Stressless 2020 compendium

[Stressless]

Since I've only been on TOO about 6 months I wanted to bring this together with a focus on the overall management of the farm, the things I thought about, the hypothesis of experiments and of course the results of the experimentation. I had thought l'ld manage the "year" as ODNR does, Sep-Aug, but then it cuts the process off just as the whitetails slide into the fall (the very best time of year). So I think I'll run this thru the last hunt big game hunt of the ODNR season Bow or Muzzle loading of the new year, for me I'm usually hanging it up around Mid-Jan.

So, a quick Recap since the last deer hunt of 2019-2020 season.

Took the last trees down on the last plot, Ski Jump, I created in Apr 2019, finished cutting in Feb'20 and burned the residue from that in early July'20. [TOO review click here]

Turkey Season wrapped up with two mature toms with a bow in Apr - Stories and video of [#1 here] and [#2 here] with the [Turkey plot tip here]

There are other events and such but I'll fast forward from review to current, movement and manuver looking forward to the fall white-tailed deer season.

I had asked @Wildlife if he had an overview of the area for followers to understand the lay of the land, thoughts etc and he said He'd put up if I did. To that end here's the familiarization with the camp terrain and FOB (Friendly Order of Battle) for what I call the Retreat.

The Retreat:

• 100 acres, longer East<->West then North<->South, by about 15% so just off square with one access off a county road at the SW corner
• 85% clear cut in 1994 (26 years growth) VERY high 8"-12" mono age stem/pole count with large old growth in the stream valleys
• 35% was strip mined and not reclaimed o/a 1947, high walls, spoil banks create pinches and funnels
• There is nowhere on the property that is further then 100 yards from a water source, pond, stream, pothole, 2' deep rut with water etc...
• Terrain flows High in the NW to low in the SE falling 235'. Where not strip mined it has rolling embankments, spoil banks are steeper
• 9 ponds exist on the retreat with fish in four of them, three streams enter it, one on the NW corner, one middle North boundary, one middle South boundary
• All adjoining land holdings(N,S,E,W) are >= 100 acres, each boundary is a contiguous parcel (Four boundaries - four neighbor land owners) no neighbors live at these locations, the nearest inhabited structure is 3/4 miles away. (which reminds me of a joke, "there are two kinds of people... and I don't like them.")
  • East; is leased from the landowner by Amish, they hunt in typical Amish fashion... ask if you don't know what that means
  • North; is leased (totaling almost 900 contiguous acres) by an outfitter that has bait sites 100 meters back along the entire North border of Me and neighbors to the East and West
  • West; 400+ acres managed very well by a neighbor that I approached in 2013 - that bacame a good friend and we share chores and thoughts. I call him my deer hunting sensei, he has shot record book Elk, Mountain goat, 7 or 8 Ohio Big Bucks etc. He and Jeff Sturgis have almost identical vision on how and what it takes to bag big mature whitetails.
  • South; 400 acres, 115 in reclaimed pasture. The rest is mature timber and reclaimed strip mines from the 1940's
• The cabin is situated perfectly -wrong- for deer hunting. It sits in the interior, at teh head of a valley that runs the lenght of the property - to make noise there is to 'alert' 50% of the Retreat deer - but it's perfectly right for living there. So location for life won over location for deer hunting
• In 2013 so many things changed...
  • Retreat - I built the cabin
  • East not much changed
  • North the 900 acres took back hunting privileges and stopped all hunting for three years
  • South ended a big drive system (fistfight and shotguns with sherrifs being called) that used to put 20-30 hunters in the 400 acres - one gun hunter now
• There were no food plots on the Retreat until 2016, I put five in and 3 more since then. Totaling 5 acres of 100.
• Since 2013 I put close to 1/2 mile of 4' wide trails in, connecting and creating access to various areas and to enjoy getting around the property

So this primer is the starting point. Next one will be more detailed.

 

[Stressless]

I can relate to @Wildlife 's discussion on "stages of hunting" as I'm certified to teach hunter saftey in Colorado, Ohio, New Hampshire and Florida (just about everywhere I was stationed for a couple years) For the first couple decades with rampant hunting pressure on all borders and no sense of how to hunt bigger bucks we just hunted Brown and Down at the Retreat. Just back from my 2nd tour in OEF.

While I would have liked to bag a big buck often got a couple during the rut (time+stamina)=opportunity. Just prior to shipping out to Desert Storm.

I came back to Ohio from where ever I was for the fall gun season, sometimes bow season prior to gun but usually just once a year for meat as the porerty was gonna be my brothers. Fall and the smell of atumn woods always grounded me, always was pleasant thrugh a couple decades of deployments and wars. ODE, OAF, OEF, OIF ... and others.

All that changes in 2013, my brother passed, dad had died in '10 when I was on my thrid tour in Afghanistan, so the property was mine. I met the neighbor to the West and started learning how to get after bigger buck and most importantly the land was now mine to manage for wildlife.

7 years later 20-21 season is literally one season away. Fall. Best time of year! A short list of activities running up to this falls hunt.

• Feb blowing leaf matter off plots
• Mar New - Mature Buck clusing stand locations selected (4) 9 Stand locations selected for removal due to poor location, poor winds, access etc..
• Mineral licks replenished
• Mar Frost Seeding
• May IMOX herbicide on FrontPad, Greenbrier, BackPad, Pipeline and Bottom
  • Pine - .4 acres (Pasture)
  • FrontPad - .65acres (Trefoil, Clover Chicory)
  • Ski Jump - .33 (Trefoil, Clover Chicory)
  • Dam - .35 acres (Pasture)
  • Greenbrier - .22 acres (Trefoil, Clover Chicory)
  • BackPad - .60 acres (Trefoil, Clover Chicory)
  • 2" - .25 acres (Pasture)
  • Pipeline - .90 acres (Trefoil, Clover Chicory)
  • Bottom- .25 acres (Pasture)
• July Burnt down ( Gly and 2,4,-D Ester) Plots BackPad, 2" and Bottom due to unsatisfactory IMOX results and need for fall/winter forage.
• July Brushhogged all plots
• July Two of four buck cruising locations done, 3 stands locations removed

I burnt the plots listed as they are within 300 yrds of each other, access is Good to Fair, the location is the the most remote from the cabin where we know we spook out any decent bucks. Trying to create a nucleus of solid green browse that'll last thru the season where I can reach it without blowing the good bucks out of the township.

So now we're all caught up.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For the 20-21 season I expect to bow-hunt only, myself, a retired Marine Fighter Pilot (Mooch) that's been t here about 4 times over the last 6 years and a new addtion for this year a buddy a bunch of work for manned arial vehicles for special operations worldwide - I've worked with for years Bobby. I may collect meat (3 does) with and for my son later in Dec or early Jan - the kids love the venison He's a Capt in the USAF, Academy grad living in Colorado.

Mooch's first bow kills buck and doe (2017).

Next up getting on with the 20/21 hunting!

 

[bowhunter1023]

Most of these guys couldn't spell "compendium" if you gave them a thesaurus (which they also couldn't spell), so you definitely get an award for fanciest word to describe a journal.

 

[Stressless]

@bowhunter1023 - thx for that Next year will be a journal but wanted to put it all together up front.

compendium
com·pen·di·um | \ kəm-ˈpen-dē-əm

Definition of compendium​

​

1 : a brief summary of a larger work or of a field of knowledge : abstract a one-volume compendium of the multivolume original​

2a : a list of a number of items​

b : collection, compilation a compendium of folk tales​

 

[Wildlife]

Very cool thread!

You can expect me to give a more of an in-depth overview on what I have going on around my neck of the woods, however, I can assure you that it will not be nearly impressive or at your level, that is for sure. That's a compliment btw...

I admire all your hard work, effort and any foreseeable content that you intend on sharing with us within your journal. I'm sure I'll have more than just a few takeaways from it. It's quite oblivious that you have much to offer in this thing we call 'deer hunting'.

Thanks for joining the forum and, if I haven't mentioned it already, thank you for your service!

Most definitely a cool place you've got going on there and best of luck to you this deer season, although, I'm sure you won't need it.

Carry on.

 

[Stressless]

Forgot to add a couple chores in Feb, one in a bowl to make horizontal cover / increase daytime forage / thermal cover, all to put a crusing stand off to the side, 80-100 yards away with great access. There have always been mature bucks bedding in this secluded hollow, with this addition, good access and the right wind - I can't wait for a good sit!

This area we call "Amp" for Amphitheater as it has high steep walls on three sides and flows out to a mature creek bottom. A pond is just behind the area to the left of the pic, creating a excellant funnel. The stand is at the yellow -> it's not camo'd up yet and the bedding area cut in Feb is the light area to the far right / this is going to have to be a silent access stand. Just below the stand on the trail is a mock scrape with grapevine hanging.

On some of my smaller plots that are E<->W the trees filled in and were overshading the plot, took care of that on Greenbrier. Dropped some, hinge cut some, girdled some. just depended on which one and where it wanted to fall.

I hit Greenbrier with IMOX 2 May, brushhogged in early July, it turned out great for a deep woods cruising plot. Mock scrape getting hit many times a day.

Set a stand on the North side winds are decent but better for a South stand site, with removing and letting a couple trees stand on the South side while opening it up I created a excellent location. It'll take some camo (later post).

The South Greenbrier stand. I mobilized a full stand there but the base of the tree was covered in fresh thick poison ivy, I had cut the ivy vines in Feb. S naturally I liberally douched them with Gly and 24D Ester - they'll be dead and dry in a month or so. Looking at Greenbrier from the South edge, the South Stand will be 30' or so behind that. North Greenbrier Stand is at the yellow arrow. Releasing the trees on the South side made a huge difference. inthis plots attractiveness. Also in dropping them I cut three specific 'channels' for the deer to follow into the plot.

From these couple pics - it should be east to understand why you plan/access/pick tress/create funnels etc prior to green up.

 

[Stressless]

If you are still setting stands or thinking of setting a stand (like me) - here''s Jeff explaining, at a masters level, where and how. It's def a beneficial way to spend 20 mins. He go over a low bottom stand and high stand complimentary stands and terrain setup. The two above were set prior to his video release - just about everything he goes over is incorporated in my setup's above. One of the reasons I'm removing 9 stands and putting up 4 real quality setups.

He sums up:
- thermals
- scent
- layered scouting
- trail cam setup
- movement
- funnels / pinch points
- stand locations
- access
- licking branch setup / distraction
- best wx days

 

[Big_Holla]

Video's like that definitely get you to think about your set-ups. A lot of good info.

 

[Stressless]

Next solid work week looks like mid Sep.

• Still have 3 stands - TOO late really, chores slid to the right due to my back, but gonna hang them in Sep - min impact planned as far as access cutting, shooting lanes etc.
• Fertilizer on all plots using the plot calculator figures - Neighbor wondered if was worth it - he wanted to go with one spread of 5-14-42 based on soil test results.
  • So here's hisexample of the amount of fertilizer required when using a multi P-K fertilizer which either under applies or over applies in the -P-K values (N-P-K) because you can only apply at one rate total #'s per acre for BOTH P and K.
  • 
  • Here are the same plots with two applications (two fertilizers) 11-52-0 and 0-0-60
  • 
    Going with the sepetate applications of 11-52-0 and 0-0-60
  • I use a simple bathroom scale and 5 gallon bucket to measure out the seperate fertilizers, then move them to marked (sharpie) empty Whole Corn bags. When You get to your plot drop out the bags of P and K, put each seperatly in your spreader and spread evenily - exactly the amount of Phosphorous and Potassium recommended by your soil test for the least amount of money.

• Seeding the plots via the [Fall/Winter green plots] on the ones we killer in July.
  • I'll be following Jeffs method where there's no planting in Aug, so ~150# Cereal Rye 50 Oats /Acre (200# total)on the burnt plots and overseeding the other plots. Remember this is to grow green fields in Fall ?Winter - not for harvesting in Late Spring the next year - so the application rates are different.
  • Cutting all plots
  • Cutting all paths down to the dirtand walking with machates to trim over reaching briars etc so you can walk in without rubbing on things leaving scent.
• Move and stock the feeders - I generally try and keep them running Mid - Late Sep to Jan.
• Light trim on the shooting lanes of established stands

 

[Stressless]

Well #1 hitlist buck from last season 'Fraiser' might have made it thru.... what is your assessment? Fraiser or no?

Last year's frame.

This year's best pic ... not 100% yet I don't think, ready to bet 65% certain.

Not certain of this blog let's you blow up pics enough. So here's a blowup.

Niles up next.

 

[Stressless]

Here's the story on TOO of those two bucks and naming them from early 2019.
https://theohiooutdoors.com/threads...r-and-niles-martin-is-awol.26296/#post-724963

 

[Stressless]

When your food plot doubles as Female on Female MMA ring!! Just gor this top 10'er in this afternoon.

 

[Stressless]

Don't know what you guys use to figure out plot seeding rates and costs and such, I built a spreadsheet that I can plug in the cost per bag or # of seed and the rate I want on the plot - gives me how much it'll cost per plot, how much to buy, etc. Easy to take that and call Merritt and Ag stores get prices and lower the total bills.

This is going with with two rates, one for fall/winter/spring green fields (black) and over seeding Summer plots with clover/Birdsfoot Trefoil and chicory. Planting dates are 2nd week of Sep. The IMOX did a great job on the plots that were in kinda decent shape, didn't kill enough of plots that I called "Broken Arrow" grass had broken thru the perimeter and infiltrated bad... (LoL) Anyway - the spreadsheet. IF any wants it I'll email if you send a PM or whatever with the email you want it sent to. All you really have to do is change the plot name, add your acreage and seed cost.

This is the first year my neighbor in the Co-Op and I are combining plots/planting.

 

[Stressless]

Planning the Retreat chores prepping for the hunt in about 90 days!

Talking with the Co-Op neighbor and we decided to forgo any oats as they'll be of no use past Mid-Oct, we want to draw early Oct thru Feb.

Cereal Rye and Brassica; but too late for me to plant Brassica this year, for me so my "green Fields will be 200# Rye on Twice burnt plots. Once in Ealry Jul and once in late Aug. My focus is on the East side of the property where I'm burning down 3 plots and spreading the rye as Fall-Winter-Prior Spring Greenup lush food sources. I will overseed the legume plots with 100 # as well but we're right at the month window for planting Cereal Rye after IMOX in May - not holding my breath for a good catch of Rye in the previously sprayed IMOX fields.

The pic below faces South and is the East side of the property, the design was tonot remove crop trees, encourage santualry within the center of the proerty around the beaver pond (bucks seem to like it down there) Planned cutting down there in the spring 2021 to thicken it up. They seem to like it thou as is.

Sept work week/end will be high energy and long days. but this area has produced- super excited to see how it turns out. Focus will be on the plots over all and then the East side of the Property for draw.

• Controlled burn of thatch on three plots (Bottom, 2", BackPad) if possible (WX dependent) making soil open to rye (those plots have been killed twice via herbicide)
• Fertilize N-P-K 19 co-op plots Urea(46-0-0), MAP(11-52-0) and DAP(0-0-60) - three runs each using a specific amount based on the soil analysis and crop - N may not be spread due to WX (need rain in the immediate forecast so Urea doesn't volatilize)
• Lime 2 Plots (Pine and SkiJump) w/ bagged AG pulverized lime not pelletized yard lime
• Cut 12 plots with brushhog, cut all trails cut low and also walked with weed eater to cut back encroaching brush
• Seed 7 plots with cereal rye and cultipack in (while praying for rain)
• Remove the Red Marked Stands (Corner, Ridgetop, 8", BackPad. Crossing, Amp, Wheelhouse) many of these were used when I was raising my kids and gun hunting out of two man stands
• Set White Marked stands (Backridge, Red Oak) make shooting lanes - much care on how much distrubance is made
• Make access trails to Backridge, Skyway and Red Oak stands

The idea is to get defined movement, huntable regardless of wind direction, between Bottom, 2" and Backpad. Unpressured these plot have deer feeding in day light routinely.

Backpad Plot

2" Plot

Bottom Plot

At the end of it - planning for a great herd and hunt.

 

[Stressless]

Sep farm work week in the books. We have about 500 acres in the loose Co-Op, another 400 without plots but a ungrazed 120 acre pasture. We each hunt our own land but try and manage it to grow a quality herd.

21 plots, each with various amounts of N-P-K, totaling ~ 3600# split into 63 separate weighed segments. Good job farm hand Mooch!

16 plots with cereal rye totaling 1288#, each weighed and bagged for the specific plot.

2 plots with spreadable pulverized AG Lime total 2050# (all 21 are now pH and N-P-K build up and removal dialed in)

2000# shelled corn in and ~ 1200# out in 4 feeders.

Some of the plots are looking great - the Spoil Plot we cut in last Sep (Click here for the Woods -> Spoil Plot creation) This is what it looks like this Sep. Clover, Chicory, Birdsfoot Trefoil

Experimented with burning off one plot - great wx conditions and worked like a champ. Will def put this one in the toolbox for next year and other plots.

Local Co-Op delivery and unloading - - That's alot of 50# bags! Unloading was just the first touch -

Two quads with spreaders and a mothership truck with bags of rye seed and N-P-K /plot - only one small mechanical that we got fixed with spares in the barn.

I don't know why my timing sux so bad but 10 damn days after N and rye seed went down it might finally rain next week.....


Got 3 really nice new buck cruising stand locations up RidgeTop, Chestnut and Red Oak, names are perfectly self explanatory.

I would like to thank Hawg and Mooch for all the planning, support and humor getting it all done. I fed the men well, and -plenty- beers & cocktails & stogies around the firepit in the evenings. Lit on Sunday after the rain and burned until the next sat.

Starting on Sun with squaw wood that fell across one of the roads.

Mornings..

Evenings..

Functional as well - toasting buns for brats beer and spicy mustard lunch. If you want -lookup Keyhole Fire set- that's what this one is - great for burning and cooking at the same time.

On my farm I cut about 2500' of access trails to the new stands and some new ones to old stands, also brushhogged all my plots that I didn't spray/kill ~3 acreas and about trails 3/4 miles.... also weed wipped to the ground the new access trails cut in and all the old access trails. (time for a cocktail!)

See you all in the upcoming season if 2020 doesn't toss anymore flares into the calendar.

Mock scrapes are pulling in the Buck inventory - no pics with velvet past about 5 Sep. Good one of a lil' guy...

 

[Stressless]

When all the prepping, plots, pruning, cutting, hauling, feeding, burning, spreading, spraying, stacking, hanging, digging, trimming, loading and fixing are done.

Time is upon us to reap the harvest. Be well.​

 

[Dannmann801]

Lots of hard work there.
Hard work is it's own reward

 

[Stressless]

Autumn leaves falling, frost on the fields and ice skim on the puddles, nothing makes the cabin more "homey" or "woods'ie" in the fall than a vat of great soup on the stove, simmering and getting settled in. I've made this one for over a decade and always a hit on a chilly day and after a long cold evening hunt. This Hunters Stew, Ribs etc all stuff I get ready prior to heading out so "Cooking" is really just heating up, But damn good chow.

As mentioned in other posts I harvested these two toms this spring, I use the most I can from the birds, one thing I do for camp is make wild turkey soup, and a bunch of it.

How to do it is here click the red text for the TOO links: Don't toss that turkey meat!

This fall the meat came from my harvested Turkey #1 and Turkey #2 I got them both with a bow this spring - footage of both shots at the links.

So, for this deer season - I just started my fall wild turkey soup - I usually make about 3 gallons of it and .none. goes to waste.

Bippity: Two gobblers, breasts filleted, parts about in order - dethawed and ready for hot grease.

Boppity: All the chunks in hot bacon grease to sear and caramelize

Boil: Now for 24 hr hot simmer/boil to get all the flavor out - I use a highly technical device to access the long bone marrow... (LoL) I wire brush - hose off and wire brush again. Adds to the sweet texture of the dish...

Now for a long simmer.... wonderful stock taking shape.

 

[MoonLab]

Dang...sounds really good

 

[Stressless]

So fng good. Dudes will love it at camp. My two toms = ~3 gallons of soup.

Also for those that don't know, this is Jeff, Jeff - TOO, this dude took WASP work ethic and made it sweat. I suggest you watch this video if you enjoy deer hunting... surprise at 12:15 in the vid.... we watch his video and will be thru this
2020.

"If I had a deer hunting coach, it'd be Jeff Strigis." -Stressless