phade

Short of our tanks on the UTV, we have a few backpack and smaller sprayers. We keep them separate for Cleth, 24db, and gly. Mostly because of murphy's law for us. I sprayed cleth on a small plot out of a 2 gallon hand pump a few weekends ago. I generally hand spray cleth and 24db. Most of our larger plots tend to be annuals that do a good job at crowding out weeds and we'll also let the weeds go if it's not obnoxious due to some weeds being a food source as well. We have abandoned the desire for a magazine quality plot. We definitely had more “failed” plots this season than in years past. I think we had three that just bombed out with poor/minimal growth in sections. You can see in the images where - one we’ve reworked and seeded winter rye. The other we top dressed with DER and PTT, since in Ohio there is a slightly longer growing season still. All that said, the plots are serviceable. Wanted to get oats in but my partner didn’t bring them and we got to the plot and made do with the Rye. We had really good luck with oats last year. First time in a monoculture and wow, I’m sure we will make it a point for next year. Rye should be helpful though. We are calling it done for plotting this year. Time to get ready for opener.

Wowsers on that topo.... I know this might sound crazy but can you just work around them? Most of the chemical option I don't think I'd want to do for a food plot area. You probably could still work dirt carefully and let nature take its course. Maybe even avoid churning dirt all together with proper strategy. I mean, given that aerial, nearly anything you plant would be a draw of some sort. Rye, brassicas, clover, whatever. All of that stuff doesn't really require working the dirt technically.

I'm open to the right property here in NY but I also know that what I want isn't readily available and would take a perfect storm to find. We'll see if it happens. The value of time is very important to me. I don't get alot of it off of work these days, and what's left after time with family means I want the best ROI on that time I do spend hunting. I'm kind of over busting my rear to get 1-2 chances per year at a 120-135" buck here in NY, in full transparency. No doubt there are some great bucks taken in NY each year, but as the saying goes, you can't tag what isn't there. After spending time in the midwest the past few seasons, I can honestly say I'd trade 10-14 days there for 3-4 mos of hunting here. It's just that much better of an experience IMO.

I know of him, too. He seems to do well. I am friends with one of the Whitetail Properties reps in KY as well. I'm trying to exhaust Ohio before diving head first into KY. Alot of learning going on and alot more to do.

I'm debating the merits of sending letters to prospective owners/sellers. It surely seems like anything that makes it to open market is lacking in some capacity - whether price, acreage, property design, etc. I keep coming back to one particular parcel in Ohio that is lower in my pricepoint but looks good from a hunting POV and layout. Negatives are that it's 7 hours drive, so it's pretty far down into Ohio and the acreage is smaller than what I want. I believe I could effectively hunt 3-4 guys on it with bow at a time (not sustained), and regular would easily work 2. Access is via one road on one side - nice but challenging if you get the wrong wind. So, some considerations to make on pursuing or not. Kentucky looks real interesting too despite drive time, I'm getting more educated with the better counties etc. Indiana - haven't seen a thing I like. Illinois is super expensive with similar tax issue as NY. Missouri has a few nice ones but haven't seen the must have aerial/topo yet.

We went to Youtube TV. So far, 6-12 mos. in and A-OK.

The idea around not needing an SD is not novel and has been tried before. Ultimately, if the internal memory goes bad, so does the cam. Also, you really can't use it w/out cell service because you can't pull a card to swap it in the field. Moultrie has laid some real duds the past 3-4 years.

Old or new, you didn't deny.

I was there at the Goat Belo. They had to give him a booster seat.

I'd be OK for minerals up to X days ahead of season. I think a few midwest states have that type of rule. Given earlier season dates minerals can still be a draw in-season. Setting it forward by some time will help reduce reliance on it as a hunting/kill spot. I don't think minerals help a ton, if at all...we'll never really know in a wild herd state. That said, it works well to inventory deer and determine ratios, density, etc. due to the propensity of most/all deer to use them. Hunting in Ohio where private land baiting is the cultural norm - eh. It's alot of work honestly that is pretty frustrating to do and doesn't lend itself to as much of authentic experience as I prefer. That's just for me personally. Definitely a challenge if your neighbors do it and you don't. You have to hunt hunters and their strategies.

The west side has some elk/mulies but rare. I'd probably pursue hunts rather than property for things like Elk and Mulies. Elk scares me a bit because of how much people say it ruins whitetail hunting. I know I'd like it but at the same time dread pursuing the opportunity given I am not likely to be out there as often. My guess is 2024. I think 2023 is going to be Iowa draw. Been sitting on those points and its time to make it happen.

It's a slow process for PA to get all Sundays in. I couldn't imagine being a hunter in PA and only having one day a week to hunt if I am stuck w/weekends. I'd probably give the sport up in that case. It's short sighted IMO and a big barrier for ownership for me. Tenn is not on the radar for me. Hunting quality is getting better there as time goes on but if I have to drive that far to get there, I'd rather turn the wheel more westerly to better deer states. I do have access to a property there and likely will go down this spring for turkey and next fall for deer - velvet maybe. I'm setting that property up with camera surveillance as the owner is also from NY.

The usual - draw a line NE to SW and the right side of that.

I am sensitive to that as well. I'm finding a mixed bag, but not all of the properties have them retained. Some include all or portions. Even seen some where the seller is retaining 50% and including 50%. Which is interesting - who makes the decision, lol.

The one NY property I used in the example accepted an offer above asking price. Based on what I can tell, taxes were close to doubling with the ask price, and now, then some. Sounds like the buyer is planning on putting in a very big, very expensive home. Not much else floating about in NY that I am coming across. A few Ohio properties, a few Kentucky properties, and one Missouri parcel are on the docket to inquire about. I may be planning a day of property visits in next week or two for Ohio/possibly Kentucky. One Ohio piece looks good for what it is and pricing is not bad, but it's still a touch smaller acreage wise and I wish the field component was not all roadside. Looks like it'd hunt well for 2-3 people at a time with no concern and I like the bedding and terrain features inside the timber. Hunting season starts in Ohio on 9/24. So, it may get interesting in terms of visits early in the day and scooting back up to hunt PMs. We will see.

Thanks and I am sure everyone has their reasons and I don't intend for this to be political. I have zero desire for PA property. I even avoid flying American so I can avoid flying into Philly as a layover. Sunday hunting as an issue in PA in 2022 is all that needs to be known for me. It is not hunter friendly, especially to those who travel distance or have a job that only affords them weekends. I have zero desire to buy property I cannot use nearly 15% of the season or once a week. Screw that, IMO. I understand others may have different views, but it's not for me.

I don't understand the point of this post then. You've ran them, seen no difference, and now asking what are the best of what you have? Pick one if they are all the same to you and your piece. JMO.

No confirmation any of these died but the wide 8 disappeared after December. Me thinks he dead. He covered enough ground on our farm for me to know he roamed and likely on a wall somewhere. One of the others made it through and I got a pic of him in June or July. Crappy pic but it’s him. Nothing since. Unfortunately I saw all of them in person but not a shot to be had. The wide 8, I was halfway down the stand one evening. Him looking at me, me looking at him, and my bow on the ground. He didn’t even blow out of there. Just walked away. Like he knew. Showed up to same spot next morning in daylight which is the image you see. Was on a stand on 11/27 and could see those images being taken. 60 yards away. Ugh. What a day. Those two larger bucks had a knockdown drag out fight in front of me over a hot doe.

Pretty! Use it as a hammer on close in scenarios?

H&R 20g Weatherby Vanguard 243, CVA Scout .243 CVA Cascade 350 L, CVA Scout 350 L Also have my 30-30 and MZers.

One update about financing. FCE seems to be grouped within the 7 NE states. Anything within those spaces are pretty black and white. The peer/partner farm credits somehow work together on deals where it's out of their jurisdiction but at times will still hold the note. I have to assume due to the complexities around the "sales" process of the financial rep, the legalities of the money movement, and likelihood of default on something out of the area. The financial rep I am working with basically said to go have at it, short of MO, which he might have to partner with a peer Farm Credit. He said that shouldn't impede the process. I still need to dig in more on the out of area lending but due to my current state, the rep was willing to have FCE take on the note. Oddly enough, he said PA was the funky outlier in the NE. Didn't go into detail and since PA is not of interest to me, I didn't ask why.

Thanks, and yes sir, that true up in the example I shared was brutal. It's hard to imagine repetitive tax implications at those rates. I liked the property - smaller than what I wanted and more $ per acre than I felt warranted. But it hunts right at the end of the day and I could swallow a one time purchase on it and not dwell. All that said, the taxes alone at the projected rate would be $1K more than my Ohio lease that has 210-220 acres on two separate parcels. And our lease pays the taxes on those parcels in full. I'd need a perfect Goldilocks property here in NY IMO. Seems like the choices fall into - good hunting in small acreage around our general area, with big money taxes, or you go further south with bigger parcels and less ag/rent opportunities.

No interest in PA for alot of reasons. Sunday hunting IMO is still a hornet's nest. PA has a large hunting population, the opening regular season is within 48 hours of Ohio (I don't plan on dropping my lease there any time soon), and doesn't produce the deer hunting quality on a macro level that I am looking to buy into. I equate PA and NY as being close to one in the same netting out, with slight differences in pros/cons. NY is just where I live so that is on the list due to default/practicality and I am in a better area of the state for hunting. I would not entertain NY outside of my local area (IE within a 90 min drive or so). Let's be real, there are a pockets where good and great quality east coast hunting is available, but on the whole it doesn't compare to the midwest. Finding those pockets and being able to buy in at the right deal/price/scenario would be hard.

I am going to update progress on my search for property. Namely for hunting purposes but also for cash/crop rent, timber, asset holding. I am planning to do a cash deal or finance based on options at the given time and the property itself. Funding is "secured" already for financing through Farm Credit. Should I finance, I do plan to pay off the note within 2-3 years max and pursue a second property or sell with the intent of relaying it through 1031 should that still exist (who knows today). I do plan to improve the property for hunting value and resale value, so hopefully the 1031 path leads to an even better property down the road. I am willing to purchase in NY, OH, IL, IN, KY, MO. KS and NE are just too far for me, but I don't want to fully rule them out, ha. I've inquired about a few parcels here in NY this past week. Consistently, the taxes stand out. They are flat out high, compared to a few out of state parcels. It's shockingly high. Example, a $180K parcel for 60 acres in MO would land at the same monthly payment as a $130K parcel with less than 20 acres here in NY. It has my head spinning to be honest. I know there are things that can be done to reduce tax implications, and it doesn't take into account income, but that basis just boggles my mind. More to come...

That’s a little better. Believe him to be 5.5 as I have matched set from 2020-21 season with the same split brows and estimated him at 3 then. Several night images of him over the years but first daytime image of him that I can recall close to season. He’s been a ghost to date in season.