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Property management - general questions

BigZ

Junior Member
So I'm the most active hunter on our property and I'm thinking about adding feeders and moving stands around since some areas are getting really thick, we have approx 28 stands on our property. Id like to thin the area out but not sure how. Any general suggestions on where and when I should start. We use corn during the season in gravity feeders. Is there something we can do in the spring to help get bigger deer? Keep in mine we have 1 tractor with a bush hog and tiller and a walk behind bush hog. Thats it. We've had the soil tested since our food plots have not done well in the past. Something about low nitrogen? Just looking on general suggestions.

Thanks
 

Gordo

Senior Member
5,515
121
Athens County
That is a crap ton of stands.

Not sure what kind of land it is in terms of open woods/thickets/fields or what the bordering properties look like. That being said: cover is key in my opinion to holding deer and allowing them to mature.

You can never have too much of it. I'm talking the thick/nasty shit that we can barely walk through.


 

BigZ

Junior Member
Ok a little back story, they have owned this property for 30 years. Most of the stands are permanent platform stands, some that are old and unusable. So maybe stating 25 stands was wrong.

We have tons of this briar patches and somegood thick cover. We do have open fields air rounded by wooded areas. It's a good mix IMO. We see and kill deer every year but I think we can do better. So iguess cutting back some of that thick stuff isn't a good idea!!
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
DO NOT...I REPEAT... DO NOT thin out your property. Additionally, 5 guys on 100 acres even if you only have 10 stands is overload for a property. Stay realistic. You are not going to turn 130" deer in to 150" deer. Age, genetics and nutrition (in that order) are what impact the size of a buck's antlers, and generally speaking, the overall size/health of a deer period. I manage 80 acres with an additional 50 acre and 320 acre property in what's become a de-facto deer management co-op. We've seen the biggest impact by not shooting does and letting all the thick areas get thicker, and letting other areas grow up. We are getting more older age class deer total and therefore, more and bigger bucks. In 10 years of managing the local deer herd, nothing has helped more than adding bedding areas, creating sanctuaries and learning to lay off the does. We've never harvested small bucks and in the 10 years, I can't say that we've definitively added X-number of inches to our bucks. We have more mature deer overall, which has created better hunting opportunities for trophy class animals. I suggest some well placed, small, food plots to hunt over. Additionally, start a mineral site. View this thread for more details on mineral sites: http://www.theohiooutdoors.com/showthread.php?8273-Mineral-Article-DIY-Style

My honest opinion is that you need less stands, better access and a clearly defined set of management principles before you get too deep in to it. Nothing is more frustrating than putting time, money, energy in to a property and someone comes along and backtracks your progress.
 

BigZ

Junior Member
DO NOT...I REPEAT... DO NOT thin out your property. Additionally, 5 guys on 100 acres even if you only have 10 stands is overload for a property. Stay realistic. You are not going to turn 130" deer in to 150" deer. Age, genetics and nutrition (in that order) are what impact the size of a buck's antlers, and generally speaking, the overall size/health of a deer period. I manage 80 acres with an additional 50 acre and 320 acre property in what's become a de-facto deer management co-op. We've seen the biggest impact by not shooting does and letting all the thick areas get thicker, and letting other areas grow up. We are getting more older age class deer total and therefore, more and bigger bucks. In 10 years of managing the local deer herd, nothing has helped more than adding bedding areas, creating sanctuaries and learning to lay off the does. We've never harvested small bucks and in the 10 years, I can't say that we've definitively added X-number of inches to our bucks. We have more mature deer overall, which has created better hunting opportunities for trophy class animals. I suggest some well placed, small, food plots to hunt over. Additionally, start a mineral site. View this thread for more details on mineral sites: http://www.theohiooutdoors.com/showthread.php?8273-Mineral-Article-DIY-Style

My honest opinion is that you need less stands, better access and a clearly defined set of management principles before you get too deep in to it. Nothing is more frustrating than putting time, money, energy in to a property and someone comes along and backtracks your progress.

The most we've had in the woods at a time has been 3 all season. I realize that we are not going to have a miracle over night in regards to adding inches. I'm talking long term improvements but starting them asap.

We do have standards on shooting small/young bucks. We do not have the mindset "if it's brown, it's down." We've had some nice bucks in the past, nice ones this year I just want to keep them on our property as well as deer that may come off neighboring propertis want to stay.

I have young kids, I want them to see the deer grow from year to year and teach them about conservation, but I can't do that without a grasp on ot myself, that's why I turned to here!!!
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Managing for good hunts for your kids and managing for big bucks are different, but have similar paths. That's what I spend most of my time doing now as I enjoy it far more than the hunting. My daughter will be 4 shortly. I killed a doe with my bow last year when she was with me at the ripe old age of 2.5. She does well in the blind and I've taken to creating spots just for us that are easy to get to, but also provide good chances to see deer. There's nothing better than seeing their face light up when they see a deer!
 

BigZ

Junior Member
Managing for good hunts for your kids and managing for big bucks are different, but have similar paths. That's what I spend most of my time doing now as I enjoy it far more than the hunting. My daughter will be 4 shortly. I killed a doe with my bow last year when she was with me at the ripe old age of 2.5. She does well in the blind and I've taken to creating spots just for us that are easy to get to, but also provide good chances to see deer. There's nothing better than seeing their face light up when they see a deer!

I'll check out that link. I am just trying to learn a differnt side of hunting. I get I'm not turning this place into a tv show ready property but we have deer, I see deer every hunt but I want more and bigger ones.
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
Another thing you need to look at to get more and bigger deer using your property is pressure. Three guys on 100 acres at once is too many IMO. How often are you guys hunting it, what's your stand access like? IMO you need to cut the number of stands by at least 50%. Place stands in areas that will produce, and only hunt them during perfect conditions.
 

BigZ

Junior Member
Another thing you need to look at to get more and bigger deer using your property is pressure. Three guys on 100 acres at once is too many IMO. How often are you guys hunting it, what's your stand access like? IMO you need to cut the number of stands by at least 50%. Place stands in areas that will produce, and only hunt them during perfect conditions.

That's what I'm trying to do. As stated in my first post. I want to move stands or remove them, whatever the case may be. I just want tonfeed the deer, watch them grow to be bigger deer and have fun in the woods.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I'm well mentored by both very knowledgeable land managers and a host of mistakes. I'll be doing some significant improvements to the farm this spring, so there will be some content generated and shared here to detail that process.

When I have a little more time this weekend, I'll give you some back ground that I think you'll find very relevant to your situation and hopefully, will cut your learning curve.
 

BigZ

Junior Member
I'm well mentored by both very knowledgeable land managers and a host of mistakes. I'll be doing some significant improvements to the farm this spring, so there will be some content generated and shared here to detail that process.

When I have a little more time this weekend, I'll give you some back ground that I think you'll find very relevant to your situation and hopefully, will cut your learning curve.

Thank you!!!!