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    Wyoming management

    We do the irrigating a some wildlife management for a rancher up here.
    Just starting to get ready for spring.
    I drag the meadows, mostly smooth brome and some timothy, to scatter the cow poop. I use a harrow drag behind the side by side.
    Spouse decided to frost seed some red clover this year so we made a special trip up and got the areas dragged that were getting seeded before our big snow storm. Perfect timing on that, snow hit it the next day.

    We manage the take on mule deer, except for the landowners family and that is max 2 bucks. Been good at managing take on only mature bucks and doing some cull buck hunting. We manage for 4x4s and take 3 pt and 2 pts as culls.

    We have a few mineral licks established for nutrition. We keep them active until cattle hit the pastures and then again over winter after cattle leave the ranch. We've had great use on trace mineral blocks and Whitetail Inst. 30-06.

    I'll post some trail cam pics and other pics as we get into spring and summer.
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    #2
    What part of Wyoming is this in?

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      #3
      When I used to buy some Whitetail Institute products I received several small sample bags of the 30-06 mineral. Deer (and hogs) loved it ! In fact some licks were used two years after I stopped putting the mineral out.

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        #4
        SE Wyoming, in Sybille Canyon area along Highway 34.

        We'll be finishing the meadows and burning out the ditches after the snow melts.
        Ranch has 1880's water rights but the water outlook was pretty bleak until this storm popped up. We flood irrigate.

        We also plan to plant some PowerPlant along the ditches in May or June when soil temps stabilize.

        Elk really utilize the 30-06. Horses like it too when they get put in meadows after hay baling.
        Trail cam will go up in meadows when we can get back in, we'll be chaining up all 4s to get in next weekend I believe. Snow really drifts up there.

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          #5
          Looking forward to seeing this thread updated into the spring. If I don’t draw MT this year I’ll be applying for MD on a second choice in WY. Trying to build points but don’t want to set out a year from MD hunting.

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            #6
            The Region the ranch is in had 67% draw odds with 0 PP last year but no 2nd choice tags available.
            Hope you draw your 2nd choice.

            I should have put out he trail cam on Tuesday , elk showed up in the meadows in March last year.

            We do believe a mt lion has set up territory around the meadows, spouse found 2 deer carcasses and no deer hanging out right now. We'll, have to check the quota and maybe get a tag. We would just call and track in snow. Missed a chance 2 weeks ago, no tag in pocket. We crossed these very fresh tracks going out of the meadows and up into the hills.
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              #7
              man that would make a great change of scenery when i retire.

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                #8
                Well here's our view from the front door this morning. A solid 12-14 inches of wet snow.
                I bet the ranch has feet of snow and drifts.
                Attached Files

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                  #9
                  Well tried to get into the ranch yesterday, way too much snow still. We'll get in chained up this week.
                  WYDOT plowed in the access road at the highway but plowed it out later after an email.
                  Drifts are several feet tall in spots along the highway and folks are still digging out up that way.
                  Saw one dead calf that didn't make it through the blizzard, I'm betting there are bunches more lying dead on the plains. Ranchers were right in middle of calving when the blizzard hit.

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                    #10
                    Well, we're on hold till the snow melts.
                    Walked in to the ranch yesterday, mile and a half through about 10+ inches of snow.
                    Big drifts blocking access and plenty of snow blanketing the meadows.
                    Lots of tracks around where herds were looking for food or shelter.
                    Maybe we will fond some elk antlers up on the wind blown flats this year.

                    Should be able to get back to work up there next weekend.

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                      #11
                      Tried to get in again last weekend and no go but snow has melted finally and we get to go up and finish the meadows this weekend.
                      Hoping to get ditches burned out also and maybe water flowing.
                      Red clover should start germinating when soil temps get above 45 I believe, next couple of weeks.
                      Later in May or June we 're going to try some seed blends for wildlife right along the irrigation ditches, areas that don't get hayed. Looking at Power Plant I think from WTI.

                      Should get some pics this weekend.

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                        #12
                        Very cool stuff and scenery!

                        How much of an elk herd do you have on your place? Are they resident elk or migrators?

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                          #13
                          We just work for the rancher and manage his wildlife.
                          The elk come and go. Over winter they tend to go to a ranch to the south, by the hundreds and maybe thousands. Spring they filter back in and use the meadows a bit early on. By summer they are up on the higher ground of the ranch.
                          I'll get a trail cam up in one of the meadows soon.
                          We had elk, whitetails and then late in fall a black bear on cam in the meadows. Mule deer are always around, except when the mt lions show up.

                          The elk in my avatar came from the west pasture on the ranch.

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                            #14
                            Cool thread Wytex I miss Wyoming.

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                              #15
                              Finally got the meadows ready for irrigation. Hope to open head gates next weekend.
                              I got the remaining meadows dragged and the spouse did the burning out.
                              Had an old willow that was robbing the ditch of water for years, well no more. It was mostly rotten at the base so the spouse lit it off and we'll drag all the branches an trunk to the trash pile next weekend.

                              Lots of mule deer around so I put up a couple of trail cams, one in a meadow and the other in the yard of the ranch house. We should have elk back in the meadows soon grazing.

                              The pics show the south facing ridges are pretty clear of snow but the north facing ones still have some good drifts. Might be a week or so til we can get up to the higher ground to look for sheds.
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