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Velvet
by swamp_fever2002. 05/02/24 06:48 PM
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This years observations
#1645797
02/09/16 12:05 PM
02/09/16 12:05 PM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,904 Ozark , Alabama
BradB
OP
10 point
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OP
10 point
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,904
Ozark , Alabama
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Just got back from my 2-3 week annual end of the year trip to my farm in SE Bama and I will say you guys have been busy on the baiting/February season extension topics.Everyone has opinions but I believe I have truly seen the effects of the feeding/baiting thing. I have never supplemented or baited, never had any interest in it until the last 2 years.I have 320 acres of good mixed habitat that is hunted lightly Thanksgiving and Christmas and then hunted hard the last of season.A very limited number of does, maybe 1 or 2 a year, get killed as does a 1/2 decent buck or two a year, so I ain't wiping them out. I have been keeping pretty detailed records of sightings by myself and my guests for the last 6 years. For the first four years sightings were pretty consistent at roughly 2.25 deer seen per sit.Like anywhere else there were bad days when they did not move but those days were made up for when the days when they were.My south neighbor, who is a good friend, has the adjoining south 300 or so acres and has supplementary fed during non-season since he bought it. He is only interested in shooting deer which are few and far between in my location and consequently he has not shot anything, including does for, for years , so he is not pounding them.Two years ago he started feeding during season, 250-300 lbs of corn/protein a frickin week and the effects on me are clear.Last year sightings dropped to less than 1.5 per sit and the make-up changed with more small bucks showing up than does in the fields. This year was absolutely horrible.Sightings dropped to less than 1 per sit and the deer were almost entirely small bucks.My does are GONE.In 3 weeks of daily hunting I had does in plots eating 4 times. This on plots which for years were sure bets for small doe groups of 2-4 which arrived pretty much daily like clockwork. We saw twice as many small bucks this year as does which is bizarre for my property.All this while my buddy is sending me clips of 6-8 does grazing his plots.
My conclusion is he has very effectively moved a pretty substantial percentage of the does in the area to his property, along with the more dominant bucks. The displaced spikes and little bucks get there butts kicked across the line by the does and mature bucks which have so much available food there is little reason for any of them to move around much in daylight. Of course we usually only get a shot at them when they are moving in daylight.
So now I got a dilemma. I have neither time, money or inclination to year round feed and the main reason I hunt is I just like seeing them doing their thing, which hopefully involves a shooter buck wandering by every year or so.I am gonna talk to my neighbor and point out that not only is he just killing my hunting, he is also hurting himself. Its not like he is seeing any really mature bucks so I have no clue why he started it.The only bright spot about it was the 9 point I shot this year was slam full of corn and protein feed so he ought to eat good. If he keeps feeding in season I am gonna give it one more year and see if this trend continues. If so I will have a big decision to make as far as how I manage my place. It may come to large strategically placed corn piles and shooting every darn deer that crosses my line for a year and sending him a pic. Which sux because I really like the guy and have no desire to have bad relations with a neighbor. I guess time will tell, but these facts are my observations not opinion. My opinion is that in season feeding by a neighbor can be a real negative factor for anyone who does not have the ability or inclination to do it.
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Re: This years observations
[Re: BradB]
#1646483
02/10/16 04:15 AM
02/10/16 04:15 AM
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 581 On The Move
rackdisaster
4 point
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4 point
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 581
On The Move
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BradB, you have described my setup and season results exactly the same! This baiting bullshit is ruining deer hunting!!
May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor 'The Hunger Games'
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Re: This years observations
[Re: BradB]
#1646519
02/10/16 04:52 AM
02/10/16 04:52 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,777 Florida
jacannon
10 point
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10 point
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,777
Florida
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I have been on the same ground in South Ala. for 25 years. when the state went to 2 does a day ,it sounded like a war zone until about 5 years ago when the doe kill started dropping off. Now you can sit all day and hear very few shots. I spoke with our game warden last month and was told the reason this season is so bad was because so many were baiting. I guess it doesn't have anything to do with killing all the baby makers. It has to be corn...
Grandma said...Always keep a gun close at hand, you just never know when you might run across some varmint that needs killing...
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Re: This years observations
[Re: BradB]
#1646860
02/10/16 10:28 AM
02/10/16 10:28 AM
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Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,627 Clanton
Turkey_neck
Booner
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Booner
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,627
Clanton
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It was define fly a weird year around my place also. I've been feeding the deer the last three years and the previous two years was covered up with deer. I could go to my best field and see 3-10 deer every afternoon. The deer very rarely went to my feeding location in daylight hrs. This year I had more pics in daylight where I feed them than ever. But I lost my plot usage for some reason. We saw only 1 small buck in my field this year and very few pics at all on it. I still have plenty of deer using the property but something changed. I can tell you I had way more bucks on cam this year then does which is normally a 50/50 split. Hopefully things change next year for sure.
Would walk over a naked woman to get to a gobblin turkey!
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