Pinetag's Plot - 43 acres in Virginia

[pinetag]

I was gonna post that the big 9 is back, but I realized I hadn't posted any of the original pics of him. He started showing up at the end of Sept and I got multiple day and night pics of him all the way up to 11/7 and then nothing for 2 weeks. He showed up again yesterday just a little after last light. Hopefully he'll be around for my daughter and me to get a crack at on Wed.

In order of appearance...

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[George]

Good brows, good luck.

G

 

[pinetag]

The big 9 is still around but fully nocturnal now and the small 8 that I passed up during ML is hanging in there too.

Also, during my last few outings I've been observing and thinking about my habitat work plans for next year and I have a good size list going.


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[pinetag]

Last day of the season was yesterday and me and my daughter went out in the warmth. Jumped a single doe on our walk in and that was it.

Habitat season now begins! Here are my lists...

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[pinetag]

I will have to wait and see if I get more trail cam pics over the coming weeks, but there's a good chance the big 9 and the smaller 8 that I passed up made it through the season.

Big 9 in first 3 pics. It's hard to tell in the third pic (12/27) but I think it's him.

Smaller 8 has been a regular all season.

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[Native Hunter]

Last day of the season was yesterday and me and my daughter went out in the warmth. Jumped a single doe on our walk in and that was it.

Habitat season now begins! Here are my lists...

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When you get finished I can keep you working here.

 

[pinetag]

When you get finished I can keep you working here.

LOL, I thought one was never finished with habitat improvements? I bet you could keep me hopping though.

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[pinetag]

I started on some habitat work over the weekend but didn't have much time for pics. The heavy snow from the snow storm took out quite a few large branches and tree tops so I spent the first part of the morning clearing the perimeter trail. I was able to cut in some new deer trails heading into/out of the horseshoe plot and leading to bedding areas and in front of stands. The previous trails I cut last year show good signs of usage so I'm looking forward to directing the deer even more in 2022. I found 3 beds in the remaining snow, but overall the tracks were difficult to discern with all the melting and refreezing. Next on the to do list is hack and squirt and more canopy removal.

I did pull a couple cards and got the clearest picture to date of the 9's rack.

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[pinetag]

I cut some more deer trails leading in and out of the bedding areas in the lower 20 this morning and I also cut a small hinge bedding near the creek. The smaller 8 point that I passed during ML came from the lower 20 and crossed the creek in that area and walked right past the barrel stand. He must have done that many times throughout the fall because I have a ton of pics from that same camera, so maybe he'll bed in this new spot in the upcoming year.
Also, I got confirmation that the bigger 8 who frequented my place survived the season. He should be nice in 2022. Still waiting to get a pic of the 9.

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[Native Hunter]

Always great to see a survivor. Keep up the good habitat work.

 

[pinetag]

It's always good to see the deer using the improvements we make. First pic is a deer trail I cut in last weekend that has already been walked once. Pics 2, 3, & 4 are a bedding area I cut last January with lots of good sign and recent beds. Pic 5 is a producing persimmon right alongside one of the newer deer trails. And pic 6 is the main reason I went out, to get some hack and squirt done on some large southern trees around the horseshoe plot.

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[pinetag]

Also, looks like the smaller 8 made it through the season and is still using the same creek crossing by the barrel stand.

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[pinetag]

Not sure if anyone else keeps records like this but I would say things are trending in the right direction so far. I hope that continues after this year's improvements and i just wanted to document it on my property tour thread.

2018 is probably a little bit of an anomaly as it was my first year on the property and I don't think it had been hunted in recent years, so pressure was already low. I mainly hunted the upper 20 since i didnt have good access on the lower 20 at this point. Also, I only had a couple of cameras out, one of which captured 93% of the shooter images and to this day I still get good pics in that spot. 2019 had only minor habitat changes so I think my hunting pressure drove the percentages down. 2020 was a rough year with multiple flooding events during prime chasing/rutting (late Oct into mid Nov), but I still managed to get some good bucks using my improvement areas. 2021 was a dry year and by far the best year for daytime movement of shooters.

Here's how I calculated the data for this chart...
1. Overall camera sightings for bucks during the season
2. Number of shooters (some are maybes if the pictures weren't clear enough, but they were counted in this bucket) during the season
3. Number of shooters during shooting hours

I also have weather data details for each sighting, but did not create a chart for that as there are so many data points.

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[weekender21]

Not sure if anyone else keeps records like this but I would say things are trending in the right direction so far. I hope that continues after this year's improvements and i just wanted to document it on my property tour thread.

2018 is probably a little bit of an anomaly as it was my first year on the property and I don't think it had been hunted in recent years, so pressure was already low. I mainly hunted the upper 20 since i didnt have good access on the lower 20 at this point. Also, I only had a couple of cameras out, one of which captured 93% of the shooter images and to this day I still get good pics in that spot. 2019 had only minor habitat changes so I think my hunting pressure drove the percentages down. 2020 was a rough year with multiple flooding events during prime chasing/rutting (late Oct into mid Nov), but I still managed to get some good bucks using my improvement areas. 2021 was a dry year and by far the best year for daytime movement of shooters.

Here's how I calculated the data for this chart...
1. Overall camera sightings for bucks during the season
2. Number of shooters (some are maybes if the pictures weren't clear enough, but they were counted in this bucket) during the season
3. Number of shooters during shooting hours

I also have weather data details for each sighting, but did not create a chart for that as there are so many data points.

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I have albums on my phone with daylight bucks. This year I had more shooters during daylight than previous years but learning where to put cameras (SCRAPES!!!) has something to do with it. Definitely a good feeling when they react positively to your improvements!


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[pinetag]

It seems like every time I go out now there's a new tree across one of my access points. This was yesterday afternoon right where the driveway meets the yard. As you can see in the background, the top of another pine snapped off from the weight of the snow we got earlier this month. I didn't have very long to work so I decided to clear a section just big enough to get the truck through and I'll take care of the rest later. I hinge cut a few trees along my pasture access trail and then cleaned up some existing deer trails coming up from the creek that are still seeing some use. I also picked a spot on my higher ground where I can plant a few chinese chestnuts that I just ordered. It seems like a little hack n squirt on a handful of these mature trees will get some good sunlight in this area. And I believe bucks are starting to drop antlers as it looks like this smaller buck has a scabbed over pedicle.

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[pinetag]

Finally got confirmation that the big 9 made it through the season, so that's all 3 bucks I was hoping for that survived. I had to take a screenshot from a video clip on Jan 14 so its not the best picture, but it's definitely him.

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[weekender21]

Finally got confirmation that the big 9 made it through the season, so that's all 3 bucks I was hoping for that survived. I had to take a screenshot from a video clip on Jan 14 so its not the best picture, but it's definitely him.

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Is that a 25” main beam or a stick? Looks like a big one!


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[pinetag]

I'm not great at scoring but I'd guess 18-20" main beams. Here's a better look at him from just before the season started...

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[Native Hunter]

I'm not great at scoring but I'd guess 18-20" main beams. Here's a better look at him from just before the season started...

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He looks mature but might even still gain a lot for you next season. Good luck with him.

 

[pinetag]

He looks mature but might even still gain a lot for you next season. Good luck with him.

Thanks Native! This is the first year where bucks have stayed close by and that I've gotten enough pictures to know each one specifically, and ultimately that they survived.

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