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Post by 10point on Jan 26, 2018 14:19:43 GMT -5
A good friend of mine has 40 acres of mostly crop land that also has about 6 acres of grass and small trees. We recently put up a tripod stand in the grass. The property has one nice fence row running the entire length of east side of the property but it buts up to a heavily used train track. The rest of the property is surrounded by a few houses/roads. There is some deer sign and woods close by but I don't think it's holding many deer by any means. He has told me I can do anything I want in that grass area to try to attract deer. I don't have any planting equipment or anything. Any one have a suggestion on what I can do that will not cost a ton of money? Not sure if it's worth much of an investment as I don't think it's ever going to attract that many deer. The nearest water source that I know is a small pond in a horse pasture just outside the property.
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Post by thebellcompany on Jan 26, 2018 14:52:37 GMT -5
Hmm. Small grassy area with small trees. Sounds like a perfect bedding area. I’d consider planting a couple apple trees on the outside edge, then I think make that thing thick and brushy- deer will be drawn to it if it looks good for cover. Maybe drop a mineral block for them to find that will draw some interest. Plant some willows or some screening grasses. Make it thick so you can’t see into it. Once you get it nice and thick try to stay out of it.
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Post by bigjim on Jan 26, 2018 16:57:00 GMT -5
AGree with a above
Id plant some pine cover small plots of white plines like 6 tightly packed in a L shapewith southern exposure. Hinge cut available trees. Plant alot of switch grass. Plant bunches of redosier dogwoods, and other cover n soft mast. N u will be all set
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Post by greghopper on Jan 27, 2018 0:54:25 GMT -5
First thing I do is STOP killing any deer there ..... then move forward with a plan!
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Post by thebellcompany on Jan 27, 2018 5:10:12 GMT -5
First thing I do is STOP killing any deer there ..... then move forward with a plan! Good point. Safe zones draw does! That = more bucks, and bucks + does = more babies which = more deer. |
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Post by steiny on Jan 29, 2018 13:06:23 GMT -5
Probably need to focus on thick bedding cover vs food, some good suggestions above.
Also, keep your hunting to a minimum and only when wind is perfect for an undetected entry and sit.
Easy to wise up the deer on a small property and run them out of there for the season.
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Post by firstwd on Jan 29, 2018 13:35:03 GMT -5
Encourage every kid in the county to go hunt the surrounding properties 2 away from you.
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Post by duff on Jan 30, 2018 8:17:16 GMT -5
I was going to suggest inviting me. I am a deer magnet!
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Post by swilk on Jan 30, 2018 8:34:17 GMT -5
Id move the stand out from the grass area and stay out of it....hinge cut some areas if he will let you. Pick a single stand area outside of the 6 acres and only hunt it when the wind is favorable.
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 30, 2018 9:04:49 GMT -5
So basically for all intensive purposes only 6 acres isn't a deer desert for habitat purposes, with the exception of corn providing cover when that is the crop but only during the time it is standing.
Personally I'd be making that 6 acres as bedding preferred as possible...food plots are the last thing I'd consider installing and I like swilk am NEVER going inside it hunting wise. Edge, edge, edge.
This is the type of spot which can easily over hunted so I'd be leaving this to the side for very limited hunts.
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Post by tynimiller on Jan 30, 2018 9:06:05 GMT -5
Also, keep expectations realistic in nature. Once crops are out there truly is zero there that would support a decent amount of deer in herbacious browse and such. Most likely you'll have some deer in that pocket of cover if thick enough, but you ain't getting tons and tons of deer to live there given the surrounding habitat.
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Post by freedomhunter on Jan 30, 2018 16:35:22 GMT -5
Letting second growth regenerate costs nothing and deer will use that if you don't pressure it. Mow the grass or burn it, also cheap!
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