How can we encourage deer to spend more time on our 300 acres in Arkansas?
Filed under: Hunting Tactics
Prayers for your Dad.
I am a landowner in Arkansas and lease land that joins me. 2 hunting buddies and me have around 300 acres and we don’t shoot doe. The area I’m in allows 6 doe to be taken. We go all season long and may see 10 to 15 doe all year long. Our neighbors shoot anything that steps out. Our kids have completely lost interest in hunting because they rarely see anything. I struggle to understand the intentions of the state of Arkansas to allow such a liberal limit.
Anyway, I would like to know your thoughts of what I can do as a landowner that would keep the deer on our place. The land consist of around 200 acres of thick cutover and 100 acres of plantation pine. The creeks have very nice whiteoak trees that produce and good water sources.The neighboring land is plantation pine and oak creeks. We put out lots of corn and I plan to have about 20 acres in food plot.
Thanks.
Todd,
I sincerely appreciate your prayers for my father. We leave tomorrow for his fifth chemo infusion.
Deer seek quality food, cover, and water daily. If there are no food plots on the neighboring properties then you may be able to attract deer by providing quality browse. Remember that deer seek quality forage that they don’t associate with danger. Hence, try to hunt near the plots in a such a way that you don’t alert deer.
Much research has shown that deer tend to associate bait (corn) with danger and primarily use it at night. I suspect this is true in your area if both you and the neighbors hunt near feeders. I recommend you place a feeder near the center of your property and never hunt within 100 yards of that location. Make that area a sanctuary and allow deer to feed without ever associating it with danger. This is a great technique to encourage deer to use your property. They will continue to use this feeding location even if they are alerted while approaching or leaving the sanctuary.
When acorns are present, it’s difficult to pattern deer or encourage them to use a relatively small portion of their range. Once again, one of the best tools you can use is to make a portion of your property a sanctuary.
Enjoy creation,
grant
January 10, 2016
