Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Help me bring 'em in

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #16
    Originally posted by drogers6771 View Post
    OK so here's the deal. We've got the 55 acres that we live on. My property is about 50 acres of thicket and hardwood bottom with a 3 acre clearing where our house is and a 2 acre clearing which I hunt that is about 250 yards from the house separated by heavy woods. We have good density in our area and the ranches around us cultivate cotton, soy beans, corn and numerous other crops. My problem is this - a family member that has 60 acres that borders ours consistently has more mature bucks on camera. His property is basically 100% thicket with his plot in the center. I know the deer are entering his property from mine, mostly through a hardwood bottom that runs the length of my property. My hunting area backs up to this bottom, but the only time I see good bucks is before season and during heavy rut when they come looking for the does in my oat patch. I'll put up a pic of our property so you can see what I'm saying. Basically I'm in need of suggestions as to what approach I should take in order to make the deer more comfortable or to make my area more attractive. Food plots, stand location etc. I currently only plant in the fall.




    I think you answered your own question. You need to plant a spring plot, some sort of soybeans or cowpeas. I would suggest making your plot bigger if possible or make another deeper in your property, so you would have two plots. After you plant your spring plot stay away from the area and let the deer find the plot. They will develop trails in and out of the plot or plots, then you can put your stand in between the two plots. Maybe add a feeder between the two plots for extra candy.

    Do you have a water source near your plots?

    Comment


      #17
      I think you answered your own question. You need to plant a spring plot, some sort of soybeans or cowpeas. I would suggest making your plot bigger if possible or make another deeper in your property, so you would have two plots. After you plant your spring plot stay away from the area and let the deer find the plot. They will develop trails in and out of the plot or plots, then you can put your stand in between the two plots. Maybe add a feeder between the two plots for extra candy.

      Do you have a water source near your plots?
      Yeah I believe this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to try to make the main plot a full 2 acres and plant soybeans and cowpeas in the spring and maybe some chicory. I'm going to put in a smaller, more remote plot in the northeast corner. There is another creek that intersects the larger just to the east of my horseshoe shaped pond (yes there is a water source). I'm thinking of putting it between the two creeks and just leaving at alone all year. Will a 1/2 acre plot survive as long as there are multiple food sources in the area? Should I maybe add a protein feeder to that location? Will that help prevent them from over-browsing it?

      I'm also going to move my feeder location to a road that will then be directly between the two plots
      Last edited by drogers6771; 01-18-2019, 07:00 AM.

      Comment


        #18
        Originally posted by drogers6771 View Post
        Yeah I believe this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to try to make the main plot a full 2 acres and plant soybeans and cowpeas in the spring and maybe some chicory. I'm going to put in a smaller, more remote plot in the northeast corner. There is another creek that intersects the larger just to the east of my horseshoe shaped pond (yes there is a water source). I'm thinking of putting it between the two creeks and just leaving at alone all year. Will a 1/2 acre plot survive as long as there are multiple food sources in the area? Should I maybe add a protein feeder to that location? Will that help prevent them from over-browsing it?

        I'm also going to move my feeder location to a road that will then be directly between the two plots
        1/2 acre wont last long when it gets hot and dry, deer will mow it down and it wont come back. I would still plant the 1/2 acre and make it the sanctuary plot(no hunt over it), instead of chickory in that small plot I would plant 35 pounds of cowpeas and 8 pounds Sunn Hemp. I planted Sunn Hemp last year and the deer love it, plus the peas will vine on it, which makes real thick vegetation.

        I dont know if you got hogs, but be careful with feeders. I believe I might wait on a feeder till midsummer when your plots are drying up. Create a pen for the feeder to keep hogs out.

        I hate hogs, they are hard on everything, plots, water source, feeders and other animals.

        Comment


          #19
          Should I fence off the sanctuary plot until it has considerable growth or just plant fertilize and let it alone? Yes we definitely have a ton of hogs and I will be building a feeder pen this year

          Comment


            #20
            Originally posted by drogers6771 View Post
            Should I fence off the sanctuary plot until it has considerable growth or just plant fertilize and let it alone? Yes we definitely have a ton of hogs and I will be building a feeder pen this year
            I would just plant it and see. The hogs will root up your plots, so you will need to do as much hog control as possible

            Comment


              #21
              Originally posted by drogers6771 View Post
              the deer are entering his property from mine, mostly through a hardwood bottom that runs the length of my property. My hunting area backs up to this bottom, but the only time I see good bucks is before season and during heavy rut when they come looking for the does in my oat patch.
              With plenty of heavy browse like you have, mature bucks don't care about your food plots. Hang a stand in the hardwood bottom. Only clear enough for 2-3 narrow 30-40 yard shooting lanes. 95% of deer hunters (especially in Texas) are guilty of hunting the nice pretty open spot where they can see. Then they wonder why all they see are does and young bucks. When it comes to mature bucks, go to them.
              Last edited by toledo; 01-19-2019, 04:35 PM.

              Comment


                #22
                Originally posted by drogers6771 View Post
                Bow stands in the bottoms are great for me, but I'm more interested in being able to put my kids on good deer, so I need to get them out into my clearing.
                Sorry, I hadn't read this. Something like a krivoman on a pedestal and brushed.

                If you insist on hunting the food plot, try leaving strips of brush/tall weeds in it to break up the open space and help them to feel more secure. Outside of the rut, open space is the enemy of mature bucks.

                Comment


                  #23
                  We have a similar situation to yours. I think we are also going the route of plenty of food for the does

                  Comment


                    #24
                    You live on your property, you need to feed them corn everyday. I drive around every evening I'm home spreading corn on the roads and food plots. I dump out at least 20lbs of corn each evening. Its nothing for me to have 30 plus does standing in the roads eating corn. I do still run feeders. You feed corn everyday and your deer will get used to you being there. My deer wont even run away when I drive by them in the Mule or Tractors. Your does will start hanging around, the bucks will be there also. I had a buck back during the rut hanging out with a tame deer we call Oreo, he is a 140 class 10 point buck and he would not leave Oreo while she was eating corn out of my hand, he was wary but he was not leaving his girl. Home place deer are stupid and free loaders, don't avoid going in the woods, walk the heck out of the woods. Get them used to your activities and they wont pay you any attention. Keep your does hanging around and all the bucks in the area will be coming in for a visit.

                    Comment


                      #25
                      feed more than your neighbor!! my lease mates called me crazy when I told them I was feeding 12 seconds 2 times a day.... guess who had a zoo in the feed pin when I went and sat in the stand?.... Use game cameras as a roving tool. move them every week or so, just because. After a rain, go walk around and find fresh trails. Those pesky deer could literally be walking right behind you and you would never know it... good luck!!

                      Comment


                        #26
                        Originally posted by gonehuntin View Post
                        You live on your property, you need to feed them corn everyday. I drive around every evening I'm home spreading corn on the roads and food plots. I dump out at least 20lbs of corn each evening. Its nothing for me to have 30 plus does standing in the roads eating corn. I do still run feeders. You feed corn everyday and your deer will get used to you being there. My deer wont even run away when I drive by them in the Mule or Tractors. Your does will start hanging around, the bucks will be there also. I had a buck back during the rut hanging out with a tame deer we call Oreo, he is a 140 class 10 point buck and he would not leave Oreo while she was eating corn out of my hand, he was wary but he was not leaving his girl. Home place deer are stupid and free loaders, don't avoid going in the woods, walk the heck out of the woods. Get them used to your activities and they wont pay you any attention. Keep your does hanging around and all the bucks in the area will be coming in for a visit.
                        ^^ this ^^

                        Comment

                        Working...
                        X