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Post by parkerbow on Dec 27, 2021 17:24:37 GMT -5
I have a viable question. I love spending time on my land and I have recently acquired sole permission to have access on 51 acres (Which I am so blessed to have). Two older ladies let me hunt and do what I want to on the land for overseeing it since they live in the Northern part of the state and their land is in the Southern part where I live. I have have spent many hours on enhancements on my land such as, Timber harvest, hinge cutting, food plots, a pond, deer trails and some small water holes. Sometimes I think the more enhancements I make the worse the hunting is and less deer I see. Don Higgins says he does not do any of that stuff and he just stays out of his land until it is the right time to hunt and normally shoots the biggest deer around. So my question is, do you think making all these "Improvements" actually hurts more than it helps due to the increased activity on the land? I am wanting to plant a couple small food plots, put in a water hole or two and hinge cut a couple small bedding areas on the acquired 51 acres. I already made some travel corridors for deer by cutting some trails. But, I sometimes think I am doing more harm than good. Thoughts.
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Post by greghopper on Dec 27, 2021 17:35:13 GMT -5
First thing I do is NEVER tell anyone the agreement you have with current land owners…. Loose lips sink ships!
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Post by MuzzleLoader on Dec 27, 2021 18:27:58 GMT -5
I let it go. Corn or soybeans in the fields. May get some money trees out this year.
I quit with food plots, cameras and other things. Got several deer this year without corn or soybeans in field. Farmer neglected to plant. Now a massive overgrown bedding area. Places for deer to hide and bed are top priorities.
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Post by esshup on Dec 28, 2021 0:52:05 GMT -5
Without planting the food plots I wouldn't see that many deer. Once the mast is eaten, they are just moving thru the property and that is 80 acres. They DO come to the ponds, there are trails going down the banks to the water, but most of the activity there is at night.
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Post by featherduster on Dec 28, 2021 14:38:19 GMT -5
I let it go. Corn or soybeans in the fields. May get some money trees out this year. I quit with food plots, cameras and other things. Got several deer this year without corn or soybeans in field. Farmer neglected to plant. Now a massive overgrown bedding area. Places for deer to hide and bed are top priorities. This is the best advise you can ever get. When I bought my place I started clearing the woods to make my homestead more eye appealing, as I did this we began to notice a lack of game sightings so I stopped, it is in the untouched area that the game animals most frequent. I don't plant food plots because all four of my surrounding neighbors plant either corn or soy beans. I know when bucks are around because they rub my trees so I don't need a camera. Spend your money on a comfortable shoot house so you can enjoy your hunting no matter the weather. |
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Post by esshup on Dec 28, 2021 15:00:46 GMT -5
I let it go. Corn or soybeans in the fields. May get some money trees out this year. I quit with food plots, cameras and other things. Got several deer this year without corn or soybeans in field. Farmer neglected to plant. Now a massive overgrown bedding area. Places for deer to hide and bed are top priorities. This is the best advise you can ever get. When I bought my place I started clearing the woods to make my homestead more eye appealing, as I did this we began to notice a lack of game sightings so I stopped, it is in the untouched area that the game animals most frequent. I don't plant food plots because all four of my surrounding neighbors plant either corn or soy beans. I know when bucks are around because they rub my trees so I don't need a camera. Spend your money on a comfortable shoot house so you can enjoy your hunting no matter the weather. But once the fields are picked, what food do the deer eat? I've found that by planting food plots that the deer can utilize when the weather gets cold (like now) that there are more deer on the property - at least during hunting season. Or do you get whatever deer you need whacked before the crops are harvested, or within a week post harvest? |
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Post by greghopper on Dec 28, 2021 15:46:49 GMT -5
This is the best advise you can ever get. When I bought my place I started clearing the woods to make my homestead more eye appealing, as I did this we began to notice a lack of game sightings so I stopped, it is in the untouched area that the game animals most frequent. I don't plant food plots because all four of my surrounding neighbors plant either corn or soy beans. I know when bucks are around because they rub my trees so I don't need a camera. Spend your money on a comfortable shoot house so you can enjoy your hunting no matter the weather. But once the fields are picked, what food do the deer eat? I've found that by planting food plots that the deer can utilize when the weather gets cold (like now) that there are more deer on the property - at least during hunting season. Or do you get whatever deer you need whacked before the crops are harvested, or within a week post harvest? Deer will eat what was missed went crops were picked….If someone could get farmer to leave some unpicked alone edges it would help also. |
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Post by parkerbow on Dec 28, 2021 16:17:23 GMT -5
Thanks for the replies. I know it is a fine line on too much intrusion, but I like the to enjoy the land other then hunting and spend time on my land and the acquired land. I try and do most of my work during the off season like now up until March. I will probably plant a food plot or two this fall in late august and then stay the heck out.
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Post by parrothead on Dec 28, 2021 16:50:20 GMT -5
With the farmer thAt cash rents mine. I have him leave some crops standing and i take some off cash rent
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Post by Mack Apiary Bees on Dec 28, 2021 19:35:56 GMT -5
Don Higgins planted tons of mask producing trees for deer and cut down the deer worthless trees. Then he created big fields of switchgrass fields for bedding. No hinge cutting. He will do food plots if needed and plant both spring and fall in the spring. He will not go back to plant on the fall. In February he will make changes to move deer closer to his stand. All Don's stands are inside edge field of the woods. He never puts stand in the woods.
In 2012 my brother had his farm timber and 70% to 85% masked trees where gone. I would say about that many deer left the next couple years.
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