Introduction
With small hunting properties, you don't have the luxury of designating large areas for deer sanctuaries or planting massive food plots strategically placed with prime early and late season food sources like you do on large tracts of land.
The reality is, the average hunter who owns hunting property is limited on both time and resources. Getting creative and making the most of what you have by focusing on habitat improvements that fill the void of what surrounding properties lack can be a sure way of attracting more deer.
Let's take a closer look at some of the biggest challenges and best opportunities when crafting a well-rounded management plan for your small property.
Understanding the Challenges of Small Properties
Small hunting properties have unique challenges when it comes to managing deer habitat. Limited acreage means any improvement or human intrusion is magnified, and it's crucial to make the most of it. Here are a few key challenges to consider:
Restricted Space: With a small property, you only have so much land to work with. It is important to recognize you have limited options for implementing habitat improvements.
Prioritize and carefully select the most impactful projects that align with your overall goals for the property and really focus on why you are doing it to ensure high-quality execution. Remember, even a single well-executed improvement can make a significant difference in attracting and keeping deer on your property.
Access & Hunting Pressure: A small hunting property often experiences concentrated hunting pressure and limited hunter access within a confined area.
Given the limited number of options for blind placement or stand location, developing a strategic approach can lead to overall better deer hunting. Limit how often you hunt and only do so with optimal weather conditions. Remember, on a small tract of land, the quality of your hunt trumps the quantity.
How you access a small parcel is equally as important as your hunting locations. Locating the deer deserts, or areas the deer don't have a desire to travel through are often the best place to start when crafting your access.
Surrounding Land: One of the common challenges faced by a small acreage property is overcoming the impact of factors beyond their boundaries.
Frequently, a small property with the intentions of attracting deer is surrounded by a large piece of private land or public land that heavily influence how deer use the landscape. Instead of going against the grain, now is the time to dig a little deeper and find out what you can do with your land to offer something the other side of the property line's lack.
Maybe you find your property located next to an open, primary food source, like large ag fields or a great big white oak ridge. In this case, providing the deer with thick cover designed as a bedding area can be your ticket to success.
Habitat Diversity: Edges are areas where a change in habitat occurs. Think of areas like where a corn field meets the woods, or a section of hardwoods meets a pine thicket. Edges attract deer because they, along with many other species in the whitetail's home range rely on them for travel and direction.
Oftentimes, small properties lack the diversity to create these edges, which can make it harder to funnel deer movement. When planning out your strategy for improvements, ask yourself whether or not your land offers a variety of habitat.
Becoming familiar with these challenges and any others you may face on your land can help you piece together a better plan moving forward. Now let's take a look at some of the most effective habitat improvements for a small property and how you can tie them together.
Best Habitat Improvements for A Small Hunting Property
When it comes time to put your plan into action, certain improvements and how they are implemented go a long way in not only increasing the deer activity on your property, but increase the likelihood that it will hold deer throughout hunting season.
Bedding Areas and Sanctuaries
Designating a portion of your property for bedding areas or sanctuaries provide deer with the security they need in order to spend a considerable amount of time on your property.
When working with small parcels, it's important to identify existing natural bedding cover such as thickets or natural barriers such as fallen trees. Enhancing these areas through techniques like hinge cutting and ensuring the presence of adequate exit routes can significantly increase likelihood of deer shacking up on your property.
Food Plots
A food plot can come in all different shapes and sizes, and can work like a deer magnet when used properly. When planting small acreages, it is important to do so with reason. An effective food plot strategy for small tracts of tillable land is the "trail plot".
The trail plot is a narrow, naturally flowing area filled with luscious browsing material that deer can enjoy on their way to a primary food source. You may even line the edges of these plots with something like a line of apple trees to offer the deer a variety of options.
Mock Scrape and Water Hole
Mock scrapes and water holes are great ways to bring a fluidity to the deer movement throughout your property. Often times these features can be paired with one another and be great locations to catch a big buck cruising.
When creating a mock scrape on small parcels, it is important to note what areas of the woods deer naturally like to make scrapes. Once you determined the proper location, you can start by opening up an area by raking away to some fresh dirt. To make the mock scrape even better, cut a 4-6 foot section of grape vine and tie it overhead of the scrape. This will provide a secure place for deer to share scent and work as a visual aid for them to locate the scrape from a distance.
Water holes are a great add-on to this type of set up. The availability of water is constantly changing. Being able to provide deer with a consistent water source will allow you to keep deer flowing through the area naturally and give them a reason to visit your property during the dry seasons.
Paralleling Habitat Improvements with Stand Location
To bring your property to it's full potential, your habitat improvements should fit into a methodical system of deer movement and be paired with strategic hunting locations.
When you can put all of the pieces together, you can go from harvesting one deer every few years to having the opportunity at harvesting large bucks every single year.
Understanding Deer Movement and Patterns
Having a general understanding of how a deer herd navigates the landscape will be of great value when setting up hunting locations on your property. Topography, wind direction, and thermals are just a few key factors that determine where and when deer are most active.
Utilizing Stand Locations and Hunting Techniques
Once you have a good understanding of deer movement, you can strategically select stand locations that capitalize on their patterns. This is where the bullet proof access routes and paying attention to the finer details of a set up come into play.
Are you hunting the first week of the season on the first cold snap of the fall? Slipping in to the downwind side of your food plot may present the best opportunity at a large buck before dark.
Maybe it's the last week of October and you are starting to notice the activity increase on your mock scrapes. Now could be a great time for your first all-day hunt of the season in that stand overlooking the corridor leading to the scrape from one of the primary bedding areas.
Maximizing Opportunities
Building on the examples covered above, small property deer hunting success is all about maximizing your opportunities. By effectively managing your hunting pressure and timing your hunt, you can craft strategies designed for targeting big bucks.
Managing Hunting Pressure and Timing Hunts
Hunting pressure can have various sources and impacts, from the pressure of neighboring properties to your own. On a small acreage property, it's important to consider and manage these pressures to optimize your deer hunting experience. While you can't control how often your neighbors hunt deer, you can acknowledge it, and use it to your advantage by decreasing the amount of time spent on the interior of your property until it's the perfect time to strike.
Strategies for Targeting Mature Bucks
In the realm of deer hunting, there is a notable difference between pursuing young bucks and targeting a mature buck. The pursuit of a mature buck requires a strategic and calculated approach, as these seasoned creatures possess an unmatched level of wariness and operate on a different level of instinct.
To lay the groundwork for a successful hunt, it is essential to establish a solid foundation for your whitetail property, focusing on habitat improvements that facilitate systematic deer movement. Creating an environment that appeals to mature bucks and entices them to spend their time on your property is a key step in the process.
However, attracting and targeting a specific mature buck goes beyond habitat improvements alone. It takes a dedicated investment of time and energy into understanding the intricate nuances of the buck's behavior and preferences. One effective method is to maintain a detailed log that tracks information gathered through trail cameras, observation sits, and off-season scouting sessions.
By compiling and analyzing this wealth of data, you can gain valuable insights into the targeted buck's routines and tendencies. Armed with this knowledge, you can strategically plan your approach, maximizing your chances of a successful encounter. It's important to remember that opportunities to harvest a mature buck are often scarce, underscoring the importance of meticulous planning and precise execution.
Conclusion: How Do You Get Deer to Stay on A Small Property
Attracting and retaining significant deer numbers on a small property requires careful consideration and strategic planning. While the challenges of limited acreage may seem daunting, there are effective strategies that can enhance the appeal of your land.
Remember, success in attracting deer to a small property is a continuous process that may require ongoing adjustments and improvements. By remaining observant, adaptive, and dedicated, you can unlock the full potential of your small acreage and enjoy the rewards of a thriving deer habitat right on your doorstep.
If you are looking to take your whitetail habitat to the next level, we offer a wealth of additional resources to guide you on your journey. Our extensive library includes a wide range of articles, videos, and podcasts, packed with valuable information and insights. Explore these resources to gain a deeper understanding of habitat improvements and effective deer management techniques.
For personalized assistance and expert advice tailored to your specific property, consider reaching out to one of our dedicated regional specialists. These experienced professionals can visit your land, assess its unique characteristics, and provide hands-on guidance to enhance your habitat and maximize its potential aligned with your goals.
Whether you choose to dive into our comprehensive collection of resources or seek direct support from our team, we are committed to helping you achieve your goals and change your property for good!