farmhunter
Well-Known Member
Nice post! I have almost the same backhoe - wish I had the dozer!!
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Bowhunter's upstate New York property tour
- Thread starter Bowhunter
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Bowhunter
Well-Known Member
I haven’t tried any of that yet but I might have to give it a try. Thanks for the info.
Bowhunter
Well-Known Member
Nice post! I have almost the same backhoe - wish I had the dozer!!
Nice looking setup you got there.
Is that a 510 like mine is?
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
Can't wait makes two of us. When is NY first day? We open on Saturday May 2nd.Here’s a couple birds that are on my hit list for May.
Bowhunter
Well-Known Member
New York opens May 1st for spring turkey. Can’t wait!
badgerfowl
Well-Known Member
Go back a couple years and use 10’ conduit and tie the leader to it. 
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
It looks like it should be trimmed harder. It's a top heavy whip, and if it starts bearing apples it will get worse. If it were mine I'd probably be cutting off the main leader all the way back where the other one goes straight up. When a fruit tree is planted, or later on if it starts turning into a whip, long, skinny and top heavy, cut off the main leader 1/3 of the way down from the top, then it won't get that bow on the trunk. That bow will mostly straighten itself out if you get the extra weight off the top. When you cut off the main leader the tree will put out a new one.
Tying it to the wire cage at several places can help straighten it if your cage is strong enough. I put a 5 foot steel T stake on each side of the cage to support things and that makes the cage strong enough to straighten the tree. I often tie my young trees to give them extra support, and sometimes stake them as well. Any piece of wood like a long trim board or dowel rod or bamboo works well for staking.
Tying it to the wire cage at several places can help straighten it if your cage is strong enough. I put a 5 foot steel T stake on each side of the cage to support things and that makes the cage strong enough to straighten the tree. I often tie my young trees to give them extra support, and sometimes stake them as well. Any piece of wood like a long trim board or dowel rod or bamboo works well for staking.
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Goodness, your conifers are as big as your deer. Lovely pictures
You can improve the shape of that tree substantially with 3-4 stakes and a little patience (don't try to get it straight in a single shot). Looking at the picture, I'd put a solid metal post/stake at the 2:30 and 4:30 positions. Now, where the lowest limb comes off on the right side of the tree, tie a piece of soft rope or rubber coated wire (with wire, you only have to make a u-end) in line with each of your posts (2:30/4:30) and secure each line to the post while gently pulling the trunk to the right (try to move it 1" to 1.5" initially). On the left side, you can try to do it with another single metal post (9pm) with your tie-off at about the top of the cage (you can pull the top half of the tree much further to the left since it is more whip like. After 4-5 months, you can move the bottom connections , again to the right, and adjust the top connections accordingly. You may have to use a 4th post if needed. Over time, you will enjoy a tree with a slight S shape in the trunk; will give your tree character.
Good luck!
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farmhunter
Well-Known Member
nope mines a 500
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
He sure gives that decoy a quick thrashing. Is that the same bird that's been eluding you or are there two now?
Bowhunter
Well-Known Member
It’s the same bird that’s been giving me a beat down.
There’s three other mature Toms that are running around, but this is the oldest one that I’m after. Hopefully I get a crack at him mid week when the weather gets decent again.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
A big boss gobbler like that should have long enough spurs to hang him on a tree limb once you get him. I'll be waiting for pictures!
Bowhunter
Well-Known Member
I got the one new food plot that I cleared last year all limed and disced up yesterday afternoon. It actually turned out better than I thought it would. Going to plant buckwheat in it in a couple weeks and then possibly a cereal grain combo that I’ve had such great results with.
