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BSmaster

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  1. Nittanyfisher makes a good argument against white pine but I think I would still plant them for speed but longevity maybe mix in some sort of spruce.  If it takes an average of 8 years for a Christmas grower to grow a Christmas tree under optimum conditions than I do not know that there will be a perfect short term solution.

     

    My brother has a similar issue.  His property had jack pines along the road for visual security and then the line company lopped the trees pretty low and they got diseased and died and he is trying to figure out what trees to plant to replace them.  It is important to him because you can see the food plots from the road.

     

    My brother planted some white pine on the farm and our cousin didn't know it and brush hogged 1/2 of them down.  That is frustrating...

  2. 18 hours ago, Gill-T said:

    Hinge cut your less $ trees.  It will screen in naturally.  Deer will feed on blackberry brambles all winter.  Deer don't get any nutrition from evergreens only thermal cover.  It sounds like you have that covered on your farm already.  

    Yes where possible, do this 1st.  It is quicker, easier, and much cheaper. 

     

    Save your plantings for future strategy.  I planted some norway spruce last spring where there were little to no trees not expecting them to be worth anything for 10 years or more.  But I thought they might be helpful for when I need to use a blind strategy.  Last year after Christmas I took down groves of poplar and some red maple.  I had deer using the poplars as wind breaks and were feeding aggressively on the red maple.  This literally happened over night.  Trim your deer pathways not for an atv but for a deer's natural security and plan them for your stand.  I almost always look for the perfect trees to set up in and then look to make the deer travel the way I want.  You can overtrim the first season and use those trees and branches from lanes you clear out to make obstacles to steer the deer.  It may not be good the first year but as things grow back in and look more natural, they will come.  Remember, a deer can jump a 6ft fence but it will also cross a 3 ft fence where a tree has knocked it down - over and over again instead of jumping it.  By perfect tree, I am referring to a tree or set of trees where you will not be silhouetted.  The same with your blind, if it stands out like a sore thumb they will not come.

     

    If you go out in March and April after the snow has melted you can see pretty clearly the routes the deer take and use this to your advantage when setting up ground cover and kill areas.  I like to plan my seasons ahead.  Unfortunately, what I have learned is that not every generation of bucks acts the same.  this means I have stands all over the property and do not hunt most of them some years...

     

    I have yet to do a food plot but will start hopefully this year.  I think with a preferred food source and good cover, I will be able to improve hunting seasons.

     

    Sorry for carrying on, X2 for what Gill-T wrote.

  3. You can look into honeysuckle for cover - it is native.  Autumn olive is not but also very hardy and quick growing.  I have both.  When I hitch trees on edges they take over and fill in.  I didn't have to plant either.  The rabbits and grouse love the habitat.

     

    For evergreens, I love white pine.  They are less disease susceptible and if they do get disease it is a natural way of stopping the upper growth so they just fill in anyways.

  4. I am guessing the deer was laying down and a hunter walked up on it and hurriedly shot at it thinking it was a true wild deer that was not accustomed to eating out of human hands.  The deer probably didn't know what the h e l l  was going on.

     

    I know everyone sees something different when watching the video but my intent was to show the deers natural healing power and perhaps help alleviate some concerns about wounding deer.  It is one of the worst feelings to know you hit a deer, potentially killing it, and can not harvest it.  I acknowledge the fact that there were no predators in the video so it is not an accurate presentation of real life but it is because of that detail that she could document so accurately.  Yes, it was a terrible shot - 100% agree on that.

     

    I have butchered deer that had completely healed over wounds where the hide showed no evidence of a previous puncture and there was scar tissue encapsulating a big tube of white blood cells.  I just butchered one last night where the fixed broadhead went down thru the tender loin and into the meaty part of the scapula region.  There was still a hole in the hide which showed the shap of the broad head and the scarring was intense.  The only active white blood cells oozing was around a matte of hair lodged in its tenderloin.  No gang green and no foul smell.  Depending on the winter, the deer probably would have survived. 

  5. I wear an orange hat when I hunt by my self and I wear either an orange vest or an orange jacket when I hunt with a group.

     

    I went to some field trials as an observer and there rules were that you couldn't even step onto the property without an orange coat.

     

     The thing that orange might not help with is people shooting at movement,sounds, and at dark.  Buck fever is real and I remember as a teenager how it felt.  I also knew that I had parents that enforced hunting safety and culturally we took it serious.  It starts with the family unit.

     

     

  6. Sorry for your loss Duckman.  I have had a horrible go of it this year too but I didn't have to bury anybody so my heart goes out to you.  I saw all kinds of Deer upto the 2nd week of November and then they all disappeared on me.  I am looking forward to any resemblance of cold weather to get things moving in the right direction. 

  7. I missed out on some land this year.  It was land I had hunted all my life and had excellent potential for QDM.  the Executor of the estate had some ridiculous issue which I still am not sure of with my family and wouldn't sell to me even though I was willing to offer more $$ and less hassle.  The feeling wasn't good but I always look at things from the perspective that things happen for a reason and the only constant in life is change.  The glass half full is that it is sold to a couple neighbors on the other side who practice qdm so I know they will treat it right and its their taxes - not mine.  I will get by.

  8. Nice Buck!

     

    Excellent perspective Rob, I have 2 in the freezer but I haven't taken care of the landowner next door so I feel pressure to do so.  I don't mind eating tags and I do it every year but at least one for her would be nice.  The problem is that this warm weather doesn't help where I am at.  I need the cold streak that comes at Thanksgiving which we didn't get so I am getting the muzzy out and ready for late season.  I really need it to get cold.  Until then I will fish.  If the turf won't cooperate I will get the surf!

     

    Joe

  9. Depends what type and where the 40 acre piece is.  I would take a 5 acre lot in some areas and plant early, mid and late season food plots and just wait in the comfort of a heated blind.  these are low browse areas.  they do exist and if you provide a food source harvesting becomes easier.  Security and food.  Doesn't take many aces for that.  The sanctuary by me is 13 acres.  I also hunt in an area where there is numerous food sources and numerous security areas.  I am in the process of creating more sanctuary on our farm.  This is where I believe my best outlook is for the future herd health and thus my opportunities.

     

  10. I have a pic of a perfect 10 pt.  It gets a pass from me because it is a young 1.5yr deer.  I have it on camera and have seen it in person at less than 10 yds.  I hope it gets smart quick.  This deer has the potential but antler restrictions won't help him.  I am quite sure he will be harvested Saturday because of his head gear and lack of wariness and buck fever - Unfortunate.

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