Bought the farm...

[Henry]

Bought the farm a year ago, now hunting the farm. This property was the premiere deer land in the area until the owner passed away 6 years ago. Hoping to bring it back to its former glory. Lots to learn and lots more to do to get it to that point.

One of the blinds has a sign in it that reads, "Bucks ONLY, do not take a doe from this blind." I'm not sure what his reasoning was for this blind, but I do know he took some huge bucks from it so I'm going to follow his rule. He also has maps and yardage up in each blind. And, carpet on the floor! Thankful to have the opportunity to be here.

 

[LA man]

Very nice, good luck

 

[TN Song Dog]

Good deal. Lots of info here, and lots of folks willing to share. Keep us posted on the progress. It would be fun to track along to see what all you do and see how it goes.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Welcome from Middle TN....sounds like you have a great opportunity.....at times I enjoy working on the land with habitat improvements as much as I do hunting. Good luck with your new property.

 

[Henry]

Thank you all very much. I appreciate the kind words and encouragement.

 

[TNlandowner]

Congrats and enjoy the farm. Funny about the stands having maps / yardages... sounds like sector sketch - range cards. Was the former owner a military veteran?

 

[Henry]

Congrats and enjoy the farm. Funny about the stands having maps / yardages... sounds like sector sketch - range cards. Was the former owner a military veteran?

Yes, retired.

 

[PossumSlayer]

That's awesome

 

[TNlandowner]

Yes, retired.

me too.

All our stands come with sketches as well. I even started a harvest record in one stand, but finally quit writing every deer taken as the list grew.

 

[DeerCamp]

Bought the farm a year ago, now hunting the farm. This property was the premiere deer land in the area until the owner passed away 6 years ago. Hoping to bring it back to its former glory. Lots to learn and lots more to do to get it to that point.

One of the blinds has a sign in it that reads, "Bucks ONLY, do not take a doe from this blind." I'm not sure what his reasoning was for this blind, but I do know he took some huge bucks from it so I'm going to follow his rule. He also has maps and yardage up in each blind. And, carpet on the floor! Thankful to have the opportunity to be here.

Whatever you do, spend some time figuring out his mentality before changing the rules.

That may be a stand where bucks rely on reliable doe patterns for purposes other than breeding.

Many times, disruptions in doe habits makes neabry bucks paranoid, especially in small properties.

 

[Henry]

Whatever you do, spend some time figuring out his mentality before changing the rules.

That may be a stand where bucks rely on reliable doe patterns for purposes other than breeding.

Many times, disruptions in doe habits makes neabry bucks paranoid, especially in small properties.

It seems the wind blows predominately from the northwest toward the southeast much of the time here this time of year and that blind is perfectly located at the northeast edge of the meadow up against a small year round creek, a small ridge is to the east of the meadow, a small creek at the far side (north) of the meadow and flat area on top of a ridge west of the meadow that then goes down sharply to a beaver dam. Everything is wooded except the meadow that is probably 4 acres. It's on the far edge of our 200 acres and right by another 200 acres (at the northern end where the other creek is) that are only hunted during a couple weekends of gun season, with zero human presence the rest of the year. We have not heard any shots over there so far, but I'll be waiting for them to push me some big ones Saturday morning. Now, where's my propane heater?

This meadow also had turkey in it in the spring. I went out at 5am and sat in the blind on the first day of the season, heard an owl hoot at day break, heard the tom respond and then saw him "float graciously" to the meadow floor, then another a few trees from him and then 6 or 7 hens crashed through to the woods floor. I never had a shot because the toms were at the far end and the hens were in the woods, but it was an amazing thing to get to see/hear. I went home happy.

 

[Henry]

Whatever you do, spend some time figuring out his mentality before changing the rules.

That may be a stand where bucks rely on reliable doe patterns for purposes other than breeding.

Many times, disruptions in doe habits makes neabry bucks paranoid, especially in small properties.

I was out at the 'bucks only' blind late this afternoon and wondered if the previous owner was working under the theory that the bucks of the does he didn't shoot at that blind would return to that stand year after year because that's where mom's genes tells them to go during rut; providing him (now me) with a constant supply of superior bucks.
While installing the buddy propane heater, replacing the string that pulls the wooden window flap up, and cleaning the blind up a little, I heard noise in the woods to the right/east. The side by side was setting right at the blind. I wasn't being quiet and had just clicked the pilot light on on the heater and fired it up o test it. Next thing I know, I'm looking out the front window that I had just fixed and left open and two does are watching me. I closed the window quickly! Through the crack I can see they're still staring my way. One starts walking toward me and I started wishing I had my crossbow and then remembered..."BUCKS ONLY at this blind"!

That's when a huge buck snorted at me from the opposite direction.