Most of what I read on the net has to do with people wanted to enhance their property...and they don't own 5,000 acres. I have a study going for 6 years now on "Small property management for whitetails". I hope to put this into a user guide for landowners...when I find the time to write it.

Year
1 - did not harvest any does or bucks...whated to get the population of does up (I will explain later why) and wanted to increase the age of the bucks on the property.
2 - did not harvest any does or bucks...
3 - did not harvest any does or bucks...
4 - seen four 8 pt. bucks (110 BC range)and harvested one...let 4 walk for next year.
5 - seen one 9 pt (120 BC range), eight 8 pts, one 6 and one fork. I harvested the 9 pt and my cousin took one of the 8s. The 6 went across the road and got taken by the neighbor. Everything else walked.
6 (2005) - seen too many deer to count! I invited several people in to harvest does...after I took a beautiful 12 pt that scored 134 1/8 BC. I also video tapes two monsters that have to be in the 170 to 180 BC range. One got within 100 yds. but my corn plots where in the way for a shot. The other only came within 250 yds...no shot but great vidoe. I hope to see them both next year and I do have my Trail Cams out to maybe get a winter photo. I also will put my deer feeders out later to snag the antlers if I can be so lucky.

This is only on 158 acres.
The property started out with very low "carrying capacity".

My phylosophy...
1. Get your doe pop. up. Reason...with small property management you have to "attract and hold" your bucks to your property so they don't get harvested by the folks next door that shoot everything that walks. This is completely different if you have thousands of acres and it is fenced in.
2. To get the does up, you have to increase your property's carrying capacity. Too many does will destroy your habitat and food...unless you build it to sustain that level of population. I create cover and food sources to sustain 6 to 8 does on every 20 acres if I can...or at least on every 40 acres.

Here is the majic formula...

1 doe group = 1 dominant buck

4 doe groups = 4 dominant bucks...or at least potentially. My property proves that. I have at least 8 or 10 doe groups! and I have ALOT of dominant bucks.

Doe groups also hold your bucks to your "small property". Consider this, if a buck has 4 or 6 or 8 does andanother does runs by...what does he usually do? He ignores her. If he only has 2 or 3 does in his group...what does he do? He chases after her and across the property line...bang! There goes your 3 years of work and letting that little guy walk by to become the big guy. I try to create "ladies night" at the local pub and bar...in comparison to how I manage my does to manage my bucks.

3. FOOD! With this many deer...you better feed them or they will destroy your cover and food. My technique is to have 30% food, plus or minus depending on soils, topography, etc. That is at least 20% more than what you read elsewhere. I have a combination of several food sources in each 20 to 40 acre area for maturity of diverse food sources throughout the year. Also...I don't buy the expensive stuff. I have a farming background as well and I know where to get my stuff.

4. COVER! The cover needs to be designed and installed with "density" in mind. Good Shrub/Conifer plantings protecting food sources with ALOT of good tall thick native grass around it. This is not a easy walk in the park...this is premium deer habitat! Even with 40 acres of solid woods...this can be obtained...just will takea little more work.

5. Programs...who can afford all of this? I have a government background as well and I used to work with alot of the govt. programs. Did you know there are over 350 programs out there for landowners! I usually use about 10 to 15 programs when I am working ona property. Helps the pocket book some and allows engaging in the entire plan. Some programs do change from state to state but for the most part their are many options out there.

Make sense doesn't it? Keep in mind that this is not hypothetical...it was 6 years ago but now the proof is on my wall, on my video and on the Trail Cam. It really works well.

The management phylosophy that I developed I call "Management by Thirds"...meaning 1/3 woody/winter cover, protecting 1/3 diverse food sources and 1/3 nesting/brooding/bedding/loafing cover...you should see what this has done to my pheasant population!!

Start thinking how your land is currently set up and picture more thick cover areas, travel lanes, corridors, more food sources and optimum grass areas. That is a nice picture that you painted and it is ALOT of fun to recreate on!

Land DR