2014 Off Season Support Group Deer Season Thread

[Wiljo05]

BTW good luck in the morning Joe.

Thanks bro. And I'm up for making some sets this weekend for sure. Had a couple coyotes run thru the back field Sunday morning as we were headed to church.

It's currently 415 am, 25 degrees, ice on the trees and snow on the ground. Sausage is cooking and biscuits in the oven. Gonna be a good day!

[Luke E.]

Thanks bro. And I'm up for making some sets this weekend for sure. Had a couple coyotes run thru the back field Sunday morning as we were headed to church.

It's currently 415 am, 25 degrees, ice on the trees and snow on the ground. Sausage is cooking and biscuits in the oven. Gonna be a good day!

Sounds good. Let's just touch base later in the week and we'll see what we can figure out.

[Slappy]

Dave, Luke, Ruger and other participants of this thread, yall visit the General Chat section and enter yourself into my giveaway.  

[Sniper23]

I've got get outdoors soon. Working with the public daily makes a man need some outdoor therapy.

[rugerla1]

I've got get outdoors soon. Working with the public daily makes a man need some outdoor therapy.

Totally understand that!

[Wingshooter]

I'm about to get into coyote hunting. It really needs to be done on my deer lease anyway, and it's always sounded like fun to me. I have a Foxpro Wildfire2 being delivered tomorrow :) I've never called/hunted them before, so I'm sure I will make a few mistakes. Since the deer and duck season closed, I still find myself wanting to get out there and hunt!

[rugerla1]

I'm about to get into coyote hunting. It really needs to be done on my deer lease anyway, and it's always sounded like fun to me. I have a Foxpro Wildfire2 being delivered tomorrow :) I've never called/hunted them before, so I'm sure I will make a few mistakes. Since the deer and duck season closed, I still find myself wanting to get out there and hunt!

What's happening Batman? Haven't seen your posts in a while, before deer season I think I talked to you on here daily ha ha. Hope you're doing good. Several guys on here have offered to let me and several others partake in yote dispatching, and I can't wait to go!

[Wingshooter]

What's happening Batman? Haven't seen your posts in a while, before deer season I think I talked to you on here daily ha ha. Hope you're doing good. Several guys on here have offered to let me and several others partake in yote dispatching, and I can't wait to go!

Doing good, thanks. The last couple of months has been crazy busy for me with a lot of travel. Work, kids, wife, work... where has time gone, lol. I started suffering from TGO withdrawal though. Edited February 5, 2014 by Batman

[rugerla1]

Doing good, thanks. The last couple of months has been crazy busy for me with a lot of travel. Work, kids, wife, work... where has time gone, lol. I started suffering from TGO withdrawal though.

Glad to hear you're doing good. Hopefully it will calm down a bit for you. Time flies brother, I know the feeling. TGO withdrawal is a powerful force! HA HA 

[Luke E.]

Dave, Luke, Ruger and other participants of this thread, yall visit the General Chat section and enter yourself into my giveaway.

Done. Thanks man

[Luke E.]

Slappy, how's your friend doing today?

[Wingshooter]

When do you guys start your food plots? I will be putting in a couple of new ones and hopefully I can get something growing for turkey season. My deer lease will be a challenge though because there are no fields. It's 300ac of hills and trees. I found this interesting http://www.huntfish.info/article_uploads/Wildlifefoodplotplantingchart.pdf

[Slappy]

Slappy, how's your friend doing today?

 

He is doing pretty well!  He went today to the doc to take a look at his laceration and they removed his drain (had a drain hooked up to his head to drain excess fluid as it heals) and the doc said everything looked great.  Gets his staples removed next week.  He got 37!  Tomorrow he goes to the Orthopedic Doc to determine if he needs surgery to fix his arm.  I pray he doesn't!  I have a pic of his head after the staples if yall are interested, but probably wouldn't be a good idea to just post up on the internet for everyone, haha. 

[Wiljo05]

Glad to hear he's doing better Slappy. Like Luke, racing motor cross in the past exposed me to some pretty messed up stuff(both me and friends), and you staying calm and helps more than most know. There is nothing like a person that goes ape when someone gets hurt, complicates the whole situation.

[Slappy]

haha, thanks Wiljo.  I really beat myself up over this, but yalls encouragement has helped me to realize that I still did pretty good, better than most hopefully.  

[Wiljo05]

When do you guys start your food plots? I will be putting in a couple of new ones and hopefully I can get something growing for turkey season. My deer lease will be a challenge though because there are no fields. It's 300ac of hills and trees. I found this interesting http://www.huntfish.info/article_uploads/Wildlifefoodplotplantingchart.pdf

I got burned on millet last year. Not sure what got it, but I'd have had better luck taking popcorn kernels out and planting them than I did with 900 lbs of millet. I kept thinking, I'm sure it's gonna grow. Soil tested, limed, ect and no dice. Going back to clover, peas, and turnips this year

[Luke E.]

I got burned on millet last year. Not sure what got it, but I'd have had better luck taking popcorn kernels out and planting them than I did with 900 lbs of millet. I kept thinking, I'm sure it's gonna grow. Soil tested, limed, ect and no dice. Going back to clover, peas, and turnips this year

 

 You might try some rape and kale in your mix. I've had great results in this area in the past and will probably be a part of my fall mix. An old friend of mine's dad used to lean heavy on wheat and oats and did decent with it as well. I'm not sure whether it was just timing and conditions or if it had something to do with the rape and kale but the 3 places that I used it for a couple years the deer seemed to stay on a very strict schedule with it. I mean at all three plots (on 2 different properties) they would be there in the same 1 1/2 hour window everyday with the exception of very poor weather conditions. Like I said it could have just been coincidence but none of the other 4 plots netted the same result and that was the only difference.

[Luke E.]

He is doing pretty well!  He went today to the doc to take a look at his laceration and they removed his drain (had a drain hooked up to his head to drain excess fluid as it heals) and the doc said everything looked great.  Gets his staples removed next week.  He got 37!  Tomorrow he goes to the Orthopedic Doc to determine if he needs surgery to fix his arm.  I pray he doesn't!  I have a pic of his head after the staples if yall are interested, but probably wouldn't be a good idea to just post up on the internet for everyone, haha. 

 

 

 Glad to hear he's doing well and hopefully he won't need the surgery. I had a whole mess of staples around my left leg at the the knee when I pretty much had my leg torn off and had a handful in the other knee as well. I'd much rather have stitches because the staples are so rigid that they seems to always be trying to rip you open more, not to mention I've always taken out my own stitches and saved myself a trip to the doc but the staples aren't quite that easy ;) . Joe is exactly right, i'll take 1 calm guy that doesn't know everything, standing back over 3 knowledgeable folks that are layin' on the panic button all up in the way. That person always ends up being valuable, especially when out in the field or woods because someone needs to be able to communicate rationally over the phone whether it be with family members or a dispatcher and also be making the plans to get the person moved and write down anything that comes up. I crunched my right akle up bad enough that it wouldn't even keep my foot in place and the other two guys that were with me were so paniced that I ended up having to be the rational one as well as the injured. I made the call to line up a driver the the ER as well as rigged up something to keep my foot in place so I could get on the bike and ride back to the road. That was a fancy thing I rigged up too, It consisted of part of a atv gun rack, 2 bungee straps and a piece of an old 2x4 that happened to be laying on the creek bank. My point is, having the ability to stay calm and logical is often times more important than anything else. Let us know how the Dr. appointment goes tomorrow.

[Wingshooter]

I got burned on millet last year. Not sure what got it, but I'd have had better luck taking popcorn kernels out and planting them than I did with 900 lbs of millet. I kept thinking, I'm sure it's gonna grow. Soil tested, limed, ect and no dice. Going back to clover, peas, and turnips this year

  

You might try some rape and kale in your mix. I've had great results in this area in the past and will probably be a part of my fall mix. An old friend of mine's dad used to lean heavy on wheat and oats and did decent with it as well. I'm not sure whether it was just timing and conditions or if it had something to do with the rape and kale but the 3 places that I used it for a couple years the deer seemed to stay on a very strict schedule with it. I mean at all three plots (on 2 different properties) they would be there in the same 1 1/2 hour window everyday with the exception of very poor weather conditions. Like I said it could have just been coincidence but none of the other 4 plots netted the same result and that was the only difference.

I might try this mixture in a remote woods plot:
20 lbs. Buckwheat
7 lbs. Alyceclover
7 lbs. American jointvetch
2 lbs. Rape (dwarf essex or typhon)
2 lbs. Forage turnips (e.g., vortex)
http://www.huntfish.info/article_uploads/Wildlifefoodplotplantingchart.pdf

I have never planted buckwheat before. Have you ever planted that? It sounds easy to grow from what I've read. I wonder how much the turkeys will like it

[Luke E.]

  
I might try this mixture in a remote woods plot:
20 lbs. Buckwheat
7 lbs. Alyceclover
7 lbs. American jointvetch
2 lbs. Rape (dwarf essex or typhon)
2 lbs. Forage turnips (e.g., vortex)
http://www.huntfish.info/article_uploads/Wildlifefoodplotplantingchart.pdf

I have never planted buckwheat before. Have you ever planted that? It sounds easy to grow from what I've read. I wonder how much the turkeys will like it

 

 I had some in a mix one year and the turkeys absolutely loved it! So much in fact that they didn't wait for it to sprout, just went ahead and polished it all off as seed!  :rofl:

I will say though, the area that this happened to me had the strongest turkey population of anywhere that I've ever seen in person or on tv. I've seen 200 or better at one time in the field across from the property I had hunting rights on so that problem may be more limited to that particular spot. If I remember correctly the only two things that they let sprout was the rape and kale. I slipped in there about an hour before light one morning and they must have been roosted all around me because I counted 87 that came out of the trees and landed as close as 2-3' from me and as far out as 30yds (the plot was in a clearing I cut in the woods and was only about 35-40yds across) Never seen anything like it anywhere else.

 

 Batman, have you planted this mix before minus the buckwheat? I intend on putting 7-8 plots in for next season if time allows and would like to try a few different mixs as an experiment.

[Wingshooter]

[quote name="Luke E." post="1106376" timestamp="1391579849"]
I had some in a mix one year and the turkeys absolutely loved it! So much in fact that they didn't wait for it to sprout, just went ahead and polished it all off as seed!  :rofl:
I will say though, the area that this happened to me had the strongest turkey population of anywhere that I've ever seen in person or on tv. I've seen 200 or better at one time in the field across from the property I had hunting rights on so that problem may be more limited to that particular spot. If I remember correctly the only two things that they let sprout was the rape and kale. I slipped in there about an hour before light one morning and they must have been roosted all around me because I counted 87 that came out of the trees and landed as close as 2-3' from me and as far out as 30yds (the plot was in a clearing I cut in the woods and was only about 35-40yds across) Never seen anything like it anywhere else.
 
 Batman, have you planted this mix before minus the buckwheat? I intend on putting 7-8 plots in for next season if time allows and would like to try a few different mixs as an experiment.[/quote]

[quote name="Luke E." post="1106376" timestamp="1391579849"]
 
I would feel a little nervous about shooting one with that many so close. I'd be concerned the other 86 might seek revenge and carry me off somewhere, lol.

 I have never planted that mix before, but I will probably give it a try this year. I saw it and some other suggested combinations at this link: http://www.huntfish.info/article_uploads/Wildlifefoodplotplantingchart.pdf

Does the rape and kale need full sun? I'll also be planting in a small wooded clearing with partial sun

[Luke E.]

[quote name="Luke E." post="1106376" timestamp="1391579849"]
 
I would feel a little nervous about shooting one with that many so close. I'd be concerned the other 86 might seek revenge and carry me off somewhere, lol.

 I have never planted that mix before, but I will probably give it a try this year. I saw it and some other suggested combinations at this link: http://www.huntfish.info/article_uploads/Wildlifefoodplotplantingchart.pdf

Does the rape and kale need full sun? I'll also be planting in a small wooded clearing with partial sun

 

 Well I didn't shoot any of the turkeys because I had a muzzleloader and it wasn't season. That same day probably 45 minutes after the turkeys all came down I heard a car lock its brakes up and slide on the road and then a loud thump. I was about 75-100yrds from the road and I heard the car doors slam and then they drove off. About 3 minutes later along came an old spike with beams a bit over 10" and then as I looked the deer over I realized what the car had hit because his back left leg was just swinging in the wind. I just couldn't stand the thought of a rutting buck that couldn't carry out his duties so I shot him ;) I ended up shooting a funky 8 point that evening as well, he had 5 points on one side and 3 on the other. The side with 5 points was the size of a young basket rack deer but the side with 3 was typical 3 1/2yr old size around here. I did my part culling off funky bucks that day.

 

 As far as the Rape and Kale goes... I don't know what the internet or seed companies suggest for sun light but Two of the spots I had it in probably only got 30-35% sun if that during the middle of winter and they did great. They were also in pretty thin soil but what was there was nice and dark and I didn't have access to a tractor and plow at either place so I spray and killed off all the weeds and grass then set the teeth on the box blade as deep as they would go (maybe 2" deep and I still hit rock!) and scratched up up good. I will also admit that I probably put twice as much seed as recommended out since it was less than ideal conditions. I ended up with just the Rape and Kale and just before Muzzleloader  season it was so thick a snake wouldn't have been able to slither through the plot. I was worried when the stuff first started coming up because I wasn't seeing any sign that the deer had been in it at all but was seeing plenty of tracks in the woods all around it. If I remember correctly I went about a week without checking it and when I did it was all mowed down to less than 3" an they kept it that way until the weather started warming in the spring. I've got one spot in particular that i'd like to try that on half the plot and maybe some clover on the other half. I may for the first time collect and send out soil samples for the different areas just to see what happens when everything is done properly.

[rugerla1]

Hello fellow support needers!! :up:  I may try to do a lil shed hunting this Sunday. Anyone else been finding any?

[Luke E.]

Never actively hunted sheds before, just kinda walked up on them at random. However, 3yrs in a row I found a shed antler within 15' of the same tree. 1st year it was a little split tine, 2nd was a split with brow tine and 3rd it was 4 points. I'm sure they were each from different deer but it has always had me wondering if they could actually be from the same deer. Guess I'll never know.
Is there any rhyme or reason to how you go about looking for them or do you just wander about In areas that seem likely.

[rugerla1]

Never actively hunted sheds before, just kinda walked up on them at random. However, 3yrs in a row I found a shed antler within 15' of the same tree. 1st year it was a little split tine, 2nd was a split with brow tine and 3rd it was 4 points. I'm sure they were each from different deer but it has always had me wondering if they could actually be from the same deer. Guess I'll never know.
Is there any rhyme or reason to how you go about looking for them or do you just wander about In areas that seem likely.

I never have either Luke. Just keep seeing all the Facebook posts of sheds people are finding and wanna try too. I figure fence rows, and trails will be a good start and then try randomly searching if nothing else works.