LET EM GROW

I have 15 stands and 2 ground blinds across 150 acres. I use probably 1/3-1/2 of them each year. the rest only get checked for safety and left alone for the year usually. I am going to hopefully build an enclosed box blind for my wife and kids next year.

Biz, Are you afraid of heights? JC, I love stand hunting, the view is usually awesome to just take it all in. Being on ground level eye to eye is a blast too..

Yea if you get wiped out in old suggest something g like grow suggested or planting some blends. Several brassicas maybe with a couple annual clovers and a grain. But hopefully pie tins work for you. Yo Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

How big is your brassica plot? If mine are under a 1/2 acre and near good whitetail cover they get wiped out Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

That's wierd. Is there a lot of food around for them? Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I'll sacrifice the summer patterns, to gain the later season pull... hopefully anyways lol. If not lesson learned and I'll stick with my fence Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

When I'm there next I will take a couple pics. I would just hang two on a branch I could reach, and pound a couple stake son the interior and hang one or 2 off each stake about 2ft high atleast. Just so they'd catch the breeze. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

This plot is setup for late season. It's like a safe haven for them it seems, every year even in the middle of the day they are feeding here not too far from prime bedding. But as soon as pods are developing I will pull these down. It shouldn't bother them much. There's fresh sign all over still.. I have food for them on my piece every year. The deer with a few years under their belts know where to get some grub lol. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

So last week i ordered an electric fence, mainly for next year but possibly the remainder of this year to protect my soybeans. My place of employment gives us up to 1000$ in gift cards each year to try and be healthy and just take surveys etc.. its great! Win win! So a week or so before I came across that fence online, someone had mention to hang pie tins around the plot to help keep deer out. As the glamour and shine of these beautiful pieces of tin would be too much for the eye of the deer, as well as the sound of the tins clashing together or something. I know I sound crazy but i'm into cheap ways to keep deer out of my plots.. Anyways i checked the beans yesterday and they have totally exploded with growth. Before hanging them the deer kept them nibbled down to about 6-12" range. They are now pushing the 2ft mark after hanging these tins up. I'm impressed for a purchase of less than 20$ , i do not have deer wiping my soybeans out not. "Knock on Wood" .. Makes me second guess the fence purchase now if that is all it takes lol Just thought id offer this experiment to you all. It might not look real pretty but until the bean pods are developed they stay protected.. Don't bash me too bad now!! lol

Ive got a bad feeling about this. Hunting in the future will be less than joyful i would imagine. Not sure how are why, but this state and its bs overnight laws, and money they try to grab.. to me it doesnt look good. even though if they left us alone they would probably make more off of us from not trying to control us.

Ive seen a lot of oaks with a ton of acorn clusters, probably the weight as well as rain taking them down.. havent noticed them on the ground like you state yet..

I think bait is a great tool for managing, you can pick and chose what you want to show and exactly where a little more easily. like as stated earlier in over populated areas to control a herd and not alter existing rules and regulations. introduce bait for a period of time. but to even compare myself to someone who baits deer then brags about it. is a total joke imo. Yea you still have to play wind, consider entry and exit routes etcc.. Maybe if your bait pile was spread across a 1/2 acre lol. I wouldn't mind seeing minerals or supplemental feeding be legal, up until deer season or shortly before, but that would be in my practices used for health and nutrition purposes (antler growing, body mass, does lactating, fawns..), possibly inventory check as well. I guess its just me but i dont think i can harvest an animal over bought, and poured out bait site. Even though its basically the same as deer scents during the rut...

Why? There is no fun whatsoever in painting the exact place a deer is going to stop within inches, just to be shot, garunteed.. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

It could be, I consider myself somewhat of a manager for habitat. Therefore my plots are placed and planted mainly for the reason of keeping the herd and other critters healthy as can be at all times of the year. Do I hunt over them? occasionally yes. But my sole intentions for food plots is to supply premium groceries, especially for a late season winter food source. Its a hobby of mine not a reason to kill.. as that's what i consider "bait" to be... any easy reason/excuse to kill any critter or a specific animal..

About 3 weeks in the summer, at the least. During deer season, more frequent but usually only if I'm in the area. I try not to to just go pull cards during season.

I used to use Irish spring soap and pie tins. The wind blows and they clash each other or something solid and it seems to make deer not wanna be near them. If there is open spots where the feel just far enough from the tins and soap they'll eat there. But its worked for me but it's not 100% like a fence. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

They start eating beans as soon as they sprout basically, until they turn yellow and leaf drops. The power of soybean is great. They typically don't hit them again until it starts getting colder again Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

That's what I was told too, I'll probably weed eat anything down under or near that may ground it out. I think the idea behind the 3 strands itself is enough to detour deer. I may try it next year without power first just to test it out. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I plan to run the out side wire hot, about 24" high. Then just use tape or some sort of rope/wire on the 2 inside lines(12" & 36") not hot. Outside one should be plenty to deter them. Plus the looks of having to clear 3 ropes I think will be good. To protect my growing but getting eaten soybeans lol. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Was going to mention maybe tractor supply renting as well, some places will. Just ask for the manager! Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I just purchased with a gift card, a Gallagher electric fence with almost 3,000 ft of poly wire. I only spent 150$. It's energizer runs off (4) D batteries. Was nervous about buying it but my buddy bought for his beans and the fence is doing what it should be. Said after about 45 days the charge was getting a little weak but, I can afford 4 new batteries every month. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Same with my place in avoca. Loaded with black and red raspberry.. we also have planted blueberries on the property that produce thousands of berries Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Just give it 2 weeks then spray it. Some people might not recommend this but I've taken a fallow field and dropped the brush hog nearly to the ground and gone over it twice. Works about the same as your rake would. Spray it in 2 weeks.Then till it. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I have two bucks that are 8.5 yrs old this year. Both have been shot at and wounded and survived. In fact one of them took a 270 round through the stomach.. and lived! I know from being on the phone minutes after the shot and getting the photos of him feasting in my brassicas after dark. He also, one way or another became blind in one eye during the 2016 year. I Haven't seen him since he dropped his head gear last but I'm sure he's alive and well. The other old timer is indeed alive still. Seen him during early turkey season. It is crazy what the older real mature bucks go through season after season. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Haven't taken any pics this year for some reason. Must be from being in a hurry non stop lol. Without pics I'll update until I can take some. Soybeans are doing good, getting browsed since my homemade barrier didn't go up until a week or so ago. But all 3 plots range in size from ankle height to knee/thigh height. They've all been spray again and one had been overseeded with rutabaga on this past Monday. Other 2 will be overseeded first of August ish. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk