Free Reign

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ko4nrbs
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Location: Madison, Alabama

Free Reign

Post by ko4nrbs »

I've been given free reign by my buddy to do what ever I deem necessary to improve the deer habitat on his place. The problem is that it is so small at a little over 3 1/2 wooded acres. I already have a small deer feeder back there and a mineral site but don't really know what else I could do.

Any ideas?

Bill
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longbow joe
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Re: Free Reign

Post by longbow joe »

Its kinda small l only have 10 acres at my buddies. Other than feeding them lots of food blocks and a gravity corn dispenser. and maby a small plot .From experience deer in the suburbs will just devour a small plot anyway. I would go heavy on the antler growing stuff . Even in the spring .......because we both know that is what we want lol.
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SALTYDOG
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Re: Free Reign

Post by SALTYDOG »

Put out Rut & Nut’s, a Company in southern Pa. makes this stuff the deer will always come in for it..Kind of expensive though :thumbup:
Xbowkiller
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Re: Free Reign

Post by Xbowkiller »

longbow joe wrote:
Sun Dec 02, 2018 2:43 pm
Its kinda small l only have 10 acres at my buddies. Other than feeding them lots of food blocks and a gravity corn dispenser. and maby a small plot .From experience deer in the suburbs will just devour a small plot anyway. I would go heavy on the antler growing stuff . Even in the spring .......because we both know that is what we want lol.
:lol: :lol:
colouredchameleon
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Re: Free Reign

Post by colouredchameleon »

Another important thing is to look at what surrounds the property.
Farm Fields / Crops / feed / good cover / protected areas from the elements.
Some times incorporating some of those things into your plan can help.
The easy answer is feed ... feed ....feed.
The other is to increase their sense of security / give them a reason to bed down or just make it a perfered travel corridor to other areas to such things a natural feed / water etc areas.
The tendency is to make the area foremost easy for you to get around with open shooting areas. which can not be idea for the deers sense of security.
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robertyb
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Re: Free Reign

Post by robertyb »

I think it would be hard to make a bedding area on 3 1/2 acres if you are going to hunt it at all. I would see if I could put a 1/2 acre or so food plot near the center of the property if it is not surrounded by feeding fields/ agriculture.
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Hester0305
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Re: Free Reign

Post by Hester0305 »

I would make sure and have a couple of mineral sites that you keep freshened up all year long. I use a combination of di-calcium phosphate, mineral salt and white salt and sometimes powdered molasses to get them started on the site. I would also put up PVC type feeders in several different locations to feed the deer if its legal in your state.

Good luck and have fun
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ko4nrbs
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Re: Free Reign

Post by ko4nrbs »

This small wooded area is bordered by a large open field on the E/SE and a large subdivision on the N/NW side. The subdivision has many small wooded areas among the houses and wooded deep ravines. My plan is to create a spot the deer can access salt/minerals and corn. So far the corn feeder is doing a good job getting them to stop and feed for awhile. Luckily for me this spot is on one of the main deer tails they use to navigate around the the houses. The woods keeps them out of site as they move between the subdivision and I44.
Bill
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retrieverman
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Location: Texas

Re: Free Reign

Post by retrieverman »

In my opinion, the only thing you can hope for on 3.5 acres is that the deer will frequent your corn feeder instead of the neighbors. Anything more than that is just for show.

I’ve got 360 acres in NW OK and 200+ acres here in TX, and I plant over 30 acres of food plots on each place as well as feed protein and corn. Deer still only move through my places.
ko4nrbs
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Re: Free Reign

Post by ko4nrbs »

retrieverman wrote:
Tue Dec 04, 2018 3:21 pm
Deer still only move through my places.
That is exactly what they do. It is a corridor and nothing more. I can only hope the minerals, corn, etc. will make them want to visit a little more often.
Bill
Excalibur Exomax Crossbow Twlight DLX scope
Excalibur Firebolt Arrows
NuFletch Ignitor Nocks
Carbon Express Torrid SS 100 gr. Broadheads
Summit Viper SD Climbing Tree Stand with Sherpa Hunting cart kit
U.S. Navy 1969-1973 USS Truxtun DLGN-35
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