WesternNY

The Gr. Rochester S. Tier Branch is in the midst of planning field days, one of the topics we are discussing is apple trees and there care 101. We are in the early stages, but we will announce on the forums details as they are developed. The Branch is about alot more than antlers, we truly want to make everyones deer hunting better, and antlers are only a portion of a true QDM program.

I should have mention the first pic is a goldrush, in our area we have a hard time getting them mature for us, deer dont mind, these will hang into Jan 2nd is enterprise, great tasting apple. Liberty is another great tasting apple

One of the key parts is to pick an apple tree that offers some disease resistance. Pristine (apple) - July 10 Redfree (apple) - August 5 Sunrise (pear) - August 10 Initial (apple) - August 20 Seckel (pear) - August 28 Blake's Pride (pear) - September 2 Magness (pear) - September 5 Potomac (pear) - September 9 Liberty (apple) - September 15 Crimson Gold (apple) - September 15 Crimson Topaz (apple) - September 18 Galarina (apple) - September 25 Freedom (apple) - October 1 Nova Spy (apple) - October 10 Querina (apple) - October 12 Enterprise (apple) - October 24 GoldRush (apple) - November 10 Liberty and enterprise IMO are the easiest to grow/train. The dates represent maturitu time, generally speaking drop will occur 2 weeks after maturity but depends on a ton of factors, wind, rain, disease, size of the apples, strength/health of the tree. Another key component is rootstalk, I prefer 118, 111, then emla 7. For deer you do not want a dwarf tree. You want the first level of scaffolds (branches) to be eventually around 5 feet high. You need a full sun spot, in drainable soils, they tend not to like wet feet. You must cage, must spray, and shouldn't let the tree produce fruit until year 3, the first few years it should concentrate on developing roots and wood. You want to train and prune for a strong central leader. You should stake your tree You should protect the tree from soil level up to about 2.5 3 feet. Window screen is best imo. I staple (paper stapler) the screen on itseld, as it grows it pops the staple but another staple holds it closed. Keep weed/sod competition to a min. Gly (round up) will kill or greatly stunt a apple tree if it reaches the bark or leaves. I used stone 3 to 4 inches thick for weed protection. Plastic trunk protectors are not a good idea, nor are weed mats, bark mulch.. voles, mice, and disease. PH in the 6 to 6.5 is good in general terms Here are a few pics of some of my trees. I hope this helped some of you.. good luck. Here is a tree that is 4 another This is what I started with 4 years ago... this is a whip. If you can get feathered trees all the better. I should be able to remove my cages/fence this spring or next.

Get your tickets if you are interested in coming, we are still 5 weeks out, but are already around 50% SOLD and folks tend to try to wait until a week or 2 away. We will sell out. Also get your raffle tickets early and save 50% or more buying them early vs the night of the event. Here are a few items that will be available, this is only a small sample of the things we will have. This Rossi Lever 30-30 is the gun of the year, the only way to get a chance at this gun is to buy the $250 raffle package. It comes with one chance at the gun of the year and 125 chances at General Raffle items that would cost you $500 at the door. This 1911 25th year QDMA Anniv edition will be a hot item during the live Auction

Congrats! You will enjoy that for a lifetime!

I want curtains, it is just a matter of finding ones I like. I dont worry about the safe too much, alarm system, 2 very protective dogs, 600 pound safe bolted to the floor, we are armed and will protect! I have been looking online for curtains. I think fabric that pull to eachside with an antler curtain holder and I assume I will need a curtain valance?? Where are the ladies????

Taxidermist is quick I guess. It is the second time I used him and both times the turn around time was outstanding.

I rearranged things a bit and hung some of the prints. I am very happy with the mount and the room. I am not sure I like the bucks in the corner, I may need to move the 2012 buck as he is looking to the right. I need to get curtains now, but that feels so girly. LOL

Here is my 2012 Opening Day Gun Buck

Here is a pic showing around the corner I am going on a bear hunt and want to get a half mount done and put him on top of the safe with his front paws just over the top edge near the corner on a piece of wood with maybe some rocks or a stump... I think it will look sharp. This is what I am working on now... doing all the trim, staining and painting.. This is the kitchen... tile floor came out great This is the kitchen looking the other way... it is huge 16 x 27 feet. Things are going slow as I had hand surgery Tuesday and cant use my right hand much.

Thanks Fellas! I have to seal the widow extension jams and 2 doors and it is done, except for hanging the prints, and stuff. Like I said I get my 2012 mount back this weekend so I will have to plan for future mounts etc as I want to avoid making alot of holes in the pine. I also have to think of something for blinds, but I want it to look like it fits the room. Eventually I am going to get a couch with a pull out bed to give us more room for guests. Phade I have 2 small sheds on the ledge and so far I have not found a big shed.... I will be out again looking once we get a melt down. It is a great spot for sheds and stuff.

I believe it is between 30 and 40.

LOL on the tv... in the Living room I got a 55 inch flat screen, I figure since the man room is on the smaller size go with a smaller tv... 39 or 42 or close to 36"

We have been mad busy with a huge addition on our house, and here is my man cave, it is around 14 x 15. I get my 2012 buck back this coming weekend from the taxidermist, after it is back I will hang the art prints up. It came out pretty well. I need to get a decent 36 inch flatscreen. Around the corner, you cant see if the gun safe and a closet. It is my sanctuary!

Here is one of the hunts that will up for auction at our Sportsman's Banquet on 4/13 A week long black bear hunt in the Spring, along with walleye and pike fishing. All inclusive, except for beer, pop, your fishing license, and your transport to the camp and back home. Northern Quebec, Canada, about 7 hours North of Montreal, 15 hours from Rochester. Check them out here: http://www.coopercamp.com/black-bear-hunting-quebec-canada/cooper-camp/

I to have a M&P 45 and I love it. I can see not liking the trigger at first. Solid gun, IMO!

Grow you asked about how the state gets 54% of bucks 1.5 when not all deer are checked. I assume its based on stats and a formula but I will check.

I avoid most of these discussions because the quickly get ugly and I am highly associated with the QDMA. I just want to say a few things. 1) nothing less than a 6pt may save some 1.5 year old bucks but it is not going to impact the entire state. Too many 1.5 year olds would still be harvested. This is the biggest problem with AR's/age restrictions. It is difficult to have harvest guidelines to save 1.5 year olds that can be easily incorporated by the average 1 weekend a year hunter. I happen to use 2.5 or better on my farm, I have increased my harvest goal to 3.5, I have a friend who hunts. He has a hard time aging bucks so for him it is 8 or better. These are not perfect but are a starting point. 2) NY's buck harvest consists of 54% 1.5 year old bucks. If we could get that to 40% you would see a difference in the age structure in MOST parts of the state. We (the GRST QDMA Branch) hopes to help with this goal through education and choice not manadorty anything at this point. 3) Statewide Age/antler restrictions will not work, the state is too large and differs heavily on the number and quality of deer. I can not expect a hunter who feeds his family to pass on 1.5 year olds in areas that do not have doe permits and or have poor deer numbers. 4) Trophy... QDM is not trophy management. QDM has alot to offer all hunters with it's biggest impact is trying to encourage hunters to be managers rather than just consumers. I would guess over 60% of the NY hunters have no idea of the good work the QDMA does for each and everyone of us, because they assume it is all about trophies. NY in general has great potential as others have mentioned, but it is going to take a majority of us to rethink our harvest goals.

Some nice news in the Buffalo News http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130127/SPORTS/130129331

Get your Entry/meal/member tickets and get you Early Bird Raffle Tickets now and double your chances at some great prizes!

Turkeys love buckwheat and it is very easy to grow, but by the time it seeds out (turkeys love the seeds) Spring Turk seasom will be over.

JFB, Thanks for coming out and the feedback. We really want to focus on education, and the QDM supports and helps all hunters.... everyone thinks it's just antlers that would be TDM not QDM, and the QDMA is a great organization and our Rochester Chapter is going to do all it can to help our local community. If you guys have ideas for future topics let us know. We will be having more seminars and we have alot of connections with speakers of Kip's caliber. Like Culvercreek said, now we are focusing on the Banquet, a successful local banquet will allow us to hold more of these seminars as well as meet our first year goals! Mike

So far we have 3 verbal agreements on 3 nice hunts. As soon as I have the needed paper work I will announce who they are with, but... The Elk hunt is a Montana wilderness horse/camp hunt, a week long hunt The Black Bear hunt is in northern Quebec, a week long hunt that included fishing for Pike and Walleye. And the Turkey hunt is here in NY, a 1 day hunt We will have guns, bows, art prints, chainsaws, gear, and things for the ladies!

Please Join us for an evening of fun! Tickets will go fast, get yours today!

Yup, Big guy black QDMA Shirt who introduced Kip. Thanks for coming!