Bull Pen, Mandy Hollow and Cari's Corner

lak...We'll be looking for grandkid harvest updates over the next couple of months. As for updates, I've gone longer than ever without updating but I got nothing new to show and the least impressive group of bucks we've had since I bought the place in 2011. Only thing I got worth posting on my property thread is my usual Friday night slaw dogs which I had this past Friday. Love me some friday nite slaw dawgs.
 
Camera Update....December 2019
Always exciting to me to see that the Bull Pen and Mandy Hollow are at least travel areas for some local bucks. Hoping one of these comes strolling along for one of the grandkids soon, or during Rut in mid January. I know some pics are the same buck but here they are.
(I thought the last picture was great, as it looks like a mirror image!)
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Various and Assorted….

I knew my job was done when on the last day of hunting Jack (12) said “Poppa, we need to make a list of improvements we can make after season and this summer”. Jack keeps me doing this!

The plan for the 2019-2020 deer season was to stay on the edges of the property as much as possible and not enter spots where the deer hang out. That worked ok but still there is so much pressure in our area (with lots of small hunting lands and lots of folks who depend on deer meat for their table). So we make few changes to the bull pen.

One area we want to improve is the clearcut. Timbered in 2015 it has become the thick sanctuary that I envisioned (I hope I never have to track a deer thru it). I limed the food plot a couple years back and it has improved greatly. This week I began prepping it for some wheat and sunflower seed. You can see on the sides how thick is the clear cut, and a picture of one of the many trails into the brush. A ladder stand off the clear cut became Jack’s favorite hunting spot. On one particular morning, Jack, for the first time on his own, made his way in the dark to this stand, attached his safety harness, pulled up his gun in the dark, and got a nice doe. Here are pics of (1) clear cut food plot (2) brush on each side (3) trails and (4) the depth of the gulley on two sides


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We have moved a nice shooting house on the west side of the clearcut, that overlooks it and the hardwood forest. Was a bit shaky getting the stand back there but my neighbors big John Deere (with him driving) took care of it. It is placed at the yellow circle on the bull pen picture



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Other stands are GREEN—existing 4x6 wood shooting houses, BLUE metal ladder stands. Also, to note on the northwest side, the blue line shows some access that my friend has granted to the back side of the bull pen. That will help in the future but was not so good this year because the white lines to the north indicate a large area that was logged this fall and winter. They took FOREVER and we could hear chain saws every time we hunted. Will be interesting how that affects us in the future. Also, my neighbor is looking in to buying it.


Circle of Life….Back in october 2011 I picked up some sawtooth acorns and grew some trees. Planted them in January 2013. Last fall (2019) they produced acorns and I picked up a few, put them in frig like in 2012, placed in zip lock with potting soil, and now they are in pots in my greenhouse.



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For Native and dogghr….one pretty site at the farm

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Last, recently Auburn University College of Agriculture Alumni Association remembered my Daddy with the 2020 Pioneer Award, for his contribution to the beef industry of Alabama. We were thrilled with the recognition of his and Mother’s hard work. Quite an honor for a man who did not even finish high school, but who was smart beyond all else. I have always thanked him for teaching me how to work hard. Three of my grandkids were able to be at the awards ceremony and Camille's response was "I wish I had known Pap". I am so thankful those kids got to know Gramma, and have a sincere appreciation of the farm.

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I really like how your logging thickened up your property. I am going to log our place soon. I have been doing a little clearing with the dozer of smaller tree areas but I have some areas with some good lumber I want to have cleared along our west side to create a lot of doe bedding! Congrats to your family on the recognition and award for your dad!
 
Really cool stories of your grandkids and your dad. And yes I loved the barn shot. Great place. Guess those kids will be future great hunters and golfers?? Not a bad combo. I remember your aireal pics of your place from the old forum and have enjoyed its transformation thru the years. Good job. Do you still have the awol Oreo cow roaming your place?? Kinda was a cool trademark even if it was an aggravation. Thanks for showing.
 
Really cool stories of your grandkids and your dad. And yes I loved the barn shot. Great place. Guess those kids will be future great hunters and golfers?? Not a bad combo. I remember your aireal pics of your place from the old forum and have enjoyed its transformation thru the years. Good job. Do you still have the awol Oreo cow roaming your place?? Kinda was a cool trademark even if it was an aggravation. Thanks for showing.
Thanks. Aggravator Oreo is still around. That is in the Mandy area that I sold so my neighbor's problem now. He ( and I) have varied degrees of disgust about Oreo.
 
I really like how your logging thickened up your property. I am going to log our place soon. I have been doing a little clearing with the dozer of smaller tree areas but I have some areas with some good lumber I want to have cleared along our west side to create a lot of doe bedding! Congrats to your family on the recognition and award for your dad!
As you know my goal was to create some nasty space for the deer to hide. The massive gulleys surrounding cause me to wonder how much good it will do but the trails give an indication. Now my task it to not do too much around it.
 
lak...Pretty special read about your Dad. Thx for sharing. Love the pic of the barns and the daffodils. Something about daffodils in the south that speak of days gone by.
 
lak...Pretty special read about your Dad. Thx for sharing. Love the pic of the barns and the daffodils. Something about daffodils in the south that speak of days gone by.
Those old house places are easy to spot this time of the year. There are a few blooming in the spot my mom and dad lived in 1947. Always think of my mom when I see them anywhere.
 
Hoping we have some possibilities at the Bull Pen
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And I have produced a few maters this year
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This will be the last year for my garden at my Mom's. A cattleman has bought the farm around and I am selling the house and two acres to him. He plans to do some repairs on the house and turn land back into a cattle farm. I am pleased with that. Seems like a good guy / family and I think I will always be welcome there. My daughter's family and I have been cleaning out the old house. I was less than year old when we moved there.

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I’ve followed you for many a year Lakn. Including a few name changes to protect your identity I suppose Mr Lakngulf/Lakngolf. Always enjoyed your places from the obnoxious Oreo cow to your Fair caliber Maters. Always cool stuff. Congrats on the life changes.


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October 2020 Update....Well 2020 has been such a weird year that I shutter what to think that the Fall deer season will bring. I have some grandsons who are anxious to see what happens. I have two cameras at different spots in the Bull Pen that are showing some good possibilities. We have not previously seen this many bucks, so maybe weird 2020 will be our year. Some of the racks are a bit funky and we surely need to harvest those deer. The boys are ready!

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The sawtooth oaks have begun to drop acorns so that should keep them around for a few weeks. In addition we have noticed several new persimmons that are producers. Always nice to see that

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We have early planted three spots in case we delve into bow hunting Oct 15. If not, then Youth weekend starts on Nov 13 (Friday the 13th, what did you expect for 2020?).

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Here's hoping the boys have a great year!
 
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