5 Pines Farm Whitetails 2014

Keith Langford · September 09, 2014, 12:58:00 PM

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 · September 09, 2014, 09:11:00 PM

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

kennym · September 09, 2014, 09:17:00 PM

Good luck Jim!

kadbow · September 09, 2014, 09:24:00 PM

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

Greg Szalewski · September 09, 2014, 09:43:00 PM

Glad to see this tread again Jim. Good luck.

JJB · September 09, 2014, 09:54:00 PM

Your farm looks great again, good luck!
-Jay

LITTLEBIGMAN · September 09, 2014, 10:24:00 PM

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 · September 09, 2014, 10:32:00 PM

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 · September 09, 2014, 10:42:00 PM

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 · September 10, 2014, 09:09:00 AM

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 · September 10, 2014, 12:41:00 PM

That snake is a timber rattler aka canebrake rattler.
Jack

Keefer · September 10, 2014, 02:03:00 PM

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 · September 10, 2014, 02:15:00 PM

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 · September 10, 2014, 06:04:00 PM

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 · September 10, 2014, 06:10:00 PM

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

Yellow Dog · September 10, 2014, 07:00:00 PM

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 · September 10, 2014, 07:38:00 PM

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

CoachBGriff · September 10, 2014, 07:42:00 PM

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 · September 10, 2014, 07:53:00 PM

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

LITTLEBIGMAN · September 10, 2014, 09:19:00 PM

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.