I second making your cover as thick as possible along with fertilizing your fruit trees.

If you can hunt the surrounding 350 acres, why are you worried about holding deer on 6 acres?

" My 6 is where I prefer to hunt because I can build permanent blinds and alter thing to my liking without asking permission, or hauling supplies across corn fields."

Plus it is new and exciting to him as well...you sure an upbeat person aren't you retrieverman?

I would consider planting some red cedars, making a thicket for them to bed.Establish a couple of shooting lanes. Stay out of the area except a day or so a week when you are hunting, and don't hunt unless the wind is right for the area you are hunting.

Actually, yes I am, but I am also a realist. I have been trying to "hold" deer on 700 acres for 14 years and have found it to be impossible. Deer roam. That is the nature of the beast. I can't imagine trying to hold them on 6.

I don't expect to have the deer stay on 6 acres. What I want is it to be a key part of their range. I sorry you are having trouble with 700 acres, but I'm blessed with 6 that are heavily used by a large number of deer. The property is currently a key part now (winter) but I want to assure I keep it important to them in the fall.

thats a real neat 6 acres. id maybe get some brush in the middle by the pond, maybe a controlled burning in the middle there

"Thicker is better"- Charles Alsheimer.

As long as deer have food,cover, and water they will feel safe and frequent your area.And by your description it seems as if you have most of that- natural mast may be an issue. A food plot in the center would be a nice idea as someone mentioned. And getting the deer to hit those fruit trees would really help hold them.

Thick! Well you guys have been very helpful. I thought I had a problem because the property is covered with Autumn Olive. I didn’t even consider it an asset, and I occasionally have gone around cutting the patches that seem to be crowding areas of the property. It was a battle that was at a stalemate, as Autumn Olive is a very vigorous plant. I will now stop my war on the Autumn Olive!

Could I use the Olive to create a funnel? Or would the deer avoid a run with thick Olive on both sides?

I’ve also read that you should concentrate on what the surrounding area doesn’t have, and in my case that would be bedding. I think I’ll try to cut spaces under the Olive for Bucks to hide in.

It sounds like in your first post all you need is Carmeled Apples, Cherrys, Carrots, Turnips, Green Beans hanging from Trees and a 8' Electric Pop-Up Fence with a Remote Control Portable Blind and your in business[8D][&:]

Just Kidding!

Really... all you need is, to be able to Cut Bullet Holes @ 100 Yrds FREE Handed or Shoot the Heads off Dove's Flying. Well I guess we all need to be able to do that.

Sounds like a hunters paradice!

TF