Kaleo Hills-Property tour

[weekender21]

Wandering hack and squirt track. I hit a few areas pretty hard with the goal being significant canopy reduction in those areas. Also daylighted a few 2017 planted chestnuts.

Current canopy closure after the fire, can’t wait to see how this responds post herbicide treatment.

Thanks to picture this I’m now aware we have velvet grass. Definitely more bluestem than velvet but I hate seeing invasive grass in the mix.

I squeezed in ~45 minutes of fishing on this trip. It’s been a while. This stream is about 25 minutes from our place.

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[weekender21]

This bear was roughly 12 yards from my tent (with me in it) when the picture was taken. I don’t really consider them a threat but thought it was a cool “encounter” even though I didn’t actively participate.

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[George]

Not enough fat on you for that one.

G

 

[weekender21]

Quick overnight property trip on the 4th, it was HOT. Mid 80’s isn’t bad compared to most places but it’s about as miserable as it gets in the mountains. Not perfect camping weather in my opinion.

We camped by our newly installed well. Probably the shadiest area with good access.

My youngest and I took a short hike to check out the burn.

This area is getting good sunlight.

A little on the shady side here but still has available food at ground level.

Poke salad remains king.

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[weekender21]

Eventful weekend in the mountains.

Two of my plots were mainly clover from last years fall planting and an early spring frost seeding. Both of those plots were over seeded with WR, Ladino, and MRC. No spraying.

Over an inch of rain fell as soon as I finished these two.

The other plots received 2qts/acre gly. I had to carefully dodge afternoon thunderstorms, apparently the last of the week.

I was able to spray and plant another plot before receiving another 2 tenths.

The last plot was sprayed and seeded with no real rain. It has cooled off but the birds will likely clean up the WR. Doubt they’ll have as much luck with the clover.

Excellent fruit this year.

Some I planted:

And some I inherited when we bought the property:

Found a nice native

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[George]

Nice, do the deer eat up all your apples?

G

 

[weekender21]

Nice, do the deer eat up all your apples?

G

They’re on the apples pretty heavy on good years.


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[Native Hunter]

Eventful weekend in the mountains.

Two of my plots were mainly clover from last years fall planting and an early spring frost seeding. Both of those plots were over seeded with WR, Ladino, and MRC. No spraying.

Over an inch of rain fell as soon as I finished these two.

The other plots received 2qts/acre gly. I had to carefully dodge afternoon thunderstorms, apparently the last of the week.

I was able to spray and plant another plot before receiving another 2 tenths.

The last plot was sprayed and seeded with no real rain. It has cooled off but the birds will likely clean up the WR. Doubt they’ll have as much luck with the clover.

Excellent fruit this year.

Some I planted:

And some I inherited when we bought the property:

Found a nice native

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Everything is looking great!

 

[MarkDarvin]

Nice elderberry!

 

[weekender21]

~17” of rain from the hurricane. The plots should be happy if the dirt stayed in place (no guarantee on our slopes). Unfortunately that moisture isn’t free this year. All of our culverts that provide entry into the property are severely damaged or missing all together. The damage in our area will definitely delay our cabin build and rightly so. Better to dedicate resources to the residents that need it.

I’ll get to see the damage in person on October 11th if my schedule holds.


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[Native Hunter]

~17” of rain from the hurricane. The plots should be happy if the dirt stayed in place (no guarantee on our slopes). Unfortunately that moisture isn’t free this year. All of our culverts that provide entry into the property are severely damaged or missing all together. The damage in our area will definitely delay our cabin build and rightly so. Better to dedicate resources to the residents that need it.

I’ll get to see the damage in person on October 11th if my schedule holds.


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Wishing you the best after that nightmare flooding.

 

[George]

That's too much rain, good luck.

G

 

[weekender21]

October buck story.

This apple tree managed to go completely unnoticed by me until this year. It’s located towards the back of our property in a bowl that I assumed would be nearly un huntable due to swirling winds.

Last Sunday was the hottest day of the week (upper 70’s) and windy. I had decided to check the property for damage but not to hunt. I changed my plans when I found a water source with lots of tracks and two adjacent scrapes. There were no trees to climb but there was thick cover less than thirty yards away that looked like a good place to sit on the ground.

My chores took longer than expected and I didn’t start hiking in until around 5. I noted I had to walk by the lone apple on my way to the water source so I decided to assess that spot on my way. The thermals were sliding downhill in my favor and I remembered the small rub under the apple from earlier in the day. It was late and this spot was too good to walk by.

I slipped behind a thick wall of briars that occupied the first 5 yards along the old logging road. I found a spot ~25 yards from the apple tree. Not ideal but I was able to quietly sit on a pile of old logging slash. I’d be required to stand and shoot but for now I was concealed.

I spotted movement 3/4 of the way up the ridge maybe 15 minutes after I got settled. The buck was ~100 yards away feeding on acorns and eating just about everything he walked by.

Several times I was convinced he might go a different direction but he finally broke and headed to the apple tree. I was able to watch him for at least 30 minutes as he headed my way.

When he arrived at the apple tree he was very comfortable and busy feeding. I waited until his head was concealed and stood up. It seemed like forever but it was likely 1 or 2 minutes until he presented a shot somewhere around 20 yards.

At the shot he ran in a half circle towards me and died 8 or 10 yards away on the old logging road.

The shot hit two lobes of the liver and the very top of both lungs but amazingly hit a major artery which was lucky but immediately effective.

I didn’t know it at the time but I have quite a few trail cam pictures of this buck in September/October.

He’s a big bodied mountain buck. Less than 110” but that’s pretty typical for bucks in our area. I’m guessing he’s 4 but could be a giant bodied 3 year old. Either way I was very happy for the opportunity.

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[gut_pile]

Great buck. Congrats

+10 cool points for killing him on the ground with your bow.