spde911

I need some advice. I'm new to hunting and I've struggled to find areas to hunt. This year I got permission to hunt 80 acres that has never been hunted before (at least no ones had permission to hunt before). It has some wooded areas and some fields. There aren't any crops planted nor did I get a chance to plant any food plots. The grass is almost waist high everywhere you go except on the paths that I've driven in my truck. I set up two stands out there, one on the edge of a wood line over looking about a 30 acre field with no much on it except the old road coming into the area. My other stand is in the middle of a wooded area. I have a natural funnel about 50 yards to my northeast and the other edge of the wooded area is about 50 yards to my south. It looks like deer have been coming in through the funnel and heading south out into another open field area. I haven't found many natural food sources except acorns. There are a couple of ponds on the land. I'm pretty sure it's an ideal place for deer. I've seen lots of sign. I found a couple of rubs in the wooded area that I have one of my stands in about 30 or so yards from my stand, but I haven't seen anything fresh. I haven't been able to scout the land out real good yet. Are there any suggestions on what to do to get the area ready for next year? Should I plant some biologic or some other types of food plots? Should I try to have the fields cut and bailed? I'm planning (hoping) to be able to keep using this peice of land and if so, I'd like some ideas on how to get it set up so the deer keep coming in.

Scar955

For me, it's tough to say exactly what will work best for you this year and next without seeing the property.

It sounds like you at least have deer on the property (which is better than a lot of places I've hunted).

I might suggest spending a couple hunts in each stand (depending on the wind), both in the afternoon and morning if possible. Even if you are not within bow range during these hunts, hopefully you can pattern when and where they are moving.

Youhad mentioned there was only acorns for food. I think deer prefer acorns over crops. They usually hit the crop and cut crop fields only after the acorns are gone.

Anyway, good luck and congrats on getting some private land to hunt on!

Grasshopper13

One of the easiest things to do is fertilize some of the natural food available on your property. Try finding a good sized white oak or two and spreading fertilizer around the drip line of it's crown. This will help it produce more acorns each year. In my area, honeysuckle is rather plentiful.In cold weather, especiallywhen there's a lot of ice or snow around, they can't find acorns, or even corn that you may have put out on the ground, so they browse heavily on the honeysuckle.We fertilize patches of honeysuckle in strategic places. Salt/ minerallicks will be used many times throughout the year. They're fairly inexpensive.

Last, I would recommend speaking with your local game department about what planting would work best in your area. In my experience, plants that the deer aren't used to don't work very well for the first few years. We usually plant one plot with medium red clover...pretty much a staple in this area. We plant another plot in some kind of row crop. We alternate between soy beans, milo, and corn. The last plot we usually try something different. The last couple years we've been planting winter peas....they're not really something that's planted much around here. Accordingly, the deer haven't used it much. If we don't get a good amount of use later this year, we're kicking around trying buck forage oats.

Last, I'd recommend taking a look at the edge cover on your property. Letting a strategic fencerow grow up, possibly opening the canopy in a stand of trees near a field, or back in the woods could greatly improve the chance of keeping deer on your property, by providing good travel corridors and bedding areas.


GH

okie_legrant

I have had the same property for three years now and when I first leased it, it had a 15 acre field of wheat on it (160 acres). That yr we had good success and great deer #'s. Last yr my landowner didn't plant any crops and we still managed to harvest deer, but we weren't seeing near as many(6 per outing avg.) This yr we have a great crop and our deer have been all over it. (14 per outing avg.) I think a food plot wouldn't only help w/ keeping deer in the area but would also help bucks w/ rack development.

Talondale

Don't cut the grass! Tall grass gives them a feeling of security. If you're going to do some plots do long narrow strips. Nothing wider than 50 yards. Deer prefer it because they feel more secure. But first I would just hunt the area a little more. You may find it not necessary to do anything.

Jabercrombi

I agree do not cut the grass, but if you do decide to put Biologic in you need to get your soil tested for growth nutrition. This will help the biologic get to it's greatest growth. THIS IS A MOST!!!!!

icedern

I find it always best when thinking about what to do with land, plan for next year.

Since its too late to do anything this year you are essentially planning for 2 years from now. What I would suggest and what I have had success with is planting food plots. Like the others have said, sometimes deer won't hit it the first year you have it out. If you have lots of healthy does in the area, you will have good bucks there.

Im not sure about the way the property is set up, but what I would try to do if I were you would be to set the food plot up where you can be in the woods 50+ yards near that natural funnel you talked about. Reason being, the deer will be naturally funneled to the plot and we all know that big bucks will usually wait till after dark before entering open fields. Setting up inside the timber like that allows you to have a chance at them before shooting time ends.

Definatly do not cut the grass!

So imo, definatly get a good food plot up or 3, set up in the timber where the deer will be funneled by you on the way to the food plot and far enough in where you'll have a chance at the big bucks and don't cut the grass.

spde911

Thanks for all the advice, I'm still new to this, so every thing helps.