Author Topic: Too Wet to Plow [2] (Read 2989 times)

Land_Owner · « **on:** August 27, 2011, 03:50:53 AM »

Went to the property yesterday and was pleasantly surprised to see evidence of hog. Went for a drive to replace batteries and memory cards in cameras and got the F350 stuck in the mud. No worries right? I will put the beast in 4x4 and motor out of here. No dice.

At 190K original miles, she would not go into 4x4 when I asked and when she did it was for a very short period of time wherein she walked to the right and into the trees where it became impossible without help to get free.

I called my son who brought the "hawser" rope with him; about 120 feet of 2" braided nylon. I used a tree at right angle to my truck rear end and his 2 wheel drive Expedition pulling parallel to the axis of my F350 to shift the rear end of my truck back into the driveway and away from being wedged into the trees. Then the rear end of the F350 would get no 2 wheel traction on the saturated ground, so he pulled in stages and pretty soon we were almost lined up to back out. One more good pull and I should be free.

Then the oak tree came out of the forest and bit my truck! Right between the Super Duty passenger door and the 1/2 door to the rear seat. That sheet metal does not take a licking and keep on ticking. It is not a Timex. What a series of ugly wrinkles that were not there before. And to add insult to injury, getting it back on the driveway, it wrinkled the front right quarter panel too!

keith44 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2011, 07:07:32 AM »

welcome to my off-road world

Land_Owner · « **Reply #2 on:** October 05, 2011, 11:46:31 AM »

FINISHED!!! FINALLY!!!

All of my plots are done. Now on to stand maintenance and shooting lanes. Whew. We've been there 20 times since August and 16 of those we've turned around and driven straight back to the house, equipment in tow and all.

It feel good to be planted and awaiting a gentle rain or two, by this weekend!!!

45-70.gov · « **Reply #3 on:** October 05, 2011, 01:53:47 PM »

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Land Owner
If it was easy, anybody could do it!

hillbill · « **Reply #4 on:** October 05, 2011, 03:17:41 PM »

well glad yu got yur plots in. i know yu have had trouble with hogs. whats the situation with them now? been seeing any deer?

Land_Owner · « **Reply #5 on:** October 05, 2011, 03:39:38 PM »

Quote from: 45-70.gov on October 05, 2011, 01:53:47 PM

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Land Owner
If it was easy, anybody could do it!

Hey Tim...what you trying to say? i AM the Moderator on this Forum...

hillbill,

no hogs for 18 months. The State hired Trappers. They supposedly took out 540 hogs from the 4,000 acres behind me over a 15 month period. Seems they did better than that. I am seeing no hogs now. The deer are here with a vengeance though... ;-)

45-70.gov · « **Reply #6 on:** October 05, 2011, 03:41:39 PM »

my aim is poor with the ''copy/paste'' arrow....hahaha

hillbill · « **Reply #7 on:** October 05, 2011, 03:53:18 PM »

Quote from: Land_Owner on October 05, 2011, 03:39:38 PM

Quote from: 45-70.gov on October 05, 2011, 01:53:47 PM

Report to moderator Logged
Land Owner
If it was easy, anybody could do it!

Hey Tim...what you trying to say? i AM the Moderator on this Forum...

hillbill,

no hogs for 18 months. The State hired Trappers. They supposedly took out 540 hogs from the 4,000 acres behind me over a 15 month period. Seems they did better than that. I am seeing no hogs now. The deer are here with a vengeance though... ;-)

well good deal!i know yull miss them hogs! lol any big buks being seen?i saw a nice wide 8 pt today. he still a little small to be harvesting yet. im thin king in another year he will be a fine trophy!and ive seen a lot of nice young eating deer that i will be concentrateing on come season.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #8 on:** October 06, 2011, 07:39:45 AM »

Lots and lots of deer tracks checking out the newly turned earth. The Trail Cameras are set and the memory cards should be taking pics...provided the deer participate and the batteries and/or photo-flash do not fail. The property is only 20-acres. Seeing "big" deer is a hit-or-miss proposition and a hunter has to be ready or the opportunity is gone before target acquisition can be achieved. Doe frequent the place, especially when the new growth is popping up. We have seen evidence of their passing when over a 48 hours period they ate 100% of 4-acres of iron and clay peas to the dirt-line from 10's of thousands of standing plants that were ~10-inches in height.

hillbill · « **Reply #9 on:** October 08, 2011, 02:40:58 PM »

Quote from: Land_Owner on October 06, 2011, 07:39:45 AM

Lots and lots of deer tracks checking out the newly turned earth. The Trail Cameras are set and the memory cards should be taking pics...provided the deer participate and the batteries and/or photo-flash do not fail. The property is only 20-acres. Seeing "big" deer is a hit-or-miss proposition and a hunter has to be ready or the opportunity is gone before target acquisition can be achieved. Doe frequent the place, especially when the new growth is popping up. We have seen evidence of their passing when over a 48 hours period they ate 100% of 4-acres of iron and clay peas to the dirt-line from 10's of thousands of standing plants that were ~10-inches in height.

4 acres of peas that big just gone?whats your estimate of how many deer it would of taken to do that?they must of looked like a herd of locusts goin across the plot!you sure yur neighbor didnt turn a herd of sheep in there?lol if your getting that many does, during the rut the bucks will be there too?

Land_Owner · « **Reply #10 on:** October 09, 2011, 05:20:54 PM »

We sat and watched a dozen does, completely unmindful of us, vacuuming up peas on another occasions. When they get on them, they just do not stop. Their random "habit" of stalk and eat, stalk and eat, is interrupted when they encounter fertilized and limed peas. They just eat and eat and eat until the peas are gone. I swear we thought it was Army worms, but the deer tracks were unmistakable. The bucks hang back across the line on the State property. The does get REAL aggressive with feeding yearling and fawns. They will drive off bachelor group bucks. now the Grand Master (Bull of the Woods) I never see. He is out there, just out of sight, watching. I have him on camera but he remains nocturnal and illusive. One day maybe he will slip up and I may be there to meet him.

Cabin4 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 09, 2011, 05:30:29 PM »

The 250 and 350's are great looking rigs. The 150 looks bad.

sidewinder319 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 09, 2011, 05:39:10 PM »

It seems like I am always pushing my rig.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #13 on:** October 10, 2011, 08:11:54 AM »

[...319] OK Spanky. You and "Our Gang" go back to the He-Man Woman Hater's Clubhouse and wait for Darla, Alfalfa and Buckwheat.

I received 8.1-inches of rainfall in 48-hours this weekend on the Island where I live. The adjacent main-land received over 11.0-inches. I don't know how much was received in Mims, over 1/2 hour and 35 miles to the north, but I assume without seeing, that it was a WHOLE LOT.

I bet those newly germinating seed are under water today. I hope they do not drown. I was up there Friday morning and they were just emerging. Clover, wheat, rye, oats, chicory, turnips, iron & clay peas, and winter peas were all just getting a foothold.

How much water can they take before they drown?

hillbill · « **Reply #14 on:** October 10, 2011, 04:12:33 PM »

Quote from: Land_Owner on October 09, 2011, 05:20:54 PM

We sat and watched a dozen does, completely unmindful of us, vacuuming up peas on another occasions. When they get on them, they just do not stop. Their random "habit" of stalk and eat, stalk and eat, is interrupted when they encounter fertilized and limed peas. They just eat and eat and eat until the peas are gone. I swear we thought it was Army worms, but the deer tracks were unmistakable. The bucks hang back across the line on the State property. The does get REAL aggressive with feeding yearling and fawns. They will drive off bachelor group bucks. now the Grand Master (Bull of the Woods) I never see. He is out there, just out of sight, watching. I have him on camera but he remains nocturnal and illusive. One day maybe he will slip up and I may be there to meet him.

oh if your can be there during the rut, the grandmaster will show.do sound like yu need to shoot sum does and eat them.the less does yu got the more competiton to get them with the bucks. but yu already know that.happy hunting!

Land_Owner · « **Reply #15 on:** October 10, 2011, 10:51:17 PM »

I started to write the State. I want some "hardship" doe permits. The season here is five-days long for does - period. One per day. Typically, we don't see any does on my place over those 5 days - oh well.

The State allows "extra" non-calendar dependent doe tags for land owners by mutual agreement with a combined 640 or more contiguous acres. The State also allows one tag for an owner with 150 or more acres who is ALSO contiguous with land that received doe tags last season. I don't qualify either way.

The State lands immediately adjacent to me are 1.) a WMA of ~9,700 acres; 2.) Conservation Land ~14,000 acres (No Hunting). A 2nd State WMA within a mile is ~6,300-acres. That is ~30,000-acres of immediate and adjacent State owned land (what we call The Big Wildlife Pump). The WMA's allow 40-quota hunters daily, of which participation is around (I am guessing) 40% (32 hunters for 2-WMA on ~16,000 acres) on average daily.

In archery season, the month before modern gun season, the success rate for the State WMA's on does is (I am guessing) <30% (8 for 2-WMA's) a week (less than one per day). Many guys pass on does preferring to wait for "the big one" that doesn't participate.

Outside of archery season, there is No Take of does on the State lands. In particular, there is always No Hunting on the 14,000-acres of Conservation Land immediately adjacent to and which nearly surrounds me.

I can not make a dent in the area-wide doe population even if they were to participate every calendar doe day and I had a 100% success rate each calendar doe day (fingers always crossed on that). So, asking the State for a "hardship" tag (or two) doesn't seem selfish - does it?

In discussing doe tags with a non-decision maker at the State Game Office I got the "bedrock solid" and distinct impression that the "word" is as written in the law - forget doe tags if the acreage ownership / mutual agreement qualification criteria are not met.

Then it dawned on me. If I write the State that there is insufficient doe / deer hunting pressure on their land's adjacent to me while the State is considering opening the adjacent conservation land to hunting, then my empirical "evidence" becomes fact and weighs IN FAVOR of their decision to open the adjacent land to hunting. That would NOT be a good prospect for me. So I will keep my mouth shut, my pen dry, and hunt on in the manner and fashion I have become accustomed to.

keith44 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 16, 2011, 07:10:59 PM »

KY has deprivation tags available to land owners who 1) are resident farmers, and 2) can show evidence that deer are costing a commercial operation some or all of it's profits

Land_Owner · « **Reply #17 on:** October 17, 2011, 06:08:07 AM »

I can not say that I am a farmer. Hobby farmer - I don't think so. Wildlife manager - probably not. I plot to increase the incidence of deer on my property, without which there is no distinction between the properties and no substantial reason for the deer to cross onto mine. Oh well. I gladly "lament" to my hunting partner that I prefer to have my own place and its infinite possibilities than to pay for the privilege on someone else's land or worse - hunt Public Lands.

keith44 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 17, 2011, 06:46:04 AM »

I agree with your and your friend's prefrence, which is exactly why I bought a small farm.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #19 on:** October 17, 2011, 11:59:17 AM »

Harvesting a deer on your own land, any deer, typically a doe, or a buck, which is nearly a once-in-a-lifetime event is so satisfying when the difficult work of preparing and attracting them is behind you. Then the "fun" work starts...the hauling and cleaning. Sure does taste good too. Maybe the meat IS $50.00/pound, but I DON'T CARE. I believe I will live a whole lot longer and happier life working my own piece of real estate while I walk this earth than give up the privilege of land ownership, going there any time day or night, and either walking the perimeter with "Adjacency Disease" or sitting on stand waiting for a hog or deer.

keith44 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 17, 2011, 03:17:59 PM »

I will reach retirement age in 20 - 25 years (depending on the economy and my paper investments). My plan is to have the place set up and running to supply us with 80% of our food needs, and give me a place to hunt and something to do for the rest of my life. My grandfather turned 91 this month and still gets around on his place. I am determined to be a close copy of him

hillbill · « **Reply #21 on:** October 17, 2011, 04:18:03 PM »

Quote from: Land_Owner on October 17, 2011, 11:59:17 AM

Harvesting a deer on your own land, any deer, typically a doe, or a buck, which is nearly a once-in-a-lifetime event is so satisfying when the difficult work of preparing and attracting them is behind you. Then the "fun" work starts...the hauling and cleaning. Sure does taste good too. Maybe the meat IS $50.00/pound, but I DON'T CARE. I believe I will live a whole lot longer and happier life working my own piece of real estate while I walk this earth than give up the privilege of land ownership, going there any time day or night, and either walking the perimeter with "Adjacency Disease" or sitting on stand waiting for a hog or deer.

well there are several ways of looking at. yeah yu purchased your land for hunting and that will not make yu any money. but keep your land in good shape, as in brushogged and and occasionally clearing a little.keep it a few years and see if the value doesnt go up?im guessing any land with hunting on it will be worth a mint a few years in the future.or at least a decent return on your investment.annnnd the time yu spent working on your land jus keeps you from getting fat and laying around the house. how much is that worth? lol happy hunting!