Acorn activity

[johnplav]

This spot has never been hunted hard, and hasn't been hunted at all in at least 3 seasons, including this season.  I threw up a cheapo cam from Amazon (Wosports I got for $38) and let it sit from early August until late December.  I was surprised to find 3400+ pictures and the batteries still at 75%.  Pictures were decent quality.

Most of the action was early, since this is on an Oak ridge and there were tons of acorns this year and the does were hitting them hard.  There were a decent number of small bucks, but strangely, there were no buck pictures in daylight (even during rut).  When I hunt here next season, Ill try this stand in bow/muzzleloader for doe, and maybe hunt the thicker stuff for bucks.  I knew there were coyotes here, but I was shocked by the number of pictures I got, especially daytime.  I might need to try knocking a few down.  Also... as an added bonus I got a few pics of a bobcat.  

[johnplav]

[johnplav]

[johnplav]

[Bolt action]

Looks like a good pick up on that camera, especially for the price. Spot looks good to. If you have a bunch on camera, chances are good that there are more walking around.

[airedale]

Much of my best and most productive hunting has been in Oak groves wherever I can find them and not only for Deer, acorns provide food for many other wildlife species.

Al

Edited December 30, 2020 by airedale

[The_Real_TCIII]

I found a corner of the property this summer with a handful of oaks dropping. I put up a stand and killed four deer out of it. There are plenty of other little clusters of oaks but these ones were the "X" this season

[G-Man]

Looks to open for daylight movement of mature buck, a nice timber thinning would help that a few brush piles for cover..

[johnplav]

8 minutes ago, G-Man said:

Looks to open for daylight movement of mature buck, a nice timber thinning would help that a few brush piles for cover..

There is heavy cover on the property... overgrown orchards, cedar stands and acres of honeysuckle? (at least thats what we call it).  But yes... this ridge is very open.

This is an an area with low deer numbers (no DMPs ever, only 1-2 bucks taken per sq. mile, no Ag fields for miles).  I was actually surprised by the number of bucks, but if there's does around... I guess bucks will find them.

Edited December 30, 2020 by johnplav

[G-Man]

7 minutes ago, johnplav said:

There is heavy cover on the property... overgrown orchards, cedar stands and acres of honeysuckle? (at least thats what we call it).  But yes... this ridge is very open.

This is an an area with low deer numbers (no DMPs ever, only 1-2 bucks taken per sq. mile, no Ag fields for miles).  I was actually surprised by the number of bucks, but if there's does around... I guess bucks will find them.

Honeysuckle is a desert not browsed and keeps regeneration of beneficial seedlings from growing creating browse.  been trying to eradicate it for few years here making steady headway. Same with ceder good winter cover but thats about it. , seems big draw is hard and or soft mast.  A bit of cover in thise hardwoods and you would have much more movement as well as food / browse to hold more deer. 

[johnplav]

9 minutes ago, G-Man said:

Honeysuckle is a desert not browsed and keeps regeneration of beneficial seedlings from growing creating browse.  been trying to eradicate it for few years here making steady headway. Same with ceder good winter cover but thats about it. , seems big draw is hard and or soft mast.  A bit of cover in thise hardwoods and you would have much more movement as well as food / browse to hold more deer. 

Yea, honeysuckle is a pain.  We've found the best way to clear it is to wrap a cable around the base and rip them out with a tractor.

[G-Man]

12 minutes ago, johnplav said:

Yea, honeysuckle is a pain.  We've found the best way to clear it is to wrap a cable around the base and rip them out with a tractor.

Actually they are 1st plant to leaf out along with multiflora rose. A simple spray of gly at 4 % lest me do about a half acre at time with a 2 gallon hand sprayer, this doenst disturb the soil and encourage hidden seeds to sprout. 

[ny hunter]

Love the pics.....

[johnplav]

Now I’m anxious to get down to my good spot to check cams for bucks that survived the season 

[johnplav]

Checked this camera again the other day... as expected, deer traffic was way down.  Still lots of yotes, foxes, and the occasional bobcat.  Also a well timed pic of a hawk. 

[ny hunter]

Great shot of the hawk ...Love the bob cat

[GreeneHunter]

Plenty of nice Pic's there ! Good spot to put up a Ladder Stand in the spring so they get used to it !

[Northcountryman]

Great pics!!  Especially the hawk and the Bobcat!!

[johnplav]

Bobcat's still around! 

[johnplav]

Managed to get a button buck off the oak ridge this weekend… woulda been cool to see a bobcat.  Looks like a baby kitten? bobcat in the first pic. 

[johnplav]

Northern zone cheapo cam is still working well.  Decent deer activity, with lots of coyotes and fox.  I was happy to see quite a few bobcat pics including one of 3 young ones. 

[johnplav]

I forgot I put some squirrel scraps in front of this camera.  A bobcat and fox got to it first.  This might be my favorite trail cam spot.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 5, 2022 by johnplav