I'm fairly new to hunting and have a question about QDMA. My neighbor has over 200 acres and is doing QDMA on his property. I have a measly 15 acres and was wondering if it would be a good idea to do QDMA. Does anyone on the forum do QDMA? Is my land too small to do it on? My property consists of thick scrub brush, not many large trees and a couple fields. What exactly would I do on my property to fit the QDMA process? Any help would be appreciated.
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Without getting into the technicalities of QDM, I would say no on the 15 ac. (I even think 200 ac. might be too small). You can certainly practice QDM if you like no matter how big the acreage, but you probably will not see the benefits of that on your piece of ground (unless all of the surrounding landowners do the same). case in point - You let a decent 6 point go; the minute it gets on a neighbors - BANG; it's down and isn't able to get too maturity. This is compounded even more if you are near/bordering State lands.
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I recommend that you not only join forces with your nieghbor who is already doing it, but start speaking to surroundign neighbors also. You may be able to combine forces to create a piece of land large enough to have an impact.
I don't know if I should do it or not. The neighbor has around 265 acres to be more accurate. There is also a spot right next to my 15 acres and my neighbors 265 where a powerline comes into affect. Anyone and their brother can hunt this powerline. I actually heard a couple different shots over in the powerline area yesterday morning.
Trout,
Alotyou can do with QDM - But 1st and Foremost IMO.
Even on your 15 acresQDM can help improve your local deer herd unless your neighbors are total Absolute Slob Hunters.When You walk into those woods you become a game manager.Keeping in mind most guys want Venison in the freezer atseason end.You still gotta use some judgement.
You can and should Lay off the BB's,Spikes,and Bambi's.
Be selectivewith Doe harvest.Your neighbors cannot shoot up everything.
Nobody is that good - all the time!
The mentalityif "I let it walk somebody else will whack it" is simply poor management.An agreement with your neighbors no doubt would make ahuge differance.
Same holds true if your a fisherman.Should you keep/kill every fish you catch cuz if you don't somebody else will - NO.You practice catch and release.
I/we hunt 200 acres adjacent to very large WMA on one side and private property onthree sides.Our neighbor with 600 acres practices QDM.
The rest is marsh,wetlands and some very heavy cover.
We got rid of three guys in last 4 years on our lease.We've had a standing rule in the past 3 years that we willNOT shoot BB's, Spikes or Bambi's.Long story short - Its paid off - Big Time!
1-2 guys can make a huge differance if they have some self control.
Get your Venison but - Don't be a slob - Suck it up and let a few walk - you won't be sorry.
Trout,
Alotyou can do with QDM - But 1st and Foremost IMO.
Even on your 15 acresQDM can help improve your local deer herd unless your neighbors are total Absolute Slob Hunters.When You walk into those woods you become a game manager.Keeping in mind most guys want Venison in the freezer atseason end.You still gotta use some judgement.
You can and should Lay off the BB's,Spikes,and Bambi's.
Be selectivewith Doe harvest.Your neighbors cannot shoot up everything.
Nobody is that good - all the time!
The mentalityif "I let it walk somebody else will whack it" is simply poor management.An agreement with your neighbors no doubt would make ahuge differance.
Same holds true if your a fisherman.Should you keep/kill every fish you catch cuz if you don't somebody else will - NO.You practice catch and release.
I/we hunt 200 acres adjacent to very large WMA on one side and private property onthree sides.Our neighbor with 600 acres practices QDM.
The rest is marsh,wetlands and some very heavy cover.
We got rid of three guys in last 4 years on our lease.We've had a standing rule in the past 3 years that we willNOT shoot BB's, Spikes or Bambi's.Long story short - Its paid off - Big Time!
1-2 guys can make a huge differance if they have some self control.
Get your Venison but - Don't be a slob - Suck it up and let a few walk - you won't be sorry.
Good Luck
AJ - it appears you know QDM well. I would however, not lope "bambi's" into the always "don't shoot" category for QDM. There are instances where shooting a fawn is actually prescribed in QDM. Heck, there are even instances where QDMpractitioners harvest BB's and spikes, although that is extremely rare.
But many in the QDM world will harvest bambi's under their prescribed management plan, when the situations call for it.
I'm fairly new to hunting and have a question about QDMA. My neighbor has over 200 acres and is doing QDMA on his property. I have a measly 15 acres and was wondering if it would be a good idea to do QDMA. Does anyone on the forum do QDMA? Is my land too small to do it on? My property consists of thick scrub brush, not many large trees and a couple fields. What exactly would I do on my property to fit the QDMA process? Any help would be appreciated.
You've got two choices.
One, don't do QDM, and be happy with your success. That is perfectly acceptable, and to be honest, is something I practice on one of my family parcels.
The other, is to talk with the adjacent landowner, and align yourself with him and his 265 acres. It may open the door up to you being able to hunt on 280 acres, as opposed to 15. You'd be surprised what speaking with them can do. In fact, I've met groups that have combined small personal, or family lands (3 acres, 15 acres, 25 acres, 50 acres, and 105 acres) to establish one management plan. Small acreage QDM is possible. But there should be different expectations than a plan that is implemented on 2,000 acres.
Realize that with sub 500-acre QDM areas, you'll lose some bucks to adjacent land hunters. However, you want to make the acreage you have as desirable as possible with land improvements, sanctuaries, and food plots. Trust me when I saw it will draw deer in, especially once pressure starts from hunting season.
Just realize that you will lose deer to other hunters that may be on your land at one point or another (the deer that is). However, the more desirable your land becomes, the more likely it will be for the deer (bucks) to spend increased time on your property, lessening the chances of it being taken by another hunter.
QDMA Question
