On a whim, I sat in a redneck overlooking a 6 acre plot complex. 18 deer came in and all rotated through the 7 different plots. Ten of the deer were bucks. Of the does, there was only 1 fawn confirming my suspicions on predation thiis year. I'm convinced a significant reason is the increased number of bears we have around. This is not a small bear looking at the ears/head.
Time for a quick update. Bucks have finally rubbed and the mature bucks have pulled out of the bachelor groups. Usually, I find this transitions coincides with a shift to acorns (there are plenty). As I've seen in the past, some bucks turn their attention immediately to does immediately after rubbing. I watched a 3year old taste check three different does last night, and when it was clear they weren't receptive, sprinted two hundred yards to check two does that had just entered the plot complex. Scrapes are seeing a lot more action. I created a couple new ones and "freshened" some others. It's that time year gents
Sometime back, we had a discussion on the pros and cons of plots near your cabin. Our home plot is situated in front of our home and is 2.5 acres of clover and chicory with a dozen or so producing apple trees. We have does and fawns/young bucks in it every morning/evening. I've seen as many as 13 deer in it at one time during daylight. As the bucks have rubbed, they break out of bachelor groups and start wondering. We caught photos of these bucks in the front yard 70 yards from the front porch.
I thought I'd post pics of a couple plots. I count this turnip plot essentially a failure. It was signicantly overseeded and the crowding has limited tubers to marble to golf ball. This was supposed to be an anti-starvation plot for late winter. Other plots planted the same time have softball sized bulbs. The adjacent plot is a successful white clover/chicory plot that has been a great. Chicory is bolting and the deer are mowing it down.
Bow season finally started. While I didn't feel well enough to get out, my brother helped out with doe management. The trail cam photo shows the doe just after taking an arrow. She went 135 yds. My excitement this weekend was watching a fisher chase gray squirrels up and down several trees. Sadly, I didn't have a camera.
