My deer hunting partner and I have always dreamed of owning and managing our own slice of whitetail dirt. Well, that dream has finally come full circle. Recently, while searching for a home to purchase, my buddy stumbled onto 40 acres of prime Colorado river bottom habitat. Though it was a bit pricy, he took the plunge and made the purchase. I was elated, and have been investing my own funds into helping him attract and hold deer on the property. Working together, we’ve already made some big improvements.

Earlier in the year we took three separate soil samples and sent them off to be tested. Upon getting the results back, I took them to our local Co-Op and discussed them with a soil/farming specialist. He explained we needed to add fertilizer containing nitrogen, zinc, and phosphorous. He also provided tips on what crops to plant and when to plant them.

A short time later I purchased the fertilizer and Jason, my hunting partner, borrowed a disc and worked with another friend of ours to develop an economical pump-system that would effectively spread the liquid fertilizer.

Pulling the disc with a four-wheeler and a truck, we ripped up three plots and used a generator, garden hose, and a heavy-duty sprinkler to spread the fertilizer. A little creative thinking goes a long way, and we were able to prepare three small plots for planting in a single day. Now we just need to give the fertilizer time to amend the soil and pray for rain.

Follow our journey as we plant and manage these plots, and hopefully, harvest a big buck or two when season arrives.

<