The Shed
- Thread starter badgerfowl
- Start date
badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the reminder to update this! Bow season has ended for me. Sat many times over the season and the last 3 weeks in particular. Several all day sits. Only time I didn’t see a deer was the last one on Monday morning. The plots were a big success this year. They wiped out my brassica plot long ago. Activity while sitting over that plot wasn’t great however. They pretty much wiped it out in mid October before I began to hunt quite a bit.
The field plot surprised me a bit this year. It hardly grew the first month but eventually filled in. If I hadn’t hung a camera on it I probably never would have realized how much use it was getting. I put a ladder stand on it last year but never sat there. After checking the camera in late October this year I quickly changed that and sat a bunch. Had several daylight buck pics on that first pull. It ended up being one of the better spots this year. The 2nd sit there I had 14 deer in front of me at one time then a shooter came running in and chased everything around. He was a little further than I wanted and a little too dark to take a shot. Ended up seeing several nicer ones on my sits there. Already have a plan for next year for this plot.
On November 11th I finally got an opportunity on a nice 8 and promptly blew it. Stuck him right in the shoulder. Couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. Very little blood and no penetration. Had another one right under me that same afternoon but couldn’t get a shot. He wasn’t quite as big but still a 15” 8 pointer. Probably 110”. Those would be the two chances I’d get with the bow at something decent. Wasn’t going to shoot any of the yearlings that loved to walk within 5 yards of me.
Gun season is this weekend so there’s still a chance although I don’t have a ton of confidence in gun season. Only shot 1 buck in the last 7 years with the gun. Will take a doe if given a chance. Still like snack sticks and jerky.
Here’s a few others we had on camera.
I don’t believe I had the one I shot on camera. He was missing or broke off his left G3 and I didn’t have anything like that on camera. This one is close to the size though I’d guess.
Brassica plot gone.
Small rub
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The field plot surprised me a bit this year. It hardly grew the first month but eventually filled in. If I hadn’t hung a camera on it I probably never would have realized how much use it was getting. I put a ladder stand on it last year but never sat there. After checking the camera in late October this year I quickly changed that and sat a bunch. Had several daylight buck pics on that first pull. It ended up being one of the better spots this year. The 2nd sit there I had 14 deer in front of me at one time then a shooter came running in and chased everything around. He was a little further than I wanted and a little too dark to take a shot. Ended up seeing several nicer ones on my sits there. Already have a plan for next year for this plot.
On November 11th I finally got an opportunity on a nice 8 and promptly blew it. Stuck him right in the shoulder. Couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. Very little blood and no penetration. Had another one right under me that same afternoon but couldn’t get a shot. He wasn’t quite as big but still a 15” 8 pointer. Probably 110”. Those would be the two chances I’d get with the bow at something decent. Wasn’t going to shoot any of the yearlings that loved to walk within 5 yards of me.
Gun season is this weekend so there’s still a chance although I don’t have a ton of confidence in gun season. Only shot 1 buck in the last 7 years with the gun. Will take a doe if given a chance. Still like snack sticks and jerky.
Here’s a few others we had on camera.
I don’t believe I had the one I shot on camera. He was missing or broke off his left G3 and I didn’t have anything like that on camera. This one is close to the size though I’d guess.
Brassica plot gone.
Small rub
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badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
Took a doe today. Another week left of gun season. Will try it again around thanksgiving.
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Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Too bad about that archery shot, hopefully you get another crack at him on Thanksgiving. At least you have some meat in the freezer. Speaking of brassica, I'm depending on it less and less every year, it's just not been coming through for me for fall and winter plots. This year was dry and the brassica mostly failed, so some years it does great and the deer let a lot of it rot, then the next year they wipe it out before Christmas.
I have started to depend more on ladino clover, small grains, and soybeans to feed my deer, and find these to be much more reliable than brassica, for a great winter attraction small grains such as rye never fail, and a small patch feeds a lot of deer right up to and immediately after the snow flies.
I have started to depend more on ladino clover, small grains, and soybeans to feed my deer, and find these to be much more reliable than brassica, for a great winter attraction small grains such as rye never fail, and a small patch feeds a lot of deer right up to and immediately after the snow flies.
badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
Kind of ironic but I shot this doe in my brassica plot today.
There were a few bulbs in the plot and they are digging to get at them. They’re eaten to the dirt. I wasn’t sure if I had any in it but there are some. The mix was mainly forage brassica so no bulbs but I think it had a few radish. Anyway, it paid off today as she was eating in it when I shot. 20 yard shot and that’s about how far she made it.
badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
Hunted the last few days of our gun season late last week/end. Saw deer each time which was a nice change from last year during the same time. Passed on some smaller bucks. Think I saw 5 different ones.
Some updated views. Bucks came across the thick weeds to our field plot below the barn.
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Some updated views. Bucks came across the thick weeds to our field plot below the barn.
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badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
Putting 18 crabs on the north half of our field next spring. Didn’t plant anything here and won’t for awhile. Just give the crabs some years to grow.
Pic of our plot. They’ve kept it mowed down all fall. Will have to put an exclusion cage out next year. Red neck Ghillie blind going just left of the ground blind shown next spring. Probably on a 2’ high platform.
Ladder stand in the corner will get moved to the furthest tree on the right. Every decent buck I saw here this fall was within 20 yards of that tree.
Plan on planting similar stuff next year with an addition of pumpkins, brassica mix, and a game bird mix.
Core will be oats, rye, clover, alfalfa, and peas. Can’t wait!
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badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
Working on a new blind for the field plot.
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
Looking really good! Would you mind telling me what you have in it? We've considered several possible options for a blind at the farm.Working on a new blind for the field plot.
badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
More than I'd like but w/e.
Windows were $200+. I don't remember exactly. Wood is ridiculous right now so that really raises it above what it normally would be. I've made several trips for wood. All have been between $100-$200. I'm guessing $800 or so when all said and done. Plywood is the real killer right now. $48/sheet.
KSQ2
Well-Known Member
That's still way ahead of the cost of a blind purchase, even with the inflated prices right now. Thanks!More than I'd like but w/e.
badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
I'd agree, which is why I went this route. Can't spend $3,000 on a redneck just yet. maybe someday. First time I've done one with real windows too. Just need the damn snow to melt so I can get this out there now.
badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
These are original deer blind windows. They seem nice. Time will tell. Ordered back in December. Got them in a couple days.
Travis Aasen
Active Member
Those windows do look great! That certainly looks to be a high end blind by the time you're done. What is the plan for sound proofing it? Past blinds I hunted out of just echo'd the sound from boots, etc. I reverted back to ladder stands just to avoid that, but have considered doing "something" in the future for guests or my older relatives to hunt comfortably.
badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
I’ve got carpet on the bottom half of the walls. Not all yet but will. Will also have carpet on the floor. That’s probably gonna be the extent of it. Cost is getting up there.
maybe someday if it’s an issue I’ll add some egg crate foam or something.
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
That blind is looking great. I also liked that picture below the red barn. It just has that look of a place deer are going to be using.
badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
Thanks! That area is part of our field that I didn’t plant last fall. I was able to plant about 1/2 acre last fall and it was used daily. It’s kinda crazy watching the deer come across the neighbors yard and down into our field but it is what it is. I’ve got 18 crab apples coming in a month that will go below the barn in the untouched area. I’ll let them do their thing for 5-6 years before I plant anything amongst them.
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
The right crabapples can be a great investment, especially with good cover like that nearby.
badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
The property line is just to the left in that Pic with the barn up the hill. The left is North. North of the barn there is a 7 acre overgrown field that is tall weeds and brush. They've got a network of trails going through there and often come into our field from that field. Going further to the northeast is large chunks of conifers. I'm guessing that's where a large chunk of them bed frequently.
