deer managment - what do you do?


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Guest MarylandQDMA

I figure we have such a diverse family here that I would get an aray of answers. but maybe I will be suppeised. here we go:

please select one option below and list a short discription of how it is run.

1. I manage my own hunting properity (full qdm)

2. I do some management of my own hunting properity (some qdm i.e. antler restrictions).

3. land owner of properity I hunt manages land (full qdm).

4. land owner only manages some what for the land I hunt (some qdm i.e. antler restrictions).

5. I don't do any qdm (I just hunt it).

6. land owner does nothing (No qdm).

7. Other

thanks all. I will answer my own question for you to see:

2/1. I have had antler restrictions in place now for 5 years. and are now working on year round food plots. I limit the amount of deer taken, and try and keep track of the herd by way of cams. I also try and keep hunting pressure down during the season (limit # of hunters in at a time). wile it is toughf being only on 17 acres it seems to be paying off. allthough I keep fighting the neighboring hunters (trying to convert them to qdm) to help the little bucks grow.

Frank

thanks I look forward to seeing what you all do around the country.

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Re: deer managment - what do you do?

I guess I would fit in with #6 and #7. I hunt my grandfather's land along with two of my uncles and two cousins. Mostly, it's just my grandfather and I, and one of my uncles. They have no restrictions. They hunt for meat and that's it. If it's big enough to eat (not a fawn or yearling), they'll shoot it. They have mistaken button bucks for does, but normally pass on them. I, on the other hand, let younger bucks walk. My efforts are probably all in vain, but at least I try. I let an eight point walk this year and I hope he made it through the season. He was "big enough to eat" according to my grandfather. He was probably 2.5 yrs old - at most. He'll be a nice buck next year and a true trophy if he makes it a couple more. I killed one deer on the property this season and passed on at least three - my grandfather thinks I'm crazy. They hunt for meat and could care less if a buck scores 100" or 300". They would prefer it to be young - less than 3 yrs - so the meat isn't tough. The last decent buck my grandfather killed was a young eight pointer, two years ago. I had to cut the rack off because he was going to leave it. He told the guy at the processor, "I haven't found a good recipe for antlers." He is a true believer in the statement - You can't eat the horns.

I would love to be able to manage the land, but the neighbors are the same way. You cannot convince them to "let 'em go, so he can grow", because they are pure meat hunters.

They do, however, plant food plots.

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Re: deer managment - what do you do?

#2 here. WH have quite a bit of land, but the climate and terrain are not suitable for fod plots. We do try to take enough does to keep balance, and in general do not shoot bucks under 140", and or approx. five years old. In hard winters we do a lot of supplemental feeding because winter kill here can be very severe.

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Re: deer managment - what do you do?

1

Selectively weed out the does during archery season that don't drop fawns.

Take out bucks that are genetically inferior or injured.

Food Plots

20 acre safe haven for the herd in the center of the land.

clearcut old growth and prune appletrees

Predator control

Antler restriction on the genetically superior bucks.

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Re: deer managment - what do you do?

Our club is leased land with 4 different landowners. 3 of the 4 landowners manage timber harvest with the benefits to the wildlife taken into account.

We have 40 food plots spread throughout our 3,000 acre hunting club that vary in size from 1/3 acre to 5 acres.

We have doe havest goals and we make a concerted effort to meet it as early as possible.

We have antler restrictions.

Fortunately we don't have a predator problem to deal with.

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Re: deer managment - what do you do?

[ QUOTE ]

1. I manage my own hunting properity (full qdm)

2. I do some management of my own hunting properity (some qdm i.e. antler restrictions).

[/ QUOTE ]

Both 1 & 2 + I own my own land. I normally plant a few food plots, place mineral salt blocks out each Spring, and encurage the native plants that deer like to eat, like wild honeysuckle, dogwood, ect. I only take bucks that are 8 points or more with a 16" spread. I seldom take Does.

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Re: deer managment - what do you do?

The land owner that allows me to hunt (thanks to my bud ohiobucks) has a simple requirement that seems to work.

Shoot does, period. Shoot any doe you see. Last year this land owner had 60 crop damage tags I think.

As far as bucks--he better be good. A shooter on his property better have at least 8 pts, and better be right at his ears as far as width is concerned.

In the past 2 years hunting on this dream tract of land, I have passed at least 30 to 40 small bucks. This practice seems to be working for increasing big deer. This past year we saw at least 5 or 6 deer that were 140+, and some were in the 150+ range.

Right Tom? wink.gif

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Re: deer managment - what do you do?

#1 here

i am blessed to own my own ground

it is small but i try to make it alittle piece of heaven

i own 5 acres and my neighbor owns 12 acres and my brother owns 8 and neither are serious hunters.

so that leaves me and my hunting buddy

i focus on doe harvest and let young bucks walk

this year it paid off, got to harvest a nice 3.5 year old that i have passed on the last 2 years so that was cool. he scored 130" and is going to look good on the wall

last year started a mineral lick in june, and this year going to plant food plots for year long nutrients.

good tymes

nate

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Re: deer managment - what do you do?

#2 I guess, I am the landowner,we plant and maintain food plots and try to manage the propertyand I place antler restrictions on myself. Unfortunately, I am beginning to think it is all for not, due to people slipping in behind us and a recent excessive amount of "hunters" cramming in on top of us shooting everything that moves.

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Re: deer managment - what do you do?

1-2) My Dad has 80 acres and uncle have 280 acres, then we're adjacent to some timber company land.

We shoot mature does and 8 point or better bucks.

We've fed corn throughout the winter for many years and put out minerals.

This year we're putting in a couple food plots. We have some hay fields that our neighbor takes hay off.

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