Sweeten up “Spot X”

The “how can I shoot more deer” thread got me thinking -
If you have a nice spot somewhere and you would like it to produce more deer - invest in some sweet seed
Doesn’t matter if it is private or public land - likely you will be the only one to know where you planted it
I used to hunt up the back of Tokomaru in the 60s and old Henry who lived up there was always happy to tell us boys where he had burnt a slip or clearing and planted some “bush burn” - a poor man’s grass/clover mixture to get land producing after it had been roughly worked over
Those slips and clearings produced deer more consistently than others - deer are suckers for good quality tucker
I have planted rye and clover (red and white) on plenty of slips and clearings in my favourite spots over the years - it works
Good time of the year right now to grow seed - but don’t light fires

I know a top dressing pilot that use to drop the last of his fert on slips that he found productive.

On to it Time out, i like your way of thinking!!!!!!!

That's very clever thinking

Yup I'm up for that, trip to RD1 on the to do list.

Wot about those licks you see around the place I know a few who suspend a few of those in the trees at an appropriate height? Does it work?

Havnt heard of the mineral licks working

Plantain seed works good too, and with clovers and grass has grown some beautiful Sika heads for us

Those licks are fricken heavy!!

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Originally Posted by time out

The “how can I shoot more deer” thread got me thinking -
If you have a nice spot somewhere and you would like it to produce more deer - invest in some sweet seed
Doesn’t matter if it is private or public land - likely you will be the only one to know where you planted it
I used to hunt up the back of Tokomaru in the 60s and old Henry who lived up there was always happy to tell us boys where he had burnt a slip or clearing and planted some “bush burn” - a poor man’s grass/clover mixture to get land producing after it had been roughly worked over
Those slips and clearings produced deer more consistently than others - deer are suckers for good quality tucker
I have planted rye and clover (red and white) on plenty of slips and clearings in my favourite spots over the years - it works
Good time of the year right now to grow seed - but don’t light fires

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Its funny you should say that, because I carted up a bag of Lotus Major and biffed on what was probably one of Henry’s burns right up on the back ridge past the little ponga hut. Never saw any results and it never seemed to make a difference though. Circa 1968.

Should have been OK Tahr - maybe they chewed it out :P

Lotus major (Lotus uliginosus) a perennial legume, grows well in wet, acidic, infertile soils where grazing pressure is light. Lotus has also been widely sown in agroforestry situations (where forestry and agriculture are combined) because it tolerates shade and needle litter better than clovers.

We used to target No1 Creek - my mate got quite a few deer on the first big slip about ten minutes up the creek - Henry planted it with bush burn - I used to race up the creek about an hour to the forks - there was a lovely burn up there about 1km long - first time I went there the ground and logs were still black - Henry told me that he went bush for about a month after that one got away - you can still see it on Google maps - it looks like it is still grass and has never bushed over

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Originally Posted by Gibo

Those licks are fricken heavy!!

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Did you drop one on the top of the Kaimais?
Spook posted a photo of the open tops. Saw one up there a few years ago

Nah but a few up pap hills.

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Originally Posted by time out

Should have been OK Tahr - maybe they chewed it out :P

Lotus major (Lotus uliginosus) a perennial legume, grows well in wet, acidic, infertile soils where grazing pressure is light. Lotus has also been widely sown in agroforestry situations (where forestry and agriculture are combined) because it tolerates shade and needle litter better than clovers.

We used to target No1 Creek - my mate got quite a few deer on the first big slip about ten minutes up the creek - Henry planted it with bush burn - I used to race up the creek about an hour to the forks - there was a lovely burn up there about 1km long - first time I went there the ground and logs were still black - Henry told me that he went bush for about a month after that one got away - you can still see it on Google maps - it looks like it is still grass and has never bushed over

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What was the creek with the hut in the fork? Was that #2 creek? I cant remember.
Yeah, I chose Lotus because it seemed to be in there on some slips and in the creek anyway.

Dave McNuir and I also carted fert and seed into the Mangoira in the Ruahines. I dreamt of great herds of deer...but someone else must have got them, ‘cos I didn't. :D

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Originally Posted by sako75

Did you drop one on the top of the Kaimais?
Spook posted a photo of the open tops. Saw one up there a few years ago

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Me and my uncle put one in a tree in the kaimais 2-3 years ago

I've been giving this a go and am trailing a fertiliser in one area and the use of Lime in another to see if there is any reaction animal wise .Results are pending???.

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Originally Posted by Toby

Me and my uncle put one in a tree in the kaimais 2-3 years ago

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Would have been a good 5 years ago

Turnups I've been told. Although I have also been told its against the law.

I've got a spot with a clover patch that always draws deer out, just got to time it right and be waiting in the right spot, they come galloping out of the bush onto it, they know where it is

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Originally Posted by Sniper

Turnups I've been told. Although I have also been told its against the law.

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Pretty sure doing any of this in a national park is against the law, maybe also in any forest park. This is how Gorse, Broom, Chilean Needle Grass and Box Thorn got to NZ and took over. Someone through it would be a great idea to plant them and a decade or five later, oh shit!

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Originally Posted by Sniper

Turnups I've been told. Although I have also been told its against the law.

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I sowed turnips on a clearing in the kawekas a few years back, they didnt last long enough to get away. As soon as they first grew leaves they got browsed right off.

If I went to the trouble of doing it again id use a grass/clover mix most likely.