# After a sucky deer season, time for changes.



## alleyyooper (Dec 24, 2017)

Corn was still on in the surrounding fields till Thanksgiving. Then the temps droped well below normal and the wind blew, deer just were not moving.

For years it has been common to see from 10 to 20 deer a day not so this year.

Well I am in the planning process as of now. I have taken one plain white 50 pound salt block to the woods and sat it on a stump on the south side of the creek. I have two more 50 pound blocks of salt and calcium staged to move to the north side of the creek once it freezes over. Those were bought to see if the deer will like them better than the plain white block. I want to do two more blocks but will wait for a few months to see what the deer like the best. Aslo maybe after the spring thaw has settled down I can again cross the creek with the tractor and heavy salt blocks.

Also have plans for a clearing they made along The creek when they dreged it back in 95 and Leveled as I requested. I plan on working it up and planting buck wheat to start in the spring. I have read and watched a lot of you tubes on food plots and have decided those people are money bags with what they spend on equipment, fertlizer and seed.

I am hopeing I can do at least half with plain old rye in the fall about Sept 1st., both the Buck wheat and Rye seed is resonable priced if you go to local farmers or the grain elevator. Added benifit of Buck wheat is the honey bees will work the flowers too. Makes a dark strong flavored honey a few people like, but also makes some dandy stuff to put back on the colonies in the fall for winter food for thre girls.

I also have a lower area in the woods full of Ash seedlings, all in the 12 to 18 inch tall range. Figure if I cut down all the Elm and Bass wood that will let sun lite into the Ash seedlings and get them going faster. Will make fire wood out of the cuttings.

The the last part is to go out and mark the oak trees the deer are working now and then come spring fertlize them. Not sure what mix yet, 10-10-10, 12-12-12 or 19-19-19 all three common and easy to find here.


 Al


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## Woody912 (Dec 24, 2017)

alleyyooper said:


> Corn was still on in the surrounding fields till Thanksgiving. Then the temps droped well below normal and the wind blew, deer just were not moving.
> 
> For years it has been common to see from 10 to 20 deer a day not so this year.
> 
> ...


Worse year I have ever had. Depredation permits year round, state park gun hunts during bow season and EHD. Consider a turnip plot if you have room, your rye will probably be gone by deer season if you have a decent deer population


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## blades (Dec 24, 2017)

Two nice sized Does 300 yards out from house taunting me this morning . First ones I have seen since Thanksgiving. Just a tad out range of the cross bow me thinks.( all the gun seasons closed now) Farmer took down the corn field next door yesterday. They have likely been laying up in there all season. So a little later today I will pick up a new DSLR camera to replace the one that was stolen along with the car. Then I might be able to get pictures again. Got a couple small salt blocks I am going to put out about 30 yards from house .............. Next time I am at the farm store will get a 50# one. Course here they consider that baiting. Got about 2 weeks left in archery season -going to be single digits all this next week though.


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## djones (Dec 24, 2017)

blades said:


> Two nice sized Does 300 yards out from house taunting me this morning . First ones I have seen since Thanksgiving. Just a tad out range of the cross bow me thinks.( all the gun seasons closed now) Farmer took down the corn field next door yesterday. They have likely been laying up in there all season. So a little later today I will pick up a new DSLR camera to replace the one that was stolen along with the car. Then I might be able to get pictures again. Got a couple small salt blocks I am going to put out about 30 yards from house .............. Next time I am at the farm store will get a 50# one. Course here they consider that baiting. Got about 2 weeks left in archery season -going to be single digits all this next week though.


It's only baiting if you hunt near the blocks, go 30 yards father away.


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## Woody912 (Dec 24, 2017)

djones said:


> It's only baiting if you hunt near the blocks, go 30 yards father away.


500' in Indiana I think


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## alleyyooper (Dec 24, 2017)

Salt blocks are also considered baiting here but funny thing is you can bait here with carrots, apples, sugar beets, and corn the most used, and only in a 5 gallon pail quanity per day. 
Yet the salt blocks are a no no. But I am not hunting now and can pick up any thing left next season.

I just got a new camera a Cannon Rebel T6 for my birthday on sale. then got another $53.00 off when it was put on sale again last week and I have the 90 day guarantee low price.

 Al


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## blades (Dec 25, 2017)

Bought a Nikon 3600 DSLR package - 18-55 lens & 75-300 lens, 2 batteries, memory card +case last night on the way home. Replaced my stolen 10 year old fixed lens DSLR. Funny guy at shop was complaining that only time they sold this type equipment was when it on sale for close to 1/2 off, blaming it on the cellphone units ( jimminey -who wants to pay mrsp.?) I not the typical cell phone user though. It isn't glued to me, I do not hand out that # willy nilly. and I may look at it once a day unless expecting a return call. As Far a the camera in it, I have used it in a pinch . It's ok I guess, but i am from the old school SLR world. ( film ). To do what I used to be able to do now requires a couple of computer editing programs. Times change so either ya climb on board or get run over.


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## alleyyooper (Dec 25, 2017)

My Rebel came with the same lens, charger and a case. I ordered two battires and a car charger from Amazon. 

I have been useing digital since my first grand daughter was born. Well I had one of thoses Jam Cams from the mid 90's that came with a coumpter I bought.

 Al


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## Deleted member 117362 (Dec 25, 2017)

My son camera hunts all year long and bow hunts with some success. Has been planting food plots for sometime and says don't forget green beans in the mix.


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## capetrees (Dec 25, 2017)

alleyyooper said:


> The the last part is to go out and mark the oak trees the deer are working now and then come spring fertlize them. Not sure what mix yet, 10-10-10, 12-12-12 or 19-19-19 all three common and easy to find here.
> 
> 
> Al



I asked this question probably a couple of years ago now. Are those fertilizers good to use for natural oaks in the woods? I've been looking to increase acorn population on a few secret oaks I know the deer like but didn't know what to fertilize with or what other materials to enhance the soil with.


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## Woody912 (Dec 25, 2017)

It's all N-P-K when you get down to the lowest common denominator. I'm sure with a lot of money, knowledge and time could micromanage ph and micronutrients but a little garden fertilizer will never hurt.


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## capetrees (Dec 25, 2017)

I'd rather enhance what's already out there as opposed to starting a new plot by clearing and cultivating. The land I hunt is public land and as soon as I start a plot somewhere, someone else will invade. If I have a couple of areas that I can enhance or a couple of existing oaks or apples, most likely the other hunters won't know till after hunting season when I have the big one hanging in the garage.


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## alleyyooper (Dec 26, 2017)

From my readings on fertlizing Oak trees yopu can use common fertlizers sold at the loacl farm elevator, farm store and garden center.

thake a round pointed shovel and your fertlizer, once at the oaks dig shallow holes around the drip line and pour in the fertlizer and cover it. I have also read you can put a little near the base too.

I also read those tree spikes of fertlizer work but they are expensive. 

I am looking for a small diameter auger I can run with my cord less drill to do the holes.

I camera hunt all year also.
























 Al


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## MechanicMatt (Dec 27, 2017)

Good luck next year Al


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## alleyyooper (Dec 28, 2017)

Thank you.

 Al


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## M.R. (Jan 10, 2018)

I’d look into / research this one a bit. 
https://www.google.com/search?q=yellow+blossom+sweet+clover&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari


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## alleyyooper (Jan 10, 2018)

I have a bucket full of the white sweet clover here. It seems funny the way it grows around here.

 Al


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## Deleted member 117362 (Jan 10, 2018)

Plant Green beans and get out of their way, my son plants a plot every year. He has done fairly well bow hunting over them.


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## alleyyooper (Jan 10, 2018)

I don't want to hunt over any thing. I want to pull the deer from the corn fields. Also want them to grow strong babies.

 Al


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## Deleted member 117362 (Jan 10, 2018)

alleyyooper said:


> I don't want to hunt over any thing. I want to pull the deer from the corn fields. Also want them to grow strong babies.
> 
> Al


Understood. He lives in a dairy farm area where corn is major crop and green beans pull them in. Apparent there are strong deer in his area, will refrain from showing you deer he has taken, nothing goes to waste.


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## esshup (Mar 13, 2018)

Here in Indiana, no baiting is allowed for hunting. That includes mineral licks. You have to remove the bait AND ANY AFFECTED GROUND a minimum of 10 days before the season starts. It's up to the game wardens discretion, but if the deer are "influenced" by the bait site, a ticket could be written - so set distance away from it. Food plots are legal. I have had great luck with Tall Tines Tubers planted in early to mid August for a fall/winter food plot. This place is surrounded by corn or bean fields, and the deer seem to like variety in their diet. I'll plant Power Plant in the Spring, till it under in early August and plant the Tall Tine Tubers. 

Here deer 10 miles away might like different things to eat, so I'd go with a mixture of things until you know what they like to eat. 

Deer need the salt in their diet when they are eating moist food, they don't hit the salt blocks during late fall/winter here. Well, I should say they dont' hit them like they do when the plants are green.


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