How it has come along...in 2 years
07-22-2009, 08:17 AM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Horse Country, VA
Posts: 937
How it has come along...in 2 years
Man, some sweat equity sure goes a long way with management of your OWN lease. I guess I was lucky to have such a cool neighbor (developer) to give me the sole lease on this piece of land. So far in two seasons it has allowed me to harvest two of my best bucks (10 pt and 9 pt) and several does since this particular county has a whole month of nanny whacking in December.
It also helps that it is surrounded on 2 sides by hunting clubs. My main objective was to provide sanctuary (bedding) and a safe place to graze on some good forage. When they let the dogs loose, the deer know where to come, and I have all the pinch points with stands, as well as blinds on the plots we successfully cleared and planted. The old owners used to harvest spring wheat and soybeans, so the ground was fairly fertile when I got it, but had overgrown with cedars and small sapplings, which was key to adding the bedding areas they needed.
Here is a few shots of before:
Then came the work!
When spring came the first year after clearing throughout the fall and winter before, we mapped out what where we wanted to plant what....and here are some pics to show the progress:
After a few mows and weeding
This was in early April this year where we decided to mix in sweet beets, purple top turnip, and alfalfa next to about 8 rows of silver queen sweet corn...this picture is about 800 yrds away from clover.
These pictures were taken in late April.
The deer had already started to dig around and feed on the tips of the beets and alfalfa.
I dont have any recent pictures of this plot because I have been staying out of the area, other than switching a few trail cams around. The corn is head high and the deer have been shucking the ears and chewing on the corn and the turnips have almost all been torn up, along with heavy feeding on the beets and alfalfa. When I get a chance I will update this plot with some aftermath pictures.
Quality management is the way to go!
It also helps that it is surrounded on 2 sides by hunting clubs. My main objective was to provide sanctuary (bedding) and a safe place to graze on some good forage. When they let the dogs loose, the deer know where to come, and I have all the pinch points with stands, as well as blinds on the plots we successfully cleared and planted. The old owners used to harvest spring wheat and soybeans, so the ground was fairly fertile when I got it, but had overgrown with cedars and small sapplings, which was key to adding the bedding areas they needed.
Here is a few shots of before:
Then came the work!
When spring came the first year after clearing throughout the fall and winter before, we mapped out what where we wanted to plant what....and here are some pics to show the progress:
After a few mows and weeding
This was in early April this year where we decided to mix in sweet beets, purple top turnip, and alfalfa next to about 8 rows of silver queen sweet corn...this picture is about 800 yrds away from clover.
These pictures were taken in late April.
The deer had already started to dig around and feed on the tips of the beets and alfalfa.
I dont have any recent pictures of this plot because I have been staying out of the area, other than switching a few trail cams around. The corn is head high and the deer have been shucking the ears and chewing on the corn and the turnips have almost all been torn up, along with heavy feeding on the beets and alfalfa. When I get a chance I will update this plot with some aftermath pictures.
Quality management is the way to go!
07-22-2009, 10:05 AM
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 800
Congrats on the progress of the land. the deer will really tear up the turnips, they did on our property. We had some turnips the size of softballs and they had big hunks taken out of them. As for being a sanctuary for the deer, I can relate to that, my biggest deer came off a piece of land that was surrounded by other properties that the owners would allow Ohio hunters to come over and hunt the first two weekends of IN gun. The deer just flocked to the 96 acers for safety. Good luck this year.
07-22-2009, 04:43 PM
#4
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Horse Country, VA
Posts: 937
I really didnt want to add any more length to the post above, but if you click the link below you will see what kind of deer this area is producing. I went in to move a camera on Saturday nigh and after locking the gate and getting about 400 yds down the road this monster buck decided he wanted to take on my Chevy Silverado.
I have the deer on at least 3 cam pics so one of the better is already marinating! You have to read down to about the 5th or 6th post to see mine, but its a haus of a buck. Still in velvet with 8 points maybe a few kickers too.
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/deer...any-bucks.html
I have the deer on at least 3 cam pics so one of the better is already marinating! You have to read down to about the 5th or 6th post to see mine, but its a haus of a buck. Still in velvet with 8 points maybe a few kickers too.
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/deer...any-bucks.html
