Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Ontario Trophy Bucks forum. Enjoy your visit.

You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
My Farm
Topic Started: Jan 29 2014, 11:09 AM (867 Views)
Angus0914
Member Avatar
Regular
[ *  *  *  * ]
Posted Image

Ok I don't know if this will work. So this is my farm. I live about 5 hours away. The red is the property line and it borders the river. The one black line is different property owners.
Posted Image

Okay that was easy. I bought this property about 3 years ago and have been working on making a place to hunt good quality deer. We are trying not to shoot young deer here. We have lots of other places to hunt to fill the freezer.

The yellow dot is the house. The red dot in the south is a trailer converted to a hunting blind over a new food plot last year. About an 1.5 acre piece in front of the trailer is clover and oats planted in July of 2013. The south end was planted with a few different generic deer mixes. The north red dot is a 3 acre food plot planted for the past two years with the same mix I bought from a local seed dealer. The green dots are tree stands over timed corn feeders. I have two different mineral fountains set up one by each food plot. H1 and H2 are hay fields that I rent to a local farmer.

There is no four wheeler access to most of the west and north. Four wheeler trail stops at north tree stand. We can walk the property line and are working on a trail around whole place but she is pretty rocky and swampy.

I have been working on all kinds of things like the food plots, trail making, brush hogging, tree stands, ground blinds. I think I need to get focused on just a few. I'm looking for opinions on what the priorities should be? Thanks
The light areas by H2 are thick scrub trees that use to be part of the field. There is lots of sign in and out of there. I don't think it is big enough to hold any deer but I think they might hang out in there until dark. I guy in my group shot his first deer in the north food plot. It was big unofficial I would say 150 class. He got a shoulder mount done.
Posted Image

This is the only pic I have of it on this computer.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Posted Image GOST
Member Avatar


Beautiful looking buck, looks like you have a beautiful hunting property as well, my priority would be to have fun and enjoy every second, take a few walks and you'll figure there routine, I 'd probably have a few spots along the river or creek. jmo :renedeer:
2012 OTB INDIVIDUAL DEER CONTEST CHAMPION
2016 OTB TEAM DEER CONTEST CHAMPION

Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Posted Image TrophyTracker
Member Avatar
Advanced Hunter
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Great looking property. Invest in a few trail cameras and move them around periodically to see what, where and when the deer are moving. This will help a lot when you are not there regularly. I'd suggest a plot watcher camera for those open areas and plots but I'm afraid they'd be dead/full long before you returned.
How does your trophy measure up?
Ontario Big Game Records (FROW)
The Boone and Crockett Club
The Pope and Young Club
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Posted Image Cervus_stalker


Looks like a great hunting property. That tall grass and shrub stuff will definitely hold deer. Lots of big bucks bed in tall grass outside of what most consider to be 'traditional cover'.
That's a great looking deer your buddy got too. Have fun with your land :)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Angus0914
Member Avatar
Regular
[ *  *  *  * ]
Yeah the biggest hunting pressure comes from the north across the river in that big field. We hear quite a few shots from there in the fall. I would like to find out if and where the deer cross the river like my neighbour says they do. We do have a few cameras out I think a big thing will be to get a trail around the property for access then look at maybe a no go zone in the middle depending on land. I have yet to be through the middle. It takes about four hour walk to do the property line and do some brushing on the way. I would assume the middle from the pictures and the out side is mostly maple and poplar tress with some small cedar swamps or wet spots. I'm going to have the guys out for a weekend to have a trail cutting party in early May I hope see what we can get done. I think the biggest thing is to learn what the deer are doing and where they go. I'm trying to talk the farmer that leases the hay fields to cash crop it but not canola. We will see. He talked about tiling the fields.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Posted Image TrophyTracker
Member Avatar
Advanced Hunter
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Keeping a "Sanctuary" or no go zone in the middle is a great idea. :thumbsup:

Also the best time to see where the deer are and where they go is with the snow on the ground. Their needs and therefore their patterns change throughout the year so for fall (hunting season) patterns, the best time is right after the first few snow falls. Easy to see where they travel, feed and bed.
How does your trophy measure up?
Ontario Big Game Records (FROW)
The Boone and Crockett Club
The Pope and Young Club
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Friggs
Regular
[ *  *  *  * ]
That's a nice buck, I guess that river keeps the deer on your side till winter then I guess they can cross over on the ice. I was up in the Sault last June for a conventation and again in August on a road trip around Lake Superior, that is beautiful country up there. I notice the lat. and long on the bottom of your areial photo, you have nice piece of property and large plots.

Friggs
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Angus0914
Member Avatar
Regular
[ *  *  *  * ]
Thanks Friggs yeah the property is just over 400 with about 100 or so in fields. I have been told that the deer cross the river in summer and fall. I did find one spot in the fall of 2012 that looked like where they were crossing but due to all the flooding there this year washed out my access to put a stand there this past fall. I'm really considering putting in a small home made log bridge over the washout. It was there before but it was cross able with a four wheeler. After the flooding not a chance it is about 10' wide and about 20' deep. Only thing is not to far up the river bank on that side is another one that is about 30 to 40' wide and just as deep so there is no way to cross that without some serious work. Tried to go up and around but it Ys off and becomes two place that you have to cross. I'm hoping to get a trail around the high side of the property to the river and then down the river bank to the big washout and then I will be on both sides of the big washout but easier said than done!!! Oh well keep plugging away some day it will get done eh. In the mean time have fun and a few beers :cheers:
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Angus0914
Member Avatar
Regular
[ *  *  *  * ]
Okay so I'm thinking I want to plant either corn or soy beans in the food plot by H2. I can't afford to do both. I would leave both standing so that it could provided food through the winters if the bears don't knock it all down. I would not plant the whole thing in one or the other. So I'm looking for suggestions on which one I should plant and what kind of layout would work with where the tree stand is now? I plan to plant about 1 acre in either one. Also anyone have experience with either sweet corn or cattle corn which one deer like best?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Renegade
Member Avatar
Atikokan, Ontario
Friggs
Jan 31 2014, 12:09 PM
That's a nice buck, I guess that river keeps the deer on your side till winter then I guess they can cross over on the ice. I was up in the Sault last June for a conventation and again in August on a road trip around Lake Superior, that is beautiful country up there. I notice the lat. and long on the bottom of your areial photo, you have nice piece of property and large plots.

Friggs
A river is not a barrier for deer. They actually cross rivers frequently. I have even seen bucks that have a core range overlapping a river. A river serves as a great escape route for deer from predators as well. That is a really really nice property. Great balance of bush and fields and a large area of sanctuary which will prove vital for the deer, especially mature bucks. Getting some trails and access to different areas of the property is important. You can still tread lightly. The other thing you should be doing is getting to know the other landowners around you and see if they will follow a deer management philosophy similar to yours. Great post.
Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Partikle
Member Avatar
Team Ontario Trophy Bucks
That's a beautiful buck. Looks like you have a hunting paradise there. Enjoy!!
Posted Image
Population Control Specialist
00 Buck - Licensed to kill
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Angus0914
Member Avatar
Regular
[ *  *  *  * ]
Hey Renegade that's a good idea. I know one of the guys across the river and the road. He seems to be a pretty good guy. We went to a block pig roast last year and met most of the people around. I will talk to guy behind me and check out his hunting practices and see.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Posted Image bigr
Member Avatar


If you haven't done field peas or 4010 peas its deer candy. They are usually planted with oats BUT I try to stay away from the oats since we have bears as well and the oats attract bear.
I have been planting peas with beans as the beans help stand the pea plants up but the deer usually hit the bean plants as they come out of the ground.
The peas are a great food source, You can plant early, VERY tolerant to low ph and don't require much fertilizer but they are not frost tolerant.
Peas are becoming my favorite plot !
Perfect set up IMOP, 1/2 acre clovers and alfalfa (If you can mow them) 1-2 acres of peas and 1-2 acres of brassica.
Almost forgot,,,,,
Peas are dirt cheep to plant !!!!! Same rate as beans (80lbs per acre) but a 50lb bag of peas is only $25 so $50 an acre V.S. beans that are about $300 an acre.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV6bpJz-UsQ&list=UUCoYUe_AlXTQBVLqV-FfzgQ
Edited by bigr, Feb 12 2014, 07:09 AM.
Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Angus0914
Member Avatar
Regular
[ *  *  *  * ]
The first year the farmer that leases the land planted that spot in peas and oats and the bears destroyed over half of the plot before it was ready. So you think peas with beans like mixed together or plant on half of each? $300 an acre holy cow I did not think they were that much. That pretty much all of my seed budget for one acre.
The farmer that leases the land supplies the fertilizer that is needed for my two food plots.
Edited by Angus0914, Feb 12 2014, 11:49 AM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Posted Image bigr
Member Avatar


For sure it is the oats not the peas that are attracting the bears but you can plant the peas on there own. You can do 50/50 peas and beans or peas on there own. Deer will still eat the crap out of them but the plant falls to the ground faster with nothing to support it. I'm thinking of finding a ccheaper way to help keep the plant up later into the season like barlie that bears won'teat but you will like the rresults of peas on there own.
Plant peas no mater what. The nutritional value alone is worth it!
Posted Image
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · The Plotters Forum <Habitat Improvement> · Next Topic »
Add Reply