stubborn1VT

Another thing. The picture of the long plot with your dog in it. Did you clear that plot with a bulldozer? It looks perfectly tilled / worked up and stump free.

Grow, Those are some serious brush fences. I would imagine the deer would love having the along the edge of a plot. They can stand behind them and check things out. Make them feel secure. I built 2 brush blinds last year, and I liked them alot better than pop up blinds. I could see and hear more. They're natural, so the deer get used to them. I didn't shoot anything out of them, and I did get picked off a couple times. The deer didn't blow out of there, but knew something was up. The biggest difference is they don't have windows that look like black holes. I swear the deer near me key in on those and really shy away from any store bought blind. I like the idea of having a bunch of them for different winds, or to switch it up. I'll have to build a few more. Maybe that's what I should be doing since it's too warm to ice fish!

Wooly, you really are an artist! I really dig the lamps. Your stuff doesn't look like a mere hobby to me. It looks like a side business!

Lilacs by the front porch are swelling. I ice fished yesterday, but the ice is going fast. I can't get in the woods with the tractor without rutting things up. We could use a little winter. I'm scratching my head, trying to figure what to do. Two nights in a row that stayed above freezing, and no cold snap in sight.

I hear that. I fished yesterday and kept a half bucket of decent bluegills. I fillet them, and they're my favorite. Or at least tied with perch. Ice isn't looking great. I guess they are driving trucks on in Northern Vermont, but I hate to make the drive. My stock of fish is slowly rebuilding. Hopefully we get some more winter so I get another crack at those fishes! For now, I think I'll err on the side of caution.

Nice pics Curmudgeon. I saw a bald eagle over a bay of Champlain on Monday. It was the highlight of our day, as the wind and fishing were pretty awful. You really can see the difference between the Browning and Moultrie!

Congrats Wooly! I'm happy for you, but I was hoping you might be the one to save us from THE 2016 SHED HUNTING THREAD THAT NEVER ENDS! I have never found a shed, and the bucks I'm getting on camera all still have their headgear so....

Trying different seeds is part of the fun. Like Let Em Grow, I have had decent success with Whitetail Institute products. They do use seed coating / filler, which means you get less seed. But the stuff grows. I plan to plant WI Fusion (the name for their new clover and chicory mix) and compare it to a mix that I made myself from seed I bought from "the Dirty Gardener". They are a seed company that sells online, including on Amazon. They have a few varieties of clover at decent prices. I ordered coated, inoculated clovers for about $5/lb including shipping. They also had a good price on chicory. They have many of the common brassicas as well. Thanks for mentioning frosting seeding a "hay field". I have a long, skinny field at the family farm that might benefit from a little more clover. Glad to hear DeerAg is working for you. I will keep it in mind for the future.

With that many miles there isn't just one bad injector. The injectors stick and throw off the computer, and it does downhill from there.

I'd bet money it's injectors.

Grow, That sounds easy enough. I will have to give it a shot. Sometimes I think I get caught up in working the soil, when there's easier methods. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks Adk. I created an account with Whitetail Institute a while back, but I have never gotten an email from them. Maybe I need to buy something first. I could go for a deal from them. There stuff isn't cheap, but I think the quality is good. They recommend Fusion for a small plot. Are you overseeding because it's thin? It was a tough last year, it being so dry. I've dabbled with plots in the past with varying success, but this year I'm all in! Two brand new plots, and two expansions. Thanks for the info.

Grow, Any tips on overseeding turnips into clover plots? I like the idea of variety, and using free nitrogen. Do you rake or prep in any way, or do you just broadcast seed? I have a good amount of leftover brassica seed (purple top, daikon, rapeseed) and that would put them to use. I assume the timing would be similar to a regular planting. I've been scouring the 'net for seed deals, but haven't come up with anything great. Does Whitetail Institute ever put their seed on sale? This year will be a big expansion for me. I'm going with perennials, so I won't have to do it all again next year. I have to tell you, my free soybeans are looking pretty good to me right now!

The same thing happens around here. I was told it's an enforcement / prosecution issue. They can write the ticket, but then it's not worth the court's or state's attorney's time to follow through. I also hear about the certified letter thing that Wooly mentioned. That does work, as long you know who you're dealing with. My neighbor had to warn individuals, then have DEC (Fish and Wildlife here) warn them. When they came back again, they lost 2 rifles and a 4 wheeler. So stick with it. I caught a guy trespassing the second day of our rifle season in 2015, and sent him packing He had shot a 60lb fawn. You can't shoot anterless deer during our rifle season. I found the deer after he was gone, and gave it to DEC. The next day I was in there with two game wardens looking for evidence, and caught the guy's brother looking for the deer with a dog on a leash! He had a backpack, a knife, and few plastic grocery bags. He got a ride in the state truck. Maybe the best we can do is stick up for ourselves.

Nice, thick looking growth in those plots. I realized that I forgot about a third plot. I'm thinking of planting Whitetail Institute in that plot, so I can compare it to the blends I try in the other two plots. In my experience, their seed has performed better than stuff I bought at Agway or Deer Creek. I'm not totally sold on the "Buck on the bag" seed, but it's outperformed other seed twice. The best deal on small burnett I could find was at a company called Maxi-Rack LLC out of Wisconsin. $7/lb and $6.50 to ship up to 5lbs. Not terrible. I bet there's a better deal out there somewhere, but that's what I've found so far. One plot in WI Fusion, one in clovers, small burnett, and chicory, and the last plot in clover and...? Then a soybean plot, and a small strip of mixed brassicas, and that should do it.

Grow, That sounds like a sweet mix. I was thinking along the same lines for one plot. I have to similar sized plots cleared in the woods, but one is dry and the other could be a bit wet. One is on a hilltop, the other is at the bottom of a hill. I was thinking of planting a clover/chickory/burnett mix in the drier plot. Any suggestions for a damper plot with heavier soil? I know clover can handle it, but not sure about anything else. It may not be as wet as it was, since it gets lots more sunlight now. I had never heard of small burnett. How tall did yours get? I really need to build a couple exclusion cages this year. I blamed my lousy brassica plot on the dry weather last year. It may have just been the does and fawns mowing it down earlier than usual. Thanks for the info. I will let you know if I find a good source for seed.

Wolc, We have quite a few coyotes. I understand it was your experience that the beans brought the coyotes. In my case, the coyotes were here before the beans. I planted beans in early summer, and didn't hunt over them during archery season. The deer did enjoy them before and after they dried down. I don't worry if they don't eat them for a couple weeks. The other 4 months of use made it worth it. Besides, I plant other things they can eat during that time. I also get seed corn and soybeans for free, same as you. I farmed for 20 years, and have friends and family that still do. I will rotate in corn after another year or two of beans. They are also a legume, and will provide N as well. Corn is harder on the soil than any other crop I can think of. In my mind that's fact, not opinion. I also find that there are more challenges to growing corn, such as birds and coons. I think beans are about the easiest thing to grow. The deer love them, and they fix N. As I said I will be growing corn again. I just don't believe they are the #1 plot for most people. I am well aware nobody is going to change your mind, but I would recommend soybeans over corn any day.

Wolc. Corn may work for you, but I'd rather put in soybeans. They are cheaper, easier on the soil, easier to plant, and are attractive for more months out of the year. Three acres of beans will provide more food than 3 acres of corn. The only downside of beans, is that you can't do small plantings. The upside to corn is that it provides cover. Grow, I had to laugh. I looked into small burnett to put in a mix. I found it for just over $4/lb. The only drawback--- was they wanted $15 to ship it! I still want to try it, so I will keep looking. By the way, how many lbs per acre would you plant in a mix?

Another vote for the last plaque. I do like the 2nd one as well. I like the way the grain and heartwood look. I'm waiting to get my 8pt skull back from a guy with beetles. Going to do a plaque with some very old barn board that my father-in-law salvaged. Thanks for the pics!

I'm glad folks are into passing on the tradition, and that the old coots are still out there getting it done. I hope you don't croak too bugs! I should make an effort to help out a younger person with turkeys or deer. Grow, I hope you keep doing what you love. Your plots are an inspiration. Buckmaster, I'm rooting for you. Youth helps, and so does determination (obsession). Good luck all.

Holy pole maples! I have an area that looks similar, minus the oaks. We don't just don't have any, other than the 30 I planted. That's a huge job. Now is certainly the time to be doing it. I thought about tackling that area, but I don't have a mental image of the end result. What would I be trying to accomplish? I agree about getting sunlight to the ground, and the trees you leave will be much better off. Ton of work. My hat is off to you.

I bet you would have success by mowing trails and frost seeding. Deer will use any trail that lets them travel more easily. A neighbor mowed trails to access the back of his property and put trail cameras on them. I couldn't believe the summer and early fall pictures he got. Every buck on the property was using them to travel and graze. Over time you could expand them into a connected plot system. The nice thing would be to lay out your trails, as others have suggested, to take advantage of predominate wind directions. Good luck. I find these types of projects exciting. Sometimes, less is more.

Limbsaver recoil pad X2. I use it on my 7 Rem Mag. It works.

Fine looking buck, Grow! I hear you about hauling brush. I make about half my living that way. No, trees don't stop growing. A guy I know reminded me that they're just "really big grass". Ha! I was hoping to take my little stump grinder out in my woods plot, but it turns out the perch are biting on a local pond. I got a little sidetracked. Good luck with the project. Progress, progress.

Thanks for asking. I'm just south of Burlington. Bennington is a haul for me. I'm not really looking for that many trees. I was thinking of trying to get a few of us together, but so far it hasn't happened. Right now I'm leaning toward buying a few from Cumming's and then a few more when Stark Brothers has their late spring sale. Thanks for the links Grow. It seems like a real challenge to find the varieties you want on the rootstock you want. Guess I need to order a year or two in advance!