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| Getting started with my first plot | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 20 2012, 09:49 AM (7,803 Views) | |
Cervus_stalker
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Oct 10 2014, 02:21 PM Post #121 |
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What a great thread! Really enjoyed following through this - can''t believe I didn't stumble on it earlier. Good luck with the bucks this fall! |
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| Ikantski | Nov 24 2014, 05:24 PM Post #122 |
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Hunted our property a few times this year. Had one good night with my dad where I passed a young spike and he got busted by a good buck, my wife had a doe at 10 feet and I had a nice buck in the plot, waiting for him to get closer when the neighbour's dogs ran up my trail and started barking at me. I've got some barbed wire on order now to block dogs (and curious people) on the road facing side. Ran a camera up on the ridge again. Way WAY fewer deer and fewer daylight pictures this year. ![]() Last pic of this guy, he was the one the dogs barked off. I have a feeling he'll be back though. ![]() Plot is getting a bit of use, the batteries got weak and it stopped taking pics in the cold and/or using the PIR. ![]() It looked pretty good heading into November ![]() Still need to camo that blind, it freaks new deer out. The residents get used to it pretty quickly though. ![]() The accidental plot got a lot of use this year. It's just perennial rye and clover but there were in there quite a bit even before I sweetened it with apples. I missed my chance with this guy too. Wife wanted to go hunting that night, I said "if they're there tonight, they'll be there tomorrow when we're planning on going". Nope. He'll be good next year though. ![]() As usual, the season made my list even longer. - Find pins, clear, fence and tornado cut some spruces along the road. - Expand the plot in the last pic - Set up a few bow stand spots on the ridge for the week before gun - Expand the two plots and add 3 others about 1/3 acre - Clear the trails and add a few more in the sanctuary - Build a camp You know, nothing much. |
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| Partikle | Nov 24 2014, 10:48 PM Post #123 |
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Team Ontario Trophy Bucks
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Looks like they have some good habitat there. Now you just have to let em grow and keep the predator population from getting out of control. |
![]() Population Control Specialist 00 Buck - Licensed to kill | |
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| Ikantski | Nov 25 2014, 08:07 AM Post #124 |
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I haven't had a single coyote pic since last Winter and a couple of bears this summer. I think the main predator here is winter and the two legged variety. |
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Bocephus_86
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Nov 25 2014, 08:51 AM Post #125 |
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That is one fine 8 point! All your hard work is paying off. Hopefully those bucks make it through the winter.
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| Friggs | Nov 25 2014, 11:48 AM Post #126 |
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I really like the looks of your brassica, it turned out really nice, great job. Is it your our mixture or a commercial blend ? Also, are the deer hitting the brassica ? looks like not much browsing going on in the photos and they all have their heads up and not feeding. I had the same problem several years ago but i'm going to try brassica again this summer. Friggs |
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| Ikantski | Nov 25 2014, 12:40 PM Post #127 |
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Oh yeah, there are lots of pictures with their heads buried, I just like the ones with the heads up better. It's my own mix, I just asked the co-op for 4# of purple tops, 2# forage radish and 2# dwarf essex rape. Came to about $30. I was loosely following lickcreek's brassica mix (3# PTT/2# DER/5# GFR/acre) with more turnips than radishes due to soil quality. I was worried about germination so I overseeded by quite a bit. The fence drag did a good job though, everything came up. I don't think they're eating the turnips or turnip greens much but they love the DER and GFR greens. Next year, I'll try 2# PTT/4# DER and drop the radishes, they're expensive and need better soil.
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Bocephus_86
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Nov 25 2014, 03:38 PM Post #128 |
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Here is the stupid question of the day....does 4# mean 4lbs? How big was your plot that you spread that mix over? |
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| Ikantski | Nov 25 2014, 03:42 PM Post #129 |
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Yep, # means pound. It's about 1/3 acre. |
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| Ikantski | Jan 11 2015, 06:31 PM Post #130 |
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I'm glad to see that they've figured out brassicas taste good in the last week. The crust is thick, about 1" but they're breaking through it and finding turnips and radishes. ![]() ![]() Thought this was a nice pic, he should be nice next year.
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| Friggs | Jan 13 2015, 09:25 AM Post #131 |
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Ikantski, Happy New Year, That's nice to see that they're still digging down to feed. I'm thinking another couple more inches they might head for winter cover. Mine are still digging down for the rye when I went for a visit on Jan. 4/15, I have about 10-12" of snow now. I'm going to give brassica another go this summer and I might pick your brain for some advice on your mixture later this year. Friggs |
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| Ikantski | Jan 13 2015, 03:47 PM Post #132 |
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Thanks Friggs. Fortunately for me, I am their winter cover but it's still pretty easy walking in the bush up here, only 6" with a thick ice crust. It's interesting, there's been no digging at all in my little rye plot or the ryegrass/clover and they hardly touched the brassicas until Dec 28th. It sure is a lot cheaper than hauling 80lb bags of deer feed out there |
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swampbuck
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Jan 14 2015, 11:31 AM Post #133 |
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Another Bowhunter
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I'm sure most will agree this is a great thread. Thanks for keeping us updated.
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| Ikantski | Jan 19 2015, 12:43 AM Post #134 |
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Hey, thanks for the compliment. Each update seem like very little improvement but it's fun to go back and see how it's added up over the years. Water creates a canyon not through force but through persistence, etc, etc. I got out today and cut out the spruce clump at the middle-left side of the big plot to give it a little more sun and make it a little bigger once I get the stumps out. Cut a smaller clearing of 3-5" poplars out too right along the road, should regenerate into some good partridge food and might plant it into some grain or sunflower if there's time. A little summary of the hunting season there: - Hunted the ridge, tucked behind a log with the xbow. Extremely quiet night, you could have heard a pin drop 200 yards away. 20 minutes of light left, I could swear I saw movement and a deer leg in some shrubs. Like a statue for 5 minutes, no more movement. I reach for the binoculars and the deer bounds off. Lesson learned, need to get up higher and better concealed in there. - Got out there with 45 minutes of light left with the compound, crept up to the box blind and there was already a doe in the plot. Slowly snuck further and got a decent shooting lane. Not shooting does that early in the season but it's the best decoy money can't buy. 10 minutes of light left, The big buck enters the plot at the far side, 65 yards. He's slowly working his way closer and I'm debating whether to wait until he gets to 30 yards or shoot at 40. I hear metal clinking behind me. The neighbour's dogs followed my scent trail but don't recognize me and start barking their heads off at the crouched object. Lesson learned, I've already bought a few full rolls of barbed wire off kijiji, going to do up most of that border once the snow melts. - Went out with dad, I had the buck in the pics at 40 yards and let him go. Dad had a nice buck walk into the accidental plot clearing and look right at him in the tree. Maybe he moved, maybe not, I've got to get that stand better concealed. - Tagged out on a spike buck in Cornwall. Lesson learned, don't tag out. - Went out with the wife during gun season a few times, she had a doe at 10 feet and saw a few fawns. Got out again at the very end of muzzleloader and busted a doe out of the accidental plot as I got there. I guess the lesson is to hunt the trails to the plots rather than plots themselves but that just doesn't work for that spot.
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| Ikantski | Mar 12 2015, 09:54 AM Post #135 |
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The deer like turnips![]() ![]() ![]()
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| Friggs | Mar 20 2015, 05:19 PM Post #136 |
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Those deer look real healthy. Its nice to see that your brassica is feeding them all the way into March. Great job....Friggs |
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| KMG Canada | Mar 21 2015, 07:18 AM Post #137 |
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Ikanski, thanks for the update. My plots are being hit hard on the clover side and only a bit on the alfalfa side. Bought a new piece of land near Alexandria and going to steal your Orchard idea as my first project out there as soon as I finish the clearing for it. Still lots of exploring on the new piece before I start the work of transforming, but lots of deer and turkeys there as it is a wintering yard. |
| Rod Embree - KMG Canada Safaris | |
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| Ikantski | Sep 2 2015, 10:47 AM Post #138 |
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Made a new plot this Spring, didn't have time to get it tilled but fertilized and planted it with rye before a huge rain. Lucky too because we haven't had hardly any since then. The mini-ex sure got the stumps out but it cost me some topsoil.![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Had the first plot in buckwheat for the summer, old old seed so it didn't germinate well ![]() Tilled it up, planted it with 4# turnips, 2# DER with another 4# DER broadcast around the bare spots two weeks later. Fertilized with a bag of 46-0-0 at planting time. Not sure why the bare spots, my drag must've been heavy. Looking into getting the roller for next year. Not bothering with forage radish anymore.
Edited by Ikantski, Sep 2 2015, 10:49 AM.
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| Friggs | Sep 3 2015, 06:33 AM Post #139 |
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Looks good and must be nice to have the stumps gone. I use a four foot roller for my smalls seeds such as clovers and brassica's and not a drag. First, I set my disks slightly and disk in my large seeds first such as grains and pea seeds then roll, then broadcast my small seeds and roll again, works for me. I planted on Aug. 19th and got two nice rains with the last one on Aug. 23 and nothing since then, Its calling for rain again on the 9th. I haven't seen my plots since planting and heading up on the 12-13th, I hope most have sprouted. Good luck with your plots and keep us updated. Friggs |
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Muskoka Whitetails
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Sep 3 2015, 07:59 AM Post #140 |
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I planted my plots on the 13th also. Was up yesterday and there are doing awesome! I think the dew we have been getting every morning is letting them thrive even though we have not been getting any rain. |
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| Friggs | Sep 3 2015, 08:28 AM Post #141 |
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I noticed this morning that all my house windows were covered in moisture/humidity, I thought it was fog outside at first. I'm hoping I got the same at the hunt camp which is an 1 1/2 hours away. What mixture did you plant on the 13th. ? |
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| Ikantski | Sep 3 2015, 09:54 AM Post #142 |
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It's nice having the stumps out but you wouldn't believe the hole I needed to make to get that split maple one out. I planted all my rye on the 19th as well, 20-30mm of rain on the 20th was too good to pass up. Planted the brassicas about July 25th. If you planted before that big rain, I'm sure they've germinated. It was nice and cool that week too so the ground should have held the moisture for a while |
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Muskoka Whitetails
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Sep 3 2015, 10:34 AM Post #143 |
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It was a mix from Quality seeds called Northern Edge Brassica Mixture. I planted two separate plots about an acre each. 10lbs/acre for the seed @$55 each for ten pound bags. Used it before and very happy with the results. |
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| Ikantski | Jan 13 2016, 02:05 PM Post #144 |
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Season wrapup I saw one deer the entire darn year and I spooked it from about 15 yards in darkness on the walk out on the last night of hunting season. I definitely learned a lot more about how deer use the property, where they bed and travel, have some plans for stand spots and access trail next year. The deer were more nocturnal than I've ever seen them before. A lot of dog intrusions this year so I'm going to hinge cut about a 10 foot tornado zone along the cottage road side. The weather was a factor, we hunted there the first week which was super warm and then the end of December when the deer pour in, also warm. I needed to be out there around Nov 17-22 and may plan for that next year. The brassicas turned out nice. I don't think the rape seed germinated well or something because there was barely any and therefore barely any early season action in there. The rye plot came up really nice and got lots of usage. I should plant it a touch later but the rain situation was a bit iffy this summer. The co-op mix/ryegrass plot was a hit this year, I overseeded some more mix and leftover rye grain down around late august to lush it up and had some decent activity in there. I felt like the deer prefer the leaves of last year's purple tops better than this year's new york turnips. I got up Dec 24th and put alsike white clover down in the turnip plot. It's due for a rotate and the clover should frost seed itself. I've never tried pure clover here so we'll have a few months to see what the deer think. Some pics of the plots this year, see if you can figure out the recurring theme. ![]() Ryegrass plot. ![]() The new rye plot ![]() We got some nice big turnips, ate a few quite delicious ![]() Little guy's first hunt camp
Edited by Ikantski, Jan 13 2016, 02:07 PM.
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SwampWalker
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Jan 13 2016, 09:23 PM Post #145 |
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Did you ever do a great job with that plot! That is awesome. One day when I buy land I will be opening this thread and picking all this great info out of it. Thanks for this solid post |
| "A hunt based only on trophies falls short of what the ultimate goal should be" | |
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| Partikle | Jan 14 2016, 05:57 AM Post #146 |
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Team Ontario Trophy Bucks
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Looks amazing. Your bushnell camera takes really clear pictures, which model is it? |
![]() Population Control Specialist 00 Buck - Licensed to kill | |
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| Ikantski | Jan 14 2016, 09:27 AM Post #147 |
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Bushnell X-8, most reliable little cameras I've ever used, I have 4 of them now. I used to be able to find them on Amazon on sale for 100-120, Cdn tire has them for 180 now but I've even seen them there for $90 on clearance. Thanks SwampWalker. If I learned one thing, it's to buy land that already has good clearings. |
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| Partikle | Jan 14 2016, 09:44 AM Post #148 |
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Team Ontario Trophy Bucks
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I switched over to black flash IR cameras this year as I am sure even the red LED's were spooking the bucks. They would be looking right at the camera in the pictures. I wonder why the deer are not around as much this season? Like you said, maybe something else going on to keep them away. Either way, great job on the plots. I'm sure it is rewarding to do that stuff and I'm sure you will have a deer haven over the next few years. |
![]() Population Control Specialist 00 Buck - Licensed to kill | |
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| Ikantski | Jan 14 2016, 11:01 AM Post #149 |
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I splurged on a Bushnell Aggressor black flash this year too. I'm honestly not as impressed with it. It has an amazing sensor range but the flash can't go that far at night. I like the long range PIR during the day but at night, I get a pile of plot pics with just a little blur in the distance. It really needs the lithiums too, 14mp and 48 LEDs is going to suck up a lot more battery than 6mp and 36 LEDs. It's a shame cause those X-8s really got me used to being able to use 8 walmart AAs for 6 months. The new bushnell does have just ridiculous trigger time, like 0.2 seconds. The problem with that is if the deer is walking slowly left to right, you get a picture of just a nose and then a picture of a tail a lot. I have to get used to setting it back a bit where the X-8s had to be in the action or time lapse to get a good pic. The main thing I found with the IR cameras is to keep them on food sources and bait piles, never on bedding or buck trails. They get spooked by them a little bit at first but quickly get used to them and I think start to associate them with food. I put a camera on my main road through the property, got a pic of a buck, next pic he was obviously a little surprised and then the next set of pictures he decided to start eating some cedar. I do have a few deer around, it should be a good shed hunting season. I already found 2 small ones but the big boys are still packing. |
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SwampWalker
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Jan 14 2016, 01:14 PM Post #150 |
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I have also had very good success with my bushnell cameras. I bought the trophy cam black light and have not had any issues. Mind you the were $300 but I found them like 40% off. I can put them out in November and the batteries last till the seasons done dec 31. I have not had a deer pic up on them other than smelling the lock box bc I didn't wear my latex gloves I think. Remember to take the batteries out at the end of the season. Batteries went. 3 cameras became 2. Crappy lesson to learn. Again you plot looks awesome! You did a pile of work! |
| "A hunt based only on trophies falls short of what the ultimate goal should be" | |
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| Partikle | Jan 14 2016, 03:33 PM Post #151 |
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Team Ontario Trophy Bucks
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How do you remove your scent from the camera swampwalker? |
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SwampWalker
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Jan 14 2016, 05:09 PM Post #152 |
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I'm sure I can never totally remove my scent but I try to minimize it by spraying with that scent be gone or scent killer stuff. I try to wear latex gloves after they're installed on the tree. I also usually have them mounted to a pine tree where I smear the needles on them. Not sure if it works though. I try to only check them in the rain as well. I also chew pine needles when I'm on stand but who knows maybe that doesn't work either but in my mind it helps lol. The absolute best set up I had was a rotted out birch tree where I cut the camera shape out of the wood and recessed the camera and took birch bark off the top half that was on the forest floor. I then used hemp rope to tie the bark around it and left a centre strip open. It was pretty slick. I had pics of hunters that had to idea it was there. |
| "A hunt based only on trophies falls short of what the ultimate goal should be" | |
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| KMG Canada | Jan 14 2016, 07:24 PM Post #153 |
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Ikantski, great job on the plot. I had a similar experience with the deer this year (for all the same reasons you posted above) and for the first time in four years we didn't shoot the majority of our deer in the plot. Actually only took one doe near the end of the season, so it sounds like a tough season all around. I used Nature's choice mix in one of my food plots and the deer hit it hard, but mostly at night or at least when I wasn't there. Enjoyed a few turnips from the plot as well. Looking forward already to planning next years plots already! |
| Rod Embree - KMG Canada Safaris | |
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| Friggs | Jan 16 2016, 10:42 AM Post #154 |
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Ikantski, Your plots are looking really nice and have come along way since you started. Early fall i did some tornado hinge cutting along the road to keep out trespassers and mostly cattle, still have more to do next year. I'm marking where the deer cross the road into my property this fall and winter and making sure these access points are easily jumped by deer. Maybe use some barb wire or limbs not certain which to use yet. I'm interested in your ryegrass plot and how the deer are using it. I thought deer don't like grass and If its works for you I might try some on my trails, if the price is right. What type of co-op mixture did you use ? Is it a sweet ryegrass. Are the deer eating the ryegrass or maybe the rye grain, or both ? Like the photos of your little guy. They are such little sponges at that age and I miss those days with my guys. Friggs |
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| Ikantski | Jan 16 2016, 07:02 PM Post #155 |
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Thanks Friggs. I got up today and hinge cut about 80 yards of balsams and poplars. It's slow going with the snow and hangups in the thick stuff but there's no way bigger dogs are getting through this. I don't have to worry about deer being able to jump it but I need to get through it at one point for stand access so I left two big trees that were about 4 feet apart and will fashion some kind of gate there. I'm not sure what the ryegrass is actually. I just bought a bushel of ryegrass to try as lawn seed and had a bunch leftover so I spread it there. They definitely eat it, there was a QDMA article about it a while back. https://www.qdma.com/articles/ryegrass-going-against-the-grain I cut it with the whipper snipper a couple times a year and the mix must have had a bunch of clover in there too because there's some of that mixed in. There was chufa, brassicas, red clover, white clover and some other stuff but they never came up. The site is a rockier slope so I never have any intention of tilling it or putting a real crop in so ryegrass seemed more appetizing than dirt. It might be a good idea to frost seed some clover in there this spring now that the soil can hold some moisture. I got my best daytime buck pics in there this year too. Having the little guy at hunt camp was a blast, he loved it. Lucky grandma was able to come and look after him while we all played. Anyway, I'll leave this as the season wrap up pic. Went up today and a nice mature buck left me an easy to find shed 30 feet from the box blind. ![]()
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SwampWalker
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Jan 16 2016, 08:48 PM Post #156 |
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Looks like solid mass there! |
| "A hunt based only on trophies falls short of what the ultimate goal should be" | |
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| Partikle | Jan 16 2016, 09:35 PM Post #157 |
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Team Ontario Trophy Bucks
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He was tanting you! |
![]() Population Control Specialist 00 Buck - Licensed to kill | |
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2:31 PM Jul 11