First off, thank you to Terry and all of the TradGang for their time, donations and bids for the St. Jude Auction. The good Lord blessed me with two beautiful, healthy daughters and I couldn't even begin to imagine what the St. Jude families have to go through. But I try to keep that in perspective every day and not take my blessings for granted. Me and my family are humbled and honored to be a part of this auction every year and we hope the sharing of our blessings brings some comfort to some hurting families.

Congratulations to habujohn and his brother Dan on winning the hunt. Just from a few e-mails and photos I have exchanged with John, I can tell he is a passionate bowhunter and all around good guy, like most of the TradGang I have met over the years.

We're going to update this thread throughout the summer with food plot growth, trail cam pics of growing bucks and just about everything else leading up to and through the hunt itself. I'm looking forward to sharing another chapter with you all. So stayed tuned, take care & God bless.

 

Way to go Brian! Glad to see you share this generous offer again this year and I am looking forward to watching the thread  

This is a great idea!  I'll be following this thread too.  Sounds like it's going to be a good hunt and thanks for donating it to the auction.  I bid on it early but it quickly got out of my reach (financially).  Keep the pics coming    

   

This should be a great thread! Eastern Ohio produces some monster bucks and there's some superior bowhunters headed that way .  

I am humble to have been the high bidder on this hunt and so happy that we are helping the kids of St Jude's.  My brothers and I have carried a stick bow in the woods since the 60's and Dan and myself are so looking forward to this hunt with Brian.  We hope to represent Tradgang with honor and friendship.  Thank you Brian for your donation to the kids.

I was at the farm to get some mowing and planting done. Here's a few pics.

 

 

 

Clover plot leading into the new orchard then into a food plot. There's goldenrod where I did not mow so that will be a 6 foot screen between all the plots by the end of summer. This a secluded field in the back of my property with very little disturbance.

 

 

My daughters wanted to start growing their own Christmas trees this year. Pretty impressive growth, they did a good job planting them.

 

   

 

 

 

Two weeks ago, I made a day trip to the farm to get the beans in before family vacation. The weather fought me again but I did the best I could to get the beans in on wet ground.

Basically it was too wet to get my tractor and tiller in for 2 weeks. With the window closing on getting beans in, I got creative & scratched up the ground with a drag/spike harrow, broadcasted the soybeans and dragged to cover them.

 

     

   


 

I'm headed to the farm tomorrow, hoping all the rain has helped the soybeans more than it hurt.

The rain has been tough this year for sure. I hope those beans take good for you. I am enjoying this thread.    

Thanks Muzzy. After stressing about all the rain and my unorthodox planting method, I was happy to see the Real World soybeans up and doing good.

 

   

 

Good Deal!      What type did you plant?

 

Glad they germinated for you Brian. I am loving this thread.

Muzz we tried Real World Soybeans this year. Very impressed so far.

Here's an update of what's going on at the Double A.

Getting the fall brassica and grain plots mowed and ready to till:
 


     

Been struggling with my dirt driveway in the spring after snow melt and rain so I got it all graded and prepped for stone delivery later this week:

   

 

The deer herd is in pretty good shape this year, all the rain in June and early July has provided a ton of natural browse for them.

   

They are loving the tall clover.  

   

I think John and his brother may find something they want to shoot at.

   

Wide bases and a big belly...healthy, mature deer.
 

We still have another month plus of antler growing so it will be fun to see what these guys end up with.

 

 

 

   

   

It's been a beautiful couple of weeks worth of nice weather. Here's my buddy Roger and my pup Cody enjoying a fire and beautiful NE Ohio sunset.

 

I traded for some tin for the barn overhangs and got a metal shed in the deal. We got that put up and got some gravel inside and out. We spread the rest in front of the barn and shed for a dry, mud free area around the buildings.