Hunting 2020

[Mac66]

I came home for a few days to get ready for the firearms opener on Sunday Nov 15. Will be going back up on Thursday or Friday. My brothers and son will be joining me on Saturday and hunting with me next week. Our annual Deer Camp is on!

[Mac66]

Nice pictures, great looking food plot

That's radishes you're looking at. Radishes are the big thing in food plots these days. They have broad succulent leaves and long tubers underground. The leaves continue to grow even when eaten down and the deer will continue to eat them after a heavy freeze kills them. They will then dig up the tubers and eat them like carrots.

It's a crop that will last into early winter and it is easy for the deer to get to even in the snow.

Earlier this summer we planted Buckwheat. BW isn't really a grain but produces seed that can be made into flour. We cut it down and plowed it back into the soil to help replenish the nutrients. It's a good source or carbs and proteins for the deer in the summer to fatten them up. The soil is kinda sandy so we needed something to help condition it.

The buckwheat before cutting



BW grows to 3-4 feet tall. The deer were in it all the time but we stuck to the plan and cut it and plowed it in in late August.

Last year we planted Rye (grass) and it came back in the spring. It was okay and was eaten down to stubble by November but didn't draw the deer like the BW or radishes. It also didn't draw deer in once eaten down. The plan for next year is BW and radishes again. Build up the soil and provide late season forage.

Deer in the radishes. That wood pile is 25 yards out. So all those deer are within easy x-bow range

[bdcochran]

1. radish leaves are edible.
2. About 50 years ago I looked at the experimental farm section of the UK campus in Lexington, Ky. It was going to be converted into new buildings. The corn crop had been harvested. Instead of plowing under the striped stalks, they were left standing through the winter. It was interesting to see the animals using the remains for shelter and food.

[Mac66]

1. radish leaves are edible.
2. About 50 years ago I looked at the experimental farm section of the UK campus in Lexington, Ky. It was going to be converted into new buildings. The corn crop had been harvested. Instead of plowing under the striped stalks, they were left standing through the winter. It was interesting to see the animals using the remains for shelter and food.

Feed corn is still standing in the fields up here. Just now starting to get harvested. Apparently they wait until the first heavy frost kills the plant and then let the corn dry out on the stalk before harvesting. Lots and lots of deer in the corn fields at night.

My food plot is a couple miles from the nearest farm so the deer like the variety of the radishes and makes them stick around. Also had a big acorn crop this year. Most in 3-4 years. I have a lot of oaks on the property so the place is covered in acorns. It would be good for me if we had some snow. That would make it harder for the deer to get at the acorns but could still get at the radishes pretty readily.

[Mac66]

Brothers and son have come and gone. They harvested 2 doe. Been here by myself since Wed. Not seeing any bucks. Going home on Sunday but will probabably be back sometime next week depending on what we're doing for Thanksgiving.

Just saw a beaver in the pond.

It's 55 degrees today. It was 19 on Monday, 20 on Tuesday.

[Mac66]

Came home Sunday night for a couple days to take care of my mother. Will be heading back up today (tuesday 11/24) to check on progress of the house. No real Thanksgiving dinner plans this year so I may stay up hunting through the weekend. Driving to Florida next Monday to check on The Villages house for a week. If I don't get a deer this week I'll be up during December muzzle loading season.

[David]

How long does it take you to drive down to the villages?

[Mac66]

How long does it take you to drive down to the villages?

The last 3 times we went, we drove straight through both ways, probably will again... around 17 hours.

The last time we went we left at 5 am, got in around midnight. That seemed to work pretty well.

We pack keto friendly food, water and coffee to eat in the car. Only stop for gas and bathroom breaks. And we listen to audio books the whole way.

[Mac66]

Well I'm home. Went back up on Wednesday. There was 4" of snow on the ground since Sunday.

Overall this year's hunt was a bust. Other than a getting doe in Sept, I was skunked the rest of the archery and firearms deer season. Passed up several bucks and a lot of doe during archery season. Saw plenty of doe but didn't see one buck the whole time during the firearms season. I may go back up in December for the muzzle loading season but in the mean time I'm taking a break.

Going down to Florida to check on the house for a week. We are leaving on Sunday instead of Monday due to heavy snow due on Monday. We were was supposed to be on a cruise this coming week with our kids and their spouses but got canceled as was all our other cruises this year.

By the time we get back the new house should be ready for occupancy, so we'll see.

And BTW...I've spent 47 days in the woods this year not counting the summer (3-4 days a week) but counting the spring and fall. That's about 10 days more than last year so far.

[bdcochran]

Good luck!