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Post by benmnwi on Apr 29, 2024 20:29:04 GMT -6
I think the rub/scrape poles increase the chance they will walk by your stand. They won’t bring in new deer though, since a deer would have to walk by to know a scrape branch is there. In a drought I think a watering hole can draw in new bucks if it is the only water nearby. If you have tamaracks in your swamp or other conifers, cut one of them down and use that for your scrape/rub pole. I’ve had much better luck using conifers than other species. Although now that I think of it, basswood is a close second. I cut down a red pine this year to use as a rub scrape branch behind my house. I planted the tree 10 years ago, but I decided I didn’t want it there anymore. There is something about pines, spruce and tamarack that draws in bucks. I buried the trunk 2 feet in the ground and a buck went nuts on it and pulled the tree out of the ground. I got it on camera too, which was pretty cool. The bucks don't even slow down for my water holes most of the fall. I have had water holes in three different secluded wooded areas and never drew in any more deer than before they were added. How close is the nearest water to your place? If there are other water sources nearby, I could see the deer sticking with the old water holes. If there is no water within a half mile or more, I’d be surprised if a whew pond didn’t draw in some deer.
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Post by Sandbur on Apr 30, 2024 7:44:17 GMT -6
I feel the waterholes we created have attracted deer. I tracked a buck my wife had hit to a waterhole where it was hiding with just it’s head out of the water.
These waterholes have been in place for over 30 years.
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Post by smsmith on Apr 30, 2024 8:07:28 GMT -6
One "water hole" here is a mineral/salt site on the edge of a swamp. It wasn't a hole originally, but it is now. I get pics of does and bucks there every month of the year.
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Post by wiscbooners89 on Apr 30, 2024 8:22:53 GMT -6
I will say on 1 side of our property, we have put in 2 different water holes, and both never really got hit. We have a natural spring that flows not too far away from them. On the other side, we put in a water hole and come fall, every buck will visit that spot and drink,and it has does and fawns at it basically every night. This area, the closest water source, is out in a wide open pasture that's probably 1/4 mile away.
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Post by Bwoods11 on May 16, 2024 9:58:49 GMT -6
I read an article about thick cover with escape routes… cleared out ?
Your thoughts on that ?
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Post by smsmith on May 16, 2024 10:02:34 GMT -6
I read an article about thick cover with escape routes… cleared out ? Your thoughts on that ? Thick cover with escape routes (trails) is pretty much what 70%+ of my place is.
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Post by Bwoods11 on May 16, 2024 12:56:58 GMT -6
The escape routes is something I have to work on. We have natural escape routes, but need more.
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Post by sd51555 on May 17, 2024 22:13:25 GMT -6
The escape routes is something I have to work on. We have natural escape routes, but need more. I've gone off the deep end on escape routes. My winter cuts now end up in piles, albeit the piles are large and long. I try to not have any walls longer than 40' or so without at least one exit to the side along that wall. This was last winter's cut. I made about 8 piles out there. I also started planting cedars trees deep inside these brush piles. I picked that spot because it's still got fledgling swamp grass that will be revived with sunlight. That'll come roaring back along with the tag alder regen and 100 ditch spruce and be thicker than a nebraska college girl by August with all the rain I've gotten. I'm also piloting the mega dogwood cage. Gonna be able to see this dogwood from google flat earth this winter.
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