[Rory/MO]

This farm is owned by my grandpa, and his half brother. It is 675 acres in east central MO, and as you can see below, is mostly woods. Me, my brother, and a couple buddies are really the only ones who bowhunt it (that we know of). There are gunhunters out there that really only go out opening weekend, and really worry about drinking more than hunting. I have turkey hunted it and fished it with my dad since I could walk, but this year was really the first year that we started deer hunting it. I love it because it's only a half hour from my house. We scouted some, and found some decent spots. This offseason we're gonna hit it really hard with scouting and planting. Turkey season will consist of chasing longbeards in the morning, with planting, scouting, and getting mineral sites set up in the afternoons. We only ran a trail cam for a couple months before the season in one spot this year (red X on topo just south of the northern field)

We didn't plant anything this year, but in the Spring here are some spots we are planning on getting some food plots in.

Are you guys seeing anything looking at the topo/aerial?

We got a couple hundred pictures on the camera, but here are some of my favorites:

Wish we could have seen this guy more, only got this one picture of him. Nothing else.

How old do you think this guy is? I think 2 1/2. I hope he doesn't turn in to one of those monster 6's

So far we've had a great year for it being our first year out there. My brother killed a button buck with his bow opening weekend of bow season, and a doe with a gun on the last day of regular gun season. A buddy killed a big doe in late October. I've passed up a couple does, and saw the biggest buck I've seen in a couple years chasing does one morning. All I needed was 20 more yards . Can't wait to see how the last couple weeks turn out for us, and I wonder what's in store for us next fall.

 

[fxdwgkd]

That place has huge potential. You are very lucky. It is so big I wouldn't know where to begin. Good Luck

 

[I like Meat]

Quit killing Button Bucks and dinky 1.5 year olds, make it a rule to take animals only of certain rack sizes and age classes and stick to it !!..........kill as many Does as you guys can.......if you can, get into the woods and start doing some cutting and open up the canopy, open up area's to plant more food plots. In other locations cut and leave the cut trees lay for cover....at least 10% of the property should be in food plots.....make certain area's(bedding area's) sanctuary spots where you NEVER enter 'cept to trail a hit critter......start killing as many coyotes as possible.....this is just a start....Man, what I could do with that property would amaze you.....:wink:

 

[MOBIGBUCKS]

looks good. I would set up one mineral lick per 80-100 acres and rotate your cameras. Space the mineral licks out accordingly and you should get an idea of what deer have core areas on your property. There is definately gonna be some shooters somewhere on that piece of land.:darkbeer:

 

[Trauma]

If I'm understanding you, you're planning on putting some plots where the red squares are on the aerial photo around the perimeter of the north field right? If that is correct, can I ask what's planted in the field already if anything? Also, I'm going to assume that your aerial and topo are oriented north so my next question is how are you going to access your stands around the plots? It would appear that you would either have to walk the south edge of the field from west to east to access any of them. I would also assume that you are planning on the deer coming from the timber to the south. If so, ideally you want a southerly wind to hunt it. Problem with that is if you hunt them with a south wind, the deer should come from upwind but once they're in the field, they will be downwind in all but one of the plots (the one farthest west). That one seems like it could be a great hunting plot where you could access from the crosswind or downwind side and hunt it with almost any east or south wind if you set up in the strip of trees running north and south. What I would do if I were you is find some spots that you can get some equipment back into the timber in some secluded parts and plant some small ones there. It looks like there are several "two-trackers" running throughout your property. If that's correct, pick some spots just off of a couple two trackers where you can access your stand with the wind in you face and be at the back of your tree without having to enter the plot to hunt it. Either way, I wish you the best of luck and I'm very envious. It looks like your project has a butt load of potential!

 

[APAsuphan]

Sounds fun, hopefully your management plan pays off

 

[phade]

Wow. I think I'd feel like I won the lottery if that was mine. Is this something that you will eventually get from your grandfather or is this going to remain amongst multiple family members?

Reason I ask is that factors into what you do or want to do with the property as far as management.

You have so much possibility, it isn't even funny.

 

[gareed13]

Where abouts in east central MO. I'm in Rolla if you need any help or need an extra hunting partner .:wink: . Hope it all works out for you. Definately get out and do some shed hunting.

 

[Rory/MO]

If I'm understanding you, you're planning on putting some plots where the red squares are on the aerial photo around the perimeter of the north field right? If that is correct, can I ask what's planted in the field already if anything? Also, I'm going to assume that your aerial and topo are oriented north so my next question is how are you going to access your stands around the plots? It would appear that you would either have to walk the south edge of the field from west to east to access any of them. I would also assume that you are planning on the deer coming from the timber to the south. If so, ideally you want a southerly wind to hunt it. Problem with that is if you hunt them with a south wind, the deer should come from upwind but once they're in the field, they will be downwind in all but one of the plots (the one farthest west). That one seems like it could be a great hunting plot where you could access from the crosswind or downwind side and hunt it with almost any east or south wind if you set up in the strip of trees running north and south. What I would do if I were you is find some spots that you can get some equipment back into the timber in some secluded parts and plant some small ones there. It looks like there are several "two-trackers" running throughout your property. If that's correct, pick some spots just off of a couple two trackers where you can access your stand with the wind in you face and be at the back of your tree without having to enter the plot to hunt it. Either way, I wish you the best of luck and I'm very envious. It looks like your project has a butt load of potential!

Yes, unless accessed from the west through the field, you'd have to practiacally drive around the whole farm to come in from any other direction. The only plot we're really planning on hunting would be the one on the far west anyway. I'd cut trees to clear some land and let it overgrow, but there was a bad storm here a couple years ago that did it for me . There are some other spots in the woods that I'm gonna look at putting plots in though.. thanks.

Wow. I think I'd feel like I won the lottery if that was mine. Is this something that you will eventually get from your grandfather or is this going to remain amongst multiple family members?

Reason I ask is that factors into what you do or want to do with the property as far as management.

You have so much possibility, it isn't even funny.

Unfortuanately I will never even come close to having 51% rule on it. That's what's kind of held me back from it for so long, and holds me back from turning it in to exactly what I want it to be. Don't wanna step on any toes and start family feuds.