I will change your name to this as soon as you tell me to do so.
Hey guys
- Thread starter MiddleTNHunter
- Start date
I will change your name to this as soon as you tell me to do so.
Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
I'm excited for you, because managing a deer herd is a lot of fun. After you get started there comes a point where you become aware the you are actually manipulating and determining where the deer bed and eat, and it's somewhat similar to running cattle in a pasture. I have to warn you though, once you pass this point you're beyond the point of no return, it becomes more fun managing your deer herd than hunting them, where you'd rather sit out in late summer and watch the plots with binoculars than shoot them, and you are hooked for life. Oh, and there's no cure for this condition.
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Kurt
Active Member
No cure is right. I've drawn up about 40 plans on my place and then I think of something else, or read something else, or see something on youtube lol. Got some frost seeding to do here shortly and that will start locking things in I think. But before you know it you start looking at 2-4 year time horizons. Its terrible.
MiddleTNHunter
New Member
Thanks, any time you want is fine. Appreciate it
MiddleTNHunter
New Member
Right, I had the same thought. I've always been the type that thought "real" hunting was just going out into the wilderness, not knowing what was out there, and just trying your luck and skills. I don't intend to go overboard with deer management, but just some obvious things I can do, like optimal stand placement, feeding, plots, etc...
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Mennoniteman
Well-Known Member
"I don't intend to go overboard" This sounds so familiar
when I started many years ago, I cleared an acre on a powerline and hand seeded brassica and clover, and figured I'd let it go for several years and see what happens. I didn't intend to go overboard. Now I have a 75 hp tractor with a 10' no-till drill and a 4 row corn planter, I'm doing food plots in 4 different counties, including managing deer for several friends, buying seed by the pallet, clearing several acres a year for other people with a track loader, putting up shooting houses for pay, and people come knocking on my door for advice. I'm so busy that I don't even have much time left for this forum anymore. Did I mention that I wasn't planning to go overboard with managing deer...
Elkaddict
Well-Known Member
Welcome Eli, You’ve already received invaluable advice from some very experienced hands. You are starting an adventure that is as addictive as it is rewarding. My time spent hunting is far more rewarding and educational because of the knowledge gained. One of my biggest surprises was how habit improvements have impacted other species. In addition to this forum and a predecessor which shall remain unnamed, I also benefited significantly from bringing out a habitat consultant for a day. It was money very well spent. Regarding your concerns about impacting hay fields, let me say that if I had to choose between plots and TSI, TSI would be an easy choice. In the end, browse is simply an irreplaceable food source. Thickening up your woods to put lots of browse within reach is far more efficient than supplementing nutrition with food plots. I look forward to hearing about your journey. Get used to taking and sharing photos!
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BoneCrusher20
Active Member
In my opinion most guys starting out on property deciding where to put food plots and then worry about access. I believe in access should be your number one concern and then you strategize where in my access routes are good spots for food plots. Proper access meaning you do not have to go through bedding areas to get to food and getting out not spooking deer off plots. Think of how can I make my property a bed to food property and get in/out with little intrusion.
Always be thinking every improvement you make on a property how does it fit in the natural deer movement. Don't just throw apple tree in open space, because its open space.
Always be thinking every improvement you make on a property how does it fit in the natural deer movement. Don't just throw apple tree in open space, because its open space.
weekender21
Well-Known Member
So true, access is extremely important. You should also define what your objectives are for each improvement. I have more food plots that never get hunted than ones that do. Everything should have a purpose but it doesn’t always need to follow conventional wisdom.
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Drycreek
Well-Known Member
I don’t think this can be over stated, especially if you are clearing timber for plots. They’re easy to knock down, not so easy (or quick) to stand up. I wish someone had pounded that into my head before I layed out some of my plots.
Kurt
Active Member
This was my first fall on my place and I was really surprised that there was not a noticeable prevailing wind. It was just all over the place. So looking at access for various plots, I am considering adding cedar rows as well as switchgrass screenings to be flexible based on wind. That and trying to add more stands for various wind patterns. More like checkers than 3D chess but I'll keep an open mind.
Buckly
Well-Known Member
Changing your access could be the single best thing for improvement on the hunting aspect. On acreage your size I would try and limit access to the property lines or as close as possible. Keeping the whole interior as a nice quite deer only area. You can arrange your food around this access. That should get it done most of the time. With all that said, on a couple hundred acres there are spots that are dynamite on the interior during peak rut. A few stands on these spots in the interior are always a good idea. The trick to those are one and done. Just hunt them once and only at the peak time. Keep the deer relaxed and they hunt much better. Pick the bucks off during the rut through your funnels and plots while they cruise.
Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
When your storage building starts looking like this, you will be well on your way to success:
George
Well-Known Member
When your storage building starts looking like this, you will be well on your way to success:
My habitat storage building doubles as my living quarters and I won't win any awards for neatness either.
G
dogghr
Well-Known Member
When your storage building starts looking like this, you will be well on your way to success:
A real habitat guru would have a 2 man chainsaw!!
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Native Hunter
Well-Known Member
And you know I have one, because I told you about it once - a McCulloch Model 99 . I'm just waiting for you to come over and help me use it. I get the handlebar end and you get the business end....
