SEK Bowhunting Plot
09-08-2004, 04:02 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 78
SEK Bowhunting Plot
I've tried to create a "bowhunter friendly" food plot on my family farm in S.E. Kansas.
The terraserver image shows a wooded waterway flowing south through the middle of our section. Native grass fields border the east and west, w/ ag. fields discernable by terraces. The waterway represents a major travel corridor between bedding areas in the overgrown northern cattle pasture and the corn and bean fields located on the next section south............
Last summer, i built a 10' tall stand with a 6' by 4' platform deck to provide years of safe and comfortable hunting. (BTW- it sticks out like a sore thumb, I know, but surprisingly it does not spook deer- 3 does and a nice 8-pointer were shot in '03, all within 20 yards) ................pic is facing east while standing 20 yds west of stand
Here's what is left of last years clover. Without a soil analysis (summer '03), I blindly spread 800lbs of lime to try to compensate for the slightly acidic soil in this 1/2 acre plot. Clover started out strong with good fall growth (deer wouldn't leave it alone), but without periodic summer mowing to control grass and weeds it didn't have a chance.... pic of northern portion of food plot taken while in the stand
I had initially planned to replant the entire plot, but I've decided to keep a small patch of clover going and "practice" my weed and grass control methods to see how effective I can be at maintaining my plots once properly established.........
I spread another 800 lbs of lime (per soil sample analysis) on the clover plot the first week of August to compensate for my inability to work it deep into the soil the previous year (roto-tiller only turns the top 6" or so of soil). I sprayed round-up the last weekend of August. Labor Day weekend I roto-tilled.pic was taken from stand facing north
A beautiful Sunday evening tractor ride -- white bag on ground is 0-15-15 that was broadcast after I made one complete pass w/ the roto-tiller. It rained 3/4 of an inch later that night.
Labor Day was hot and windy, and I was surprised the ground was dry enough by late afternoon to be able to make my second and final pass through the "old" clover plot.
If you've never seen a locust tree, this is what your missing.
THORNS EVERYWHERE!!! I could only think of one good use for locust, a perimeter barrier that "channels" the deer by my stand. Leather gloves are a must, even though we tried to avoid handling the thorny boogers as much as possible. We developed a pretty efficient system of dropping trees, cutting 6'-8' sections of brush, and then pushed the mess into rows. By trimming the brush into manageable lengths, the f.e.l. actually "rolls" the brush into a tight ball that is darn near impenetrable.
The timber consists of approx. 75% hedge (osage orange) and locust w/ the remaining trees either walnut, hackberry, or ash. All the hedge was cut for posts and the remaining brush was cut down to 8 foot sections and "rolled" into brush piles with the front-end loader. The locust also were removed either mechanically or ringed and left standing for future use as brushpiles. pic taken from stand while facing east (direction of barrier)
This pic was taken while standing 40 yards south, southeast of the stand Any deer travel through this area is forced to walk within 25 yards of the stand.
Pics don't do the barrier justice. If (and when) I discover the deer have found a way to slip through I'll just "stuff" the hole w/ brush from a standing locust that has been "treated".
We concentrated our efforts on expanding the plot south this summer. One lone pecan tree is directly south of the stand. A few elms were dead and we cut them down and removed all limbs, brush, etc. for fear that they were casualities of Dutch Elm disease. Also there was quite a bit of wood on the ground already, compiments of a bad ice storm two winters ago. The big pecan tree had two large limbs that had split from the weight of the ice. We removed them to prevent future problems w/ the overall health of desirable trees.
Everybody wanted to come out and play! I had Skye (my pretty "spotter" girl) pull a "customized" drag over the ground to spread out the lumps of lime before roto-tilling w/ the tractor. FYI, I'm going to leave the brushpile for the wabbits, and also it provides another obstacle to push deer closer to the stand.
We worked hard, but it's the weekend, so we never worked too hard!
We located and marked w/orange tape any tree that we wanted to protect before we fired up the chainsaws as we pushed further south. Wild plums were all along the dry creekbed. Whenever possible we tried to promote their growth by eliminating competing trees that block light from the south. Planning to make twice as much jam next summer!!!
Fortunately, we were also able to open up an area that had 8-10 persimmon trees growing in a grove. Can anyone explain why persimmons have a tendency to grove? We did have to cut bagworms out of a few of the larger persimmon trees.
Draggin' hedge posts. If you've never had the opportunity to cut hedge, consider yourself lucky. I never really got the hang of it! My buddy driving the Honda has been a tree trimmer for 5 years, and that dude can flat cut. He makes it look real easy.
Time for a potty break. My chocolate lab's name is Bush, but in this case I guess he couldn't find one!
The terraserver image shows a wooded waterway flowing south through the middle of our section. Native grass fields border the east and west, w/ ag. fields discernable by terraces. The waterway represents a major travel corridor between bedding areas in the overgrown northern cattle pasture and the corn and bean fields located on the next section south............
Last summer, i built a 10' tall stand with a 6' by 4' platform deck to provide years of safe and comfortable hunting. (BTW- it sticks out like a sore thumb, I know, but surprisingly it does not spook deer- 3 does and a nice 8-pointer were shot in '03, all within 20 yards) ................pic is facing east while standing 20 yds west of stand
Here's what is left of last years clover. Without a soil analysis (summer '03), I blindly spread 800lbs of lime to try to compensate for the slightly acidic soil in this 1/2 acre plot. Clover started out strong with good fall growth (deer wouldn't leave it alone), but without periodic summer mowing to control grass and weeds it didn't have a chance.... pic of northern portion of food plot taken while in the stand
I had initially planned to replant the entire plot, but I've decided to keep a small patch of clover going and "practice" my weed and grass control methods to see how effective I can be at maintaining my plots once properly established.........
I spread another 800 lbs of lime (per soil sample analysis) on the clover plot the first week of August to compensate for my inability to work it deep into the soil the previous year (roto-tiller only turns the top 6" or so of soil). I sprayed round-up the last weekend of August. Labor Day weekend I roto-tilled.pic was taken from stand facing north
A beautiful Sunday evening tractor ride -- white bag on ground is 0-15-15 that was broadcast after I made one complete pass w/ the roto-tiller. It rained 3/4 of an inch later that night.
Labor Day was hot and windy, and I was surprised the ground was dry enough by late afternoon to be able to make my second and final pass through the "old" clover plot.
If you've never seen a locust tree, this is what your missing.
THORNS EVERYWHERE!!! I could only think of one good use for locust, a perimeter barrier that "channels" the deer by my stand. Leather gloves are a must, even though we tried to avoid handling the thorny boogers as much as possible. We developed a pretty efficient system of dropping trees, cutting 6'-8' sections of brush, and then pushed the mess into rows. By trimming the brush into manageable lengths, the f.e.l. actually "rolls" the brush into a tight ball that is darn near impenetrable.
The timber consists of approx. 75% hedge (osage orange) and locust w/ the remaining trees either walnut, hackberry, or ash. All the hedge was cut for posts and the remaining brush was cut down to 8 foot sections and "rolled" into brush piles with the front-end loader. The locust also were removed either mechanically or ringed and left standing for future use as brushpiles. pic taken from stand while facing east (direction of barrier)
This pic was taken while standing 40 yards south, southeast of the stand Any deer travel through this area is forced to walk within 25 yards of the stand.
Pics don't do the barrier justice. If (and when) I discover the deer have found a way to slip through I'll just "stuff" the hole w/ brush from a standing locust that has been "treated".
We concentrated our efforts on expanding the plot south this summer. One lone pecan tree is directly south of the stand. A few elms were dead and we cut them down and removed all limbs, brush, etc. for fear that they were casualities of Dutch Elm disease. Also there was quite a bit of wood on the ground already, compiments of a bad ice storm two winters ago. The big pecan tree had two large limbs that had split from the weight of the ice. We removed them to prevent future problems w/ the overall health of desirable trees.
Everybody wanted to come out and play! I had Skye (my pretty "spotter" girl) pull a "customized" drag over the ground to spread out the lumps of lime before roto-tilling w/ the tractor. FYI, I'm going to leave the brushpile for the wabbits, and also it provides another obstacle to push deer closer to the stand.
We worked hard, but it's the weekend, so we never worked too hard!
We located and marked w/orange tape any tree that we wanted to protect before we fired up the chainsaws as we pushed further south. Wild plums were all along the dry creekbed. Whenever possible we tried to promote their growth by eliminating competing trees that block light from the south. Planning to make twice as much jam next summer!!!
Fortunately, we were also able to open up an area that had 8-10 persimmon trees growing in a grove. Can anyone explain why persimmons have a tendency to grove? We did have to cut bagworms out of a few of the larger persimmon trees.
Draggin' hedge posts. If you've never had the opportunity to cut hedge, consider yourself lucky. I never really got the hang of it! My buddy driving the Honda has been a tree trimmer for 5 years, and that dude can flat cut. He makes it look real easy.
Time for a potty break. My chocolate lab's name is Bush, but in this case I guess he couldn't find one!
09-08-2004, 05:07 AM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jenks Ok USA
Posts: 345
RE: SEK Bowhunting Plot
Strmchzr,
Very impressive!! You have a PHd in food plotting the hard way. I'm very impressed with your barricades to funnel the deer better. The only thing I see to foil your great ideas is that usually you have prevailing N or S winds in SEK and the corridor is parallel with the wind for many hunting days. West wind is best but not common. Also why not use a little brush around the platform and screen up with camo netting on the top to waist high? Which county and unit are you in?
Very impressive!! You have a PHd in food plotting the hard way. I'm very impressed with your barricades to funnel the deer better. The only thing I see to foil your great ideas is that usually you have prevailing N or S winds in SEK and the corridor is parallel with the wind for many hunting days. West wind is best but not common. Also why not use a little brush around the platform and screen up with camo netting on the top to waist high? Which county and unit are you in?
09-08-2004, 08:14 PM
#3
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 78
RE: SEK Bowhunting Plot
NO CO baby!
concerning the wind (which is everything when bowhunting), not all is as it may seem..........keep in mind that just b/c the wind is out of the south doesn't always mean your scent will be blown due north...factors determining scent distribution that i deal w/ are thermals, trees (evergreen or decidious), proximity of stand to "wind swept" field, wind funnels like river, etc......it is one of the only "secret" strategies that most (if not all) trophy bowhunters utilize........i certainly have not earned the trophy hunter title, but i've been fortunate to stick a few wallhangers the last two seasons by using this strategy:
1. locate funnels w/ heavy deer traffic and secure (handshake) agreement for multi-year use
2. the first season -- be a cognitive hunter: observe local wind dynamics, local flora, specific land obstacle or short-cuts
be a mobile hunter: ground blinds and commercial aluminum treestands
3. off-season "scouting": winter-predator calling, spring-turkey hunting, summer-site prep
4. sweet'n the deal: i build platform stands that are comfortable, safe, and easily accessible w/o sacrificing big buck opportunity
(sometimes not possible) and enhance the area: plots, feeders, create (then stay out of) bedding areas like
CRP
the platform stand from the pics was certainly overbuilt (even by my standards)....my dad will hunt this stand primarily and i wanted to create a safe and comfortable platform for him to enjoy for many seasons.......we had hunted this exact location for many years and observed that a south wind really was more like a west, southwest breeze. actually, i have more stands at other plots that favor southwest wind than true south wind stands. (have you ever heard of a westerly wind? meteorologists call it a westerly wind jet -- that's why it takes an hour longer to fly from n.y. to l.a. than it does to fly from l.a. to n.y. this may have something to do w/ my observations in the field or maybe it's just a coincidence)
i had planned to camo the blind using cedar boughs last season (camo netting creates a lot of motion w/ slightest breeze), but never did. might try using cedar this fall to make a comparison, but truthfully it was not an issue last year. i don't blink when deer are alert, i move slowly when deer are feeding or looking the opposite direction and it's amazing what you can "get away" with if you just don't move. IMO-my comfort level determines how still i can sit and how long i can hunt.
here's the old stand dad and i hunted from for years
i'm really excited to see how the deer react to the brush barriers. i've never heard of anyone creating brush barriers, but surely i'm not the first.... deer have a knack for finding ways through "impenetrable" brush, but hedge and locust trees produce wicked thorns that i've been told create an "inflammatory toxin" when penetrating the skin --- i can vouch for the painful welts from gettin' stuck -- very similar to getting finned by a catfish........
here's a bird's eye view from last weekend...........if you look really close, you'll see a doe and two fawns walking along the edge of the bean field (center of pic).
PLANTING 9/12
ladino - all plots i manage are prepped for clover
purple top turnips - 1/4 acre test plot
winter rye - 1 acre test plot
concerning the wind (which is everything when bowhunting), not all is as it may seem..........keep in mind that just b/c the wind is out of the south doesn't always mean your scent will be blown due north...factors determining scent distribution that i deal w/ are thermals, trees (evergreen or decidious), proximity of stand to "wind swept" field, wind funnels like river, etc......it is one of the only "secret" strategies that most (if not all) trophy bowhunters utilize........i certainly have not earned the trophy hunter title, but i've been fortunate to stick a few wallhangers the last two seasons by using this strategy:
1. locate funnels w/ heavy deer traffic and secure (handshake) agreement for multi-year use
2. the first season -- be a cognitive hunter: observe local wind dynamics, local flora, specific land obstacle or short-cuts
be a mobile hunter: ground blinds and commercial aluminum treestands
3. off-season "scouting": winter-predator calling, spring-turkey hunting, summer-site prep
4. sweet'n the deal: i build platform stands that are comfortable, safe, and easily accessible w/o sacrificing big buck opportunity
(sometimes not possible) and enhance the area: plots, feeders, create (then stay out of) bedding areas like
CRP
the platform stand from the pics was certainly overbuilt (even by my standards)....my dad will hunt this stand primarily and i wanted to create a safe and comfortable platform for him to enjoy for many seasons.......we had hunted this exact location for many years and observed that a south wind really was more like a west, southwest breeze. actually, i have more stands at other plots that favor southwest wind than true south wind stands. (have you ever heard of a westerly wind? meteorologists call it a westerly wind jet -- that's why it takes an hour longer to fly from n.y. to l.a. than it does to fly from l.a. to n.y. this may have something to do w/ my observations in the field or maybe it's just a coincidence)
i had planned to camo the blind using cedar boughs last season (camo netting creates a lot of motion w/ slightest breeze), but never did. might try using cedar this fall to make a comparison, but truthfully it was not an issue last year. i don't blink when deer are alert, i move slowly when deer are feeding or looking the opposite direction and it's amazing what you can "get away" with if you just don't move. IMO-my comfort level determines how still i can sit and how long i can hunt.
here's the old stand dad and i hunted from for years
i'm really excited to see how the deer react to the brush barriers. i've never heard of anyone creating brush barriers, but surely i'm not the first.... deer have a knack for finding ways through "impenetrable" brush, but hedge and locust trees produce wicked thorns that i've been told create an "inflammatory toxin" when penetrating the skin --- i can vouch for the painful welts from gettin' stuck -- very similar to getting finned by a catfish........
here's a bird's eye view from last weekend...........if you look really close, you'll see a doe and two fawns walking along the edge of the bean field (center of pic).
PLANTING 9/12
ladino - all plots i manage are prepped for clover
purple top turnips - 1/4 acre test plot
winter rye - 1 acre test plot
09-08-2004, 09:11 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Walnut MS USA
Posts: 871
RE: SEK Bowhunting Plot
On your Persimmons having a tendency to "grove", I have noticed that my Persimmon tree's seeds do better when they germinate right under the parent tree. This is why you seem to have a grove of them. I have tried planting seeds, transplanting sprouts. all with very little success. Even when I get one thru the first year, they seam to die out the next spring. One of my three near the house is loaded, (Limbs touching the ground) and hopelully I may get a bunch of seeds to try again next year. But I better have success soon as my lifetime is running out. (Maybe for the grandchildren).
Russ
Russ
09-14-2004, 12:00 AM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jenks Ok USA
Posts: 345
RE: SEK Bowhunting Plot
Whatever Bro. I don't care where you hunt. I hunt Montgomery county around South Coffeyville and was just wondering if we knew any of the same people. I'm not interested in jumping your fence. I find that those who worry about their hunting spot being freeloaded have usually done it themselves to someone else.
Oh really. Kansas is a one buck state. I wouldn't call that exactly "fortunate". How many more pics do you dare put up now with your face on them?
i've been fortunate to stick a few wallhangers the last two seasons
09-14-2004, 02:05 AM
#6
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 78
RE: SEK Bowhunting Plot
I find that those who worry about their hunting spot being freeloaded have usually done it themselves to someone else.
Oh really. Kansas is a one buck state.
here's '02 and '03 Kansas ---- can't hardly wait for 10-1-04 to get here
09-14-2004, 12:02 PM
#7
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jenks Ok USA
Posts: 345
RE: SEK Bowhunting Plot
Somehow it doesn't add up. You made this place just for you and dad and worry needlessly to protect it with paranoia about even a friendly inquiry to see if we had mutual acquaintances in the area. Now Missouri gets thrown in just after you figured out every single puff of wind current your farm contains and seem to know the address of all your deer. You don't sound believable. Not likely anyone in Missouri lets you kill a "few" big deer without a return visit to hunt your spot which isn't likely since you fear even mentioning your county or you paid big bucks to hunt as a college student. Hardly possible on student income. Hmmm. This kind of stuff burns me up. Those deer belong to the state of Kansas and not just your family. Be careful what you post next as I'm sure F&G officers surf the web too.
09-14-2004, 12:21 PM
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 78
RE: SEK Bowhunting Plot
yeah, and i was the guy on the grassy knoll!
man, all i wanted to do was show off my "latest project" and get some opinions (related to wildlife plots) from other food plotters. don't know what set ya' off, but i can assure you (hall monitor from 7th grade) that i have not, EVER, violated any kansas (or anywhere else) fair chase ethics while bowhunting whitetails. and for you to suggest otherwise is .................................................. ......
i'm gonna leave well enough alone..................does anyone else have any comments concerning my food plot?
man, all i wanted to do was show off my "latest project" and get some opinions (related to wildlife plots) from other food plotters. don't know what set ya' off, but i can assure you (hall monitor from 7th grade) that i have not, EVER, violated any kansas (or anywhere else) fair chase ethics while bowhunting whitetails. and for you to suggest otherwise is .................................................. ......
i'm gonna leave well enough alone..................does anyone else have any comments concerning my food plot?
09-14-2004, 12:57 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Jenks Ok USA
Posts: 345
RE: SEK Bowhunting Plot
I did give you a lot of props in my first post. You have a tremendous work ethic. It was you who said you shot a "few wallhangers in the past two seasons" and in Kansas you can only kill one buck a year so that's the rub. With all this work and young enough not to hunt a lot elsewhere you seem tied up to one spot. Keep up the good work and I hope you get another big one. Fair enough? Good luck this season.
09-14-2004, 02:37 PM
#10
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Roanoke VA
Posts: 118
RE: SEK Bowhunting Plot
Soonershtr,
This guy was trying to share his cool food plot story with us and you are raping him. Why? because he casually references a "few" good deer. People like you prevent others from sharing in fear of getting flamed.
StrmChzr, Nice Plots. Cool photo from the ultralight. Good luck this season.
This guy was trying to share his cool food plot story with us and you are raping him. Why? because he casually references a "few" good deer. People like you prevent others from sharing in fear of getting flamed.
StrmChzr, Nice Plots. Cool photo from the ultralight. Good luck this season.