Feast to famine to feast this year. We start the spring wet and cold. The floods came and while flooded the drought hits. The drought is finally broken by torrential rain. 8" one weekend followed by 10" last weekend and the farm has turned from dust to mud.
I have a major culvert creek crossing that nearly blew out with the big rain last Sunday/Monday. Had to get a track hoe in today to clean it out. Tried to get a dump truck back to the site and he kept getting stuck. Had to drag him with a tractor most of the way.
Crossing and culvert fixed as best we can till I can get a dozer in to groom the work. Roads worse for the wear. Such is life on a farm.I did video the big 10 this afternoon I've posted pics of several times. Magnificent and mid to upper 90's clean 10. Appropriate ending to the day!
I imagine ur plots are up already? Any other bucks taken on your farm yet?
Plots are looking good for the most part. There are areas where water was standing for a few days and yet to know how well those spots will do.Of course more rain coming this weekend on very saturated ground so we will see...
I guess more bucks taken begs definition. While we have removed a few undesiriable bucks we also found this 3 yr old dead. I'm guessing fighting. There are bucks limping and wobbling all over. Mostly the 3 and 4 yr olds.
Awesome buck Rusty. Hate to see the other one dead.
Curious if you see alot of spikes on your place with the great buffet you put out for the deer?
As a swag I'd say about 30% of our yearlings are spikes. Lots of reasons why as I'm sure you know. I have no concerns.
It's been a strange year. We were very late with plantings which are just now looking pretty good. However there are NO deer coming to the fields. There is a decent red oak acorn crop and thats where the deer are. The mosquitos are horrific.
As a swag I'd say about 30% of our yearlings are spikes. Lots of reasons why as I'm sure you know. I have no concerns.
It's been a strange year. We were very late with plantings which are just now looking pretty good. However there are NO deer coming to the fields. There is a decent red oak acorn crop and thats where the deer are. The mosquitos are horrific.
Have you noticed any significant drop in spikes from when you bought it and started pouring the food to them?
I don't think the # of spikes as a % of all yearling bucks has changed that much over the years. We have more spikes this year simply because we have more yearlings than ever.A big swag is 5-10 spikes out there [ was he a spike or a little 3 or 4 pt? I don't pay much attention ] now of ~35 -40 yearling bucks. I don't think I have ever seen a 2 yr old spike here. All said though this is not something I pay much attention to.
I also see plenty of 6-10 pt yearlings. Body weight varies a fair amount also I'm believing because of variance in birthdate. We do see some % of our female fawns get bred each year.
Thanks for the reply! I was curious to know if yearling spikes would be diminished as nutrition is improved or not but it sounds like its a constant on your place.
Wow, just made it through a 27 page reading and drooling binge. What an awesome year and a half you shared with everyone. Rusty, you da man. Good night.
Plots are looking good for the most part. There are areas where water was standing for a few days and yet to know how well those spots will do.Of course more rain coming this weekend on very saturated ground so we will see...
I guess more bucks taken begs definition. While we have removed a few undesiriable bucks we also found this 3 yr old dead. I'm guessing fighting. There are bucks limping and wobbling all over. Mostly the 3 and 4 yr olds.
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