Foodplotting In The Mountains...The Sequel

[dogghr]

We are begging for some rain as well. Chance tonight and tomorrow, then possibly some early next week. I’m optimistic about the plots we got in two and three weeks ago. A little bit of rain at the start but nothing for 10-12 days. Looking like we might be tearing them all up again for grain.

Hope you get the rains. Likewise if mine fails I’ll overseed grains sometime from Sept to late Oct. haven’t checked prices but will use wheat or rye depending which cheapest.
You are in the geographic shale barrens which I’m on the edge. I expect dry but showers keep things going.
Have you ever seen cacti at your place? I have in that county back when I used to hunt there.
Deer trails were just gravel paths on the mountain tops. Good luck w your plots.


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[MoreofMitch10]

Hope you get the rains. Likewise if mine fails I’ll overseed grains sometime from Sept to late Oct. haven’t checked prices but will use wheat or rye depending which cheapest.
You are in the geographic shale barrens which I’m on the edge. I expect dry but showers keep things going.
Have you ever seen cacti at your place? I have in that county back when I used to hunt there.
Deer trails were just gravel paths on the mountain tops. Good luck w your plots.


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You are right about the shale, it’s the Marcellus Shale and it’s pretty unique. Some fracking guys who bought the golf course came in with the idea of buying up the land and fracking it. The locals had nothing to do with it, and the numbers weren’t in the ground that they needed or expected. We have some cacti of some sort, they just grow in patches and low to the ground. Both locations got half and inch this week, with some in the forecast Monday/Tuesday I’m trying to stay hopefully. Will get a game plan come next weekend.

 

[dogghr]

Knowledge may come from written and spoken word but nature shows the optimum path if only one is still , and listens and observes

“To those devoid of imagination a blank place on the map is a useless waste; to others, the most valuable part.”
Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

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[dogghr]

First sit yesterday. Slow morning until I let down my bow from stand and deer showed immediately. Pulled bow back up put release back on and watch deer pass thru until noon.
All barely moving along munching on acorns. Passed one iffy buck and let the rest stay safe

Brassica were a failure this year thanks to 2 month drought after planting. But the deer still in heavy of the clover and residual grains recurring. That is the grief if TnM is it is very weather dependent. So be it.

Got the bottom hay fields mowed and equipment winterized. Prob won’t hunt until Halloween and then I get serious. Good luck people!

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[weekender21]

Beautiful up there this time of year!


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[MoreofMitch10]

Just something about these WV mountains this time of year I can’t get enough of. Beautiful pics!

 

[dogghr]

Just something about these WV mountains this time of year I can’t get enough of. Beautiful pics!

Indeed. Although late changing this year The foliage has been extra magnificent this fall the best in 10 years.
NRG Bridge day is tomorrow and I’m sure that cluster crowd will be happy. Good luck this year.


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[dogghr]

Beautiful up there this time of year!


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Good luck this year in those NC mountains!


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[dogghr]

Finally up a tree this season. Has been very warm and rainless late summer and fall. 16000 ac burned by wildfires so far.
Finally day of rain and cooler temps Few deer out w no shooters yet.

I usually read while on stand. Various types. This one I good for anyone having play or have interest in sports. People often forget athlete are humans also.

Couple pics of NRGNP fire burning 1500 ac. My FIL old home place at top and untouched so far.

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[MoreofMitch10]

Finally up a tree this season. Has been very warm and rainless late summer and fall. 16000 ac burned by wildfires so far.
Finally day of rain and cooler temps Few deer out w no shooters yet.

I usually read while on stand. Various types. This one I good for anyone having play or have interest in sports. People often forget athlete are humans also.

Couple pics of NRGNP fire burning 1500 ac. My FIL old home place at top and untouched so far.

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Glad it finally cooled off, we actually got about a half inch of much needed rain today. Much needed help for the fire burning by us in the George Washington Nat Forest.

 

[dogghr]

Slow hunting this year. Dont hunt as much as used to. Took the grandpups out some but nothing shot. I’m limited to couple stands due to logging changes to landscape and logger is still doing some selective timber harvest.

No affect of logging on deer movement. Of the 3-4 times I’ve hunted have had 30+ bucks total w a third of those as probable shooters. But I’ve left them pass till next year. Deer are relaxed and patterns have changed slightly but in a good way around my current stands. No regrets on timbering. As steep as my land is, only one access road was placed which I wanted. One can hardly tell where he’s skidded timber.

Foodplots not being utilized due to laying timber for browse and a bumper hard mast. Soft mast was a failure again for third year thanks to late freezes. One reason I no longer bother w fruit trees plantings. You know I’m lazy anyways.

This one of best bow stands that’s too open to hunt now. Once it grows back should be excellent Shot a nice 8 with my recurve couple years ago here. Saw 6 bucks that morning and drew on him as I saw outline of his shadow from behind a tree. Drew and as he stepped out let the Hell raiser fly. Went 30 yards

My logger pretty upset as few weeks ago a lady pulled out in front of his dump truck and trailer hauling a dozer and he hit and she died. He wasn’t at fault but still has him tore up. A few seconds earlier or later and nothing would’ve happened. Super nice guy and hate for him. You can’t fell trees if your mind is not right. Too dangerous

Did hunt one day rifle. 12 deg and I Stalk hunted in some thick stuff. I love sneaking up on bucks. Fun hunt and no shots fired.

Camping trip to farm in Nov w my crazy SIL and daughter from NC. Fun time even w cold weather.
Good luck to you guys I might make ML hunt next week despite me sitting in hospital w my FIL at moment. Life throws lots of curveballs. Just must remember to swing level and early to get that hit.
Faith Family and Friends. Everything else is secondary

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[weekender21]

Sounds like a fun season even without filled tags. I hate it for your logger, that would weigh heavy on any man.


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[Native Hunter]

Sounds like you have been going through some tribulations with a few different things. I've always admired your outlook on life, because you keep the faith and endure during the hard times and not just the good times. Thanks for the update dogghr, and I hope your FIL gets better soon and also that you do get to do some ML time.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Sorry to hear about your logger's tragedy, I hope he can pull out of it. And I like your emphasis on faith, family, friends - that's where it's at for sure. I'm convinced that TSI logging is the best deer management tool ever (and clear cut logging us the worst deer management tool ever) because someone come in and improves your roads, does your hardest work for you, and pays you to do it to boot! A few years of patience and you will have deer mecca in there.

 

[dogghr]

Sorry to hear about your logger's tragedy, I hope he can pull out of it. And I like your emphasis on faith, family, friends - that's where it's at for sure. I'm convinced that TSI logging is the best deer management tool ever (and clear cut logging us the worst deer management tool ever) because someone come in and improves your roads, does your hardest work for you, and pays you to do it to boot! A few years of patience and you will have deer mecca in there.

I agree w TSI being much more sweat and cost effective than most game habitat management. It is hard here to get a logger touch less than 500 ac. And they typically want 16 dbh on that.

On another note I have timbered following my Random Cluster theory and have selected 4 sections of 1-3 acres to do very heavy cut from lower property to back ridge. These should function promoting deer/buck movement as they recover from the cuts and make excellent clusters. All others cuts were made always preserving at least 2-3 mature hard mast trees per acre amongst the more immature timber.

Ultimately I may need to tweak my stand placements and a few ladder stands await in the barn for future placement.
An addition 2 areas are getting a heavy cut to promote bedding areas near the back upper ridge to compete with my neighbors prime bedding areas

The other plus is relative easier access to back of property w the new logging road. I ain’t getting any younger and these legs may not wheel me around as easily in future years. My family should be able do a productive tree harvest again in 25-30 years.

Thanks to all who have followed the ramblings of this mountain man thru the years. I’ve learned much from those on these forums. My how time passes.
May each of you have a very Merry Christmas and be sure of your purpose!


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[Mennoniteman]

I agree w TSI being much more sweat and cost effective than most game habitat management. It is hard here to get a logger touch less than 500 ac. And they typically want 16 dbh on that.

On another note I have timbered following my Random Cluster theory and have selected 4 sections of 1-3 acres to do very heavy cut from lower property to back ridge. These should function promoting deer/buck movement as they recover from the cuts and make excellent clusters. All others cuts were made always preserving at least 2-3 mature hard mast trees per acre amongst the more immature timber.

Ultimately I may need to tweak my stand placements and a few ladder stands await in the barn for future placement.
An addition 2 areas are getting a heavy cut to promote bedding areas near the back upper ridge to compete with my neighbors prime bedding areas

The other plus is relative easier access to back of property w the new logging road. I ain’t getting any younger and these legs may not wheel me around as easily in future years. My family should be able do a productive tree harvest again in 25-30 years.

Thanks to all who have followed the ramblings of this mountain man thru the years. I’ve learned much from those on these forums. My how time passes.
May each of you have a very Merry Christmas and be sure of your purpose!


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Here is a picture of my 3 year old TSI, we've got a decent amount briars and reseeding going on. Your cut over area should look like this in a very short time.

 

[Triple C]

@dogghr…Been following your postings since 2013 when we were all part of the forum from the dark side. Always enjoy your updates and appreciate your outlook on life. Life does throw us all curve balls. But…if you ain’t swinging you ain’t hitting.

Keep swinging brother!

 

[dogghr]

View attachment 26957Here is a picture of my 3 year old TSI, we've got a decent amount briars and reseeding going on. Your cut over area should look like this in a very short time.

Do you spray to kill MFR? So far it’s not been the problem I feared but some properties are inundated.


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[Mennoniteman]

Do you spray to kill MFR? So far it’s not been the problem I feared but some properties are inundated.


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This was an NRCS project so they pay to spray to kill invasives. We had some MFR, and it is a slower moving hard to eradicate pest, but logging projects around here need to worry more about fast moving invasives like hayscented ferns, Pennsylvania stiltgrass, and mile-a-minute, stuff that will overrun you like ISIS on steroids, and will outrun your capacity to kill it, these can totally take over a newly logged area in one season with a layer of coverage that prevents you from killing it without killing everything else growing and prevent reseeding of quality trees, thus totally defeating the TSI before it can work. Autumn olive, tree of heaven, sumac, MFR etc. at least give you fair warning and a bit of time to deal with them.

 

[dogghr]

Can you tell who in the neighborhood doesn’t spray their yard for weeds? Plenty of clover and other unnecessaries that deer love. I overseeded this WC 2 years ago into my new yard and it has flourished. Same as my farm , grass doesn’t matter in my plots.

In fact late season the grasses help prevent freeze burn to the clover extending its attraction later before going dormant. And I save money not worrying about any bad influence on the clover.

Did a couple day of ML hunting in some light snow last week Lots of deer but no shooters. Then Season cut short by a visit from Mr Covid so may get some bowhunting in yet.

Christmas soon so get your significant something really nice!! Peace

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