i own about a 100 acres and i'm gonna biuld a house on it and i was wondering if it will hurt my deer herd like maybe run them off or will they just get used to the new house and adapt to it what do you guys think all replys are very much appreciated thanks.

I think it really depends on other factors to keep them around. Any crops? How much of the hundred acres the house will take up? How much activity there will be around the house? Are there any exsisting farm land close by that the deer will move too?

I recently built a cabin on less than thirty acres that I own. It did not bother the deer at all. I actually had two bucks bedding close to the cabin when I went out there last week.

I would just recommend to not destorb them to much. There are also other deer managment techiniques to get them to stay around such as food plots.

No way, you have plenty of room.

well i plan on building on the front of the property and there will be some woods about 100 yards behind the house and there is nothing but farmland around the place with a big creek running through the woods and there is some crops on the farm behind my place about 200 acres and theres some crops on the other side to but i will build on the front of the property but the deer usually cross where the house the will be i'm sorry if i'm aggravating you guys but i don't want to mess up my hunting thanks alot.

[Deleted by Admins]

Once the deer become accustomed to the new addition to the environment, I don't think you will notice any change in the deer activity. Over the summer, the owner of the farm that we lease began building a new home on a knoll over looking the alfalfa field we had been videoing. Well, the deer must have determined that there was no real danger associated with the activity up around the house because we nearly always would see 25+ deer in the field, even when they were hammering away on the house. I almost envy the owner. When they complete the house, he will be able to sit on the upstairs balcony and see the entire alfalfa field, the pastures on either side of it and the woods that slope down to the creek. That will be some great scenery!

I'll respond with an experience of mine. A couple with whom our children have grown up with theirs bought some 17-18 acres of wooded lot from a farmer just north of Albion, Indiana. In 1992 they moved into their new home.

I had been bowhunting the property and in 1994, I was fortunate to take a buck I had seen at least once the prior two seasons. During the rut, there was a tree of some 7-8" diameter that gets a lot of rubbing damage. As soon as I noticed the tree being "hit", I moved a stand to the south side of the trail some 11-12 yards away. This is to date the heaviest white-tail I have had the honor to harvest by bow; with a field-dressed weight of 265 pounds, his neck measured 28" and has eleven points w/ forked G1's on both sides. I could hear the owners dogs barking while I grunted him in.

If you have 100 acres, the initial construction may make the wildlife a bit curious. I noted deer tracks around the above site in the midst of construction. They will adjust to their environment.



GForce

Shoot often - Hunt always

If the deer now routinely run on your building location, you can do one of two things...

1) Don't build
2) Don't worry about it.

Sorry, just had to say it. With the surrounding environment and microhabitats you listed, I personally wouldn't worry.

If you have the $$ or the machinery, I'd suggest clearing some trails on your 100 acres. Either tractor-sized paths or merely walking paths about 3ft wide. The deer will use these (or a select few, wouldn't that be nice) and become accustomed to the new house within a few months.

S&R

It sounds like you have a good site. Might want to also get permission to hunt the areas surrounding your new house. Deer stay in the area they are born, won't go to far unless forced to. I think many poeple on this forunm would love to build a house in the woods.

Consider putting in food plots. What a way to help maintain your deer population.

Good luck

Dont worry about it my brotherinlaw is building a house and when he stops to take a break he watches the deer watching him. They have even bedded down within 40yds while all the hammering was going on.

Edited by - royak on 10/23/2002 12:00:04