Pro-Line

I own a 450+ acre farm in WV. Our land butts up to 200 acres that hardly anybody hunts. There is another adjoining 120 acres that relatives own. That's approx. 800 acres. We have been letting everything small walk for about 5 years now. (Enough for the deer to have fully matured)

How long until we should be seeing some real results? We have been killing slightly better deer, but not much. Before, we would kill a fre 8-9 points that were 16" inside. Now it's about the same, with slightly more big buck sightings.

Just wondering if anybody else has tried this and failed or has any suggestions.

Striper Phil

Sounds like poor genetics of lack of proper diet.

BigWay

Sounds like your doing a pretty good job with letting the little ones walk. Just because you aren't seeing them doesn't mean they aren't there. Once a buck gets to 2.5 he becomes a whole lot harder to hunt and even see for that matter. From 3.5 on up they become almost "ghost" like. You'll see the sign, but sightings are rare. I believe alot of hunters underestimate the survival skills of a mature buck. They get pretty darn slick! I believe the bucks that you hoped to see are there, somewhere. Letting little deer walk is always a good thing.

Coastie

Five years is about the point where you should start seeing some progress. QDM, is more than "Letting the little ones walk" though. There are several good books available on the subject as well as a Magazine, The American Whitetail, published by the QDM folks that could be of great help to you. You have to begin somewhere and you have obviously done that but what else have you done? It helps to do as detailed a study of your herd population as is practical and to look at your property with an eye towards the food types available and the type and placement of covers available. What do you plant as supplememtal foods, where and how large are your food plots, what are your long term goals as far as number of bucks harvested and the relative size of them, how many does do you harvest each year and are you doing anything early in the year (February-April) to insure that the Does, especially, are receiving additional mineral supplements at the time they need them the most? There is a forum here that deals exclusively with QDM, have you visited that? There are a lot of talented people on this board that may be able to help in your effort if you visit the correct forum.

Pro-Line

Coastie...I am well-versed in wildlife biology. I took several classes in college on the topic and have read every book available. I have put out food plots on alternating years for the past 7 years...added mineral licks and have planted apple trees as well as fertilizing my oaks.

Problem is that the dang nut crop hasn't hit in 4 years, and the deer that are there are mowing off my food plots. I know I should fence them...but I'm pouring all the extra $$$ I have into them the way it is.

Georgetownboys

Stick with it. . I have been working a very similar size peice of land much the same as you for the past 3 years in Texas hill contry. Progess is slow but it does seem to be working and all of us that hunt this land do well, if we put in the time. I filled my 5 tags this season. No big buck this year but 2 nice ones last year. I had to settle for a spike and a 8 that would never amount to much more. But like the others have stated those bigger bucks are out there they just get smarter. I did see a few real nice bucks this season, just could not make a proper shot and so I had to pass.

burniegoeasily

Stay up late one night, you will see them. On my land, if you stay up on a night with a full moon you will see the big boys. The only problem, they seldom move during the day. I bagged a nice 10 point this year with a 22" spread. If it wasnt for the rut, he would have never moved during the day. Im sure you have the big guys by now.

timbercruiser

Sounds like the bigger bucks are nocturnal. Get a few cameras (as many as you can buy or borrow) and put them out for a couple of weeks. You will probably be surprised at the number of big bucks in the area. We have the same plan and the cameras show they are there.

Coastie

That wasn't apparent from your original post, I have no Biology background but work on a daily basis with some of the finest Wildlife Biologists in the State of Georgia as well as Wildlife Management Area managers that have been using QDM principles for over 12 years.
When you ask an open ended question it would be nice if you gave a little more background than you provided so folks can give a more reasoned response.

Pro-Line

Jeez...lighten up, Coastie. Too much caffiene??? Sorry I didn't give YOU enough info.

All I was looking for was if anybody else was going through the same thing and I was looking for a timeline that they saw some success. Biology with deer isn't an exact science...thus my question.