# Deerly Beloved



## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Some of the bucks have lost their antlers already but there's a few good ones left. Here's a pic from last evening behind the house taken from about 300 yards away. The whitetails are feasting on a field of brassicas (turnips and rape, etc.). The season ended 2 weeks ago.

Since winter weather has finally moved in, so have the hungry deer. This is why we plant food plots (or, at least one good reason). When all the corn and beans are harvested, they come a runnin'. The cold really turns them on!

I saw a few good bucks that will be even better next year but that one toward the back (facing away) will be a wall-hanger for sure.

The second photo shows the same plot from the far side of the field this spring. This particular plot will be legumes (clover and alfalfa) for years to come after the annuals (brassicas in the mix) are eaten or die off naturally.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

A short video from last night here:


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

He's a nice one, seems early to be dropping antlers but has been a crazy weather year. Not much snow.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Rick,

I've seen antler drop in early December and have also seen full racks at the end of March. It all depends.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

OH, here its usually the mule deer first than the whitetail, I think the weather has something to do with it. They look in pretty good shape, lack of snow helps also.


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## Deadshotjonny (Jan 20, 2013)

Wow lots of deer. Don't see that around here anymore. The DNR is to dumb to ever let that happen around here.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Plant it; they will come.


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## akiceman25 (Dec 28, 2015)

You wouldn't wanna lease that land out would ya? ;-)


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## jimmy shutt (Jun 2, 2013)

good stuff Glen, that's awesome to have in your back yard....the summer greenery pic looks like a field of salad.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Some people like turnips and the greens. I put some on the menu at a VFW dinner and people either said, "Sure" or made an ugly face. Never saw a deer make an ugly face though.

The local grocery stores sell the greens and turnips for $.99 per pound, so some people - including my pal, Joe - eat the stuff. Does nothing for me except I seem urged to rub my head against some poplar bark.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*Thanks for sharing Glen----Had a spike walk through the yard a few days ago was surprised to see he still had them-Gee you have more deer in that FP than there is in Marquette County--Why do the Flat lander's want to come to Da U.P. to hunt Deer when all they see is Red Squirrels * :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: Nice Pic's and Vid---*P.S. That ain't snow dat's a dusting lol*


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

SB, Nobody ever asked me that question after returning from my first deer hunt in Iron County, when I came home with the bruiser pictured. That was 1986 when the deer numbers were good enough to even take a doe. Took some other good deer up there in subsequent years but with the harsh winters - one after the other up there - and, the protected wolves and coyotes competing for meat, I gave it up.

A friend talks about returning once more, but so far it's just talk.

My main reason for hunting in the UP was to get away from public-land hunting with all the trolls in their orange hats. We never saw a lot of deer in any one season in the UP, but we saw more deer than hunters. Plus, the buck-to-doe ratio was very good. Mission accomplished.

Since then, I purchased some land and manage it for wildlife. Now I'm a homer. But, I could be persuaded.

By the way, I took that deer through the heart at 130 yards in the kneeling position with my Winchester model 94 in .30-30. It was the very last shot I ever took with the lever gun. Gave it away, but the deer's on the wall.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*Nice Buck Glen----you sure look familiar in that "86" photo bet we ran into each other-----We hunted Nestoria 10 miles south of Cozy Inn [ Joe's] Bar----shot many great Bucks '83' shot the one in my avatar [10pt] --210 lb 11pt in [87']---along with 9's and some really nice 8's---my Brother shot 235 lb huge 8 [74] and a beautiful 13 pointer [78] ----their all wrote down on the camp door---We got our bucks every year back than-Lots of wolf's and moose around there now and lots of people,Gates ,etc-Haven't been hunting their since 92 thats the year I shot a 182 lb 4pt--wish I could find all my old pic's some day I will-here's a couple for now---p.s. that 4 pt was 5 yrs old its beams were 20" long --base's 4 3/4 and 5"--spread 17"---if not for the brow tines [eye guards] I would of had a 20" spike* :biggrin:


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Your food plots really sustain the health of the local herd Glen. Thanks for being the custodian !

That's a handsome young guy with that big buck.....

I won't make a comment on Skips "bite me" sign, Due to recent events I'm guessing that is a fairly new addition...... LOL

(*SKIP, READ MY SIGNATURE LINE AGAIN, JUST AS A REMINDER !!)*


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*I can Take It Buddy LOL----yup its not that OLd* :biggrin:


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

I hear ya, YD. Here's a digitally zoomed pic of the big one that we couldn't see very well in the photo at the top of the thread - the one I never saw during season. He's about 375 yards out. Already thinking about next season!

Some great memories there, Skip. I always considered a visit to the UP as something to cherish. You're living the dream, friend.

I sure don't know how far these deer are traveling to get to the food and I sure don't know how they know it's there. But, it's always good to have something to look forward to.

Funny thing about the pictures here. I sent one to my 90 year-old uncle in Georgia and now we're coming up with a plan to get some of the venison to him. I heading through Georgia the first of February, so it looks like a visit is in order.

Life is good!


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

That is one good looking deer ! I hope he sticks around for you next season Glen.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*Yuppers that's a Dandy----Hope you get'em next year*


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

glenway said:


> Some people like turnips and the greens. I put some on the menu at a VFW dinner and people either said, "Sure" or made an ugly face. Never saw a deer make an ugly face though.
> 
> The local grocery stores sell the greens and turnips for $.99 per pound, so some people - including my pal, Joe - eat the stuff. Does nothing for me except I seem urged to rub my head against some poplar bark.


Man.......turnips and greens are good, but you mix turnip greens with mustard greens and WOW. I'm almost salivating right now. When I come across a field of them down here hunting I grab me a handful and eat em raw, theyre good that way to me as well--but mustard greens raw are a tad warmish lol. Also best to get em while theyre younger vs being more mature, as the taste is better in the younger plants. Quite the herd you have there, I can see why they yard up there in the northern states, seems that is how they socialize and deal with a harsher environment.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

SWAMPBUCK10PT said:


> *Thanks for sharing Glen----Had a spike walk through the yard a few days ago was surprised to see he still had them-Gee you have more deer in that FP than there is in Marquette County--Why do the Flat lander's want to come to Da U.P. to hunt Deer when all they see is Red Squirrels * :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: Nice Pic's and Vid---*P.S. That ain't snow dat's a dusting lol*


Hey SB, got a friend who lives in Amberg WI. He told me about the flatlanders (from Chicago etc..) as well as I have with my own two eyes on occasions like the 4th of July weekend, Memorial Day weekend seen the traffic on US 141 headed up towards Iron Mountain and the like. He had a funny saying I cant exactly say it here but will abbreviate as needed to get the point across how he felt. He said "You know why you cant get a BJ in Chicago on the 4th of July or Memorial Day?-----because all the CS are up here!" LOL I laughed real good on that one. I saw the way that some, have run down "camps" and some of them are so dilapidated and unkempt, that there is a lot of resentment from locals towards them up there in your neck of the woods.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Some great old hunting pic's SB and Glen, back in the day when you hunted on the ground.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

For sure, Rick. Back in the day elevated stands were illegal with firearms in Michigan. That's all changed now. I'd just go where I figured I might see a deer and sit there long enough to find out. Hours on end trying to remain motionless. But, yes, we hunted from the ground without fancy store-bought instant blinds, heaters, rangefinders, gps - you name it.

And, up there in Iron County, the weather can pin a guy in. Had to be ready to get out or gut it out. The old ¾ ton Ford had overload springs, a beefy 361 CU in. truck engine (long stroke), and tire chains. And, some years we needed them. Hanging there is a buck I took in the commercial forest adjacent to the Net River in 1987 with my new deer gun: Weatherby Vanguard, Leupold and hand-loaded 180-grain Noslers. Sure was a step up from the .30-30. Still have it today but can't use it for deer in my part of the state.

My ol' pal, Frank was always on the move in the woods. Couldn't sit. He'd see more deer than I would, but usually it was the south end of a whitetail racing north. But, he was a good shot. That's him prepping some tenderloins. We went across the country in that rig. Even hauled an elk back from Colorado frozen with dry ice inside the bathroom. Smelled like a barnyard in there.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Love it, we just never bothered taking pic's back in the day and if we did it was usually back at home as we always forgot to take it with us. The older hunters here still hunt the old ways, younger hunters only talk about treestands and game cams these days.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*Glen you shoot that "86" Buck around Nestoria coming in the back way from Amasa???? Sure seems like I seen that truck camper before-----*


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

About 10 miles north of Amasa just past the Net River on the west side of US 141 before Cable Lake Road. I had the truck/camper there a few times but not in 1986.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

Nice pics Glen, they sure bring back some memories of the old days. Nowadays it seems I have to have a motorhome, jeep or side by side. Never used an overhead camper always had just a shell, always thought they would be the ticket.


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

That's what I thought, Ed. Funny thing, though. I traded an International Scout and snow plow for the camper - before I even had a truck. I ended up installing a forced-air furnace in the thing, because the last UP trip without the heater was brutal. 3 degrees inside the camper. Everything froze. So, we kept some water in a pot and boiled it in the morning so we could have some water.

It was a difficult proposition to drop the camper to the jacks, but sometimes we did it anyway so we could get around without the monstrosity.


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