Wandering at the hang out

[Bowsnbucks]

You mentioned a ravine that has a trail going thru it. From my experience, bucks love to travel in little ravines and even smaller ditches. Over the years I've seen many episodes of bucks using lower terrain to travel in. ( I presume for staying out of sight more ?? ). I've seen too many cases of bucks crossing roads and entering fields from low ditches and gullies. I'd have a stand watching over that ravine for sure. I agree with Whip on the edges of vegetation changes for stand locations also. Hardwood / evergreen edges, wet / dry edges, darker, thicker cover / more open, lighter area edges, etc. Terrain changes - such as the ravine / ditch scenario above - are also types of edge.

Nice looking piece of ground !! Great start to habitat work. Great place to relax !!

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I will try to give the best visual as possible of the rivine with a couple picture. The center round green circle is my apple tree plot. Just to he north of it is my stand, the white x. The yellow trail just to the east of my apple tree plot is where the rivine is.

In this picture I am sitting in my apple tree plot stand, looking into my apple tree plot, or looking south. The rivine is about 30 yards to my left, or east of my stand. I do have a good shot at the rivine from my stand. But I don't have a good picture of that direction.


In this picture I am sitting in the same stand, looking north, into the sanctuary area north of my stand, looking towards the creek. I can see about 100 yards. Pretty much to my property line. But the main trail that Ys off from the one that goes through the rivine is about 30 yards at the bottom of the hill that my stand is on. This is pretty open compared to the rest of my land, but it offers a clear shot to pretty much my north line in every other direction it is thick. The rivine is about 30 yards to the right of this picture

In the picture I am looking west out of my stand, there is a ridge just below these thick trees, and the trail that follows that ridge hooks up the the rivine trail, and it also goes west about 50 yards and comes up to my food plot, and continues back towards my west propert line. It gets pretty thick in that direction.



The next picture is my stand, I have my back facing the apple tree plot, looking north.



I love the stand location, I have great shots to the rivine, the trail that follows the bottom of the ridge that my stand is on, and I am about 30 yards off of my apple tree plot. This is only a rifle stand, because it is set back out of the way to much for a good bow shot. The problem I have is having to cross the rivine trail, and leaving my scent crossing it. I also have a portable now sitting between the apple tree plot and the old campsite plot, on the edge of the rivine trail. But I miss out on any deer that doesn't go into the rivine, or the food plots. Although it does work decent when the wind is coming out of the west.

The biggest problem is my sons stand access in the south west side of my land. But we have been working on a trail the cuts on the south perimeter. But the front half is wet, with a high stem count of smaller trees and bushes to cut through.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

If your prevailing wind is from the west or northwest, I'd have a stand on the down-wind side of that ravine for archery season. If any bucks come cruising and scent-check the apple tree plot for does, they'll be doing it from the ravine - I'd bet on that !! That stand location would eliminate your crossing the ravine trail and leaving scent on it. If you must cross any trails, apply coon urine to your boots first, or step in some handy piles of deer droppings and smear as much of it all over your boots as you can. I've done that and had deer follow the scent right to shooting range !! :)

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I know I brought up my fern problem, and it has been a problem keeping them at bey in my apple tree plot, but come to think about it, my other plots dont have a problem with them. About the only thing different I can think of is, I never planted winter rye in my apple tree plot, but I have in my other two plots. I know winter rye has a deterrent against some weeds, but has anyone else noticed if they have any ferns growing in their winter rye plots? I havent seen it.

My sons plot was waste high ferns when I first started planting it. I havent put nearly the lime down on it, but I also never had a soil sample done either. It is a lot shadier then my apple tree plot, and the soil is wetter as well. The only thing I can think of that is really different it the winter rye. My other plot, the old campsite plot, has ferns all the way around it, but none growing in it. I guess next year, when I swap crops with my apple tree plot, and my sons plot, we will see if that changes.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I saw your post about ferns on the other thread here. I wouldn't rely on just winter rye to eliminate your ferns. Ferns have a root system that's like a steel wool pad - thick, dense and fine. I think Wiscwhip gave you great advice for long term eradication - sprays with gly and lime. We battle ferns at my camp and we do the gly / lime treatment. It doesn't work overnight, but they WILL croak between the gly and lime. I just put the gly to some ferns this past week at camp.

 

[Native Hunter]

Beautiful land you have there. I would love to have that much big woods around my place.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Beautiful land you have there. I would love to have that much big woods around my place.

It has its disadvantages as well. Really hard to pattern the deer. They just have so much room to go, and so many random trails. Even though they do have their favorite trails, they tend to wander aimlessly a good part of the year.

 

[Native Hunter]

It has its disadvantages as well. Really hard to pattern the deer. They just have so much room to go, and so many random trails. Even though they do have their favorite trails, they tend to wander aimlessly a good part of the year.

That's true too. But, hopefully having more escape places gives a better chance of getting some age on them.

 

[bueller]

It has its disadvantages as well. Really hard to pattern the deer. They just have so much room to go, and so many random trails. Even though they do have their favorite trails, they tend to wander aimlessly a good part of the year.

I've noticed the same thing. Not only do we have big woods we are also flat as a board. Without natural features present to funnel the deer, I've found that man made features are key. Wire fences, township roads, homesteads, irrigation/drainage ditches, etc... all usually have main trails paralleling/skirting them and specific spots where the deer cross them. Looking at your map, if you can identify the "crosswalks" the deer use on that road frontage you have it could be a hot spot when bucks are out cruising during the rut.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

That's true too. But, hopefully having more escape places gives a better chance of getting some age on them.

Honestly I dont get to many bucks on my land. I will have a few wander through during the rut, but other then that no regulars. I think they have a tendency to stay in the thick swamps, bogs, and near the ag fields. I do have regular sightings of spikes, and forks, but once they develop headgear, they tend to disappear. I know the ag farmer usually has a few nice ones hanging on their deer poles, but he also owns 60% of the land within 3 miles. That is one of the reasons I am trying to improve my land, to see if I can make them want to go and check out my land more often. As far as does, I have several of them bedding on my land at any given time. I kick them up on the way to my plots almost everytime. Lucky for me, I am not really a bone hunter. I wont pass one up, but I am content with doe meat as well. I do get a few nice ones on camera each year, and I am sure they have plenty of hiding spots to avoid hunters during gun season, but they dont frequent my land enough to benefit from it. I am sure a lot of that is because I use and enjoy my land year around, rather then keep it a untouched deer preserve. But we enjoy being there, and no deer rack is worth passing that up.

To me the best part of the hunt is spent at camp with family and friends talking about my hunt. I do really enjoy the quiet time in the woods, but its the quality time I get to spend with my son before and after the days hunt that is priceless. He just graduated high school, and quality time has been getting less and less every year, but I want to make sure we still have deer hunts together.

 

[Native Hunter]

Honestly I dont get to many bucks on my land. I will have a few wander through during the rut, but other then that no regulars. I think they have a tendency to stay in the thick swamps, bogs, and near the ag fields. I do have regular sightings of spikes, and forks, but once they develop headgear, they tend to disappear. I know the ag farmer usually has a few nice ones hanging on their deer poles, but he also owns 60% of the land within 3 miles. That is one of the reasons I am trying to improve my land, to see if I can make them want to go and check out my land more often. As far as does, I have several of them bedding on my land at any given time. I kick them up on the way to my plots almost everytime. Lucky for me, I am not really a bone hunter. I wont pass one up, but I am content with doe meat as well. I do get a few nice ones on camera each year, and I am sure they have plenty of hiding spots to avoid hunters during gun season, but they dont frequent my land enough to benefit from it. I am sure a lot of that is because I use and enjoy my land year around, rather then keep it a untouched deer preserve. But we enjoy being there, and no deer rack is worth passing that up.

To me the best part of the hunt is spent at camp with family and friends talking about my hunt. I do really enjoy the quiet time in the woods, but its the quality time I get to spend with my son before and after the days hunt that is priceless. He just graduated high school, and quality time has been getting less and less every year, but I want to make sure we still have deer hunts together.

You have a great outlook on life. That is more important than the biggest deer in the world!!

 

[bueller]

Honestly I dont get to many bucks on my land. I will have a few wander through during the rut, but other then that no regulars. I think they have a tendency to stay in the thick swamps, bogs, and near the ag fields. I do have regular sightings of spikes, and forks, but once they develop headgear, they tend to disappear. I know the ag farmer usually has a few nice ones hanging on their deer poles, but he also owns 60% of the land within 3 miles. That is one of the reasons I am trying to improve my land, to see if I can make them want to go and check out my land more often. As far as does, I have several of them bedding on my land at any given time. I kick them up on the way to my plots almost everytime. Lucky for me, I am not really a bone hunter. I wont pass one up, but I am content with doe meat as well. I do get a few nice ones on camera each year, and I am sure they have plenty of hiding spots to avoid hunters during gun season, but they dont frequent my land enough to benefit from it. I am sure a lot of that is because I use and enjoy my land year around, rather then keep it a untouched deer preserve. But we enjoy being there, and no deer rack is worth passing that up.

To me the best part of the hunt is spent at camp with family and friends talking about my hunt. I do really enjoy the quiet time in the woods, but its the quality time I get to spend with my son before and after the days hunt that is priceless. He just graduated high school, and quality time has been getting less and less every year, but I want to make sure we still have deer hunts together.

Do you bow/crossbow hunt? Between the 3 of us hunting during gun season we average less than one buck of any size per year. However since I started bow hunting the past couple years I have had shot opportunities at bucks multiple times each year. Same land, same stands, but two totally different worlds to hunt in.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I have bow hunted the past few years, but I wasnt planning on it this year. For a couple reasons, I am an out of stater, I live in MN, up until my son turned 18, he was able to get the combined license for both cheap, so I just bought both tags full price for myself, but at $165 for each of us for gun, and $165 for each of us for bow, $660 for 2 people to deer hunt in a year is hard to swallow. I actually have really good hunting land where I live in MN, so I think what I am going to do is bow hunt in MN, then rifle hunt in Wisconsin. But that isnt a for sure thing, because old habits are hard to break, and we will miss bow hunting it.

I also figured if we left things mellow during bow season, we would have better luck during gun season, but not sure if that would be the case.

 

[bueller]

bow hunt the rut in WI and gun hunt the rut in MN?

 

[4wanderingeyes]

bow hunt the rut in WI and gun hunt the rut in MN?

The private land I have to hunt in MN, I only have permission to bow hunt it, although I live next to a lot of public land, I hate crowds. I have brought up to my son of just spending 9 days bow hunting in Wisconsin, and skipping the gun hunt, but he said he would rather gun hunt, its been a tradition for many years, 8 for him, 16 for me.

 

[bueller]

The private land I have to hunt in MN, I only have permission to bow hunt it, although I live next to a lot of public land, I hate crowds. I have brought up to my son of just spending 9 days bow hunting in Wisconsin, and skipping the gun hunt, but he said he would rather gun hunt, its been a tradition for many years, 8 for him, 16 for me.

I hear you. The WI gun hunt is something special. We have a blast and make new memories every year. And maybe, just maybe, one of us will close the book on Mr. Big one of these years ;).

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bueller - post #32 - - I see the same thing around my camp area. Archery season we see quite a few deer, bucks and does, and have a quiet world to hunt in. We are on foot and use no quads - that's not the case in gun season. Bow season - quiet and see many deer. Gun season - noisy and see very few deer. Picture a mature buck before 1st light hearing 15 or 16 4-wheelers start up and drive thru the woods going to stands in the dark. Color him GONE !!!! I'll take bow season every time. ( I don't own a 4-wheeler, feet still work ).

 

[bueller]

Bueller - post #32 - - I see the same thing around my camp area. Archery season we see quite a few deer, bucks and does, and have a quiet world to hunt in. We are on foot and use no quads - that's not the case in gun season. Bow season - quiet and see many deer. Gun season - noisy and see very few deer. Picture a mature buck before 1st light hearing 15 or 16 4-wheelers start up and drive thru the woods going to stands in the dark. Color him GONE !!!! I'll take bow season every time. ( I don't own a 4-wheeler, feet still work ).

We don't even have that high of pressure in our immediate area during gun season but it's enough that the deer just know now is not the time to be walking around. Bow season I can sit in the same stand day after day and watch the same deer moving throughout the woods. Gun season is more of a one day (opening day) hunt and then a social event for us. Yes we still hunt the other days but it's not as serious. Bow season I pick which deer I decide to harvest. Gun season, if I pass one, I may not see another one.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

Last year my apple tree plot was its first year, as it was woods before that. I didn't get it all the way cleared until mid June, and I planted my brassicas in it. It grew better then expected, but not much bulb production, but the deer destroyed the Leafs in August, and a woody aster took over. This year I wanted a cover crop in the spring to tie it over until I planted the brassicas again. I wanted something that would grow fast, and thick, and feed the deer, that was cheap, and local for seed. So I went with black oil sunflower, and oats. Well they came in pretty good, and as far as I can tell from this picture, it did a good job out competing weeds, except the ferns.

But the problem is, I need to plant in to this this weekend. I can spray it Thursday night, then disc it in anytime this weekend. But how much time does the gly need to do its job? I was thinking I was just going to disc it under, and skip the gly. But it looks a little thick for my disc get it worked up good.

Would it be better to mow it with a weed wacker, my only option, then disc it?

Disc it the way it is?

Spray it, wait a couple days, and disc it in?

I also have 500 more pounds of lime, and fertilizer to put on it. Which is why I want to disc it, rather then a throw and mow.

 

[bueller]

If you are set on planting brassicas in there this weekend I would do this. Spray as soon as possible. The next day or two later get your lime and fertilizer down. Then if you have roller or something to drag without planting the seeds too deep, seed your brassicas and lightly roll/work the field. If you don't have a roller or drag I would put the lime and fertilizer down and then very lightly disc, more like scrape the top 1/2" only. Then top seed the brassica seed.

The plants will take in the gly immediately but it takes a while for it to actually kill the plants. Rolling or lightly dragging keeps most of the plants rooted and therefore they will still die from the effects of the gly and they will lay down over the seed and the small plants as the continue their death cycle.