bigwhitetailbuck

I am going up to my 70 acre property in NY with my grandpa Tuesday.....I plan on building a tower blind and doing some weed wacking in areas. What else should I do beside just plain old scouting to prepare for hunting season? Help would be apreciated.

gmil6184

where in NY is the property? Whenever I'm scouting I'm always on the lookout for sign and possible stand locations. You might also want to look for areas where you could plant a fall food plot, or search for ways to improve natural browse. Maybe if there are some apple trees you could prune them and give them a shot of fertilizer so they produce plenty of apples...always a whitetail favorite. If you have some stand sites picked out you might want to think about clearing a trail to help you approach them quieter.

GFY_Camp

Set-up a trailcam?
Shine for deer at night in nearby fields?

SWThomas

Plant a food plot, put in a feeder, set-up a couple ground blinds...

bigwhitetailbuck

Some very good ideads there guys. Thanks! For pruning apple trees... You meen trim them up and take off dead branchs etc. right? I have plenty of very old apple trees on the property, some of them produce some apples and other produce none to very few. Unfortuneatly I do not have the money, equipment or time to plant a food plot [:@].What do you meen by improve natural browse? I already have to trail cams set up as well.

Redclub

If legal put out a couple salt/mineral blocks only cost about $6 apiece at a farm store,again if legal.
Redclub

Centaur 1

I saw Larry Weishuhn at a show one time and he was saying the same thing about fertilizing the natural food trees. Keep the oaks and apples healthy, they're already there and the deer know it. Planting a food plot is good if it's done right and the weather cooperates, and feeders take constant filling, but those trees are already established and they'll be there year after year. Just get the cheapest 10-10-10 fertilizer, it's cheaper than buying bags of corn for a feeder and just think how many more acorns the white and red oaks will produce.

SteveBNy

Feeders and minerals are illegal in NY.

bigwhitetailbuck

Even outside of season they are? Darn

crokit

Feeders and minerals are illegal in NY.
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Even outside of season they are? Darn
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Reason being, I believe BWB, because once season starts and blocks/feeders are removed, the deer are continually drawn to the spot for residuals. Besides, up where your at in Herkimer, you can do well without them.

This is what I would do if I were you. Find the thickest, knarley, but more importantly, most inaccessible place there is on your property, keeping in mind it may not BE the thickest or knarlyest.
In that area,[ foothills of the 'dacks } even tho the prevailing wind tends to come out of NW, I would concentrate on the area downwind of an East-northeast wind, that offers a fair amount of field of view for eyes that would be maybe 3ft off the ground. Reason I say this is that is the wind that predicates much of the nasty weather up there-nor'easters and the like-and big buck,mature buck will move out ahead on this wind for shelter. This area should be your go to spot when storms are coming. This is the spot I would look to put up something permanent, built for comfort, 'cuz you'll need it up there come bad weather.

Personally, I wouldn't be in too big of a hurry for the big permanent box stand. YET. Doesn't sound like you've quite got it down pat as far as deer movement and tendencies on that property. I know you said you guys just bought that property not to long ago, so ask around and try to find how much pressure around the property exists. Find the trails,rubs-particularly generational rubs[ year after year, same clump of trees or, for that matter, same tree.] Even look for last years scrapes, yes, you can find them now despite their age. Until I found trails,rubs,scrapes,chit,tracks,etc., basically, ample good sign, I personally would hesitate to PLACE a permanent stand.

I'll pm you with a couple of additional thoughts I just had.