Rwalter63

For me it depends on a number of factors. One factor is the shape of the lot. There are some properties with pretty irregular boundries which could allow you to place more or less stands depending on factors such as roads, houses, buildings, vegatation and terrain. With your description I would think that you could easily support 5-6 hunters with out a problem but it depends on the hunting style that your hunters plan to use also. If you have 6 guys who all want to stalk and still hunt all day long then it might get a little crowded. If you have got six guys who sit in stands all day in my mind you'd be fine. My estimate would be approx. 40-50 acres for each stand hunter and probably 75-100 for each still hunter/stalker. Thats why I think you would be fine with 5-6 guys because most people perfer one technique or the other. I myself perfer to sit in a stand most of the day, unless the conditions are unfavorable to do so. One of my hunting partners won't sit still for more than 2 hours before he is up and walking. So even if I move from one stand to the next twice in a day I might only use 20-30 acres, again depending on terrain and migitating factors. Before I decided I would start by putting up stands in the locations that you want them. Then count the number of stands that you have and determine how many hunters your property can support from that number. Remember don't put count 1 hunter per stand because not all stands are going to be favorable to hunt on all the time based on any given day conditions, time of year and day, wind conditions, and supporting vegation. One stand might support a hunter when the wind is blowing in one direction but not the other, and one stand may be a good stand to sit in during the morning hours but not the evening. I figure at least 3 stands per stand hunter. I'd also figure you'll probably get around 4-5 stands per 50 acre area so that should come out to around 20-25 stands on your property. I'd also reserve a section of your property that has no stands and limit the hunting time in that area to give the deer a sanctuary. One good place for a sancturary is a thick pine grove where the deer can bed down in. Pine groves depending on the pine tree sizes and species are quite often not suited for stands anyways. One last comment 5-6 guys make a nice deer drive on that size property with 4 guys siting in stands covering the exit ways and two guys walking in tandem. I hope my ramblings help.