refross

I have a 6 acre spot that I can manage (on an almost unemployed budget). It’s 6 acres surrounded by farm land, mostly corn fields with patches of woods between fields. The property use to have dog at one end. They have been gone for a year and a half now, and the deer are using the property as a wintering area. I had about 20 beds melted into the snow.

The property has an over grown pasture with a small pond in the middle, 2 apple orchards (12 trees total), 2 Chestnut trees that are highly productive, a patch of heavy pines (about 40-50 trees 10-25 years old). I also have a couple of Oaks that have just started to produce acorns, but not in abundance. The property is also boarded by very heavy tree/brush mix creating a great covered run for deer as they pass through. Plus; Maples, autumn olive, poplar, walnut, pear (poor producer), and a few I don’t know the name of.

I want to make sure they deer are still using the property when October comes around. Any thoughts on what I should do to increase the property’s holding ability?

I think maybe I’ll try to upload a sketch of the property so it’s easier to understand the setup.

wi_buckstomper

ya a sketch would help. But id try to make a small food plot that is different from what the surrounding area offers. Also maybe try making a path with a skid loader and a bush hog.

Angus74

Id try to make the property thicker if possible, maybe cut a few trees here and there to make them fall over and leave them, a food plot in the middle of something totally new to them would be great too. Id also do all I could do to make the fruit trees as productive as possible, they will hit the apples when they drop, fertilize the trees, make a couple paths and brush it up in most area,, but most of all, stay out as much as possible, keeping your scent out of the area is your best bet for the deer being there, if they feel safe, have food and water and places to hide and move without being out in the open much, they will be there. Good luck.

octafoil

Refross...Sounds like you got yourself a dandy little set-up there my friend. I don't see any reason "why" they "wouldn't" be there in the Fall. Problem might be, that they use it as a bed year round, making it a little tough to hunt, but can be done. Sketch with some prevailing winds and the like. Can you plow at all??? They have some pretty decent no-plow out also.

salukipv1

If there is ample food already on the property I might put in some winter greens/feed for when everywhere has nothing, your spot they'll be drawn too, and hopefully stick around the rest of the year as well. Draw more in in the winter, and have more lingering around the rest of the year too!

refross

More to follow.. I hope

retrieverman

With only 6 acres, prayer would be your best bet.

refross

Isn’t prayer a part of every hunters preparation?

The fact is I can manage the 6 acres, but I can hunt about 350 surrounding acres. My 6 is where I prefer to hunt because I can build permanent blinds and alter thing to my liking without asking permission, or hauling supplies across corn fields.

waiting_for_a_gift

I would prune, fertilize and otherwise baby those fruit and mast trees. Remove any boxelder, elm, juniperor other undesirables. The evergreens will become less desirable as they get big, and you'll have to figure out a plan for them. Fix up one or two really good permanent stands, but don't build a house like they do in texas and WI. Then do like buckstomper says, make a trail that goes right by your stands. When you get ready to hunt, bush hog or disk that trail, then hunt the stand immediately. Deer tend to investigate the disturbance, and should offer you slam dunk shot on your mowed / disked trail. By mowing or disking once a year, desirable young vegetation will grow on your trail also. Don't worry about food plot. With all that agriculture around, they've got all the food they need. Too much work, and too many variables with food plot. If you can avoid it, don't camp or party or bring your dogout there. Try to minimize your presence as much as possible.

virginiashadow

6 acres is plenty to harvest deer....that funnel on the right moving north to south looks dynamite! Looks like it has a little pond stuck in it as well....best of luck refross. I would love to have 6 acres to hunt on by myself. If you hunt that 6 acres, have a bunch of trees you hunt from, and don't overhunt any one spot. And overall, don't hunt it that much(once-twice week max--maybe not at all until the pre-rut). If it were me, I would make the property as thick as possible due to your description of the surrounding food supply. They will want to bed in there, which would make it a fantastic pre-rut/rut spot based on the bucks pushing the does back in there to breed. Create some paths to get in and out quietly based on the wind direction...good luck

shadow