***Official Battle of The States Michigan Team***

Anyone ever use Pops Loose Moose Mineral?

 

Id like a shot.... is this where I sign up? EDIT - looks like I missed sign up?

 

I have been using both the trophy rock and stump method, have alot going on this weekend but making it a goal to get out and swap cards will hopefully have some pics to post this weekend.

 

Wondering where you were. jvanhees

 

LOL yea didnt even see this thing going on! I didnt see anything where I cant sign up yet....??

 

Too late I guess

 

sorry late checking in, here and accounted for!

No real bruisers on camera yet, but have a few deer that are gonna be studs summering on a bean field about a half mile from me. One is a 5.5 yr old 8 that lives on our place in the fall. he is called heavy hitter. I expect him to show up any time now.

 

Come on JV we needed you to knock down another good buck this year..I still havent forgot about the burger and beer I owe u.

Second using trophy rock and putting them on stumps. I tried Monster Raxx last year and didnt have as good of results. Think it just kind of depends on the areas. I heard about the Loose Moose this year, heard it was good but never have even seen it. Usually what I have noticed is by the end of August the bucks turn off the minerals.

So far these are my two top guys being 4.5 year olds. Last pull I had 3 other good bucks show up but sunglare made it super hard to be able to tell how good they actually are. Heading down to Ohio this weekend so maybe next weekend I will get out to the lease to check cams.

 

this is heavy hitter as a 3.5 yr old, I passed him with bow and gun that year. He was injured later in the year and came in with a hurt front leg.

this is him as a 4.5 yr old, he added some mass but really almost seemed smaller. I believe it is because of the 2012 injury and hard winter. this year he has recovered and put on I would say at least 20 inches.

 

Hopefully he shows up for u pretty soon. How much property do you own? I know Ive seen your threads with food plots and things like that. Do you have Neighbors that are passing the younger deer to? Just curious cause I know you mentioned before that you guys consitently kill 4.5-5.5 bucks which isnt a easy thing to do here.

 

The property that I manage is 40 acres. It buts up against a 360 acre cedar swamp that is primarily gun hunted only and they don't let people other than there immediate family hunt. It's so thick though that the deer hardly ever leave it. we have family that owns a big chunk of ground that joins ours on the other side, That ground is all managed, 3.5 + most of our neighbors shoot 2.5 year old's. for the most part though everyone in 2-3 square miles is passing 1.5 yr old deer. That has really helped. We are getting to hunt deer that ten years ago we were only dreaming about. Still only a handful of deer that have hit the 140's but someday we will have giants.

the two things that have taken our hunting to the next level
1. pressure / I had never been concerned with entry and exit, I changed my strategies a few years back and saw an immediate difference. I have found that these mature bucks will stay here as long as they are not encountering people. the less pressure you put on the place the higher your odds of them being there are. I try to have all my stands prepped, food plots in and everything ready for oct 1st by second week of august. then when all my neighbors are out hanging stands and doing work in the woods in September, those mature bucks that don't tolerate that stuff move in on my place because they is zero human activity. works every year!

2. management- food-cover-water 365 days a year. you want big bucks to stay, have high quality food plots, great bedding cover and a good supply of fresh water.

I am sure you know all of that, but for me focusing on constantly improving what I have has made it better. I like to set in my tree and study the deer, how they move, what they like / don't, then replicate what nature has done and give them lots of the stuff they like.

some thoughts! Blessings to your season, can't wait! fall is drawing near!

 

Having everyone pass 1.5 has to be a big help. Gives them the chance to become a little smarter and a little better chance at surviving to get older. Definitely agree with pressure. Less they know your there the safer they feel staying there and coming out during day light hours. My biggest lack is cover, the farmers cut a lot of the wood for fire wood so once the leaves fall you can almost see completly through our wood lots. It really shows come winter months when the deer completely move off cause there is no cover for them to be out of the cold wind. But at least I get a good two months of hunting in first.

 

This will be my first year hunting this property and cameras are going up tomorrow, Now where should the cameras go?

I will only have 2 cameras this weekend but, I will have 4 before September rolls in. I was thinking about concentrating on the area south of the "Thick Nasty"(Thorns, Thorn Trees, Thorns). The Orange line running W to E is a really steep ridge leading to what I believe is where they are bedding.There is a relatively open area that runs N to S and I am thinking they may use the islands to head south to the corn if the North Aggro field is cut.

I have only been here twice so tomorrow I will just be taking data and finally enjoying private hunting land.

 

is there any trails that run through the property? You wanna put them in places you can get in and out of easy so you dont disturbe them. Between this month and next month up really dont want to bump anything.

 

Trip down to ohio went good this weekend. He showed me around a few farms, some good looking sign. Didnt get to do much glassing at night but we did manage to see a real good buck one night across the street from one of the farms.

 

Got one camera out this weekend on the new place. I set up a mineral sight with a Trophy Rock and some 3-Day Harvest C'mere Deer right at an intersection within a island of young oaks. Kicked up some does and one unseen heavy hoofed deer.

 

Sorry guys Ty wont let me in! Been so busy working I missed this new contest. Ill be here for moral support! You guys are putting up some nice cam pics.

Coh, I havent forgot about that beer n burg either! Same bet this year?

 

Who is "he"? And where in Ohio will you be this fall?

 

Im good to do it again, Can I count my Ohio deer if I get one? lol

HE is a Member on here. Ill keep it at that since im not sure if he wants word out. About a hour or so SW of dayton

 

As long as I can count mine too LOL! Which county you in? I will be down in Brown county....are you near there?