I own 80 acres that I've tried to develope into great deer habitat. I have native grass,some hardwoods & cedars, a nice pond, crp, wheat , clover as such, & this year we left 15 acres of standing corn. I must add there is a county road on two sides of this farm. Not many deer live on it but they pass thru often. Every year we see a big buck on it before season. As season comes around we never see him again, just lots of does & small bucks. What are your thoughts ??

The bigger the buck, the smarter the buck. You should still be finding his prints after his night feedings. It sounds like you've got a good set up, but is there a sanctuary where the deer aren't bothered during the day.

Dan O.

Sounds like a pretty good set-up. 80 acres of good habitat should support 7-8 deer, though do not be suprised if its a bit more. That number equates to just over 40 deer per square mile. You can be sure that at least one mature buck will be dominate in your area, but will cover about 1000 acres, meaning he's only on your land part time. Hunting pressure, does, and cover will dictate how often.

Young bucks, disperse mostly in the fall, so you probably see 1-1/2 yr olds passing through, often - giving the impression that all you have are young bucks. For attracting older bucks during the hunting season, cover is the KEY. Your standing corn is an excellent step in the right direction.

I'm not sure where you are, but often, early season bowhunting, is the best chance you'll have at a big buck. When one is harvested, another will quickly take its place - in the pecking order.