Am I wasting my time?
I hunt a friend's farm that consists of 220 acres. 70% is unused pastures 30% hardwoods with a creek going through the middle and 3/4 acre pond . Because of trespassing and vandalizing I have posted the property. I also limit the numbers of hunters on the propoerty at one time. Opening day has the biggest crowd with maybe 12 hunters.
I have been reading a lot about deer management and have started to implement some improvements. Salt blocks in the spring/ summer. Rejuvenating some old apple trees on the property.
Here is the problem. Three sides of the property are surrounded by PA State Game Lands. (hence the trespassing and vandalism). The fourth side is another private property.
I know that I can't provide proper deer management because of the property size but I was hoping that I could make the property a "core" site for deer to come in and out of. With the tremendous pressure the deer get from the PA Game lands and the lower pressure on the farm I am hoping to make the hunting better.
I have been thinking of planting 4 - 1 acre food plots in the spring and fall. Increasing the cover by downing scrubs trees, fertilizing the crab apple trees, fertilizing the white oak trees and contining with the salt blocks and the rejuvenating of the apple tress.
The question is ... A I wasting my time and money because of the PA State Game Lands situation??