2017 Deer hunting results/stories

[Shadowrider]

You REALLY need some Cedar control. I'm headed to the farm to cut down the dozen 3' cedars that sprouted this year in one of pastures. Our neighbor that covers over 5000 acres have zero cedars after years of control. We have oaks coming back. Great habitat. Big ones like in your pic offer special challenges, but on the way from Ponca to Stillwater and OKC, I'm amazed at the number of 3' cedars that are growing in bluestem pastures. In a few years no grass will be seen. Right now they can be handled by a controlled burn or a brush hog. After about 5-6' even fire won't kill them. Hate those danged things.

This is the 1st year I've been on this place in almost 25 years. It doesn't even resemble what it looked like back then. Back then you could pull in the gate and see the big pond if it was the winter time. The big problem is that my FIL owns a half interest and doesn't have the money to hire someone in. The other owner actually has a tractor and brush hog, as you can see in my pic I'm hunting one of the spots he mows. But he won't put any real time into it, I don't think he has much money either. This land has been in the family for a couple of generations now that I know of and it's almost three.

Me and my BIL are going to start up with the chainsaws, rent a tractor with brush hog and maybe buy a box blade to pile it up to burn off. It's totally out of hand. I wish we were closer, I'd just buy a tractor and we'd get after it. I want to put in a food plot so bad I can't stand it. There's 2 ponds on it and they are fishable, but one is so small you can cast all the way end to end. It's tiny but it must be spring fed as it's never gone dry. Throw a bait out, any bait, and you'll catch a stunted bass out of that mud hole. We used to catch all we could and move them down to the bigger pond. Today the big pond was very low but I had thought it was silted in bad. Not so, that thing will still be at least 20 feet deep when full.

 

[dennishoddy]

This is the 1st year I've been on this place in almost 25 years. It doesn't even resemble what it looked like back then. Back then you could pull in the gate and see the big pond if it was the winter time. The big problem is that my FIL owns a half interest and doesn't have the money to hire someone in. The other owner actually has a tractor and brush hog, as you can see in my pic I'm hunting one of the spots he mows. But he won't put any real time into it, I don't think he has much money either. This land has been in the family for a couple of generations now that I know of and it's almost three.

Me and my BIL are going to start up with the chainsaws, rent a tractor with brush hog and maybe buy a box blade to pile it up to burn off. It's totally out of hand. I wish we were closer, I'd just buy a tractor and we'd get after it. I want to put in a food plot so bad I can't stand it. There's 2 ponds on it and they are fishable, but one is so small you can cast all the way end to end. It's tiny but it must be spring fed as it's never gone dry. Throw a bait out, any bait, and you'll catch a stunted bass out of that mud hole. We used to catch all we could and move them down to the bigger pond. Today the big pond was very low but I had thought it was silted in bad. Not so, that thing will still be at least 20 feet deep when full.

Contact the ODW and the NRCS agents in your area. The ODW has a grubber they rent to eliminate cedars and the NRCS may be able to hook you up with a grant to have a skid steer in there with a tree saw.
They can leave them lay or pile them up.
Buddy had them pile up the cut cedars. We went out there when the leaves were brown and lit it off.
I thought the paint was going to melt off the truck before we could get backed out of there. Those things EXPLODE when caught on fire.
Over the years, we have had a few pop up while bird hunting, and have just pushed them over with the boot and shot them at the base. one inch or so diameter.
Cedars are one of the only trees that won't bush out from the stump if it's below the lowest limb.
Good luck, it's going to be a long process to get them cleared.

 

[Shadowrider]

Contact the ODW and the NRCS agents in your area. The ODW has a grubber they rent to eliminate cedars and the NRCS may be able to hook you up with a grant to have a skid steer in there with a tree saw.
They can leave them lay or pile them up.
Buddy had them pile up the cut cedars. We went out there when the leaves were brown and lit it off.
I thought the paint was going to melt off the truck before we could get backed out of there. Those things EXPLODE when caught on fire.
Over the years, we have had a few pop up while bird hunting, and have just pushed them over with the boot and shot them at the base. one inch or so diameter.
Cedars are one of the only trees that won't bush out from the stump if it's below the lowest limb.
Good luck, it's going to be a long process to get them cleared.

I'm reading up on this right now. Gonna investigate whether we can sell some of it. IDK if it's big enough to sell for lumber or not. If not we will check out all those other options. The 40 acres on our west is even worse. The lady that owned it passed from brain cancer and I'm wondering if I can get it from her heirs, my BIL says they are never seen there and they may actually be land locked, IDK. That may make it worthwhile to sell as timber. Red cedar boards are insanely priced these days.

 

[dennishoddy]

I'm reading up on this right now. Gonna investigate whether we can sell some of it. IDK if it's big enough to sell for lumber or not. If not we will check out all those other options. The 40 acres on our west is even worse. The lady that owned it passed from brain cancer and I'm wondering if I can get it from her heirs, my BIL says they are never seen there and they may actually be land locked, IDK. That may make it worthwhile to sell as timber. Red cedar boards are insanely priced these days.

At one time there was some research going to see if they could be used as a bio fuel in coal fired power plants, but it quickly died, as the process to get it ready to burn was too expensive. Some of the european power plants burn olive pits as a biofuel.

 

[meatGrinder]

Man, there are some nice deer being taken by the OSA crowd this season.

Congrats to everyone, especially the kiddos.

 

[swampratt]

I cut cedars about every time I go hunt at a buddies place. Eventually most will be eliminated.
About 30 in an area the size of a living room in many places.
I have burned it in my fireplace..it burns HOT and clean if it is dry.
I have no soot or goo build up in my chimney .
My place in spencer all i had for heat for 2 years was a wood stove. Burned 90% cedar and that stove pipe was still shiny inside when i removed it.

 

[oksportsman]

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I was finally able to go hunting with my dad, @oksportsman , for the first time in a LONG time. I harvest this massive buck yesterday with about 20 minutes of legal shooting time left! By far the biggest deer I've ever shot. Weighed in at 190lbs field dressed at the processor. It's going to be tough harvesting a trophy that tops this one for me! I saw him yesterday morning, but he was on property where I couldn't shoot him, or coax him onto the leased land. He came back from the same spot I watched him disappear in and follow a doe onto our property, and the rest is history.

Glad we could finally spend some time on a Sportsman's Hunt Club lease. It has been far too long. To say I was hyped for you to get the first BIG buck out of a new tower blind I helped put up is an understatement. Live weight for the huge buck was 245-250. Roman nose on him too. Very mature buck I would be proud to take but not nearly as proud as I am of you harvesting it. Awesome sharing the experience with you!

 

[handlebar]

Hadn’t been on here in a awhile and figured I’d show how my muzzelloader season went. Had this buck on camera most of the summer and finally caught up to him during the muzzleloader season. He broke off his G2-G3 on his left side estimated at 22 inches lost. I still wasn’t going to pass him and I’m the first to say I’m very lucky.

 

[DRC458]

View attachment 110040 View attachment 110041 Hadn’t been on here in a awhile and figured I’d show how my muzzelloader season went. Had this buck on camera most of the summer and finally caught up to him during the muzzleloader season. He broke off his G2-G3 on his left side estimated at 22 inches lost. I still wasn’t going to pass him and I’m the first to say I’m very lucky.

Holy cow, handlebar! That is a hoss! Congrats!

 

[tslabaugh]

What a stud! Nice buck and very tasteful "trophy" pics!