Upstate Obsession

[Chainsaw]

Thanks Dave. Here is the crazy thing. I count 5 or 6 in that age class. When we bought the property in 2013, the DEC had just instituted a 3pt one one side antler restriction. I believe it has helped. That first winter, our camera surveys picked up nothing but yearling bucks (spikes and fork horns). By the fall of 2014, we had multiple new bucks regularly in the plots we'd never seen which were 3-4. They clearly were pulled in from the neighbors. After the hinge cuts (23 acres), the numbers really picked up. I've got enough cameras out to know that several of the mature bucks travel to and from the neighbors, but most of the deer are homebodies. My theory is wandering bucks have found the food/cover and moved in. This was just what our consultant predicted. Still, I'm humbled and surprised because what I'm seeing is 3-4 years sooner than I'd hoped. One thing I'm particularly focused on is doe numbers. I'm set up to have way too many. I'll let you know about a tour--I'd love to have you down as I'm sure your keen eye would be very helpful.

Great! Thanks for sharing your progress with all of us;its very helpful to me and I'm sure to many others as well. It would be fun to tour just after snow melt so we would have the option of doing a partial browse survey together as a way of measuring your does against winter resources. I used to do them many years ago and then stopped for no reason and then Steve got me motivated to do them again--lot's of fun. And just after snow melt the terrain is visible and so revealing.

 

[Elkaddict]

I haven't felt well enough to hunt, only check cams now and again. I have a number of cameras set on video and they show multiple instances of mature bucks chasing does. It is that time. This is a pic of a mock scrape I started 3 weeks ago--it's getting hit regularly although buck activity remains nocturnal. His neck looks like he ready to rumble. Any body care to guess age? I've followed him for a while--antler wise this Is all I think he'll ever be.

 

[Elkaddict]

Thought I'd post some pics. This is a photo of our corn/bean mix. I have no doubt that a pure grain planting would produce higher yields. However, to date I am pleased with the compromise. These were broadcast at a rate of 1/3 a bag of corn per acre, and about 1/2 a bag of beans. The idea is the deer focus on the young beans and give the corn a chance to establish.

 

[Elkaddict]

This is a photo of a Winfred/rutabaga mix that was planted to heavy for optimum growth. You can see the deer are crushing it. It is seeing far more use than an adjacecent LC grain mix.

 

[Elkaddict]

Here are a couple of unintentional plantings in the gravel walk away next to the house. While it has obviously seen no soil amendments, they have benefitted from extra moisture from roof run off. These have done better than one of my fields that had a full compliment of lime and fert. I'm assuming the seed fell off my clothes or boots.

 

[lakngolf]

Quite some nourishment you have for the whitetails. Good job

 

[Chainsaw]

The corn /bean mix is outstanding. From the picture the beans look to be fairly high yielding and the corn looks to be providing food and cover. I like the addition of the Winfred/Rutabega mix but not to replace the LC grain mix though, just to augment it. Variety in every location seems to be the way to go for here.

On the deer since we only see up to 4 1/2 or so and seldom at that I'm voting him at 4 1/2 or older (just have no experience to rate any deer beyond that).. The weight is hard to tell from one picture and even in person I am not good at weight guessing. He looks to have a shorter rather than the longer kind of deer body so I would guess him at less than 200 lbs. dressed. He's a definite shooter for me if he were living here at this time.

 

[Elkaddict]

Agree on the importance of variety. If the deer hit the rutabaga tubers better than turnips, I may replace them in the LC mix. Another interesting thing about the mix is it's longer maturing and can be planted much earlier than the LC mix. I view this as a benefit as I can stagger my planting. Rutabagas planted end of July (month late) are bigger than softballs now, and the forage seems more substantial than the LC mix given comparable fertilizer. I'd like to do a side by side comparison to better test my observations.

Agree the buck is probably 41/2, and smaller in length than a couple of my 250lb bruisers. He's on the hit list because his antlers have not substantiayl grown the last couple years, and my place is too small to have a good chance of him surviving another season (he resides in a swamp I share with another hunting camp).

How's the rut activity up your way? Any daylight chasing yet?

 

[Chainsaw]

Agree on the importance of variety. If the deer hit the rutabaga tubers better than turnips, I may replace them in the LC mix. Another interesting thing about the mix is it's longer maturing and can be planted much earlier than the LC mix. I view this as a benefit as I can stagger my planting. Rutabagas planted end of July (month late) are bigger than softballs now, and the forage seems more substantial than the LC mix given comparable fertilizer. I'd like to do a side by side comparison to better test my observations.

Agree the buck is probably 41/2, and smaller in length than a couple of my 250lb bruisers. He's on the hit list because his antlers have not substantiayl grown the last couple years, and my place is too small to have a good chance of him surviving another season (he resides in a swamp I share with another hunting camp).

How's the rut activity up your way? Any daylight chasing yet?

Plantable in June is an excellent characteristic; there are so many benefits to be able to do that. They will be tried here as an addition to LC. Thank you for sharing this;it will be another differentiation between this property and the surrounding AG properties.
Rut action is in play. Does sightings have dropped down substantially and it is obvious they are nervous. Three or four days ago saw a fork chasing whoever came into the field and two other forks ate together and gently sparred. No definite 2 1/2's or up came out although one was a possibility. Daytime cameras are set and will let that field sit until/if anything interesting happens there. It was good to be out anyhow.

Friday AM saw 4 1/2 nine point following a doe from a distance of maybe 70 yards sort acting like a sentry over her. Odd thing was the doe was this years deer; apparently it must have been giving off an interesting smell. My friend Roger saw a spike pestering a few different does who were not happy to be bothered.

Unsettled winds yesterday--didn't go hunting. A neighbor shot at a "large" buck-hit sguare in the chest yesterday evening and hadn't found it when I saw him. A group of four others saw from zero to 4 does each yesterday and 1 spike between them yesterday.

So yes it has begun but not full throttle and a changing wind day is usually a dud anyhow. It will be interesting today as it looks to be a good possibility wind wise as of this minute. Will wake the camp up now and see what the day brings. Planning a 7 to 2 sit today.

 

[Elkaddict]

Good luck. I think things will break open any day.

 

[MarkDarvin]

That corn/bean plot looks awesome! Cobs, pods, cover, what more could you ask for?

 

[Elkaddict]

Fewer trespassers, better genetics, less nocturnal activity.....? The dream list is long, varied and unrealistic...

 

[Elkaddict]

This is what food plots can do. Anyone care to guess it's weight?

 

[Elkaddict]

Although I haven't felt well enough to hunt, I did check cards. 4 of our 6 shooters have not been seen in some time. At least one new shooter has moved in. With the super moon and mild temps, rut activity has been largely nocturnal. I'm hoping cooler temps this weekend shake things up.

 

[dogdoc]

Thanks for the kind words. We've had one frost, but they were hammering them before. With how lousy I feel, most of those bucks are going to get another year to grow....not all bad. No takers on aging/scoring that buck?

Your brassicas look awesome.

I would say that buck is a good 4.5 year old and score 140. I'd be hard pressed to not squeeze the trigger on that one.

 

[Elkaddict]

He's missing an eye guard on one side and the other is only 21/2". I'd bet he's in the 120-125" range. Love to be surprised...

 

[Elkaddict]

Haven't been able to really hunt given health challenges this year. Still, I have had some quality sits in a warm blind when I felt well. Some friends helped with doe control and took out three. One of our hit listers ended up getting killed. Same buck as in post 102 (our swamp buck). 19" wide 10pt with 24" beams and good mass (scored 118). After looking at his jaw, he may have even been 51/2. He made the hit list not because of antlers, but because he never was going to get bigger.

Weather has been tough with high winds and cold temps. When the wind lays down, the deer move. Two of our hit listers have been seen the last week (I believe one is 41/2 and the other is 51/2). If they survive trespassers the next 8 days of MZ season, we'll see what they do next year.

On the trespassing front, I've got video of multiple trespassers. State law requires signs on corners and every 660'. I've got them every 100' so there is nowhere you can enter the property without seeing a couple signs. So far, the neighbors haven't been able to help ID them. I put a camera in a lock box pointing straight at the road. Nearly everyone noticed---a couple got out of their cars and studied it carefully. One pair of hunters, stopped, looked at it, and proceeded to enter my property and hunt. Trespassers aren't wearing the state mandated back tags so I'm challenged identifying them. I'm not optimistic about the state using face recognition software for a "mere" trespassing incident. We did loose another camera the last 3 weeks (not all are in lock boxes). I'm frustrated. When I do ID someone, I'll press charges and bring a civil action to make an example of them.

Happy to report the buffet thing is really proving to be true. On a recent evening, I felt well enough to walk the 10 minutes to a blind. Watched deer start in my stunted LC brassica mix (had a bad grass infestation), move to the LC grain mix, move to a white clover/chicory mix, move into the rutabaga/winfred brassica mix, and finish it off in the corn/beans. They had to clear 6" of snow to get to the clover/grains and stunted brassicas. All told, 10 does and several bucks made the circuit. I didn't feel well enough to do anything but happily watch. I'm already thinking about how to apply this level of buffet in our other plots next year. It really promotes movement. I remain surprised with how hard they'll work clearing snow for clover/grains when there is standing corn/beans and knee high brassicas close by.

 

[Elkaddict]

Last weekend, I felt well enough to check some cams. This bruin tracked me for about 600yds an hour after I'd passed by. Looking at the ears and width of the head, this is a very nice bear. Not the biggest on the property, but very nice

 

[Chainsaw]

Good update Tom! I agree trespassing issues are very frustrating! Their heroes trespassed and taught them it was OK and even “normal” to ignore other peoples’ property rights. Trespassers won’t go away by themselves for sure but persistent effort will change their habits eventually.

The dates and times on your pictures will tell you some things about them as well as their outfits and equipment. A visit to some of the hubs in town should give you an idea if they are local to your area or from away. Bars are a slam dunk to check as well as the local post office, breakfast place, bow/gun shop and of course the town clerk; the town clerks know of everyone in this area and in our town the post office lady knows everyone by name that uses the post office. Determining the source of trespassers is a good first step; there is no sense in getting the locals riled up if they are already behaving.

Another idea might be to visit all the local hunting camps in your area to ask them for help; ask them to share trespasser info with you. That may address the problem as it may be one or more of them.

Keep at it and it will get under control eventually even though it seems impossible. Also I believe in NY any person on another’s land must show them their hunting license upon request of the landowner or his designee and that if they refuse it adds another violation to the trespassing ticket. I’m planning to add a small “tape” recorder to my regular things to carry so perhaps I can record any threats or confrontations should they occur.

I find your mention of the lock boxes interesting. Are they really difficult to break into? And are they the Reconyx ones?

Thanks

 

[dogghr]

Hate that about your trespassers. Hopefully you can stop it. Just catching one will put the word out quick. Nice buck and bears. Your brassicas did better than mine this year with the drought. No tubers but the deer are hitting the leaves. Can't complain. Get well buddy, get well.