Working at the Farm - Took a few I-Phone Pics

[Native Hunter]

Thanks for the info on the cameras. I looked at some of the pictures but didn't see any from the new cams...I guess I should have looked better. I've had some deer notice my HC600s at night but it's normally when the camera is near tall grass and I assume they may be some glow on the grass they can see but I still love the reliability and battery life. I will probably pick up a couple of the new ones soon.

We are so dry here clover has went dormant already. Which is way earlier than usual.

deer patch, I had no idea that you guys were so dry. I hope you get some relief soon.

I think you will like those cameras since you are already used to the HC 600s. I forgot to mention that in that same review I read they said the battery life was just incredible - even better than the HC 600. That is another I feel they are a good deal.

 

[Native Hunter]

Never been big into naming the deer, but the one with all the junk around the browse tines immediately had me thinking King Kong. Incredible place you have. I bought mine about five years ago as well. Jap beetles were pretty bad around me, finally broke down and gave them a spraying last weekend. Pears they never touch, you just plant and watch them grow. Pears are pretty underrated in my book...

OldOak, thanks for the reply. I have been considering some different names for him, so I will add King Kong to the list. That seems like a good choice.

I agree that pears are underrated. As you mentioned, the Japs just leave them alone, and I really see almost no bug damage of any kind on mine. In fact, they grow so clean here, I think most could be sold in a supermarket. I can't say that for my apples.

This year is the only year I can remember in the last several years when pears got frozen out, so it doesn't happen very often. That seems to happen to apples as much or more as it does pears in my area. But, it is very unusual for both to get frozen out, so that is a good reason to grow both.

The main problem that can happen with pears (and apples) in our area if fireblight. That's why I have focused on getting varieties that are immune or highly resistant. So far, I have never seen any significant fireblight in any of our pears.

Thanks again for the reply.

 

[Triple C]

NH...Just catching up. Masterpiece of a thread and property. Stud of a buck you got hanging around. Son seems to be carrying on the tradition of a gifted green thumb!

 

[Native Hunter]

Well, it's be about 3 weeks since my last update, so thought I would do one today.

I put this long and narrow fall plot in today. It is a mixture of grains, clovers and chicory with just a touch of radish. If our weather forecast is accurate, this will be good. If not, I may be replanting later on.

This plot was put in last fall. It is in good shape for this year. I might mow it high later on just to scatter the seed and get it to growing lush again.

These are some pictures of my "Rebel without a Cause" plots planted a few weeks ago.

The deer are still content.

The NWSGs don't appear to be suffering for anything:

Heavy persimmon crop this year.

A few apples:

That's about it guys. Only thing left to do is finish my plot work and mow shooting lanes a little later. Take Care and best wishes.

 

[Weasel]

Incredible results NH, place looks gorgeous.

 

[Buckeye]

Well, it's be about 3 weeks since my last update, so thought I would do one today.

I put this long and narrow fall plot in today. It is a mixture of grains, clovers and chicory with just a touch of radish. If our weather forecast is accurate, this will be good. If not, I may be replanting later on.

This plot was put in last fall. It is in good shape for this year. I might mow it high later on just to scatter the seed and get it to growing lush again.

These are some pictures of my "Rebel without a Cause" plots planted a few weeks ago.

The deer are still content.

The NWSGs don't appear to be suffering for anything:

Heavy persimmon crop this year.

A few apples:

That's about it guys. Only thing left to do is finish my plot work and mow shooting lanes a little later. Take Care and best wishes.

Looking good, hope you guys get that brute this season.

 

[Sam16]

As always, the farm looks amazing. How many acres do you have, by the way?? Would you mind sharing an aerial? I feel it’s always nice to get a feel for a property after drooling over your pics for so long!


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[Native Hunter]

As always, the farm looks amazing. How many acres do you have, by the way?? Would you mind sharing an aerial? I feel it’s always nice to get a feel for a property after drooling over your pics for so long!

Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

Thanks Sam. The farm is 100 acres. My son bought an additional 12 acres last year that borders me across the access road. Below is an aerial view:

The red line is the property boundaries.
The yellow boot shaped area is a 12 acre tree planting I did a few years ago.
The green areas are plots.
The land my son bought would be across the road from the bottom of the boot and not marked on the drawing.
The fields to the south of me are owned by a relative and in beans for the first time this year.
All of my fields (roughly 59 acres of fields) are in NWSGs like shown in the pictures above.

 

[Sam16]

I didn't realize you had so much NWSG, do you find that's what holds all your deer? Is it in a government program?

Beautiful place!

 

[Native Hunter]

I didn't realize you had so much NWSG, do you find that's what holds all your deer? Is it in a government program?

Beautiful place!

Thanks Sam. Yes, my NWSGs are from the CREP program.

There is nothing magic about NWSGs, but they have made a big difference on my place. Without them it is pretty open, but with them it is the thickest cover around - especially in the fall. I hold a few deer all year long, but when the leaves start falling I generally gain more. These tall grass fields are also a big draw during the rut. I've seen some great chases in the tall grasses.

The weakness of the general area around me is the lack of what I call "The Big Woods." It's hard for bucks to get old around here, but if they can make it, they will seek out the best cover. Deer don't bed much in NWSGs during the summer, but they do in the fall and winter. The big cedar fence rows that I have here where the NWSGs come up to them makes good habitat. They will use NWSGs for travel cover all year long. Bucks like to travel through them, because they are thick but don't hang on their antlers like brush does. To hunt them in the grasses, you have to learn to make shooting lanes at strategic places where you know they are likely to cross.

We used to have another weakness - lack of crops - but that has now changed. I think it will make a big difference in the future.

We have had up years and down years here on mature bucks. Last year was somewhat of a down year. This year is one of the better ones so far. I love working on this place and get a great joy out of the jobs that go along with it. I love the plotting, the cameras, the mowing, the tree cutting, the tree planting, the fruit eating and seeing things improve for the better. I love it all. It brings a sense of satisfaction that is hard to explain.

 

[OkieKubota]

It’s amazing to see what can happen with rain...we are so dry our oaks are all going dormant and I haven’t seen any clover around here in over a month...chances of rain and it has rained south and north of us but not here...

That 1 buck is amazing. Hope you guys get a chance at him!

 

[Native Hunter]

It’s amazing to see what can happen with rain...we are so dry our oaks are all going dormant and I haven’t seen any clover around here in over a month...chances of rain and it has rained south and north of us but not here...

That 1 buck is amazing. Hope you guys get a chance at him!

Thank you Johnny.

I remember Deer Patch (also from Oklahoma) mentioning a while back about that drought. That was several days ago, and it sounds like you guys have not had any relief at all.

I remember two years ago I planted rye around August 20th and never saw it germinate until the next spring. All my fall plots were a bust that year. The only one I had was the one I planted earlier in June when we were having good rains. Like you said - amazing difference.

Wishing you guys some relief soon and some great hunting this fall.

Take Care - Steve

 

[Jack Terpack]

NH, I noticed you talking about working on some persimmons. I assume you are going to graft them to female. Have you ever chip bud grafted them? A loval fella told me that is the only way he does them any more and he does it in July and August. I have a real small plot right behind the house. It's about 1/8 acre but has a mature female persimmon that I released about three years ago. It produces every year. Yesterday I was mowing the plot. It was really overgrown because it's been too wet to mow. I found about a dozen 3 foot tall persimmons in the plot. I am thinking of trying to bud graft to them from the female I already have. Any thoughts?

 

[Native Hunter]

NH, I noticed you talking about working on some persimmons. I assume you are going to graft them to female. Have you ever chip bud grafted them? A loval fella told me that is the only way he does them any more and he does it in July and August. I have a real small plot right behind the house. It's about 1/8 acre but has a mature female persimmon that I released about three years ago. It produces every year. Yesterday I was mowing the plot. It was really overgrown because it's been too wet to mow. I found about a dozen 3 foot tall persimmons in the plot. I am thinking of trying to bud graft to them from the female I already have. Any thoughts?

Jack, so far all I've done is bark grafting and have had great success with that. However, I know someone who occasionally posts on this forum who has got into bud grafting. I haven't talked to him about it in a long time, but I know he was doing it and was successful. I see no reason not to try it on a few of those sprouts. That's how I learn myself - just doing it. Sorry I can't help more. Let us know later on how it turns out if you try it.

 

[Native Hunter]

We have an incredible rain forecast so I went ahead and did the rest of my fall plots today. I did the mowing with a DR instead of a bushhog, so you can guess how tired I am.

The day started out foggy. So beautiful out there early this morning.

There was also some beauty along the stream corridor today.

July 27th planted plot coming on strong.

My neighbor's bean look great for a first year in crops.

Still got some deer around.

That's about it folks. Keep the faith and pray for rain!!!

 

[buckhunter10]

man that buck is a beaut!

What is your fall plot mix and lb per acre?

 

[Native Hunter]

man that buck is a beaut!

What is your fall plot mix and lb per acre?

Thanks buckhunter10. For my pounds per acre I always consult the food plot manual that I bought a few years ago. This is the one that QDMA sells on their web site. I don't care for the organization anymore, but that manual is really good.

I mixed the fall plots up quite a bit this year. I do lots of small plots (around 1/2 acre each) rather than large plots. I do this for several different reasons. At some places I want perennials to last and at other places I just want annuals for the fall and will replant again next year. Below are some of the mixes I did this year.

#1 Mix: Oats, winter peas, Freedom medium red clover, white clover, chicory, mixed brassicas (not too heavy)

#2 Mix: Freedom MRC, Durana, Chicory, oats, wheat, light dusting of Diakon radishes, Crimson Clover

#3 Mix: Heavier brassicas (turnips and Diakon radishes) with oats and mixed clovers.

#4 Mix: I did 1/2 acres this time with the Alfa Rack BOB mix for WI. I did add some grains and a little more clover, even though it has some clover in the mix. I did a plot a few years ago with this and was impressed with how the alfalfa has lasted. Hoping this one does too.

 

[George]

I think that we may be looking at a 1fiddy but who keeps score.

Country is still alive in Kentucky.

G

 

[Native Hunter]

I think that we may be looking at a 1fiddy but who keeps score.

Country is still alive in Kentucky.

G

We were country when country wasn't cool....

I know you are wanting to see some tickseed sunflower blooming. Be patient, it is coming soon.....

 

[George]

I was window shopping farms down around Burkesville yesterday. Also found some affordable hills up around West Liberty.

G