Discussion: What have been some habitat projects that you believe have had the greatest impact on herd quality and quantity?

[greekfreak]

I can't put my finger on any single improvement. I've been working on adding more perennial plots, improving hunter access paths, adding water holes, aggressively cutting my sanctuary to kickstart regen of browse, cover, and release desirable species. I will say I've only ever had one doe group before this year. This fall however, I've seen 3 unique groups come through, and I wonder if I don't have a fourth, because I haven't laid eyes on my group of 5.

I whacked a fresh cut in my sanctuary last winter, probably cut 97% of what was standing. It was bone dry this summer, and this stuff came roaring back, and the deer have been in it hammering the regen all summer. It's also very tall now, and deer could disappear in it. It's also filled up with grouse. I have to carry toilet paper when I walk through there.
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Absolutely beautiful regen. I did quite a bit of heavy cuts last winter and you have me wondering if I cut enough.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

When I first bought my land, I had lots of regular visiting bucks, I decided to make a few smaller food/kill plots, and that brought in the doe, but at the cost of less bucks, this year I had a bad food plot year and the doe didn’t hang out here much, and the bucks are back more then they have been since I started doing food plots 15 years ago. This has me rethinking my plans.

Over the years I have added about 30 apple trees, I have been releasing oaks, I have been working on hinge cuts, and making the ground more of a mess, for cover. I think in the years to come I am going to back off on food plots, and focus more on cover, releasing more oaks, and I would like to add a couple watering holes. I will still keep clover in the orchard, and winter rye/winter wheat, and oats in the current plots. I just want to change directions a little and see how it goes for a couple years. The food plots brought the doe in heavily, but the bucks disappeared.

 

[greekfreak]

When I first bought my land, I had lots of regular visiting bucks, I decided to make a few smaller food/kill plots, and that brought in the doe, but at the cost of less bucks, this year I had a bad food plot year and the doe didn’t hang out here much, and the bucks are back more then they have been since I started doing food plots 15 years ago. This has me rethinking my plans.

Over the years I have added about 30 apple trees, I have been releasing oaks, I have been working on hinge cuts, and making the ground more of a mess, for cover. I think in the years to come I am going to back off on food plots, and focus more on cover, releasing more oaks, and I would like to add a couple watering holes. I will still keep clover in the orchard, and winter rye/winter wheat, and oats in the current plots. I just want to change directions a little and see how it goes for a couple years. The food plots brought the doe in heavily, but the bucks disappeared.

Kill plots and watering holes are something that i have not played with yet. I do have a farm with poor water access and am thinking i will need to do something there. Kill plots are out of my wheelhouse. All of out foodplots are half an acre plus. Id be interested to hear if there are any great benefits to having small kill plots here or there on a habitat function and less of a hunting function.

 

[SD51555]

Absolutely beautiful regen. I did quite a bit of heavy cuts last winter and you have me wondering if I cut enough.

I've never gone back and regretted cutting, so long as i kept a few things in mind:

1. Keep your timber improvements far away from your access paths. You don't want to encourage deer to bed and browse where you need to be walking to get to your stands/blinds.
2. Know what's good alive, and what's good getting cut down. I had to do some homework to identify everything I had, and then see what happened with the deer and the regen.
3. Drop stuff with a plan. Always perpendicular away from natural deer trails. Big stuff first, lay smaller lighter stuff on top to make the brush pile high.
4. I keep low population stuff even if there isn't a definite benefit to it (basswood, red maple, birch, elm). For everything that is out there, something relies on it to survive.
5. Take advantage of the opening for bees and bugs. I like to throw non-deer/low-deer preference seeds into those spots like sweet clover, hairy vetch, and flax. All cheap, all have low lbs/ac rates, and very long blooming periods. My deer did end up browsing the sweet clover, but that was in summer, so no big deal.

 

[cbw]

I've never gone back and regretted cutting, so long as i kept a few things in mind:

1. Keep your timber improvements far away from your access paths. You don't want to encourage deer to bed and browse where you need to be walking to get to your stands/blinds.
2. Know what's good alive, and what's good getting cut down. I had to do some homework to identify everything I had, and then see what happened with the deer and the regen.
3. Drop stuff with a plan. Always perpendicular away from natural deer trails. Big stuff first, lay smaller lighter stuff on top to make the brush pile high.
4. I keep low population stuff even if there isn't a definite benefit to it (basswood, red maple, birch, elm). For everything that is out there, something relies on it to survive.
5. Take advantage of the opening for bees and bugs. I like to throw non-deer/low-deer preference seeds into those spots like sweet clover, hairy vetch, and flax. All cheap, all have low lbs/ac rates, and very long blooming periods. My deer did end up browsing the sweet clover, but that was in summer, so no big deal.

Excellent advice!


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[4wanderingeyes]

After hunting yesterday, I would like to add one more improvement I had done in the past that made a huge improvement, removing old smart does. They learn your stands, and watch for you to be in it, and will bust you everytime. About 5 years ago now, there were severl old big doe, and bow hunting was almost worthless. They would walk around a look up into deer stands and if you were in one, they would run around hissing at you for an hour. Well that year gun hunting I removed some of them old doe, and bow hunting was much better after that. This year year there is 1 old doe in particular that is getting on my nerves, she is smart enough to stay about 40-50 yards away, and basically run back and forth hissing at me until I leave stand. This has happened both times I hunted this stand this year. She has just earned her place on my target list.

 

[willy]

Trigger control
Screening
Thicken timber
Clover/chicory and soybeans (spring, summer, fall, and winter food)

Making does happy is my ultimate goal, then the rest takes care of itself

 

[Someday isle]

I’ve got 35 acres. I planted my logging roads in clover and opened up three 1/4 acre”ish harvest plots. I know most experts say you can’t manage a herd on small properties or with small harvest plots but we’ve had plenty of success harvesting a few deer every year and even a couple nice bucks since 2016. I added a couple water holes and am little by little improving our cover and native browse. I’d say adding the food plots and managing expectations by setting realistic goals have been our best improvements. We also created access trails to our stands and take a low impact approach to hunting. We stay out of most of the property throughout the year and respect our self imposed sanctuary areas unless we’re working in those areas.

 

[TreeDaddy]

Greekfreak,

Thanks for this thread

There are more practical pearls in the above 28 posts than i've read in any glossy mag or habitat text book

bill

 

[TreeDaddy]

..... And as a hopeless habitat addict, I've pretty much read them all

bill

 

[greekfreak]

Greekfreak,

Thanks for this thread

There are more practical pearls in the above 28 posts than i've read in any glossy mag or habitat text book

bill

TreeDaddy,

I appreciate your appreciation for the thread. I believe it has sparked some great conversation.

 

[greekfreak]

I’ve got 35 acres. I planted my logging roads in clover and opened up three 1/4 acre”ish harvest plots. I know most experts say you can’t manage a herd on small properties or with small harvest plots but we’ve had plenty of success harvesting a few deer every year and even a couple nice bucks since 2016. I added a couple water holes and am little by little improving our cover and native browse. I’d say adding the food plots and managing expectations by setting realistic goals have been our best improvements. We also created access trails to our stands and take a low impact approach to hunting. We stay out of most of the property throughout the year and respect our self imposed sanctuary areas unless we’re working in those areas.

I can not stress how important it is to have a low impact approach to hunting your property. I am a stinker about wind, access, and you will 100% not find anyone doing anything on our properties during deer season; except hunting a well thought, well accessed, and great wind deer stand.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

After hunting yesterday, I would like to add one more improvement I had done in the past that made a huge improvement, removing old smart does. They learn your stands, and watch for you to be in it, and will bust you everytime. About 5 years ago now, there were severl old big doe, and bow hunting was almost worthless. They would walk around a look up into deer stands and if you were in one, they would run around hissing at you for an hour. Well that year gun hunting I removed some of them old doe, and bow hunting was much better after that. This year year there is 1 old doe in particular that is getting on my nerves, she is smart enough to stay about 40-50 yards away, and basically run back and forth hissing at me until I leave stand. This has happened both times I hunted this stand this year. She has just earned her place on my target list.

I like this one, and will add an observation kind of in the reverse direction. I am on s small, swampy, 30 acres with just 3 hidey hole food plots. I do not hold mature bucks at all in the spring or summer. I don't try to...I try to hold and attract lots of does and their offspring. I am on the land constantly throughout the spring and summer...working the land, logging, trail running, mountain biking, sugaring, walks with the dogs, etc. The does become completely accustomed to my movements on the land that they really pay little attention to me. On an ATV, a mountain bike, or even on foot, I can often pass by them within 20 yards or so and they just kind of let me pass with almost no alarm.

This time of year I begin seeing bucks show up looking for does and I really have little concern about my presence being given away by my resident does. The past few nights I've lowered my bow and climbed down out of my stand with a doe and her 2 fawns about 20 yards away. They just watched. I know it's kind of weird. But I don't hunt does. And if their quasi-tameness helps distract a buck long enough for me to make a clean kill I'm OK with it.

To answer the OP's question...the biggest improvement I have done has been the establishment of my small food plots in mature timber. They are the only game in town and really attract deer, not just for the food, but also for the social interactions. Lots of runs, scrapes, rubs...lots of edge habitat. I feather the edges considerably providing a ton of cover and early successional habitat.

 

[greekfreak]

Trigger control
Screening
Thicken timber
Clover/chicory and soybeans (spring, summer, fall, and winter food)

Making does happy is my ultimate goal, then the rest takes care of itself

Ahh, trigger control is a sleeper. It is incredibly hard to pass up young studs. I need to work on this. You can check out my 2021 buck in the successful hunts page.

 

[greekfreak]

After hunting yesterday, I would like to add one more improvement I had done in the past that made a huge improvement, removing old smart does. They learn your stands, and watch for you to be in it, and will bust you everytime. About 5 years ago now, there were severl old big doe, and bow hunting was almost worthless. They would walk around a look up into deer stands and if you were in one, they would run around hissing at you for an hour. Well that year gun hunting I removed some of them old doe, and bow hunting was much better after that. This year year there is 1 old doe in particular that is getting on my nerves, she is smart enough to stay about 40-50 yards away, and basically run back and forth hissing at me until I leave stand. This has happened both times I hunted this stand this year. She has just earned her place on my target list.

I have a rule that i live by... if she looks at you funny, you put an arrow or bullet in her. Those smart old does are the eyes of the woods.

 

[greekfreak]

I like this one, and will add an observation kind of in the reverse direction. I am on s small, swampy, 30 acres with just 3 hidey hole food plots. I do not hold mature bucks at all in the spring or summer. I don't try to...I try to hold and attract lots of does and their offspring. I am on the land constantly throughout the spring and summer...working the land, logging, trail running, mountain biking, sugaring, walks with the dogs, etc. The does become completely accustomed to my movements on the land that they really pay little attention to me. On an ATV, a mountain bike, or even on foot, I can often pass by them within 20 yards or so and they just kind of let me pass with almost no alarm.

This time of year I begin seeing bucks show up looking for does and I really have little concern about my presence being given away by my resident does. The past few nights I've lowered my bow and climbed down out of my stand with a doe and her 2 fawns about 20 yards away. They just watched. I know it's kind of weird. But I don't hunt does. And if their quasi-tameness helps distract a buck long enough for me to make a clean kill I'm OK with it.

To answer the OP's question...the biggest improvement I have done has been the establishment of my small food plots in mature timber. They are the only game in town and really attract deer, not just for the food, but also for the social interactions. Lots of runs, scrapes, rubs...lots of edge habitat. I feather the edges considerably providing a ton of cover and early successional habitat.

I also did quite a bit of edge feathering. One that particularly stands out to me is an open feathering into one end of a one acre food plot. I have yet to see a buck in there that does not interact with the trees we fell into the field. Does not so much. 100% chance the bucks will walk by those trees to check them out.

 

[Native Hunter]

I did a project to screen off a field in the spring of this year. There is a pond in front of the field that stretches about 3/4 the width of the field. On the back dam of the pond i planted miscanthus. On the other side of the pond is a big interstate. Known for straying eyes and even worse.... known for straying rifles. 175" buck with two broken points was killed a couple of years ago with two holes (1 antler and 1 side of face) that were deemed 22 caliber. This was youth season in Ohio. Smallest caliber allowed is far from 22. caliber.

When my taxidermist mounted my buck from two three years ago, he dug out a 22 slug from the skull. Some folks around here like to use 22 long rifles for bow season.

 

[SwampCat]

Another thing I might add is pay attention to what is on the adjoining properties. In my case, there is an over abundance of cover around my place - clearcuts and swamps. My goal was to get those deer out of all that cover on to my land. Food plots accomplished that for me. You might have ground that is surrounded by properties with little cover. If that is the case, I would direct most of my effort towards providing cover. Dont just consider what you do, or dont have, on your property - also consider surrounding properties.

 

[Teeder]

Another thing I might add is pay attention to what is on the adjoining properties. In my case, there is an over abundance of cover around my place - clearcuts and swamps. My goal was to get those deer out of all that cover on to my land. Food plots accomplished that for me. You might have ground that is surrounded by properties with little cover. If that is the case, I would direct most of my effort towards providing cover. Dont just consider what you do, or dont have, on your property - also consider surrounding properties.

I really like this and have tried to apply it to my place. I bought it in 2018 and have been observing and doing slight mods as I gain knowledge of how the area is used.

 

[willy]

access trails to our stands and take a low impact approach

that was a huge one as well, Thanks for bringing that up