Farm and Ranch life

[Baker]

Also it seems as though you have a few properties can you describe more about your land, location and designs etc. the ranch deer you showed are impressive!

I live on a 1350 acre farm in Central La. that is contiguous to a 1150 acre farm owned by a very close childhood friend. We manage the entirety of the property for wildlife and fishing. We both have grown up on the property and I have lived on my farm for 40 years managing it for deer the entire time.After decades of frustration we both decided we had enough so we built a game fence around the entirety of the property about 9-10 years ago. Turned out to be the best decision I ever made with my property. Happy to elaborate in detail on the reality of that decision.

I do TSI every year, have about 130 acres of foodlplots growing a wide variety of crops year round, and supplementally feed about half the year thru all the stress periods. Everything was laid out to the benefit of wildlife.

In Mexico just off the Rio Grande River I have owned a 25,000 acre ranch since the mid 90's that is managed primarily for wildlife. Amazing country with amazing people and amazing wildlife. Like Africa west. We have distributed water over the entirety of the ranch either by building ponds or running pvc with troughs every kilometer. We feed supplemental feed year round and obviously intensively manage the deer herd.

 

[howboutthemdawgs]

I live on a 1350 acre farm in Central La. that is contiguous to a 1150 acre farm owned by a very close childhood friend. We manage the entirety of the property for wildlife and fishing. We both have grown up on the property and I have lived on my farm for 40 years managing it for deer the entire time.After decades of frustration we both decided we had enough so we built a game fence around the entirety of the property about 9-10 years ago. Turned out to be the best decision I ever made with my property. Happy to elaborate in detail on the reality of that decision.

I do TSI every year, have about 130 acres of foodlplots growing a wide variety of crops year round, and supplementally feed about half the year thru all the stress periods. Everything was laid out to the benefit of wildlife.

In Mexico just off the Rio Grande River I have owned a 25,000 acre ranch since the mid 90's that is managed primarily for wildlife. Amazing country with amazing people and amazing wildlife. Like Africa west. We have distributed water over the entirety of the ranch either by building ponds or running pvc with troughs every kilometer. We feed supplemental feed year round and obviously intensively manage the deer herd.

So what was it that made pre-fence frustrating? Seems like with that much contiguous land you could manage pretty well. Did you introduce any genetics after the fence went up? Just curious because you definitely have a unique and amazing situation.

 

[Turkish]

Did you catch the part about him being in LA? Poaching is the first class they teach at LSU. And they send the grad students to do their research in South MS.

I’m mostly kidding.

 

[howboutthemdawgs]

Did you catch the part about him being in LA? Poaching is the first class they teach at LSU. And they send the grad students to do their research in South MS.

I’m mostly kidding.

Kentucky says hold my beer

 

[Baker]

So what was it that made pre-fence frustrating? Seems like with that much contiguous land you could manage pretty well. Did you introduce any genetics after the fence went up? Just curious because you definitely have a unique and amazing situation.

All very good questions with Turkish providing the cliff notes for the answer.

When I first started managing the farm nearly 40 years ago poaching was rampant. I hired sheriffs to patrol the property on horseback in full uniform one of which was shot at at very close range with 30-06. I ultimately had to clear a 400' wide perimeter around the place to stop the year round ingress even though I lived on the farm. At the time it was all standing timber.

From there we soon learned just how much deer move. Consider this. Even after establishing a significant food plot strategy and supplemental feeding program on both properties we rarely saw much less shot a deer over 3 1/2 yrs old. We had hunters all around the property with blinds on the fences shooting everything that moved. How significant was it? In over 30 years we never shot a 170" buck and only a couple in the 160's. 3 years after finishing the enclosure we killed 2 over 200".Another the following year and routinely grow 190"+ bucks every year now. That working with the native genetics in place having never altered the local herd in any way. In a future post I will explain how I think the science of epigenetic shift from enhanced nutrition over the 30 years was 'captured' once we built the fence.

Now we can actually manage a deer herd, the deer are just as wild as ever, the hunting far more fun than ever and on any given day the opportunity is there to see a truly magnificent healthy wild giant. AS much as anything else what the game fence did was allow the 'opportunity' for bucks to age.

 

[Baker]

Some detail on spring planting techniques

 

[howboutthemdawgs]

All very good questions with Turkish providing the cliff notes for the answer.

When I first started managing the farm nearly 40 years ago poaching was rampant. I hired sheriffs to patrol the property on horseback in full uniform one of which was shot at at very close range with 30-06. I ultimately had to clear a 400' wide perimeter around the place to stop the year round ingress even though I lived on the farm. At the time it was all standing timber.

From there we soon learned just how much deer move. Consider this. Even after establishing a significant food plot strategy and supplemental feeding program on both properties we rarely saw much less shot a deer over 3 1/2 yrs old. We had hunters all around the property with blinds on the fences shooting everything that moved. How significant was it? In over 30 years we never shot a 170" buck and only a couple in the 160's. 3 years after finishing the enclosure we killed 2 over 200".Another the following year and routinely grow 190"+ bucks every year now. That working with the native genetics in place having never altered the local herd in any way. In a future post I will explain how I think the science of epigenetic shift from enhanced nutrition over the 30 years was 'captured' once we built the fence.

Now we can actually manage a deer herd, the deer are just as wild as ever, the hunting far more fun than ever and on any given day the opportunity is there to see a truly magnificent healthy wild giant. AS much as anything else what the game fence did was allow the 'opportunity' for bucks to age.

Very cool and I appreciate the explanation. After the fence was in did you ever have problems with the neighbors, namely destruction of property? I have a good friend who is high fencing a property and it’s not being perceived well by the neighbors. Admittedly I sympathize with their plight. As a responsible hunter and land manager, if a neighbors fenced their property I would have mixed emotions.

 

[Baker]

Hiring a full time patrol with aggressive prosecution along with the fence ultimately solved the problem. Things are very quiet now and the nature of the overall area has changed with new ownership replacing thugs and all working together in a cohesive way.

 

[BenAllgood]

Baker, I can testify to the poaching problem in Louisiana. Our company leased 2100 acres in Central Louisiana, and had constant problems with poaching. We had an 80 acre field of beans and wheat in the middle of it, and it was also surrounded by more ag. We only had 2-5 hunters, but had trouble even seeing deer because of the poaching. That's what led me to buy property out of state.

 

[Baker]

Baker, I can testify to the poaching problem in Louisiana. Our company leased 2100 acres in Central Louisiana, and had constant problems with poaching. We had an 80 acre field of beans and wheat in the middle of it, and it was also surrounded by more ag. We only had 2-5 hunters, but had trouble even seeing deer because of the poaching. That's what led me to buy property out of state.

I'm in central La. off the Rigolette Bayou and interestingly enough a local legend baseball coach was Allgood

 

[BenAllgood]

I'm in central La. off the Rigolette Bayou and interestingly enough a local legend baseball coach was Allgood

My lease was east of you in Avoyelles parish. Billy Allgood wasn't related to me, I don't believe, but he was one of the best.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[MarkDarvin]

Hiring a full time patrol with aggressive prosecution along with the fence ultimately solved the problem. Things are very quiet now and the nature of the overall area has changed with new ownership replacing thugs and all working together in a cohesive way.

What you've done is not quite so uncommon anymore. If I had the means and acres, I'd fence mine too. Your place is the largest I've heard of that still couldn't produce full-potential deer with massive acreage.

 

[cutman]

Some detail on spring planting techniques

Great video (as usual). I may have missed it, but how deep did you plant that mix?

I’m delayed in my spring mix because of how dry we are. There is no moisture in the top several inches of soil. Luckily a great crop of volunteer arrowleaf clover has filled in the gap left by now dead crimson clover and wheat. As soon as it rains again I’m going to drill straight into the arrowleaf.

 

[Baker]

Great video (as usual). I may have missed it, but how deep did you plant that mix?

I’m delayed in my spring mix because of how dry we are. There is no moisture in the top several inches of soil. Luckily a great crop of volunteer arrowleaf clover has filled in the gap left by now dead crimson clover and wheat. As soon as it rains again I’m going to drill straight into the arrowleaf.

You are too dry. We have been too wet with 3" last night and flooding coming. This habitat things is easy!
1 1/2"

 

[Jon]

Baker, I was thinking back to your video and I need to re-watch the gardening video as I thought that was very impressive, and I know you spoke about building soil . When discussing herbicides and being environmentally focused, where do you stand on this mostly in your garden and then separately in the fields for wildlife. I have personally decided around my house to stick with cultivation and exclude herbicides (for gardening and food plot), but sometimes just hand pick areas that were bothersome... We have water wells (in the area) that are only 35-50 ft deep (mine starting at around 37 ft). Weighing the environmental element of this and related herbicide applications I'm just interested in your opinion.

 

[Baker]

Baker, I was thinking back to your video and I need to re-watch the gardening video as I thought that was very impressive, and I know you spoke about building soil . When discussing herbicides and being environmentally focused, where do you stand on this mostly in your garden and then separately in the fields for wildlife. I have personally decided around my house to stick with cultivation and exclude herbicides (for gardening and food plot), but sometimes just hand pick areas that were bothersome... We have water wells (in the area) that are only 35-50 ft deep (mine starting at around 37 ft). Weighing the environmental element of this and related herbicide applications I'm just interested in your opinion.

Jon, I think I'll answer this question philosophically . My wife and I have chosen a lifestyle that is focused on our vision of health and living in harmony with nature as much as is practical . As mentioned in the gardening video, the preponderance of our diet comes from the farm, be it meat, fruits, vegetables, herbs etc. and it is all completely organic , sustainable, with every effort possible to increase the nutrient density. { A notable exception is wine as my wife rejects muscadine wine for Napa and France } We eschew poisons both outside as well as inside the home. We refuse to eat factory farmed meats as I consider the practice inhumane as well as unhealthy. I come from the corporate world and because of an incredible series of lucky breaks I was able to retire when I was 43, able to do what I want, when I want ,where I want, how I want. We chose a lifestyle in harmony with nature and health. { Plus I like to grow big deer }

Specifically, my gardens , orchards and yard are all totally organic from the beginning.Inside our home is totally organic.My wife is a skilled nutritionalist, incredible chef as well as essentially a naturopath healer. Two exceptions; fire ants get poison and I'll use synthetic fertilizer on some flower beds.

In my fields I am working diligently to go completely organic though I question it will ever happen. The compromise I have made with myself is that I don't spray gly on crops consumed by wildlife nor do I use any GMO of any kind including the supplemental feed I use. If absolutely necessary I'll spray cleth on clover fields after they have gone dormant to control grasses. I haven't used synthetic fertilizer in over a decade, rather work with nature to provide fertility . Have never used pesticides, fungicides etc. Of the 130+ acres of crops I'll have growing this summer, maybe 37 acres will be treated with gly.

I find it perplexing that some folks readily plant GMO crops then drench them in poison for the animals to eat all the while criticizing the use of high quality nutritious supplemental feed for deer . Just another of my quirks. But I'll avoid other soap box issues for now.

 

[MarkDarvin]

Jon, I think I'll answer this question philosophically . My wife and I have chosen a lifestyle that is focused on our vision of health and living in harmony with nature as much as is practical . As mentioned in the gardening video, the preponderance of our diet comes from the farm, be it meat, fruits, vegetables, herbs etc. and it is all completely organic , sustainable, with every effort possible to increase the nutrient density. { A notable exception is wine as my wife rejects muscadine wine for Napa and France } We eschew poisons both outside as well as inside the home. We refuse to eat factory farmed meats as I consider the practice inhumane as well as unhealthy. I come from the corporate world and because of an incredible series of lucky breaks I was able to retire when I was 43, able to do what I want, when I want ,where I want, how I want. We chose a lifestyle in harmony with nature and health. { Plus I like to grow big deer }

Specifically, my gardens , orchards and yard are all totally organic from the beginning.Inside our home is totally organic.My wife is a skilled nutritionalist, incredible chef as well as essentially a naturopath healer. Two exceptions; fire ants get poison and I'll use synthetic fertilizer on some flower beds.

In my fields I am working diligently to go completely organic though I question it will ever happen. The compromise I have made with myself is that I don't spray gly on crops consumed by wildlife nor do I use any GMO of any kind including the supplemental feed I use. If absolutely necessary I'll spray cleth on clover fields after they have gone dormant to control grasses. I haven't used synthetic fertilizer in over a decade, rather work with nature to provide fertility . Have never used pesticides, fungicides etc. Of the 130+ acres of crops I'll have growing this summer, maybe 37 acres will be treated with gly.

I find it perplexing that some folks readily plant GMO crops then drench them in poison for the animals to eat all the while criticizing the use of high quality nutritious supplemental feed for deer . Just another of my quirks. But I'll avoid other soap box issues for now.

That's one of many reasons I'm switching to a system revolving around perennial clovers.

 

[swat1018]

Loved the garden video. I haven't put anything on my garden in 2 years other than composted horse manure. Have a quail liter compost pile that will be ready for fall application, and thereafter. Trying to avoid chemicals myself...

 

[split toe]

Awesome layout you got down there in Louisiana!

 

[Triple C]

Rusty - Haven't been able to watch the last 2 videos due to computer issues on my end but enjoying the commentary just the same. My neighbor high fenced his property years before I bought my place. His is about 1350 acres. He's been a great neighbor to me over the years. His deer are just as wild and just as hard to hunt as they are on our place. Only difference is he can manage for older age class bucks and we can't. As always, thanks for taking the time to share your passion!