stubborn1VT

I'm not a big Deere fan, but that machine looks clean and should be worth $8-$10K. With a loader, 4WD and loaded Ag tires, you can do a shiz ton of work! Good luck on the sale.

Oats do fine in cool weather. They hate hot and dry worse. Unless they sit in the cold and wet to the point of rot, they shouldn't fail. How big a plot for 200 lbs?

Some fawns die of "natural causes" like malnutrition and exposure. Some die in accidents. If you think about balance in nature, then it does make sense. This was from a series of studies I read about in an article from Meateater. One of the points of the article was that predators get blamed for fawn deaths because they clean up the sick and dead. In regards to Lawd's post about a fawn being doomed: A healthy fawn is going to make it more often than you might think.

I'm sure it won't convince anyone, but a number of studies show that fawn mortality isn't really affected by predators. They mostly kill or scavenge fawns that were not going to make it anyway. The number of fawn deaths between areas with coyotes, bears, bobcats, foxes are pretty much the same as areas without large predators. The way I understand it, roughly 40% of fawns are going to die from something regardless.

It was pretty hot out there for my liking, but I must say I'm jealous Rob. That's quite a crew. Glad you had a good outing. I sure am wishing I could go on a Canadian walleye fishing vacation. That's a nice looking table of fish!

I broadcasted my little patch on Friday. Next year I think I'm going to look into an Earthway row seeder. Also hoping to plant my little test strips of grain sorghum (milo) tomorrow before it gets too hot. Then I will be done until August when I plant the rest of my plot into brassicas, as well as a strip of new clover with oats as a nurse crop.

Sorry for the loss of your family member.

Took a quick walk at the farm where I work. No birds. Very quiet (except for the planes, traffic and neighbor's lawn mower).

I have broadcasted both corn and beans with good results. I had decent corn last year, despite the drought. I tilled, dragged lightly and rolled with a lawn roller. I have attracted a larger number of does in the past couple years, so I won't fool with beans any more. I could fence them and they would do fine. Just don't have the time and energy. The drought was so bad last year that they started eating my young corn plants. I also made a simple jab seeder to fill in spots or to replant small areas. It's just a 3 foot piece of 1/2" PVC. I cut an angle on one end, added a T and a short piece for a step and stuck a little funnel on top. It works well. You can plant surprisingly fast. Good luck. As long as your soil is worked up fairly well you should do fine. Then it's just a matter of fighting with the crows, coons, skunks etc.

Used whiskey barrels on CL seem to bring $100-$125 from what I have seen. I only think they are worth that if you are using them to store/age/mellow some kind of libation.

Venison kabobs with fresh garden asparagus. I never think to take pictures.

I saw a job where they did whole tree removal and chipped the tops. It took forever, there was tons of erosion and it took a really long time for everything to grow back. Those tops are a mess, but they are also food, habitat and nutrients. Just something to consider. Also, I have never seen a logging job that went "fast". Most of the larger jobs I have been involved with took a year longer to complete than expected.

Cool pics! Always nice to see that first fawn.

I have enjoyed every place I have visited in Canada that isn't Montreal. The people in Labrador and Newfoundland are great. I drove through BC and I'd like to see more of that. I would like to spend more time in Montana/Idaho.

Maybe you should just go hunting Lawd. I don't see what your goal is here. I get what you're saying about peeking UP over a boulder, but you certainly can peek around a piece of cover. How is this any worse than sitting against the front of a tree? I'm sure you have shot more toms than I, but I guess I don't see your point (other than tweaking Bill). I have gotten away with all sorts of movement over the years. What I've learned is that you need to take your time. I find that if I move slowly I get picked off less and I shoot better. Hope your back gets better so you can get out there.

Killed a gobbler around 7:30 Saturday morning. Set up on a pasture next to a big hay field, but the bird gobbled way over on the neighbors. I made a move to get closer, but he was still 200 yards out in a field. I got him to answer me and then worked away from him on a snow machine trail. He continued to answer and seemed interested. I worked back toward him, soft calling and scratching in the leaves until I was right up to the stonewall that is the property line. After a few minutes of the silent treatment he gobbled much closer. I couldn't see him because there was a brushy streambed between us and some spruces and the stonewall. I got out the slate and gave him some purrs and clucks and soft yelps. He gobbled some more. I peeked over the stonewall and he was in half strut about 80 yards away. I watched him work around me along the brook, looking for a place to cross. Then he was behind a bunch of brush. I crawled along the stonewall to get a little closer, then got my gun up and ready. He came in silent the rest of the way, but came crashing through the stonewall, breaking sticks. I got a kick out of that. He popped out at 15 yards and I shot over him, but stoned him with the follow up after he ran a few yards. I was pretty pleased. Bird numbers seem to be down around that area, but I filled a tag and had a cool hunt. I didn't weigh him. I believe he weighed 18-19 pounds. Beard was thin, but nearly 10" long. He had a short spur and a 7/8" spur. I hunted a few more hours at 2 other properties and never heard or saw a bird. Lousy picture, but I'm lucky if I remember at all cuz I'm so excited.

Shape is all wrong for a calf. Dog.

Darn Tough X2.

Bird was roosted where I thought. Set up with a decoy where they have been feeding mid morning. He flew down at 5:30 on the wrong side of the hedgerow / property line. He did me the favor of gobbling every so often to let me know that he was heading AWAY. Must have been following hens. Sat until 9:00 and got sick of sitting in the wind. I was feeling pretty good about this setup, but that's turkey hunting. I probably won't hunt there until next Thursday. Back to the home farm for Saturday at least.

Doesn't sound that challenging to me.

The truth is somewhere between these two points of view. The hard fact is that a crossbow is still a bow and kills by causing blood loss. It isn't a muzzleloader. Your 8 year old could shoot it, but not under any and all hunting conditions. You complain about repeating yourself, but here you are... I respect the wish to have time in the woods without crossbows, but most of the arguments against them are flawed. The only tangible drawback to full inclusion that I have seen in VT is how far idiots will shoot. It leads to wounded deer and makes for lazy hunters. I don't blame the crossbow for this, just stupid people.

I didn't get done chores in time to go out. 2 toms out in the fields across from the barn. Flock of birds in the hay across from my house. My buddy is working his bee hives at my brother's farm and he has seen 2 toms and 2 jakes. Today was the day! The weather was right and the birds have calmed down after the opening weekend assault. I have Thursday off. Look out longbeards! Congrats to those who have filled tags. Way to go!

I went out for a quick walk after I did chores at my friend's farm. I hiked up a log road into the hardwoods behind the barn, calling on a diaphragm call every once in awhile. There was tons of scratching under the beech trees. I decided to sit and listen for awhile. Broke out my cheap Primos slate and got a very distant gobble. He gobbled on his own after a couple minutes of the silent treatment. I cut the distance and he answered, but didn't seem to be moving. I crept up behind a chunk of ledge and could see jake fan and a bunch of red heads. They were on a ledge 100 yards away. It turned out to be a giant jake flock (or two jake flocks combined). I cut on the slate and alternated with the mouth call. What a ruckus! 10 jakes all gobbling together! After firing them up good I went quiet and scratched in the leaves. After 5 or ten minutes of quiet I purred and clucked and soft yelped facing away from them. 5 of them got in single file and found a spot to climb off the ledge. I got them to 25 feet before they figured out something was up. They were really little with 3" beards that stuck out straight. They putted, but I would yelp and they would come back. I fooled with them until almost noon and when they drifted away I dropped over the hill and got out of there. Lots of fun, but not the birds I was looking for.

Not a fan of any electric pole saw that I have run. Stihl makes a good product, but I can't see spending that much dough for how little I would use it. I have a decent quality manual pole saw and it does what I need it to.

Happy B-day! Hope you have a good'n.