandbur
5 year old buck +
Kirt- about 79 are rental acres. There are two foodplots for a total of about 3 acres. I count foodplots as habitat, but not cover unless they are in current year corn.
I have a fair amount of edge as the habitat is in a wide U shape that includes two water flowages in different directions with a 2-3 acre foodplot at the base of the U.
I have a fair amount of edge as the habitat is in a wide U shape that includes two water flowages in different directions with a 2-3 acre foodplot at the base of the U.
sandbur
5 year old buck +
I have been reluctant to post this picture as it does not match many of your standards, but my wife is happy. She made a great one shot kill on a trotting deer on the foodplot at the base of the U. It is the second biggest buck she has ever killed. 160 pounds. I need to look at the teeth, but probably 2.5 years old.About 15 years ago she shot a 10 pointer that weighed 206 pounds. That was back when we had more deer. Her other bucks have been yearlings.
Our daughters, my wife, and myself all are happy with a yearling buck. I do pass yearlings at times, but usually they will shoot a yearling as opportunities are so limited.
bueller
Moderator
That's all that matters! And for the record that buck DOES match my standards at this point in my hunting journey. One day it may not but for now it does.
West Branch
5 year old buck +
Congrats to her! I would for sure shoot that buck archery hunting and probably firearms as well.
bwoods11
5 year old buck +
I'm glad you are able to get deer off your land, and that is a nice healthy buck (congrats).
The picture of the corn cob standing untouched for 18 months. Even though you were in intensive harvest, something still does not add up. 100 acres of great cover, and you should have deer coming in as a sanctuary? I don't know the answer, unless there is just simply no deer or less than 10 deer in your bordering sections?
Do the deer winter or migrate somewhere else? Some big habitat area?
The picture of the corn cob standing untouched for 18 months. Even though you were in intensive harvest, something still does not add up. 100 acres of great cover, and you should have deer coming in as a sanctuary? I don't know the answer, unless there is just simply no deer or less than 10 deer in your bordering sections?
Do the deer winter or migrate somewhere else? Some big habitat area?
sandbur
5 year old buck +
Some winters the deer do migrate to other areas. Their tradition is to migrate.
Last winter I had up to 12 or 13 deer on that foodplot and enjoyed seeing them from the house. There is some current year corn planted in that foodplot, but also STILL last years corn is there in good amounts.
I have about 30 acres as a sanctuary and another 10 acres ion the other side of this foodplot.
Deer numbers. you need to deal with our area manager. He said we had about 12 dpsm and that was above goal. He figures we need Intensive Harvest and early antlerless, as well as landowner tag. I argued that we have about 6dpsm, prefawn. Guess what the aerial survey showed... 7.2 dpsm.
The DNR flew 6 dmu's for aerial counts last winter and 4 of them have aerial counts very much different from what the model says. Two of those 4 might be skewed because of state parks being in the aerial survey.
So I will give them the benefit of the doubt and 50% of our aerial surveys had vast differences from the model. Can we trust them to make any decisions with this type of accuracy?
Last winter I had up to 12 or 13 deer on that foodplot and enjoyed seeing them from the house. There is some current year corn planted in that foodplot, but also STILL last years corn is there in good amounts.
I have about 30 acres as a sanctuary and another 10 acres ion the other side of this foodplot.
Deer numbers. you need to deal with our area manager. He said we had about 12 dpsm and that was above goal. He figures we need Intensive Harvest and early antlerless, as well as landowner tag. I argued that we have about 6dpsm, prefawn. Guess what the aerial survey showed... 7.2 dpsm.
The DNR flew 6 dmu's for aerial counts last winter and 4 of them have aerial counts very much different from what the model says. Two of those 4 might be skewed because of state parks being in the aerial survey.
So I will give them the benefit of the doubt and 50% of our aerial surveys had vast differences from the model. Can we trust them to make any decisions with this type of accuracy?
Sandbur,
Please don't ever be reluctant to share your success based on what others may think. BE proud! It has been very obvious to me that the majority of the people on this forum have made the conscious choice to manage their deer herd on their own based on the conditions and numbers of deer they see "On the Ground". In my opinion, you have always put the deer herd first, and should be proud of all your habitat work and the advocacy you have initiated. Never hang your head about someone taking an animal that probably walked this earth due to your efforts. I personally will live within the rules set forth by the DNR, but within those rules, I will continue to manage my little slice of heaven near Nimrod, MN based on what I believe is best for the herd. My management style has been greatly influenced and has shown some great results, due in large part to the information supplied by you and others like you on this forum. Thank you!
Please don't ever be reluctant to share your success based on what others may think. BE proud! It has been very obvious to me that the majority of the people on this forum have made the conscious choice to manage their deer herd on their own based on the conditions and numbers of deer they see "On the Ground". In my opinion, you have always put the deer herd first, and should be proud of all your habitat work and the advocacy you have initiated. Never hang your head about someone taking an animal that probably walked this earth due to your efforts. I personally will live within the rules set forth by the DNR, but within those rules, I will continue to manage my little slice of heaven near Nimrod, MN based on what I believe is best for the herd. My management style has been greatly influenced and has shown some great results, due in large part to the information supplied by you and others like you on this forum. Thank you!
Lot2Learn
5 year old buck +
I second that.
Bowsnbucks
5 year old buck +
Yes sir !! So do I.
