Baiting, I know this has been discussed and discussed this is just my rant....LOL

[Natty Bumppo]

People on the time on this forum are worried about being on their land when its not deer season - or even a chain rattling on a gate. That tells me folks at least think human activity affects deer behavior.

Agree. I go with the exact opposite logic as far as land use. I use my land constantly for all kind of activities...mtn. biking, trail running, nordic skiing and snowshoeing, trail grooming, walks with the dogs, maple syrup production, etc...and then all of the usual logging and TSI.

One of my goals it to attract as many does to my property as possible. I try to do the exact opposite of what Jeff Sturgis recommends.

And then agree with this...and I do the same. And as a result I have does that are very used to me and permit behaviors and movements on my land that I would not realize elsewhere. They are less cautious of me and even my dogs. They are less wary. I once had a young fawn that was so used to my presence and my activities with a chainsaw near the end of the season that she would follow my boot prints in the snow after I walked in for an evening sit. I could almost guarantee she'd show up...following me in.

With calm does that aren't spooked by every foreign noise and smell, it's much easier to hunt the bucks when they show up looking for them.

I think this works on my land as it's typical Northeast big woods. I doubt some of the deer born on my land ever even see another human for much of their life. This probably isn't typical in other areas. But creating a doe factory and "educating them" that I am not a threat through many and varied neutral interactions pays big dividends for me during the rut.

 

[Baker]

This guy films a lot of unpressured deer.

They are licking and grooming. Arrest them. Don't they know they must wear a mask and stand 6 feet apart to avoid spreading CWD.

 

[Telemark]

One of my goals it to attract as many does to my property as possible. I try to do the exact opposite of what Jeff Sturgis recommends

Same. Sturgis gets a few things right, but he's probably wrong as often as he's right. And I can't stand his smug attitude in his videos. I quit watching him years ago.

I think his whole approach has contradictory elements, and the idea of separate areas for does and bucks is only really possible on the largest properties, with existing natural features that hold bucks year-round.

I have not been able to pattern a buck pre-season anywhere I hunt. My odds are better if I have does to attract bucks for the rut, and late food for post-rut.