Small Property Deer Management Strategy

[Juan Almonte]

Thanks all for your input. It sounds like making habitat improvements will make a more significant difference in seeing more mature bucks on the property than any sort of specific sex/age structure management (which would likely not succeed without a larger acreage). Good luck to all this season!

[rali]

I have a similar situation with the 100 acres I hunt. A few years ago we had nothing but small bucks. Pass on the smaller bucks and encourage them to live on your property by having good habitat and reliable food sources. Don't overpressure the area during the year.

In a couple years you'll have some big monsters rolling around, like the 13 pointer in my avatar pic. Also discuss your goals with the neighbours and try to get everyone to let the little bucks grow into bigger bucks next year. By doing this, we've essentially created a 500+ acre hunting area where the neighbours are passing on small bucks, and some don't hunt at all.

[diverduck]

Look up whitetail habitat solutions on YouTube. He has a ton of good info. I wouldn’t bother going all in unless you own the place though!

[Found]

Where I hunt is crown land and I try and keep the does around knowing they will bring the bucks in. Very rarely do we have a buck on the camera all summer and see him in the fall. It seems summer bucks take off in the fall and new bigger bucks come in. Salt licks work the best to bring them in, I am not going to make a food plot on crown land.