In your first year, since it hasn’t been hunted for the last 3, I would focus on getting an idea of the age structure and target harvest on older / mature / ~5-6yo+ bucks regardless of antlers, and spread the doe harvest out among the age classes if you can at all. We had a trait of no brow tines that was common, but after we started managing the forage better and some supplemental feeding, that problem went away. Was any supplemental feeding/plotting done the last 3 yrs? If you are going to start a feed program, you need to continue it through winter and keep something available when pasture conditions aren’t great, or you can lose the older bucks. My dad bought a place that hadn’t been hunted, had a bunch of old big 8 pointers. We started feeding, and my dad liked watching those old bucks and didn’t want any of them shot. We didn’t keep the feeding program up after January and we didn’t see a single one of those old bucks the next year. They had gotten accustomed to corn and protein feed, and then we stopped feeding when pasture conditions weren’t good, the deer crashed; laid down and died somewhere. It is known to potentially happen with cattle in the similar circumstances.
I’d like to take 10 off our little family place. I really want to just go out myself early in the season and shoot at least 5, then have guests shoot some over the course of the season as well. I might have the 5 I shoot all done up into nice dried sausage and pair it with some jalapeño honey mustard and cheese in gift baskets for our clients. My biggest concern with this is explaining this plan and expense report to the corporate office in New York.
Culling lots of does is work. One MLD ranch I hunted on as a guest had a scheduled does only hunt early in the season and it was a fun party type weekend, lots of guests and everybody HAD to shoot a doe. If you didn’t, you weren’t eligible for invitation back for buck hunting in December. Kind of like the legislated “earn a buck” tag structure in Pennsylvania I believe. I was usually the youngest guy there by far, so I’d end up gutting/skinning/quartering for several hours a day/night to help the old timers and pull my weight. I ended up kitting myself out with an apron, butchering knife sheath that’s easily taken apart for cleaning (so I can put a bloody knife in it no worries), two S30V cryogenic treated knives (drop point skinner and filet), and a cordless sawsall. When I have my tools, running water, can crack a beer and turn up a little Willie/George; breaking down a pile of does is a lot less tiresome. Especially when there is a shower, steak, cigar, and bourbon waiting for me when I’m done.
I’d say it depends on what you’re going to do most with the gun - hunting, plinking? precision shooting? Do you use a rangefinder or just guesstimate? Will you use a ballistic calculator on your phone or not really want to mess with it and just shoot?
Zeiss Conquest V4 is fairly popular in this application as well, but it’s second focal plane. http:// https://www.eurooptic.com/Zeiss-CONQUEST-V4-4-16x50-ZMOAi-1-Illum-Reticle-93-Ext-Elevation-Turret-Ballisti.aspx
I’m a Sig fanboy so here’s a few options from them: http:// https://www.eurooptic.com/Sig-Sauer-BDX-Combo-Kit-Kilo1600BDX-LRF-and-Sierra3BDX-Rifle-Scope-45-14x50mm-SO.aspx http:// https://www.eurooptic.com/Sig-Sauer-TANGO4-Scope-4-16x44mm-30mm-FFP-MOA-Illum-Reticle-Side-Focus-025-MOA-A.aspx Both in the 25oz weight range
My 8yr old daughter has been in my ear about getting her a bow. She’s seen me shoot mine some, and I think has seen some female comic book characters with them or something. Anyway, I took her to an indoor range this weekend where they had some toy bows, and she had a good time, wants to do it more. I’m looking at getting her a quality bow that they use in the National Archery in Schools Program; maybe she’ll compete one day. More importantly, maybe I’ll have a bowhunting buddy one day:
The state stocked the Oryx and ibex on two separate ranges (white sands and the Florida mountains). On range/reserve there is a very in-demand draw system for the Oryx/Ibex. There are off-range draw tags available and I also believe they sell some off range/reserve oryx tags year round that are good for ~30 days or so; so theoretically if you see one off the designated area, you can run over to the fish and game office and buy a tag and come back and try and get it. This isn’t first person knowledge; I’ve only talked to folks that have done the Oryx hunt and Rinella had a good podcast where he did an Oryx and I think an Ibex hunt (or had a guest on that had). The ibex archery hunt is super low success rate (~7%).
There’s a few free-ranging higher altitude animals that are hunted as regulated “non-natives” in certain areas and as invasives/exotics in others. Some I can think of: Auodad in west Texas/ NM Oryx in NM Ibex in NM Elk, Axis, other exotics in West Texas These animals don’t get the negative reputation that pigs do, but the state game agencies want hunting to keep the numbers in check and/or keep the animals within a certain range. Pheasant is also a non-native/“invasive” that’s managed like a native game animal, FYI. The original pheasants from China all got loose from a barn in Oregon during a storm if I recall, now we have them over maybe 30% of the lower 48.
Just camera perspective, but I wish I could snap my fingers and drop 30lbs of fat and add some muscle, conditioning, and flexibility before this elk hunt. Hunting between 7-9000ft. I’m feeling like I have an ass whip coming. Now that I have my gear mostly sorted out, I need to really work on getting my self in better shape.
Reagan beat met to it; I’ve had success with steel wool, but bronze wool sounds like a better idea. Really fine steel wool (I think 0000) and Corrosion X has worked for me on blued guns with some light rust. Go very slow and very light pressure. Might soak it in Corrosion C for a day or two prior to hitting it with the steel wool. Also as a PSA: Corrosion X For Guns is a great product that I think is better than Rem Oil as a lubricant and has some of the rust protection of Corrosion X. http:// https://www.corrosionx.com/collections/corrosion-prevention-control/products/corrosionx-ultimate-clp-cleaner-lubricant-and-protectant-for-firearms?variant=32078265548896
No birds were flying today so we did some work around the ranch and then I took some time to finish sighting in my new Weatherby and then swung over to the longer range targets for a few shots. the Sig BDX setup worked great, just range the target and the scope gives you a holdover and wind age call. The wind was gusty, so I’ll need some time to practice more wind estimation, etc, but looking lethal for elk next month. iPhone slow mo video is a handy tool to run while you’re taking a shot or two to check your form, etc pre-shot. E.g. my right thumb is more comfortable on the side of the tang rather than crossed over the top and my accuracy was better. I hadn’t noticed until I reviewed a few shots. Good time at the range. .65” group after finishing up the sighting in:
So good. Husker thoughts to ponder. What have I become? My sweetest friend Everyone I know Goes away in the end You could have it all My empire of dirt I will let you down I will make you hurt
Also, a cultipacker will get you better results than a drag for packing the seed in after broadcasting, you might take a look at some point, they can be built/bought used for not too much. Dr. Deer says plots will outperform dry protein 10-1 in a cost per lb protein forage production. I plot about 5-8 acres on our ~184ac place. I drag a packer behind our disk
How far west are you? Turner Seed fall deer mix is out of Breckenridge TX and makes the best blend for west of I35 from my 15 years of trying dry land plots. East of I-35 things get easier with some of the Alabama and other eastern company blends (Pennington, tecomate, buck forage oats(whitetail institute), etc.) Test soils, fertilize, and don’t plant too early, also you need to plant about 2.5-5% of your habitat area if I recall (if possible).
I like the DdlM aesthetic. If fact now that I think about it, I have four skulls in my office at work (which one of my young folks describes as “very intimidating”); but only one of them is human ; )