I won't go into all the details of my property, the efforts of trail systems, safety cover, stands, bridges, etc...but here is some basic results from the past 3 years of food plots.

1999: Purchased in July. No food plots. 1 rub found, 1 little scrape, no cameras yet. I estimate less than 5 deer living on the 130 acres, or visiting on a daily basis.

2000: Started in the spring with the 1st 1/2 acre food plot, and added another 3/4 acre in the late fall for a total of 1 1/4 acre for the year. Couple of scrapes, a few rubs, and 1 spike "caught on film". Probably 5-10 deer on property. Other bucks were seen while hunting in and around the property.

2001: Added more food plots, for a total of about 3.5 acres going into the fall, with 3/4 acres of that being so acidic, that it did not produce after extablished in late august. Counted over 20 scrapes, and 30-40 rubs, with 3 different yearling bucks caught on film, I witnessed 3 other bucks while hunting, one of which ended up being a nice 2.5 year old 8-point I harvested with the bow. On camera, I was able to identify 6 mature does, 4 yearling does, and due to a harsh winter/spring, only 1 fawn. Total deer living on property on a daily basis, around 15 to 16.

2002: Added another 3/4 of food plots 1st of August,planted 8/3,for a total of 4 1/4 acres going into the season. Less than 10 srapes this year, around 20 rubs found so far, but most rubs were quality rubs-consistant medium sized trees. On camera, I captured 6 different 8 points!, all 2.5 year old to maybe a 3.5 year old or 2. I haven't fully identified each of the does on the property, but there were about the same number of mature does on property, but 8 fawns, for a total of closer to 20 deer living in or around the property, with some of the bucks probably just caught on the way through.

The food plots are of varying quality, but I have spread around 22 tons of lime in the past 3 years, with 11 tons last year, and there has been great progress each year in the quality of the food plots. My plots are spread over each of the 3 40's of the property, with a trail sytem through the plots, and around them, for the most part.

If I hadn't gotten the pictures of the 8-points year, I may have been a little discouraged, but hunting 4 weekends in WI, and 1 in PA, didn't get me on the property during some good weekends to enable me to see more.

All in all, I've probably reached my carrying capacity of the land, but do to the possibility of harsh winter kills, and an average 50% fawn loss just to the winter, I'm hesitant to take my mature does unless the numbers get a little higher. I've already added about a 1/4 acre during a brief warm-up around Christmas, and will complete, level, lime, and clean-up the total 1/2 acre of that site this spring.
I then have 2 other harvest plot areas I may add in the 1/4 acre range for each, and will also begin herbecide treatments in spring, along with consistant mowings of the clover with my new(used) rotary cutter.

It's been very rewarding to see the property take shape and I thought you guys might like to hear about some of the progress.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan

Edited by - NorthJeff on 02/06/2003 07:28:49

Edited by - NorthJeff on 02/06/2003 12:21:52