That's a fine looking Christmas dinner! We had a baked ham with some biscuits and red eye gravy. Plus green beans, etc. We just kind of grazed all day as the early morning had some eggs and jalapeno & cheese venison sausage that my buddy John up in Laurel Hill sent down with my daughter-in-law in November.
Clover/corn food plot Day 219
Happy New Year!
Running behind today. Our son and his wife are stopping by for dinner as well as our middle daughter, Didn't go to the woods this morning. Been overcast and a few sprinkles, 2 inches on 12/28,not much sun since Christmas Day. Today is the last day of doe week. Went to the lease on Thursday and sat in the popup blind-bad experience in my book. Next afternoon got in my old shooting house, at least I could see what was going on. Killed one that afternoon and another on Saturday afternoon, then yesterday afternoon I got busted by one that had slipped out and was only about 30 yards away. When I turned to look out another window, I saw the flag and then they had a blowing contest for awhile. The wind was perfect. They played cat and mouse till almost dark, peeking through the thick junk trying to figure out what was wrong. Could see ears, eyes and noses but not clear enough for a shot.
The rye patch here at the food plot is really starting to head out and that's probably not good as it will be almost mature before the season goes out in Feb. Not having a lot of cold weather contributes to this early maturity. I've never observed deer eating the rye grain seed heads. If there were enough deer to keep it cut back it would not head out so quickly. The ground is staying wet, more like it was some years ago and it may call for moving the food plot to a dryer ridge for next season, so many variables, just like farming for a living.
Nothing on the game camera worth showing, but a couple of pictures of processing. When the weather is cold, we will hang a deer in a fly bag for as long as weather allows, usually have break the down and put them in an ice chest to finish aging. Saturday morning had to break one down and went ahead a got all the rib meat for sausage. Then Saturday evening had to work under the shed because of the rain. Had to swing that deer up horizontally to get her high enough to cool out of the reach a rambling neighborhood dogs. Added her to the ice chest Sunday after church. Probably start cutting them at the end of the week. Both of these does had dark tarsals, so hopefully will see bucks chasing or cruising in the next couple of weeks.
Treefarmer
Clover/corn food plot Day 226
This weather has been something the last few days! Growing up in Orange County and to move to Washington County was quite a change 40 years ago as far as the weather is concerned. You would think a feller would get used to the occasional cooler temperatures of the panhandle, but with surface water frozen, ice breaking like glass when you drive through a wet spot in the woods, it's still amazing to me. Down to 17º yesterday with a high of 32º, now that just ain't Florida! This morning it was 19º but it is warming up, the wind is getting around toward the east, it's still cold but not like the last few days.
Too cold in the mornings, but have been sitting watching a wad of does at the feeder and then in the rye patch in the afternoon. No bucks chasing yet, or at least not while I've been watching. The little heavy horned 4pt that I thought had been killed by a neighbor was back at the feeder last Saturday up in the morning. Still have to finish cutting up the does from a week or so back.
The rye grain is drawing deer but the field is so saturated with water it is not doing as well as I have seen in drier seasons. It doesn't have the dark green color as I've not been able to top dress it with any nitrogen as the field is too wet for a tractor.
The ponds had a skim of ice over some of their surfaces and any mud holes in the roads were frozen over completely. Water caught on the top of the feeder was a solid disk, and Miss Joy's bird bath is solid. These will be some of this weeks pictures, I just can't imagine what Blackpowderscout went through up the country a few weeks ago
Treefarmer
His hocks are black and he is sniffing around. Maybe he will mess up and try and sneak by you one afternoon!
Clover/corn food plot Day 233
Things are slow in the panhandle. Had an inch and a quarter of rain on Monday evening, things were already wet and now they are sure enough wet! Quite a bit of the Rye is under water and it don't look too good. Still have around 7 does most evenings coming to the feeder in the pines. For some reason the Moultrie D55IR is not doing what it'd supposed to do, batteries are 80%, deer walking in front of it, no pictures? Put in a new SDHC card, hope that works.
Found 3 fresh scrapes in a small area east of the food plot so at least there's probably a buck close by. Finished processing the 2 does from doe week and am waiting on Ol' Big Boy to show up!
I noticed a small spring boiling up in a crossing which tells me the ground is full of water. If this continues I'll have to change a few things before time to plant another food plot, like find some higher ground. It hasn't been this wet in many years.
Pictures for this week will show the small spring boil, the wet food plot, my helper enjoying the water and the last of the venison being ground.
Treefarmer
