Little Blue 40
- Thread starter Fish
- Start date
Fish
Well-Known Member
Thanks lake. I am and always have been blessed.
Fish
Well-Known Member
Sometimes i can go on and complain about weather and the one that got away. But something happened a few hours prior to my letting the big one get away that keeps it in perspective.
A friend called hours after i was glum over the big forked G2 nine pointer and told me that his cousin, cousin's daughter, and mother were killed coming home from Indy in the wee hours Sunday morning. They had hit a deer and pulled off the side of the Istate. A truck came later and somehow managed to hit them. One young lady survived.
Thats tough. And a tragedy.
And there i was feeling sorry for myself.
We are blessed to spend a single sunrise in the woods.
A friend called hours after i was glum over the big forked G2 nine pointer and told me that his cousin, cousin's daughter, and mother were killed coming home from Indy in the wee hours Sunday morning. They had hit a deer and pulled off the side of the Istate. A truck came later and somehow managed to hit them. One young lady survived.
Thats tough. And a tragedy.
And there i was feeling sorry for myself.
We are blessed to spend a single sunrise in the woods.
Fish
Well-Known Member
Dont anybody fall out of your chair, but it's raining here!
Wish i could hunt this weekend, but i am working. Should be good out there.
Saw 5 on the Home 10 this morning and a 4 pt walked across the driveway tonight. Funny, i had shots morning and evening from the porch.
The plethora of sawtooths has drawn them up close to the house.
Wish i could hunt this weekend, but i am working. Should be good out there.
Saw 5 on the Home 10 this morning and a 4 pt walked across the driveway tonight. Funny, i had shots morning and evening from the porch.
The plethora of sawtooths has drawn them up close to the house.
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
Fish, looks like you guys are having a barrel of fun with your bow hunting - great pictures. Just catching up on some threads and saw about the big one that got shot on the neighbors. That's tough to swallow, but with all that you have going on, there will be plenty more. Good luck to you and Luke!
Fish
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the encouragement, Native. I have been nothing but blessed all around. I hear guys struggling with the orange army on public land and pinch myself that i own acres to hunt.
There were 11 deer on or within 200 yards of the Home 10 this evening. Thats a new record for us.
Every day now we are seeing deer along the driveway...... eating sawtooths.
Fish
Well-Known Member
Haven't updated for a while and without a great deal to share, I thought I would throw out a few pics of interest from the Home 10 property. I haven't been to the Little Blue 40 for a month! Just too much going on at work and my sister passed away just before Christmas this year.
I am happy with the LC mix I planted for a clover patch under a row of apple trees next year. Deer are eating it, but it isn't getting mowed given the location. Hunting pressure about one tree off my Home 10 property pretty much sent my local whitetails into hibernation.
Trail mowed leading through a patch of broomsedge. I am going to manage this spot on a SW facing knoll for cedars and broomsedge. Hoping whitetails will stop and bed here rather than travel across the road.
Found a few beds on Christmas Eve....
Buck had a good time with this bald cypress planted in a wet area. I think I know who did it too.
They've eaten a lot of the milo....
I am a little more impressed with this rub. Right beside the Puckernugget crabapple tree.
I am happy with the LC mix I planted for a clover patch under a row of apple trees next year. Deer are eating it, but it isn't getting mowed given the location. Hunting pressure about one tree off my Home 10 property pretty much sent my local whitetails into hibernation.
Trail mowed leading through a patch of broomsedge. I am going to manage this spot on a SW facing knoll for cedars and broomsedge. Hoping whitetails will stop and bed here rather than travel across the road.
Found a few beds on Christmas Eve....
Buck had a good time with this bald cypress planted in a wet area. I think I know who did it too.
They've eaten a lot of the milo....
I am a little more impressed with this rub. Right beside the Puckernugget crabapple tree.
Fish
Well-Known Member
Habitat work has begun. For me that includes general TSI. Started up around the house late December thinning PitchXLoblolly pines. I can't tell you how it pains me to cut down these beautiful trees that I planted by hand and aching back. But on 8 foot centers they have just crowded themselves out. This is year two of the thinning project. Hopefully I will have only some touching up to do next year and the thinning will be concluded.
My reasons are many, but spaced trees are healthier trees. I've seen borer damage on some of these pines and that has me spooked a little. And then something we preach so heavily. Get sunlight down to the ground.
It's fun to count the rings and see how the growth has slowed as the tree's crowns closed in... Although this isn't a great example. I think this tree was still growing rather well.
I continue to prune up the keepers. There is no timber value for my culls, though I do use a few for woodworking projects. My goal for these pines around the house is to grow them tall and clean and allow for some desired undergrowth.
We don't want all the tops around the house. So I mulch them with the chainsaw. The ones falling in the yard make a warm winter fire.
You can see how these pitch lobs on my northern border have begun their own limb pruning. The feathered edge still makes for a nice screen.
I've hinged a few trees here. It's thick! Absolutely necessary to giving whitetails a home on 10 acres.
I love getting back into the trees this time of year for habitat work. I've gotten my pruning done for the year, both on the pines and my best oaks. I should get back to Little Blue over the weekend to again drop weed trees and make room for my favored trees. Of course, I've got a trail cam that hasn't been checked for a month either. So I'm itching to get there.
My reasons are many, but spaced trees are healthier trees. I've seen borer damage on some of these pines and that has me spooked a little. And then something we preach so heavily. Get sunlight down to the ground.
It's fun to count the rings and see how the growth has slowed as the tree's crowns closed in... Although this isn't a great example. I think this tree was still growing rather well.
I continue to prune up the keepers. There is no timber value for my culls, though I do use a few for woodworking projects. My goal for these pines around the house is to grow them tall and clean and allow for some desired undergrowth.
We don't want all the tops around the house. So I mulch them with the chainsaw. The ones falling in the yard make a warm winter fire.
You can see how these pitch lobs on my northern border have begun their own limb pruning. The feathered edge still makes for a nice screen.
I've hinged a few trees here. It's thick! Absolutely necessary to giving whitetails a home on 10 acres.
I love getting back into the trees this time of year for habitat work. I've gotten my pruning done for the year, both on the pines and my best oaks. I should get back to Little Blue over the weekend to again drop weed trees and make room for my favored trees. Of course, I've got a trail cam that hasn't been checked for a month either. So I'm itching to get there.
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
Great pics Fish. Your broomsedge gets tall like it does here. My little bluestem probably gets about 6 inches taller as a general rule. Both make good mid height cover.
Sorry to hear of your loss.
Sorry to hear of your loss.
Last edited:
Fish
Well-Known Member
Thanks Native. I love broomsedge! Mostly because i do nothing and it grows thick.
I think broomsedge must just be happy on this acidic and starved piece of ground. I do nothing for it. The broomsedge around the apple trees was mowed until July, then left to grow. Thanks, Dogghr.
Thanks, G.
Thanks, Kddid. I enjoy sharing this stuff with you guys. It takes real habitat nerds to appreciate the mess i can make of things.
Fish
Well-Known Member
I've been running 90 MPH this winter trying to finish habitat projects before spring. And wouldn't you know it, I blew out an ankle a few weeks ago and spring is a month early!
I met with my state forester last week. She walked the Little Blue 40 with me and gave a few suggestions. We found some Japanese Stilt Grass that would need to be controlled this year. She actually liked my idea of slowly killing the junk bottomland trees and under planting oaks. In all, I think she liked the property in that it's as much or more a wildlife habitat property than a timber property. Still, we admired a few black walnuts on our way.
So I've been busy killing junk trees this winter by many different means. Edge Feathering.....
and just plain dropping......
....
I put in my first tree tube this year!
I fenced my first pine this year.....
Not a bad root ball on these chestnut trees I grew from Wayne's seed. I grew my trees out in root pouches.
I even had some family help on one planting day......
I met with my state forester last week. She walked the Little Blue 40 with me and gave a few suggestions. We found some Japanese Stilt Grass that would need to be controlled this year. She actually liked my idea of slowly killing the junk bottomland trees and under planting oaks. In all, I think she liked the property in that it's as much or more a wildlife habitat property than a timber property. Still, we admired a few black walnuts on our way.
So I've been busy killing junk trees this winter by many different means. Edge Feathering.....
and just plain dropping......
....
I put in my first tree tube this year!
I fenced my first pine this year.....
Not a bad root ball on these chestnut trees I grew from Wayne's seed. I grew my trees out in root pouches.
I even had some family help on one planting day......
Fish
Well-Known Member
Luke and I rabbit hunted with friends on the Little Blue 40 in later January. What a day!
The dogs worked like the hounds they were in the thickets!
Those beagles ran rabbits for 4 hours in the thickets and we could hardly see them. And like a true amateur photographer, I forgot to get a picture of the two kills. We waited patiently for the rabbits to cross the openings.
And sometimes we found more exciting things to do in the light snowfall....
And then it snowed harder........
It was a great day to be out on the property with my son and friends.
The dogs worked like the hounds they were in the thickets!
Those beagles ran rabbits for 4 hours in the thickets and we could hardly see them. And like a true amateur photographer, I forgot to get a picture of the two kills. We waited patiently for the rabbits to cross the openings.
And sometimes we found more exciting things to do in the light snowfall....
And then it snowed harder........
It was a great day to be out on the property with my son and friends.
Fish
Well-Known Member
I scored two tree stands at a Rural King clearance sale. $22 each!
Found this on the property and thought it was kinda cool. A natural pot for a natural plant.
Pruning apple trees on the Home 10 a few weeks ago, I looked up after a bit to see this laying in the sun not 75 yards from me.. A red fox!
Spring is nearly here and I fear for my fruit trees this season with the crazy warm temps. Thanks for reading!
Found this on the property and thought it was kinda cool. A natural pot for a natural plant.
Pruning apple trees on the Home 10 a few weeks ago, I looked up after a bit to see this laying in the sun not 75 yards from me.. A red fox!
Spring is nearly here and I fear for my fruit trees this season with the crazy warm temps. Thanks for reading!
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
Fish, sorry to hear about the ankle blowout. I hope that doesn't end up being too serious.
I really enjoyed the rabbit hunting pics in the snow. It brought back old memories.
I really enjoyed the rabbit hunting pics in the snow. It brought back old memories.
