5 Pines Farm Whitetails 2014

[Keith Langford]

can you adopt me. lol, I just dont see how it could get any better than what you have it, great looking terain, incredible job of managing it and I dont know what a yack is, but I like it.

[skychief]

One of the nicest areas of this great nation.  Thanks for sharing it with us all!!!

[kennym]

Good luck Jim!

[kadbow]

Don't know how I missed the previous seasons but am looking forward to this year.  Great looking place.

[Greg Szalewski]

Glad to see this tread again Jim. Good luck.

[JJB]

Your farm looks great again, good luck!
-Jay

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

Well I wasn't going to post anything until hunting season got under way , but then again I thought you might like to see this weeks project.

One of my concerns is where do the deer have to go to get to water. While I have a couple of lovely springs on the farm, there is no water up top.

There is an old retention pond that no longer holds water. So we moved some earth today

 

after scraping the thin top soil, we filled the breach in the damns wall

 

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

Then we lowered the spill way so the pond will never be deeper than 4 feet.
 

We go it it all packed and ready for the liner just before it started to rain. I got about 3000 square feet of vinyl bill board advertisements for 50 bucks and we will lay down 2 layers and then cover with more dirt. I'll post more pictures of that hopefully by weeks end.

During the lunch hour while the pond maker was moving earth, I did one last buckthorn spraying session near the Andy Ivy stand. I almost stepped on this little guy.
 

  A very young Eastern Timber Rattler
 

Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement. It sure makes blogging fun

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Jim, what kind of snake is that? almost looks like small rattle starting.

Water can be very critical. Good Idea with the billboard Vinyl.

[Sam McMichael]

I certainly see why you like that property so much. It is beautiful, and obviously you have a lot of big deer. The yurt is a fantastic camp. I am totally envious of your food plots. I'm just getting started on food plots, so mine are small, rough, and downright crude. Yours give me an idea of how to do good ones. I look forward to tales of great hunting feats.

[Jack Denbow]

That snake is a timber rattler aka canebrake rattler.
Jack

[Keefer]

Jim,
  If memory serves me correctly didn't you have a stand location last year or the year before where you ran into a Rattle snake?
This wouldn't by chance be in that same location would it    
 Either way I'm glad you take your camera along with you even doing the prep work on the pond cause this is part of the story of what happens on 5 Pines as your new season unfolds..Thanks for the daily pics Jim...

[Nook]

Enjoy the thread every year.  I think a lot of us live vicarious through your hunting adventures.  I know it's one of the first threads I look for daily.  Look out for Mr. No Shoulders.  He doesn't play nice.  Thanks  Jeff  

[Chuck Janssen]

Looks like a lot of work Jim on the rebuild of the pond. Wish you luck with it. Hope the rains do not hold you back. Our pond does not hold water. maybe due to the caves below it?

[BenM]

Really enjoy your thread every year Jim.  Really gets me excited for the upcoming season.   Good luck this year

[Yellow Dog]

Jim, looking forward to spending time in the rugged hills of south east Minnesota again this year through your detailed online journal. Thanks for taking the time to take us along with you.

           

[maineac]

Looking forward to the diary. I appreciate the effort you put into working the land to bring out its potential.

[CoachBGriff]

Jim,

I discovered this gem last year, and I loved checking in daily!

Like Cyclic-Rivers said, take your time killing your #1 buck this year   :D  !  I like the suspense!

[Wannabe1]

Be sure to post up some pics of the pond after it has some water.  

[LITTLEBIGMAN]

we got 1.5 inches of rain over night and the pond is all ready holding water. Just the layer of clay we put down with the packing is holding it nicely. We will still put the liner down as it will help hold the water on the sides of the pond and allow for a deeper pool. Once everything is down and we seed the area it's going to be exactly what I had hoped for.