If you have them coming in there on a regular basis, its an easy "fix"!

Thats just it the times are so random, sooner or later tho!!!!

We just got dumped on again last night here in Northern Indiana.......I measured another 12-13 inches of snow we got in the last 24 hours.

Going to set up a second feeder in some locations. The deep snow that has now covered the crusted snow due to the recent melt and then freeze again has made it very difficult on the birds.

Deer are still OK.....but this has been one HARD winter.....and it still isn't even near to being over. I see another 4-6 inches of snow predicted yet for Saturday!!!!!! :rolleyes:

Deep Snow now for weeks on end.........solid 2-3 inches of ice at the base..........bad deal on wildlife, especially the birds up here. So with that in mind.......I headed out today to double up the feed in one location today.

Loaded up ready to go......



Unloaded and then load up the Mule........



Take the trail in....a little nervous due to the depth in areas........but the 4x4 Mule ate it up....



Arrive at feed site with one feeder close to empty....deep snow and ice floor everywhere....



Get the second feeder up.........and fluff up 2 bales of alfalfa for the deer with some corn......



Buffet style.........



'

And the first customer as I wasn't even 2 feet from him....



By the time I was just 100 yards away from the feedsite.........7 deer were already in view coming in. They know the sound of that Mule. The deep snow doesn't bother me.......but the layer of ice under it does this year. Felt good to double up the feed in that particular area.

Thought I'd share some views of the day............

I applaud the effort and commitment.

I was worried about the 8 or so Quail I have in one covey Threw some seed under a Multiflower rose 4 days went to replenish today The Quail had found it

Good deal!!!

I HAD 8 quail birds I was seeing on a regular basis on my coyote run every day……Saturday, I watched as a Coopers hawk made it 7! I thought the quail had made it when he lit down in the BS tangle of horse weeds, and rose bushes. The hawk went right in, and got him.

Wish I had some quail to feed!

Ive been putting out old fashion oats for the rabbits around my house and they eat a pie pan full every night. h.h.

I see from you posts that you do a lot of habitat work. Why are the multiflora rose considered so bad? I know they are said to be invasive but I see several different species use them for cover and there isn't much that compares for providing thick cover. I see birds/rabbits/deer using it frequently for security cover. Is it just the fact it is supposed to be invasive?

I found some old NWTF literature telling people to plant Russian olive for turkeys years ago. =)

MFR are extremely invasive and they go every not wanted these were where I had been seeing the Quail and were dead (by me) Go to Clifty Falls and Try to Hunt you will see real quick why MFR and Autumn Olive are not a good thing If you have either so will your neighbors for miles around LOL

We have several of both and they are right in the middle of where we kill our biggest deer every year. I've seen deer crawl to bed under them and all animals use them. I guess if I was looking to be a farmer they'd be bad but I'm not. We've had property 10 years and there is no place they have taken over where we can't hunt. And they won't grow at all in our hardwoods. Just seems odd to me they were once prescribed to be planted and now everyone preaches how invasive and detrimental they are.

Cody:

Alot changes in what people think is good for wildlife and land management. Probably the biggest blunder ever was recomending Fescue grass. I don't know near as much as Throbak but I can tell you that there is a delicate balance of when you don't think you have a problem with MFR and Russian olive and when you know you have a problem.

I have both, the MFR has a fungus that is killing it. I'm not chemically treating it. The Russian Olive, I'm FIVE years trying to kill one area and it keeps coming back! All the while we are treating new areas. I'm finding new shoots each year in a woods that has total canopy coverage it does and will grow in a woods.

One day I hope to have my property look like Throbak's!

30 years ago the DNR recommended planting Kentucky fescue and autumn olive for wildlife.

Best way Ive found to get rid of autumn olive is to cut it in the fall when the saps going down and use Tordon on the stump. Bad thing about autumn is wildlife love the red berries and replant the bushes each time they defecate with the undigested seeds. Ive used Crossbow with some success but it doesn't seem to affect the mature bushes.

Salamonie wildlife biologist told me they bushhog the bushes off and immediately follow behind spraying the stumps with 50% mix of Round Up. h.h.

Asian Bush Honeysuckle is my nemesis. It eats multiflora rose for breakfast !

Me too!!!! MF rose is easy compared to that stuff! I have found that the bush honeysuckle is really shallow rooted, and a skid steer and tooth bucket will pull all but the biggest plants up by the roots easily. The bigger stuff needs cut with Tordon on it. Be careful with the Tordon. If you have desirable trees and plants really close, it will transfer through the roots, and get the stuff you want to keep…..like a 1/2 dozen 6" walnut trees……. :rolleyes:

I have all 3 of them and its been a S.O.B. of a time to get rid of the honeysuckle. They are in places that I cant get equipment into and the wildlife keep spreading the seeds. h.h.

The Asian Bush Honeysuckle is one of the worst invasive plants ever touted by various local, state, and federal wildlife and natural resource agencies (and conservation organizations). In my opinion, everyone who owns rural property (or who hunts or leases rural property) should learn what that "evil" plant looks like and do what you can to educate others to keep it out of your property of interest. If it is already there, please do what you can to get rid of it.

There are opportunities here to meet and work with your neighbors. You may get lucky and have a county Field Demonstration Project Day. However, some Indiana counties are so infested with Asian Bush Honeysuckle that I think the local government agencies have given up hopes of ever eradicating the bush from their county. And, I think that may have led some to not even put the effort into a Field Day, even though that would benefit some landowners who have not yet gotten the “plague.”.

But, do not give up. You (and hopefully your next door neighbors) can at least keep it under control. You do not want your young woods, cut areas, and wooded edges to become a jungle (no exaggeration) of Asian Bush Honeysuckle 10 to 15 feet tall. The plant can essentially crowd out a great number of beneficial native plants and young tree seedlings. In a Bush Honeysuckle Jungle they don’t have much of a chance of ever growing up to maturity. And, who wants to wait decades before existing trees can finally develop a canopy to at least stunt the Bush Honeysuckle, which will always try to keep a foothold on wooded edges and spread from there?

good informative link here for any one interested.

http://www.in.gov/dnr/files/Bush_Honeysuckle.pdf

76chevy, thanks for posting the link that very concisely describes the problem with the Asian Bush Honeysuckle varieties. As you can tell I have deep concerns regarding this extremely invasive plant.

My apologies to the OP for getting off subject.

Have any of you guys tried to tackle "itch" weed? this stuff has taken over parts of my hunting area. Will bushhogging and spraying roundup eliminate this nasty stuff?

Glyphosate will kill nettle and burns will help eliminate it or knock it back ....dont buy "Roundup", it is super expensive ...go to a feed store or Co-op and get a 2 gallon container of 42% "gly" or you can go to Keystonepestsolutions.com and purchase it....same for broadleaf killer and grass killers(Slay and Pursuit)