frustrating but not bad
 

My dad's, my grandparents', and my farms are all next to each other and we finally got some trail cams up to see what kind of deer we have running around. It has surprized me how many bucks we have, but we only have pictures of one 3.5 year old buck and the rest are 1.5-2.5 year olds. The guy who lives one farm over, about a mile away, has a trail cam up and has pictures of 4 or 5 huge and I mean HUGE (150-170 class typical)4.5-5.5 year old bucks just from the last month. I really didn't think that there was 1 buck of that caliber still around, let alone multiple ones. It is great that there are so many mature bucks around, but I can't figure out why they aren't on our land ever. My dad hunted over 75 times this year and only saw one mature buck (that was in October) and I only saw one mature buck but was lucky enough to get a shot and take him.The guy who owns the land is super nice and he is a good hunter so I have no problem with him having or even getting those deer, but I must admit that I am a little jealous and want a piece of the pie. Any suggestions or ideas how to draw them over?

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

I'm still really new at the scouting thing.....but I can't help but be excited about the deer I saw last year.....being a year older, this Fall. I know there's some 3.5's (they will be)....at least 1 4.5 (will be).....and a BUNCH of really nice 2.5's......if they don't leave the area. Heck I'm doing everything I can to keep them close.

I have no way to really draw them in......other than the food plot I'll be planting. It's a crap shoot.....because I MAY end up drawing the deer I'm already hunting through a different route to get to the food plot. If I do.....they'll come through land I don't have access to hunt.

Are they over at the other farm because they're pressured, more, on yours??? Just a thought????

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

that could be a problem depending on how big the land is.



If you have enough land, try putting out some food plots, and getting a feeder and supplemental feeding would be a good idea. It would definately help the bucks that are already on your land. See that 3.5 will be mature this year and the 2.5 will be good ones in years to come. I would defianetly supplemental feed them

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

I don't think it is hunting pressure because our neighbor gets to hunt more than we do because of his job. You did make me think that maybe he does a better job getting to and out of his stands though. I guess that is possible. No one is hunting now though so I wouldn't think that would impact them.

We do have a couple of food plots, 8 acres in alfalfaand supplemental feed. I should have mentioned that.

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

Plant for thicker (much thicker) bedding areas, and plant for a preferred food source. Something like a standing soybean field an acre or more in size.

Then.. don't hunt your farm til late in October following a good front. Keep your hunting to a lower profile and hope the other guy over pressures his deer out!

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

What would you suggest planting for bedding areas?

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

When I helped my friends at their lease.......WeCUT for bedding areas.We cut probably 30-40 trees in a wooded area.....about 4-5' up and left them attached to the "stump".

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

I just finished a couple of books on the subject. One of the books reccomended taking a chainsaw and cutting the trees 2/3 the way through. Make the cut some 3-4 feet above the ground and let the tree fall over. The remaining trunk will continue to grow. Your actually supposed to do this until you have destroyed the area you are looking at... then continue it for another hour (says the author).

You can also plant raspberry bushes too. (from another book)

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

I would have never thought about cutting trees higher up and leaving them attached. That's interesting.

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

I agree with Duke's first post. If those mature bucks are only a mile away they should be chasing/trailing does onto your property sometime during pre-rut and rut. I know for a fact that some of the best bucks I have seen over the years did not actually call the property I hunt their "home", but they traveled through or stayed for a time when the rut was nearing or in.

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

We have the same situation on our property in Northern Kentucky where I live. In the summer there is a group of 6 bucks that is always together and they go anywhere from 140-170". But come the season you may only see one or two of them, and getting a shot is lucky. So this year we used one of our cedar thickets and did what duke and GMMAT suggested and cut prolly half of those down and let them lay. Then cut half of the rest remaining half way down (so there still living, I believe its called "hinge cutting"). and just after one season we began to see these bigger and more mature deer more frequently.

But come the rifle season its like the big boys found an underground hiding spot due to all the neighboring preasure, but they are still here and they are back in their bachelor group for the winter and are slowly becoming more visible........

I would suggest to atleast try what we have said. To me it just gives them a sense of security in these areas. Good luck (sorry for being so long)

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

Might I add my dad took his biggest buck ever out of this area that we created. 167"
And I missed a huge 10 on Oct. 23rd.

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

I will definitely try it. I know it will take a couple years to develop those bedding areas, but it gives me something to do and look forward to. Like I said before I never would have though about "hinge cutting" the trees. Neat idea.

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

While reading Don Higgens' book "Hunting Whitetails in the Real World" a statement I truly believe that he made is that "A Mature Whitetail Buck needs a sanctuary" This is some awesome advise IMO. He says to set an area aside(the thickest place on your property) and no matter what, stay out of it. Give the deer a place where no human bothers YEAR ROUND. Big bucks will use this and you just hunt the edges around it. I highly recommend his book. I was highly impressed with it.

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

Buy his land.:D

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

Hardcore, that is good advice. We have about 15 acres set aside as a sanctuary just as you mentioned. It is a really thick with pine trees, cedar trees, stickers,etc. Well actually it is 2 areas, one is about 5 and the other 10. I shot my buck this year on the north edge of the 10 acre area and last year on the south edge.

nodog, I would also like to buy the land to the north since I am dreaming :D

I really like the ideas of adding more, thicker bedding areas and more sanctuary areas. The problem I run into though is I still need the crop fields for income. Otherwise I would take those over and convert the whole place to ideal deer habitat.

RE: frustrating but not bad
 

Huntingson, Hardcorehunter made a very very good point, stay clear of the area, only hunt the edges and when you do make sure its the right wind for it. Once again though these area's have been proven to be very effective.
On a side note, the whole process of making this bedding/sanctuary area was fun to do. During the process you could literally picture a deer just wanting to put up a mailbox in this place and call it home.My dad's big boy was killed on the edge right at his "welcome mat" (scrape)for the does. Good luck