Here is the scenario: Our property is 875 acres, low fenced, and this is our first year in MLD level 3. This will be our 3rd year to have this property. About two-thirds of the property was covered in Cedar when we got it, with some oak stands mixed in. Over the past 3 years, we have cleared over 100 acres of the cedars in mixed clearings of 2-5 acres each. All oaks were left standing. We have planted native wildlife grasses and forbs in the cleared areas, and they are all growing well.
On the property to one side, there is limited hunting. There is some hunting pressure from the other side, but nothing out of reason.
Over the past 3 years, we have only taken 7 deer, trying to allow the population to grow. My theory has been that the thick canopy of cedar made for poor habitat conditions, and that by opening it up we are increasing the amount of deer food. We have also been free choice protein feeding year round. Based on that, I believe the carrying capacity of the land is much greater than it was 3 years ago.
Now, based on camera surveys, we have 40 bucks, 60 does, and 25 fawns (I believe those numbers are pretty accurate, but I think there are more fawns than that). That gives us a density of one adult deer per 8.75 acres. The TPWD biologist has issued us 12 buck tags and 18 doe tags, and they typically target a population density of 1 adult per 10 acres in that area. I believe with the habitat improvement and the protein feeding that we can support a higher population...I figure about 1 adult per 8 acres. My goal is to have as many deer as we can without hurting the habitat, and to focus on only harvesting does and mature bucks.
I don't like the idea of taking bucks that are not mature, but I don't think we can kill 12 mature bucks off of the place.
How would you approach all of this? How many bucks and does would you target?
On the property to one side, there is limited hunting. There is some hunting pressure from the other side, but nothing out of reason.
Over the past 3 years, we have only taken 7 deer, trying to allow the population to grow. My theory has been that the thick canopy of cedar made for poor habitat conditions, and that by opening it up we are increasing the amount of deer food. We have also been free choice protein feeding year round. Based on that, I believe the carrying capacity of the land is much greater than it was 3 years ago.
Now, based on camera surveys, we have 40 bucks, 60 does, and 25 fawns (I believe those numbers are pretty accurate, but I think there are more fawns than that). That gives us a density of one adult deer per 8.75 acres. The TPWD biologist has issued us 12 buck tags and 18 doe tags, and they typically target a population density of 1 adult per 10 acres in that area. I believe with the habitat improvement and the protein feeding that we can support a higher population...I figure about 1 adult per 8 acres. My goal is to have as many deer as we can without hurting the habitat, and to focus on only harvesting does and mature bucks.
I don't like the idea of taking bucks that are not mature, but I don't think we can kill 12 mature bucks off of the place.
How would you approach all of this? How many bucks and does would you target?
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