How can I attract mature bucks to four acres?

By Grant Woods,

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Question
OK, I have a spot not a very large spot, 4 acre to be exact. This spot is located in what could be my best spot ever. It’s land locked on all sides by a property that cant be hunted ever by anyone, and the property I’m on has had just a little pressure over the last couple years 3 sits total to be exact and prior to that probably hadn’t been touched in 30 years…..it had 4 acre of huntable area the rest is a house. I can’t plant a food plot, the main Forage is brows and acorns, with some crop land a ways away. What can I do to draw deer to this area. The population is fairly high, but I want bucks mature bucks to frequent this area more often they are there and will come through every now and then on cam but don’t stick around like the doe and young bucks do. I can get over a hundred pics a day on 3 shop rapid fire with a 5 min delay of doe, fawns and young bucks but the mature deer seem to just pass through every couple weeks please help 

John,

It sounds like you have a great four acres!  However, even in great habitat four acres will be a very small part of a deer’s home range.  Couple that with wanting to attract deer during legal shooting hours (1/3 + – of the day) and the chances of success are slim.  

Deer require food, cover, and water.  Since you can’t establish a food plot it sounds as if your only option is a feeder.  You can improve the native habitat, but simply don’t control enough acres to meet your objective of attracting mature bucks on a regular basis.  

Given the surrounding land isn’t hunted you won’t be able to have the best cover in the neighborhood that deer don’t associate with danger.  

Unless you are in a desert location, there’s probably plenty of water sources – again in areas that aren’t hunted.  

Bottom line – you need to offer something that the deer want that’s not available elsewhere in their home range.  Unless there are feeders on the neighboring property, that seems like the best option.

Enjoy creation,

grant