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Post by Catscratch on Jun 23, 2020 20:32:07 GMT -6
Sounds like a well calculated risk... and if it doesn't bounce back you can always nuke it and start over. No worries!
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Post by Sandbur on Jun 24, 2020 3:23:22 GMT -6
What weeds, are they actually doing harm? Will you have the weather for it to rebound after a mowing? Thistles and fleabanes mainly, some grasses too but mowing won't do shit for them...except for not letting them set seed anyway. We had about 1.5" of rain over the last few days or so, and there's some in the forecast. I think the plot will snap back. I'll admit it's a calculated risk You have had all of the luck with the rain. Just south of Kooch’s country, I have seen deer in the fall select fleabane for lunch. Is your fleabane browsed this time of year?
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Post by sd51555 on Jun 24, 2020 5:45:45 GMT -6
What weeds, are they actually doing harm? Will you have the weather for it to rebound after a mowing? Thistles and fleabanes mainly, some grasses too but mowing won't do shit for them...except for not letting them set seed anyway. We had about 1.5" of rain over the last few days or so, and there's some in the forecast. I think the plot will snap back. I'll admit it's a calculated risk Is fleabane a problem? Up until now, I didn't mind having it in my clover. Now you got me wondering. Bees seem to love it, and it isn't spreading much for me. It just seems to come up and stay in it's place. That got me to reading last night. As I drive around my area, I see some poorer spots in ditches, and some hay fields that haven't been mowed. Those fields looked cooked, and they seem to get overrun with ox eye daisy and orange hawkweed. That does concern me some, but so far, I have no hawkweed, and almost zero daisy in my plot. I also noticed my sedge grass didn't come up this year where it normally does.
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Post by smsmith on Jun 24, 2020 6:11:42 GMT -6
Thistles and fleabanes mainly, some grasses too but mowing won't do shit for them...except for not letting them set seed anyway. We had about 1.5" of rain over the last few days or so, and there's some in the forecast. I think the plot will snap back. I'll admit it's a calculated risk Is fleabane a problem? Up until now, I didn't mind having it in my clover. Now you got me wondering. Bees seem to love it, and it isn't spreading much for me. It just seems to come up and stay in it's place. That got me to reading last night. As I drive around my area, I see some poorer spots in ditches, and some hay fields that haven't been mowed. Those fields looked cooked, and they seem to get overrun with ox eye daisy and orange hawkweed. That does concern me some, but so far, I have no hawkweed, and almost zero daisy in my plot. I also noticed my sedge grass didn't come up this year where it normally does. Not if you want it. Fleabane is pretty aggressive and if allowed to set seed...you'll end up with a bunch of it. Deer do eat some here, but that tends to be later in the summer/early fall. If all I had out there was fleabane, I may just let it go. I don't have a lot of thistles, but what's there I don't want to allow to set seed. edit...just looked at the 10 day forecast. A lot of hot, muggy weather starting this weekend. I may just go out and try hand pulling/clipping the weeds. re-edit...Spent an hour pulling thistles. Fleabanes aren't that bad except on the edges. Some grasses, but not a lot. Cleth will clean it up next year. The plot will remain unmowed. It's gotta be 99% clover mix/alfalfa. No reason to mess around and screw it up. I bumped a young buck off the side hill while I was pulling thistles. He was bedded less than 50 yards from the house
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Post by smsmith on Jun 24, 2020 6:13:36 GMT -6
Thistles and fleabanes mainly, some grasses too but mowing won't do shit for them...except for not letting them set seed anyway. We had about 1.5" of rain over the last few days or so, and there's some in the forecast. I think the plot will snap back. I'll admit it's a calculated risk You have had all of the luck with the rain. Just south of Kooch’s country, I have seen deer in the fall select fleabane for lunch. Is your fleabane browsed this time of year?Nope
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Post by smsmith on Jun 24, 2020 19:03:36 GMT -6
The buck I bumped this morning while pulling thistles is back out in the plot eating right now. He's with another buck that has antlers wider than his ears, but no points other than brow tines. Also a doe out there
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Post by smsmith on Jun 26, 2020 6:19:44 GMT -6
The wife and I just watched two bucks with racks wider than their ears and long brow tines eating in the unmowed plot. Both were within 30 yards of the house. One stood in the backyard about 15 yards from our patio door as he ate young maple leaves. Both appeared to be at least 3.5 years old. Both walked within feet of where I've walked the last two days as I was pulling thistles and spraying thistles on the edges of the plot. So much for big bucks always shunning humans/human contact
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Post by badbrad on Jun 26, 2020 6:21:55 GMT -6
The wife and I just watched two bucks with racks wider than their ears and long brow tines eating in the unmowed plot. Both were within 30 yards of the house. One stood in the backyard about 15 yards from our patio door as he ate young maple leaves. Both appeared to be at least 3.5 years old. Both walked within feet of where I've walked the last two days as I was pulling thistles and spraying thistles on the edges of the plot. So much for big bucks always shunning humans/human contact I believe deer and especially bucks are a different animal come fall than they are now.
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Post by Sandbur on Jun 26, 2020 6:23:59 GMT -6
The wife and I just watched two bucks with racks wider than their ears and long brow tines eating in the unmowed plot. Both were within 30 yards of the house. One stood in the backyard about 15 yards from our patio door as he ate young maple leaves. Both appeared to be at least 3.5 years old. Both walked within feet of where I've walked the last two days as I was pulling thistles and spraying thistles on the edges of the plot. So much for big bucks always shunning humans/human contact There is a doe outback that I drive the lawnmower by her at 15 yards. Usually she runs after I am past her.
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Post by smsmith on Jun 26, 2020 6:26:20 GMT -6
The wife and I just watched two bucks with racks wider than their ears and long brow tines eating in the unmowed plot. Both were within 30 yards of the house. One stood in the backyard about 15 yards from our patio door as he ate young maple leaves. Both appeared to be at least 3.5 years old. Both walked within feet of where I've walked the last two days as I was pulling thistles and spraying thistles on the edges of the plot. So much for big bucks always shunning humans/human contact I believe deer and especially bucks are a different animal come fall than they are now. You haven't heard/read the continuous stuff about "bump a mature buck one time and he's gone forever" or "a mature buck smells you once and he'll relocate"? I am nearly certain one of these bucks is the same buck I posted a pic of earlier on this thread. That pic was from last fall. That pic was less than 20 yards from where the two were feeding this morning. I've had mature bucks using the houseplot since I put it in. My SIL shot a 150"+ a few years ago, that buck spent plenty of time in the houseplot for two years before he got shot. There are no hard and fast rules
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Post by Catscratch on Jun 26, 2020 8:06:46 GMT -6
I have older bucks in the yard plots all the time. The kids and I practice stalking on them in the summer.
I'm of the camp that they do change in the fall. I'm also in the camp that if you bump a deer that is coming to you (ie - a yard plot) that it is different than bumping him by going to him (ie - stepping into his home or travel routes).
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Post by MN Slick on Jun 26, 2020 8:06:46 GMT -6
I believe deer and especially bucks are a different animal come fall than they are now. You haven't heard/read the continuous stuff about "bump a mature buck one time and he's gone forever" or "a mature buck smells you once and he'll relocate"? I am nearly certain one of these bucks is the same buck I posted a pic of earlier on this thread. That pic was from last fall. That pic was less than 20 yards from where the two were feeding this morning. I've had mature bucks using the houseplot since I put it in. My SIL shot a 150"+ a few years ago, that buck spent plenty of time in the houseplot for two years before he got shot. There are no hard and fast rules I general, I think people give way too much credit to mature bucks.
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Post by smsmith on Jun 26, 2020 9:18:04 GMT -6
I have older bucks in the yard plots all the time. The kids and I practice stalking on them in the summer. I'm of the camp that they do change in the fall. I'm also in the camp that if you bump a deer that is coming to you (ie - a yard plot) that it is different than bumping him by going to him (ie - stepping into his home or travel routes). I think that makes a lot of sense. I'd say bumping a buck while in a stand is certainly different than bumping one in the back yard too. I didn't mean to disagree that bucks are different/change in the fall. They certainly do change as day length shortens, antlers harden, and more people start messing around in the woods.
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Post by smsmith on Jun 26, 2020 9:53:06 GMT -6
One of the bucks from a couple nights ago. I have a cam out there, but it's been malfunctioning. I think it was just low on batteries. I pulled it today and replaced batteries. This wasn't one of the bucks out there this morning, but I've seen him a few times now. He doesn't look half bad for June.
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Post by Catscratch on Jun 26, 2020 9:55:17 GMT -6
Nice buck!
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