Just Before First 2015 Camp!

Here it is, early November, and first deer camp is coming up next weekend. I have been out bow hunting and muzzle loader several times. Could have shot a doe broadside at twenty yards a hundred times. But it was 10 minutes into my first muzzle loader hunt, and I just couldn't. This guy below I would take though, should he get weak and appear in daylight.

 Below we see what we call the "leap of Life" She is fleeing something by jumping over a planting of Brassicas. Now that we have gone to 19 degrees, the starches have turned to sugar, and the whitetails love them.

 Turks aplenty, and everywhere. Six feet from my office window.

 I am hoping to meet this gentleman sometime before hard winter sets in...

 Returning from the Far Ridge late afternoon hunt.

 I know this one. He and his mate are familiar visitors to the farm.

 Bear season here is over, and 37 were taken from this area. But still we see them on camera with regularity.

 These two are feasting on an apple crop even they can never keep up with this year's crop.

 A snarl warning the camera flash to bug off!

 More snarling over who gets the last apple. These two are siblings, born spring of 2014. It is Mom's time to breed again, and she tossed them out, or got taken during the season. These two will be fine, and will den separately and go their own way come spring.

 I'd take him with a bow...

 The twins again. I see that the camera reads 2006, but these were just the other day. I did have a little six pointer blow the camera out, and suspect the year got changed during that battle. It has been corrected!

Well, camp opens Friday at noon. We'll try to get some decent deer, and decent pictures and come back with a post here soon! Let me know what you are doing this season!

jackzeller@myfairpoint.net



Early Bow Season at Long Ridge, and Wildlife Diversity

 

Because of the hot weather in September I waited until this month to hunt. Unfortunately, I have been out only once due to farm requirements. The one time I was out there, all I heard were acorns hitting the ground. Millions and billions of them. Beechnuts. Apples so heavy on the wild apple trees that the branches were breaking under the load. White Oak acorns the heaviest I have ever seen. Still so many apples on the ground that even the bears cannot keep up. Whatever a season this brings us, I know that the deer and other creatures will go into winter fat, and strong. Not sure I have ever seen a food laden fall like this one...

Below you see a young buck meandering across a food plot. They will have no interest in this food until well into November.

 I thought this was a neat picture of a crow coming in to land under the apple tree.

 This Bobcat looks hot as the camera catches him up on the Far Ridge.

 This is as good a buck as I have on camera all summer. Which of course, means absolutely nothing.

 Glad to see this bear. Hunters took 37 from this area (H2S)  and apparently there are plenty left.

 It looks like she is playing tennis, but actually it IS an apple!

This Mom and her two babes have been around all summer, and as of mid September, their spots are gone! We will pass them (and her) up this season.

This young guy has finally lost his fuzz. Maybe he'll make it another year or two..

This may be him before losing velvet.

 One of a million apples to be swallowed!

 

 The gang on the East Plot.

 

 

 What would diversity mean without turkeys?

Check out the buck with only one antler! What happened to this guy?

 I hope this medley of pictures was enjoyed by you. Let me know how you make out this season,

and send me any pictures you have of your hunts so I can post! best of luck to all!

jackzeller@myfairpoint.net

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Food Plot Madness and Bow Season Looming!

 

This little guy is typical of the bucks we see this time of year. It is NO indication of what is actually out there.

 Our fawns are universally big and healthy this year, and many does have two. My neighboring farmer who is obsessed with coyote hunting has definitely made a difference.

 These poults look pretty good for August, but I just saw some that were teacup size, and wonder if they will make it..

 Twin fawns on the Far Field.

 Doubles on the East Plot.

 Typically, year around, I have this venture Predator in .223 riding on my ATV. Raising sheep in N. New England, you learn to always have a gun. But check out the next picture...

 

 

This is the bore of that rifle, which I happened to notice by accident. A mud dauber wasp had loaded it an inch deep with wet mud, and had a babe in there. Even after soaking with CLP, I had to pound a cleaning rod through, and then work an hour to smooth the bore. If I had fired a round through this, I would have seen the barrel banana peeled.

 

 

 Below, you see my late afternoon discipline! Bow season opens four weeks from today!

 The latter half of that discipline. Forty yards max, but prefer shots 30 yards and in.

 ATV, sans rifle, headed out for seeding, rolling, sterilizing plots. August 1though 30 is the magic time of year here in Northern N.E.

 Dozens of types of seeds, and mixtures take place in this room before I head out. Plots should be rotated, and year 'round nutrition needs of wildlife should be taken into account.

This is a carpenter bee. They drill absolutely perfect round holes in the camp porch beams, and feed babes in those holes before sealing them off. Then the next June, they fall dead out of the holes. I suppose the babes then hatch and carry on..

 Another little guy.

 Today, I rototilled and limed this plot to be seeded tomorrow. I sort of hated to do it because these little ones have been feeding on it all summer. But if I don't, then come first frost, the clover is gone and there is nothing. So, seed tomorrow and fall feeding through late November can commence!

 A bright red mushroom with white polka dots. No clue...

 These two food plots are hitting stride, and already the deer are nibbling...

 Below, you see the age old rule...

 A typical trail though the farm woods. Clearly delineated, but not overused. Wide enough for an ATV, and with care, a tractor. But mostly used by wildlife.

 We have a half acre of dedicated milkweed plot for the sole use of Monarchs. Back in the 90's we had uncounted numbers of them. This is the only one I have seen this year. Last year also only one came. I do hope people get on the bandwagon with planting milk weed, the ONLY food the Monarchs can raise their young on

Well with 9 food plots in and done, and bow season about to start, we are gearing up at LRDC for a long and prosperous season. Tell me what your plans and hopes are and maybe we can help you achieve them! Write if you can!

jackzeller@myfairpoint.net

 



Mid-Summer at Long Ridge

The doe below is one of the few deer to be visiting this mineral lick this summer. Usually I can fill a camera card in two weeks, with rabbits, bear, fox, deer, bobcat, you name it. This year since spring, perhaps three to four different deer on this lick. No others. Strange...

 We do have a few bucks that have shown some promise. This is probably the best rack seen so far this summer. Which means...exactly nothing. Every year, huge bucks appear in the fall that have never been seen on camera before.

 Earlier in June, I was disappointed with the fawn recruitment numbers, and worried that I had seen only does with one fawn, or none. Come mid-July, out come a lot of does with two! Where have they been? ( Not on out food plots or fields, which we monitor).

 The rocks you see in this food plot surrounded by deer will be removed before rototilling in the next several weeks. I found them in June, and dug with a shovel, but will squeeze a tractor in there next week to remove them. They have been hazing our big rototiller for years.

 Another guy, if not promising this year, will be quite the boy in 2016, if he makes it! Here he is on the East Plot.

 Another spike, ribs and all on the East Plot. It always amazes me that there can be such a difference in the condition of deer in the same area.

 This handsome boy should live for another three years before being hunted. Wish all our neighbors felt that way...

 I simply love seeing the little guys and gals chase each other and play. It is what develops their muscles and reflexes, and allows them to respond to the nasty guy below.

 Another yearling...

 This may be a mom, or a cub. The following picture is definitely a cub...

 Just born below, this early last winter...

 This dude below is in hunting mode, hungry, and ready to kill. Not sure what this coyote is honing in on, but here exists the very reason for those fawns to be running, jumping and practicing every chance they get!

 

 As you can see, no real exceptional pictures here, but an overview of probably half the United States

this time of year. Actually, this year HAS produced fewer exceptional pictures so far, than most other years. The bow is out and tuned, bear season opens in a month, bow season for whitetails in six weeks, and camp fire wood not even complete yet! But I do have two great new food plots going gangbusters, and am about to start rototilling, fertilizing and planting eight or nine others in the next two weeks! Two work days at camp with hunters got us caught up on shooting lanes, adjusting stands, orientation, ATV antics, and more!  I'll keep you posted!

jackzeller@myfairpoint.net