For a couple of reasons those of us at Camp Pug have decided to plant food plots this year.  One, supplemental feeding and baiting have been banned due to the discovery of a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) positive deer on a game farm in the next county to the east.  While I do use whatever legal hunting methods are available, I’m not particularly fond of baiting.  However, I really like to get pictures of the deer in the area using my game cameras.  Some of these cameras have extremely slow triggers that benefit from stationary deer utilizing supplemental feeding locations.  Second, this is just my opinion, but I think the current pool of hunters at camp see the benefit of food plots for more than just shooting deer.

We don’t know much, but we do know that something like this requires planning.  So, one recent evening we gathered together at my house for some snacks, a glass of red (huh?) and to watch Food Plots 101.  I’ve seen other food plot videos called Food Plots 101, but this particular one is produced here in Oconto county Wisconsin.  It was pretty basic, which is what we needed. 

Basically the first year process goes like this; soil test, clear ground, lime if necessary, kill vegetation once, kill vegetation twice, kill vegetation thrice, plant, fertilize.  After that it is hoped that it grows.  We grabbed a calendar to lay out a schedule and work assignments for April, May, June, July, August and September.  To make things fair we’ll track expenses related to food plot supplies, including gas traveling to Camp Pug (3.5 hours away) and make things fair on opening weekend of archery season. 

We are rather ambitiously settling on three plots, each smaller than an acre.  We’ll plant Evolved Habitat’s Throw and Grow in one, Shot Plot in another and Great Lakes blend in the last.  All are annuals following the plan laid out in Food Plots 101 for the first year.  Camp Pug members “Hunt Master” and “Gravel” also recommended I plant a small plot at the Peanut Butter stand where I took a late season doe this year.  So, I think I’m going to try that.  It is a small, close-in, established browsing area that will only take hand tools to work.  I’ll probably plant Kester’s Nursery Rape Seed, a brassica variety. 

A late season doe taken at the Peanut Butter stand.

First Spraying

Hunt Master sprayed the four plots.  I visited the following weekend to plant a tree break, put up game cameras and pull soil samples.  I was surprised to find the non-selective herbicide had no effect.  The grasses, weeds and mosses looked as if they had never been sprayed.  We communicated and determined I better re-spray so I did that amongst the insane mosquitoes and ticks.  We’ll see how that goes. 

I also sent in the soil samples to our state soil lab for analysis.

A clearing that will become a food plot.

The clearing behind me will become a food plot.

Soil Sample Results

We received the soil sample results.  For the uninitiated (ignorant like me) they are pretty hard to read.  Between myself and Hunt Master (mostly Hunt Master) we got the general idea of it although we decided to consult the county extension office.  We need to add 9-12 tons of lime per acre depending on the type in order to bring it up to the proper pH.  They also noted it might not achieve the proper pH in 3 years even with that application.  “Patriarch” assumed the task of lime procurement and application.  The plots require varying levels of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, but none of the quantities are near as daunting as the lime. 

Updates

It is clear we have our work cut out for us.  I’ll keep you up to date on how it goes.

happy hunting, dv 

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Coming up on Mostly Archery

• dv’s 2009 Turkey Season Review
• Boar Attack – Anatomy of a Hog Shot Gone Wrong
• Preparing a European Skull Mount

We awoke Saturday morning to minus three temperatures, but it was still and sunny outside.  The fishermen took off for the lake and I took off for the woods.  The depth and duration of the snow and its effect on the deer concern me.  We’re going on two-plus months of this.  It has got to be hard on them.  The fresh snow was two days prior to my visit, but in a day-and-a-half of woods’ wandering I found only one new deer track.    They can’t wait that long to eat in these temperatures.  

As mentioned I found no sheds.  I did find one young doe carcass and saw lots of coyote and other predator prints, squirrel prints and some porcupine trails.  I probably should have tried some coyote hunting, but thought my time would be better spent refining my familiarity with a couple of potential deer and turkey ambush points.  I found a new hot deer stand location and will tweak another by seventy yards based upon my scouting. 

Doing some scouting.  Trying out the Targus Grypton Portable tripod (I’ll detail that more in a future blog) mentioned in Photographing Your Hunting Trophies.  The pack is practice for an upcoming adventure I’ll announce in a future blog.

This guy was hanging out in the sun.  We’ll talk more about him and his willingness to sacrifice in order to help us try out a new product in a future blog.

By all accounts ice fishing wasn’t that great.

 I think the best part must have been lunch.

One of my favorite things about going to Deer Camp is checking the trail cams.  As much as I like it there, I am usually excited to get home and check the SD cards. 

I was surprised and elated to see this guy survived gun and archery season.  Looks like he lost a tine off the left side.  Click the title to see the video. 

Surviving Buck

It was also funny to see this gal eating right at the beginning.  Click the title to see the video.

Eating Doe 

Overall it was a great weekend.  dv’s Best Black Bean Huntin’ Chili got lots of compliments.

happy hunting, dv

Feedback, Questions & Comments
I’d like to hear your tips, feedback, comments or questions. Please leave them below.

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Coming up on Mostly Archery

• How To – Make Your Own Turkey Friction Call
• Overhauling My Bow
• dv’s Gear Provider Recommendations – ACE, provider of ASAT, Sitka Gear and Wilderness Athlete Products

I need another hobby like I need a broadhead in my noggin (youch!).  So, while the rest of the guys are at the local lake I stay behind, do some coyote calling, shed hunting, a little deer and turkey scouting, a little napping and cook up dustyvarmint’s Best Blackbean Huntin’ Chili for dinner.  A triple batch is required and one will include javelina from my recent trip to Texas.

Despite my once annual trip I’ve never successfully called a coyote or found a shed antler in the state of Wisconsin.  While growing up in Kansas we successfully did both on occasion.  I’ve even found bullets and arrows, but no antlers.  However, I keep at it.  Perseverance is the name of the game.  This year I won’t be coyote calling, but I’ll definitely be looking for sheds.  Hopefully it isn’t too late.  A friend found a matched set the first weekend of January in a period of extremely heavy snows.    

Deer Camp has no electricity or running water.  Some might consider that an inconvenience.  To me it is more of a comfort.  It settles my brain to hang out at Deer Camp with ten to twelve inches of snow outside.  Very relaxing.     

So, wish me luck with the shed antlers.  I’m off to (not) Ice Fishing Weekend!

happy hunting, dv