What are your goals?


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Re: What are your goals?

Goal #1 for me is to try and talk the landowner into letting me put in a strip of food plot along the edge of the bedding area that makes up most of his property.It's a square piece that has crops to the north and east,and timber to the west,which is where my stands are.It looks like a nice spot to put in about a 15x100 foot plot.

#2 would be to trim all the limbs that fell from ice storm a few weeks ago.Almost every trail is nearly blocked off,and hopefully I can stack some brush in a way that the deer funnel by close to one of my stands.

#3 would be to take at least two does off this property next season.My cousin I are the only ones with permission,and we only bowhunt this piece.Over the past 4 years we've taken 1 buck and 6 does,but neither of us has scored yet this year.We've actually seen more 1 1/2 old bucks than mature does this year,which is pretty odd for this property.

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Re: What are your goals?

i just got off the phone with the PA game commision and they are going to do a walk through, with me, on my property. i am going to enter my property into a program where i can shoot 2-3 does a season. this will help me cut the population. they are also going to help me offset some costs using some programs offered by the states.

this is finally a step in the right direction.

and sorry for being off topic

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Re: What are your goals?

This year we planted, Clover, Soy Beans, Corn (local farmer uses my land), oates and Power Plant. The power plant we planted i want to say in July and was a great attractant for the deer in the summer. The soy beans worked awesome, deer come into them almost every night and feed. They didnt really eat the clover or the oates, i am disappointed in them.

My goals for next year are to make it so they dont have to leave our property for food or water. We have a creek that runs through the property and a 2 acre pond. Also to thin the woods out a little bit. Our 30 acres of woods is all thorn apple thickets so sunlight rarely gets to the bottom so we are gonna try and get some of the thorn apple trees out of there and allow the undergrowth grow some.

As far as food plots go, we are definitly going with the Power Plant and Soy Beans again. I think we are also going to try the Shot Plot out this year. Still want to try a couple more plots but not sure what to try here. Would like something for later in the deer season (november-december) that will draw them in. Any Suggestions?

Mike

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Re: What are your goals?

[ QUOTE ]

i just got off the phone with the PA game commision and they are going to do a walk through, with me, on my property. i am going to enter my property into a program where i can shoot 2-3 does a season. this will help me cut the population. they are also going to help me offset some costs using some programs offered by the states.

this is finally a step in the right direction.

and sorry for being off topic

[/ QUOTE ]

Not off topic at all, I hope things work out for you that sounds like you may be able to help your property out by taking your doe to buck ratio and getting it closer to where it is supposed to be. You may even have an increase in rut activity if you take your 2 to 3 does before the rut kicks in, good luck

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Re: What are your goals?

[ QUOTE ]

Would like something for later in the deer season (november-december) that will draw them in. Any Suggestions?

Mike

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You will really like the Shot plot for later in the deer season after the first couple hard frosts, they will flock to it. Not sure what else you should try, we are going to plant some corn for late season and leave it standing, we thinkit is worth a try. Good luck

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Re: What are your goals?

[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

Would like something for later in the deer season (november-december) that will draw them in. Any Suggestions?

Mike

[/ QUOTE ]

You will really like the Shot plot for later in the deer season after the first couple hard frosts, they will flock to it. Not sure what else you should try, we are going to plant some corn for late season and leave it standing, we thinkit is worth a try. Good luck

[/ QUOTE ]

I hope the shot plot does good. I always have a meeting with the farmer who i lease my land to before he plants anything. We have decided on corn the last 2 years so i am not sure if he wants to do corn or soy beans this year. Usually he has the corn down by now but it is still up.

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Re: What are your goals?

My goals are to try to learn a good rain dance so I can fulfill some of my foodplot goals. We are in such a bad drought right now it's impossible to even get excited about planting anything--so maybe I'll change my goals in trying to improve some of the natural habitat and put the chainsaw to work.

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Re: What are your goals?

[ QUOTE ]

My goals are to try to learn a good rain dance so I can fulfill some of my foodplot goals. We are in such a bad drought right now it's impossible to even get excited about planting anything--so maybe I'll change my goals in trying to improve some of the natural habitat and put the chainsaw to work.

[/ QUOTE ]Thats what im going to have to do..

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Re: What are your goals?

Our goal is to get rid of the soybean and corn and plant something the deer will have on only our property. They can get corn and beans everywhere around us so why plant something that the deer will not come to when you litttle pressure on them? They can get it else where without pressure.

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Re: What are your goals?

Our goals are more generalized than long or short term. Primarily, we are trying to increase the overall herd numbers while maintaining a good herd balance. With that in mind we are letting younger bucks walk and focusing on more advanced age class bucks and that equates to bigger deer. We have an extensive food plot and feeding program. All in all the program is working well and only the coming years will tell the tale.

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Re: What are your goals?

[ QUOTE ]

Primarily, we are trying to increase the overall herd numbers while maintaining a good herd balance.

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Do you know what your estimate numbers are per sq mile? Do you know what your carrying capacity is? Not many areas in the US where people are managing to increase deer numbers so I'm curious of your situation?

todd

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Re: What are your goals?

dogdoc,

Actually, no we do not have an accurate estimate on numbers per square mile nor do we have a number for carrying capacity. What I can tell you is that we are nowhere near what the carrying capacity is, our herd numbers are VERY low. Through trail camera use and summer glassing our resident herd can usually be counted on both hands with maybe an occasional toe added in. A common saying here in my area is that "you may hunt for a week and never see a deer but if you hear one coming get ready it could be a good one". Our herd is decimated by decades of poor regulations, poaching, and a lack of knowledge. There are just now starting to be high enough numbers to support a huntable population around the family farm. So really we are in on the ground floor and starting at the right time to develop a diversified age structure.

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Re: What are your goals?

I have 80 acres located in cleveland county where the population is estimated at 15 deer per sq mile. The first year I hunted (close to 80 hours) i saw only one deer. I had a 3 acre spot cleared and planted 1/2 in perennials and 1/2 in annuals. I also kept corn (from feeders) going year round. The next year I was constantly seeing and fliming scenes like this:

3deerturks.jpg

Two years after planting I went out to do some filming and had 13 deer on the food plot. It is amazing what a little management will do to increase your population. I think it's actually easier to increase your population than to reduce herd size.

good luck with your goals.

todd

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