We are managing for a balance of goals. This kind of means each will only be achieved to a limited degree. For habitat, we are managing for a balance between timber value and wildlife, primarily deer and turkey but also quail, small game, and non-game species. For deer we are balancing QDM with hunter recruitment and recreation. We are well undersized for real QDM. We own close to 400 acres. We have 150 acres adjoining where the property owner does not allow hunting (our sanctuary). We have another 60 acres adjoining that is only hunted for by one guy for a couple days a year over the holidays when the owners son comes to visit. We have another 100 adjoining acres where the folks with the hunting lease only shoot mature bucks. We have another 100 adjoining acres where the owner talks letting small bucks walk but I doubt his actions match his talk. Even with all the neighboring properties that cooperate, we don't have enough acreage to fully cover the home range of deer given our habitat. As we improve habitat over time, we hope that home range shrinks.
As far as harvest goes, we ask our experienced hunters to target bucks 3 1/2 and older letting younger bucks walk. We let our youth/novice hunters shoot anything they like. We see it as more important to get new hunters excited about the sport than protecting young bucks. We don't exercise much control on hunting pressure. We allow owners and there guests to hunt anytime and as much as they like. Since we consider the neighboring property our sanctuary, we allow folks to hunt anywhere on our property.
Thanks,
Jack
If you’ve read any of my posts ove the last year or so you know I’m a small property owner. Our goals are simple. We want to harvest a couple deer a year with the hope of an occasional opportunity at a nice buck. We have one decent buck on camera about once a week but he’s strictly nocturnal. We have a couple small bucks and a handful of does that we see regularly. I’ve been bow hunting a decent amount when conditions and time allow. I think I’ve bowhunted a total of 12 days so far. Ive seen 14 deer but it just hasn’t happened yet. This weekend was our firearms opener in Missouri. My son saw a small doe and a bobcat opening day. The bobcat was at 15yards and it really made his day. I didn’t see anything until literally last light on Sunday. I took this fat spike when the opportunity presented itself. We had three deer in the freezer last year and just used the end of our venison in the past couple of weeks so this will get us a fresh start. I hope we can get a doe in the next few weeks and then I can continue bowhunting looking for a buck.
