The Massey

[KSQ2]

Got the back foodplot thrown and mowed today. We don’t have any chance for rain in the forecast, but my time is running out to get into that plot, it’s on the backside of our place and I have to access it through the neighbors, and I told them I would not drive the tractor across in October or later. Not much moisture, but the thatch is good. Hopefully will hide some of the seed from turkeys. Threw oats, wr, and ww, along with 6 lbs of clover mix and chicory. Seeded the entire half acre with cereal and only half of it with the clover/chicory. A quarter acre with 6 lbs of seed lol! I figured it’s likely gonna die anyway, so I might as well try something different.

 

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Most of my contributions lately have been venting about drought, so I thought I better add something a little more constructive. The mock scrape has begun to flip the switch. Before last night, deer were occasionally nosing it a couple times a week. Apparently the deer know it is October 1st today, because they went full on fall mode beginning last night.
This doe couldn’t get enough of the licking branch.


Bucks were very interested last night as well. Just ready to get a big boy or two visiting soon hopefully.



On a side note, since no rain is forecasted, rather than little rain, my plan is to get the rest of the plots thrown and mowed this next week. Back in the drought of ‘11-‘12, we got no rain until November, which allowed the seed to just sit and wait, when the rain finally came all of the seed flourished. I’m hoping for the same this year.

 

[KSQ2]

Got a lot done at the Massey today. Finished up the lower barn plot. T&M’d oats/wheat/rye into 1.5 acres. Threw additional clover mix with chicory into a third of it. The brassicas planted the first week of August are amazingly still pretty green, although they should be 3x as tall and have bulbs right now. Not bad though for 57 days without rain. They got a good 2.5” a week after I planted them and haven’t had more than a couple sprinkles since. The final product, along with the brassicas it’s about 1.75 acres right now. If we can get rid of this blasted drought, I’ll open more of it back up again. The disc is just for looks this time and positioned to anchor the blind to.

Had to go back and get some Johnson grass out of the way of the cell cam and took some pics of acorns on the way out. Might not be seeing the deer much in another week or so.


And wrapped up with another tree watering trek.

Won’t have to access the back stands through the neighbors this year…

 

[KSQ2]

New bucks showing up regularly at the mock scrape now.

 

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Got another spot t&m’d today. Hopefully it eventually rains. I’m going have to try to find more wheat and rye for a couple plots that look to have been completely raided of seed the last 3.5 weeks.

I wish I was as tough as chicory…

 

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put the Father’s Day gift to work this evening. It’s about time!!

 

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The mock scrape is really heating up. The last few weeks, I’ve averaged 4-6 pics a night, usually at least one of those being a coon or possum. Last night there were 43. This was the only mature fella. He’s always around and if I haven’t shot a buck by Christmas week, he’ll become the main target again this year.

 

[KSQ2]

I also picked up hybrid(?) burr oak acorns last week at the high school and some sawtooth nuts off some public ground. Have them float tested and after sending a few of the burrs to Matthew Barnard, soon they’ll be going in the fridge.

 

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I’m having a hard time getting over the rack size of this young buck that showed up last night. The more mature bucks are noticeably bigger bodied and necked than him. We had several 2 year old 10s running around last year, I’m assuming this is one of them. If he can make it another year or two, I wonder what he could turn in to?

 

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Hoping to see more of these in the future, IF I can keep the farmer from spraying everything.

 

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This fall has turned into an interesting experiment. I threw another 200 lbs of wheat seed on the lower barn plot, along with two other plots on land we hunt yesterday. This is the latest we’ve ever gone into fall without a single blade of cereals having germinated. On top of that is the detail that I didn’t work any ground at all, every bit was t&m. So, now that the rain finally came this evening, with more expected this weekend; I wonder how long it will be until the plots are viable? Also, how much of the rye survived the month of no rain and predators? I guess we’ll find out in a week and a half or so.

 

[KSQ2]

Ended up with just shy of 2” with more on the way this weekend!

 

[catscratch]

Glad you got some rain! It blew through our place dumping .6, then got just east of us and stalled. Got to watch it thunder and lightening for a couple of hours. Hoping more this weekend!

 

[KSQ2]

Glad you got some rain! It blew through our place dumping .6, then got just east of us and stalled. Got to watch it thunder and lightening for a couple of hours. Hoping more this weekend!

This weekend looks promising for sure. I’d like to be in a tree, but I’d gladly sacrifice some hunt time for some more good rain.

 

[KSQ2]

Sat the lower barn plot blind this evening in the light rain. Man I’ve gotten soft! Saw a pile of does and fawns, and a few bucks. This fella bumped a doe off the plot. I’m kinda glad he didn’t present a shot; it’s a little too early for a buck like this. Maybe the last week? One buck state woes…

 

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The neighbor got 6.5” last night. The creek at the Massey is full for the first time in over 3 years!!

 

[catscratch]

The neighbor got 6.5” last night. The creek at the Massey is full for the first time in over 3 years!!

That's awesome! So glad it's dumping on you guys. We've gotten over 1.5 inches in this system. I'm hoping for more but will take any that we can get.

 

[KSQ2]

That's awesome! So glad it's dumping on you guys. We've gotten over 1.5 inches in this system. I'm hoping for more but will take any that we can get.

It seems like big rains anymore have such narrow corridors. Maybe it has always been this way and we’re just more sensitive to it with this drought. I hope you get some good rain out of this too, it’s still raining good here this morning. How does your pond look?

 

[catscratch]

Pond looks about the same. We got rain this morning, I'll check it this evening.

 

[KSQ2]

First deer of fall. Couldn’t wait too long, we ran out of ground venison last week.
Shot her at a good friend’s home place. Saw a big fella at last light to boot.