Today we closed on Maple Hill Farm! Habitat Projects

[Turkey Creek]

A little forum redundancy, sorry guys and gals. Just wanted to add this here for future reference.... I am assuming this forum will live in infamy. LOL

Harvested this buck on 10/27, "Tiny Brows 55" as he was known. More details under the "Live from the stand" thread. Gross score 144.5"

 

[Mortenson]

Congrats!

 

[T-Max]

So awesome!


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[Gravel Road]

Excellent shot. Congrats!

 

[Catscratch]

Great buck Turkey! Congrats!!!!

 

[Catscratch]

How well do the deer like your water tank? I've strongly considered one...

 

[Turkey Creek]

How well do the deer like your water tank? I've strongly considered one...

From what I have seen they use it a bunch. Keep in mind that we have been very dry the last few months. The creek that borders our property to the West is bone dry and one of our little ponds is dry. The tank is located in a spot between a bedding area and one of the food plot areas so it seems like its in a perfect location. There is no natural water source on that line of travel. Moving the only functioning trail camera I have to be watch over the tank for the rest of the Fall in the next couple of days.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Checked on some areas I had broadcast Winter Wheat into. The first go around (9/9) has some sprouts, extremely dry and warm after it was broadcasted. The stuff I broadcasted on (10/24) is germinating. Hopefully it puts on a little growth for the deer and maybe draws in a turkey come early Spring.

My clover plots are still there they didnt die out from the heat and lack of rain looks like they have pushed a little new growth. It would be nice to get another decent rain going into Winter. I will overseed them again come Spring regardless.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Finally moved the camera to the tank late yesterday afternoon, the deer sign had been pretty obvious around it. The one antlered buck (he broke the other side off a few weeks ago should have been named "Home Boy" as he has been here since Spring and is pretty much on camera all the time. He might be pretty decent next year. Pulled the card today as I went right by it again. Wasnt expecting much on camera as the tank got froze over the previous few days (broke the ice up yesterday) and I left a bunch of scent there I am sure when I set the camera yesterday. Seemed to have not slowed them down much 6 different deer on camera over night. I was surprised at how long each deer did tend to hang around the tank.

 

[Catscratch]

Nice!

 

[Turkey Creek]

Started on the elevated blind for kids to hunt out of or when the weather is bitterly cold and I just want to be a wuss! LOL 6' x 6' by 6' tall and it is 6' off the ground that way I can keep the brushy fence line between the blind and the food plots to screen entering and existing a bit better. Most is recycled wood off a lean to that we removed from the old barn here recently.

 

[Gravel Road]

Nice! Looks like a great spot.

 

[T-Max]

Gotta do what you gotta do. I bought a couple Rednecks so I can take my son earlier and my father later in life. People can say what they want as long as I get to hunt with my two favorite dudes…


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[Turkey Creek]

The elevated box blind is coming along. The perils of owning and running a Christmas tree farm (business #2) is that time is very limited this time of year for other projects. I wanted to have it done before rifle season but that didnt happen. Waiting on the deer blind windows to come in to finish it up. Everything is recycled from an old barn lean-to on our farm with the exception of the legs and the plywood floor. More pictures when it is finally all finished. 6' x 6' x 6'

 

[buckdeer1]

I had used the original deer blind windows company but their shipping is insane.Academy sports has some that don;t look bad or may just order regular double hung off amazon

 

[Turkey Creek]

I had used the original deer blind windows company but their shipping is insane.Academy sports has some that don;t look bad or may just order regular double hung off amazon

Yea that is who I ordered the windows from. It is pretty ridiculous that it takes them that long to ship. It says on their website 4 weeks to ship. Tomorrow will be 4 weeks. I will reach out to them on Monday and see how much longer.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Well the youngest one and I sat for a couple hours this morning in the new elevated blind, last day of rifle season here. We can shoot out to 200 yards at anything West of the blind, potentially farther, but I am designing the plots to keep everything within that distance. A doe and and small buck trotted across the field, maybe he was pushing the doe?

 

[Turkey Creek]

Finished up the exterior of the blind this afternoon. The windows came in a couple of days ago. Figured I might as well make it a bit more weather tight. Still need to seal the roof and wall junctions a little better from the outside. I spray foamed all the seams on the inside. Only ran the Little Buddy heater for about 5 minutes after the windows were in today and was already getting too warm. The outside temperature was about 50 degrees though. With a layer of insulation inside it will be plenty warm enough on the coldest hunting days I am sure. Still want to put down a couple of more ground anchors to hopefully keep it rock solid. Pretty gusty 30-40 mph winds today and I didnt notice it moving with the current 2 anchors I already have in the ground. 2 firearm windows to shoot out cover all the food plots. The bow window will allow for a shot on anything passing between the 2 different fields.

 

[buckdeer1]

I would need at least 7 windows,looks good maybe they will get to break in during antlerless season

 

[T-Max]

You know the drill. It’s Kansas. Can never have enough anchors. Looking good!


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