New Heritage HC

[Deadeye]

Been a real Experience to start this Journey from Scratch. I'm heading back up this morning to give it another Go. The Rut should be getting ready to start and I'm hoping that they are up and moving.
I'm not sure that I will be able to get Food Plots growing there with the Trees shading everything so much. I think the one Clover Field will be a good one once the Roots have a good hold.

Feeders might be the way to go. Once the Acorns dropped (and the Hurricane might have made them drop early) the movement at our stands quit. I know at least one Neighbor uses a Feeder, so maybe that is the way to go. I have a plan that uses 55 or 60 gallon drums as the hopper and Gravity Fed onto a wood platform for them to feed on. Won't cost much to make and should last a few weeks. That is this Summer's Project. I will not give up on the Food Plots yet though.

After not seeing any shooter bucks so far while hunting, the SIL and I have discussed it and we agreed to take a Legal Buck then anything after that has to be a really good one. Both of us has some money involved in this due to the gas money and several trips, so we kind of need some reward back for that effort. As I learn more about the Property, the less likely I will be to take a smaller buck.

 

[Deadeye]

Well back from another trip to NHHC.

I got to see deer on two of the three days I hunted, so that is a positive. I got to build a better stand at the place where I let the Son do his. He tried to use electrical conduit to make a “box” around his cheaply made tripod and then cover it with burlap. Good idea-Bad results.

It is all attached to the seat frame, so every move you make causes the entire thing to shake like crazy. To much top heavy weight.

I had some deer coming in and when I lifted my gun it shook and that was all it took. I’ve learned these deer are very spooky and jump at the slightest movement, probably connected to the coyotes around.

I did get a pic of one of our biggest bucks in the daylight. That’s a first for him, but he went right back to night after.

Found some scrapes but not hardly any rubs. Weird.

Didn’t see any chasing yet either.

I plan to give it another go last weekend and hope for the best. I got plans for this summer for Feeders and some different stand placements.

Some pics.

 

[FL Plotter]

That's a stout buck, but would you really be in the stand at 11am?! My buddy on the 1600 acre lease across the street from my farm sat this morning and had a 7pt chasing 3 does...guess it didn't meet his standards. He shot a couple of 8pts last week and the week before last that had dark tarsals so the peak rut in my area is about 15 Jan, but we are a bit closer to I10 than you.

 

[Deadeye]

Well my boy was up hunting and got one of the bigger bucks I was after. This is the one we called The Big 8.

He had broken some tines since the last pics I had of him taken in the 3rd week of January.

He shot him in the Clover field where I got the daylight pic of him.

Sorry the pics are so crappy, but he never takes good ones.

 

[Deadeye]

That's a stout buck, but would you really be in the stand at 11am?! My buddy on the 1600 acre lease across the street from my farm sat this morning and had a 7pt chasing 3 does...guess it didn't meet his standards. He shot a couple of 8pts last week and the week before last that had dark tarsals so the peak rut in my area is about 15 Jan, but we are a bit closer to I10 than you.

Yes I would be. During the Rut I hunt all day.

The boy got him at 11:00 am in that same field as the 11:00 am Pic I had of him in January.

 

[Deadeye]

Headed back up for the last weekend. This is it, the end of my/our first season on NHHC.

 

[Deadeye]

Well the boy got the 8 that was hitting the small clover Field. Luck of the draw. Lol

It entered the files at 12:01 checked a scrape then chased a Doe off the field.

Came back at 12:31 just as my boy was easing in for a look.

Trail cam caught the movement and his reaction to the shot.

I saw nothing yesterday and had two small spikes walk past me this morning. Taking a coffee break then back out for one last sit.

 

[Deadeye]

Well my 1st Season for Deer at NHHC Is over. I did see 3 Bucks while hunting that I had my scope on, but all three were Spikes and to small to think of shooting. I'm pretty sure I saw one other Buck, but he slipped up on me while I was sitting on the ground watching down a road and caught me turning to look the other way. As soon as I turned to move he bolted across the road.

Could of shot a Bobcat, but chose not to. Never have shot one, but thought to myself "WTH am I going to do with that?. Maybe next time he won't get a pass and I'll have a new mount for the house.

Spring Gobbler is next and will give me a chance to explore the Property better. Really not Un-Happy with how everything turned out with all I dealt with last year. There were times when I was trying to work that I would get sick and puke. Feel drained and no strength. But that is all past me now and on January 17th got the news I was Cancer Free.

Future Plans include talking with the neighbor that contacted me and see if there is something I can do to get permission to hunt on his land. That would add another 300 acres and really let us spread out more.

Thanks to all that followed along this 1st year.

 

[Chainsaw]

Great looking buck Dead Eye and I'm glad you are on the mend. I enjoy following your thread and just never thought of Florida as a deer area before.

 

[dogghr]

Nice job by you guys and cool captures on camera. Dude looks like he loved to fight with those broken tines. Congrats.

 

[Drycreek]

Deadeye, congrats on being cancer free. That's worth all the bucks in the country !

 

[Deadeye]

Thanks to all for the Kind Words.

 

[Deadeye]

I never did a Spring Gobbler Follow Up.

I went up and spent the first day walking and learning more of the Property. Found two good spots for stands down in the Swamp, but never did see or hear any Turkeys. We only had them on Camera once. By adding Feeders and Fields of Food we hope to change that.

I did find that the one side of our property is so thick that I can see why the deer like it. It is so thick you can't walk in it and even if you find an opening it is so small that it would be hard to find again. So I'm going to let it be and use it for a Sanctuary for the Deer. Try to get them by drawing them out with Food.

I bought 2 new Quad Post Stands that seat 2 people on sale at Academy Sports. Need to get them set up and Blinds bought to put over them. By doing my Research I found that the Ameristep Doghouse Blind is a perfect fit for these and last longer than the one Academy sells for it. One will go on Clover Field and one at T-Box where my SIL put his Tripod. We will move that to a Pinch Point on the one trail through the swamp that all the Deer use. I also plan to my my Tripod to the other side on the Lane as that is where the Main Trail crosses and is full of Bucks and Does during the Archery Season, at least on the Cams. From there I should be able to see the Oaks that are on our Property edge and also clear a trail down the inside line of our property. There is an old trail there now, just needs re-opened.

So lots of work planned for this summer and next month we will be up there and at it. Planning to put out about 6 feeders and plant more Clover as it seems to grow the best there.

Stay tuned for Year 2.

 

[Native Hunter]

I like your idea of leaving the thick cover as sanctuary. Sounds like a good place to set up on the edges.

 

[Deadeye]

I like your idea of leaving the thick cover as sanctuary. Sounds like a good place to set up on the edges.

We have 3 set up that way now and have plans for a 4th. That area sort of forms a Triangle with it's point extending into the Center of the Property. On the North Side I have built a Clover Field, on the very bottom of the South Side is a long Cut that intersects with a Trail that I plan to also plant in Clover and set a Feeder, I have a stand next to a Opening in a Brush Row that they use all the time and I built a small Clover Plot, and the 4th will be near a huge Oak Tree that we have found they use as an entry point from the Neighbors Property into ours and then into the Sanctuary. We have plans for a Ladder Stand in the Oak and a Natural Blind near the base. Trail Cams show that area is being used a both a Travel Corridor and a Meeting Social Spot. We plan to build a Clover Field there and also place Two Feeders- One for Rifle Use out of the Ladder and one Closer for use out of the Blind.

We are Learning as we go and hope to be able to take advantage of what we learn each year.

 

[FL Plotter]

I learned a lot about my 20 this year too. They aren't going to use the property the way you want them too, no matter what you do. The bucks like the back corner of my property...only occasionally using the plot or front 5 acre pasture even though they both have feeders. I already have my elevator brackets on order from Cabela's.....gonna put an elevated stand in that back corner and look down the South and East fenceline. Will be a perfect setup if I can get in and out undetected.

 

[Deadeye]

Ah and the New Year begins.

This week I built 3 Feeders based on the plans I had in my head. All should hold about 300-350 lbs of Corn and are Gravity Fed.
Next week I am headed up to start the Work for this year. Plan to do some mowing and setting Feeders and start on the Food Plots for this year. Would of liked to get them in earlier but Life is what it is sometimes.

Saw the Dr that found the Cancer and the test showed it is still Gone. That s great news. I guess if it is still gone in 3 years I will be considered cured.

 

[Deadeye]

Well the feeders worked out as planned. Hold 350 lbs of corn. Hope it lasts at least a month but we will see

Replaced the Chill Zone Tarp with a heavier one. Mowed the road in and all the hunting spots. Two full days of hard work.

My tent is shot, not just from staying up but from over 10 years of use. The Wife and I are considering buying a Camper Trailer to bring up and leave or an Enclosed Trailer I can make into a Toy Hauler of sorts.

Main reason is due to all the coyotes that have showed up on the property. Only heard them one night this trip but last year they were surrounding the camp at night on several occasions.

Not the best feeling when you sleeping in a tent.

 

[dogghr]

Ah and the New Year begins.

This week I built 3 Feeders based on the plans I had in my head. All should hold about 300-350 lbs of Corn and are Gravity Fed.
Next week I am headed up to start the Work for this year. Plan to do some mowing and setting Feeders and start on the Food Plots for this year. Would of liked to get them in earlier but Life is what it is sometimes.

Saw the Dr that found the Cancer and the test showed it is still Gone. That s great news. I guess if it is still gone in 3 years I will be considered cured.

That’s awesome news. That’s some stress to deal with. Congrats


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[Deadeye]

That’s awesome news. That’s some stress to deal with. Congrats


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Thank you.

Yes it had been a relief to hear the words “the Cancer is gone, looks like we got it all”.