frustrated with lack of deer sightings

C

cbird

Guest
I've been doing a lot of banging my head against the wall the last few years with the lack of deer on the property I hunt ( which I blame a lot on the DNR) so I've been thinking about putting a bunch of micro plots in. I put in the normal food plots of corn,beans,clover,turnips,oats and so on my question is anyone put in micro plots ? And what do you plant?
 
You need cover first, Plots second! Deer will walk a mile if they have to eat. But spend more time in a bedding area hands down. Welcome to the forum!
 
You need cover first, Plots second! Deer will walk a mile if they have to eat. But spend more time in a bedding area hands down. Welcome to the forum!
Bingo. Our journey is a balanced approach to food now, cover soon, and then food and cover forever. Rome wasn't built in a day.
 
If you have been in the Intensive Harvest Areas in the past like I have been deer behavior has changed considerably.

The few deer that are left are in heavy cover and seldom appear during the daylight. Most older deer are running for cover as soon as they see a car or person. Get in the cover and hunt. Maybe try some micro plots next year- too late for this year.

When I drive through lottery areas, I can see deer standing in the fields and watching the cars go by.

Welcome!
 
Cover isn't the issue there is plenty of that all around even on the neighboring properties. The property I hunt was logged about 12 yrs ago so in spots it's really thick but yet in other spots it's not. You hit it on the head sandbur the deer behavior has changed and yes I hunt in the intensive harvest area which why I made the comment about the dnr. I've been trying to figure out a different way to hunt this property and I thought maybe putting in micro plots back in the cover might work but I was looking for some insight. If I can figure how to post up a map to give you guys a better understanding I will.
 
Cover isn't the issue there is plenty of that all around even on the neighboring properties. The property I hunt was logged about 12 yrs ago so in spots it's really thick but yet in other spots it's not. You hit it on the head sandbur the deer behavior has changed and yes I hunt in the intensive harvest area which why I made the comment about the dnr. I've been trying to figure out a different way to hunt this property and I thought maybe putting in micro plots back in the cover might work but I was looking for some insight. If I can figure how to post up a map to give you guys a better understanding I will.
 
Is your land in the Mora area? If so, there are several people that feed deer year round and it has drawn quite a few deer away from other areas. Deer are down in general in our area by an average of 50% or more as it is. Plots can and may help, but with all the Cover Crops that went in by farmers this year, They have all the Brassicas they want right now and it will be that way for a few years as there is a big push for soil builders.

If you bring up your farm on google earth and then use the snipping tool. You can capture a picture and post it very easy. Good Luck!
 
I have 9 cameras going 50 miles west of you right now and the skinny and smaller plots have much more daylight action than the bigger (2 acre) plots.

But even with thick cover if you bump those deer going in or out, or they smell see or hear you, you wont see them much.

Its likely not what you are planting that limits the sightings. If you have thick cover and it can hold deer, how it is hunted is a bigger factor.
 
Here you go cbird- Find some like minded hunters in your area willing to vote the voice of the HUNTER and get them to sign up to vote herd increases in. Dont go soliciting gullible Garys that cant see through the agenda to keep deer numbers low.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/advisory.html

50% more deer for everybody!
 
Remember when they decrease the deer herd by 50%, we need to increase it 100% to get it back to where it should be!
 
Remember when they decrease the deer herd by 50%, we need to increase it 100% to get it back to where it should be!

Leslie was quoted as saying 'nobody wants 50% more deer' in the SE process.
 
Remember when they decrease the deer herd by 50%, we need to increase it 100% to get it back to where it should be!
Funny how those numbers always work in the DNR's favor.:mad:
 
ok where are acouple of maps one I highlighted the swamps in blue and the red lines are the old logging trails. This map isnt current as its about 3-4 yrs old but it still gives you a good idea what Im dealing with.
 

Attachments

  • Capture.PNG
    Capture.PNG
    832.6 KB · Views: 25
  • Capture 2.PNG
    Capture 2.PNG
    820.8 KB · Views: 26
Cover isn't the issue there is plenty of that all around even on the neighboring properties. The property I hunt was logged about 12 yrs ago so in spots it's really thick but yet in other spots it's not. You hit it on the head sandbur the deer behavior has changed and yes I hunt in the intensive harvest area which why I made the comment about the dnr. I've been trying to figure out a different way to hunt this property and I thought maybe putting in micro plots back in the cover might work but I was looking for some insight. If I can figure how to post up a map to give you guys a better understanding I will.
How much of your "cover" is actual sanctuary? Cover is fine, but if your out tromping around in it all the time it will still not hold deer to any extent. If your deer behavior has changed due to excessive harvest it is even more important to limit their exposure to human contact at all times, especially during hunting season.

Where is the sanctuary areas on your map? Areas you stay out of most of the year?
 
No wonder this guy is not seeing any deer either! I have been trying to tell the locals here for years we are in a huge forced decline. And if it continues we will never see deer hunting as we were used too.
 
If you use most of the red logging trails in a low density area you will likely drive all the deer to another piece. Over time with different winds there may be no safe spot on the entire parcel for deer to hole up and not know you are there. Draw areas 150 yards (diff winds carrying scent) from each trail you use and figure out how much of your piece is left for the deer.

Then start ditching trails you use so the deer have the majority of the property as their sanctuary. You wont have near as many spots to hunt, and may not be able to hunt anywhere on some winds, but you will see more deer per sit.
 
How much of your "cover" is actual sanctuary? Cover is fine, but if your out tromping around in it all the time it will still not hold deer to any extent. If your deer behavior has changed due to excessive harvest it is even more important to limit their exposure to human contact at all times, especially during hunting season.

Where is the sanctuary areas on your map? Areas you stay out of most of the year?

Actually I stay out of most of the entire area. The big swamp to the west and the block of woods to the south of that swamp I havent stepped foot on in years. I try to stay on the outside edges of the cover and very rarely walk through any of the woods. About the only time it gets disturbed is when Im putting in food plots.
 
Ok here is wider view where you can see some of the neighbors the red outline is the property I hunt. The black outlines is where I have food plots
 

Attachments

  • Capture 3.PNG
    Capture 3.PNG
    587.4 KB · Views: 20
What kind of trees are in the woods / cover areas? Do you have good thermal cover - pines, spruce, hemlock? I can only speak from our experience here in Pa., ( where the hunting pressure is intense ), but we've found that block plantings of spruce give the deer security and thermal cover. Our camp & several others in our locality have blocks of spruce scattered around our properties and they act as road screens, security. Deer definitely hang around in them. They've helped keep deer on our place and the other camps as well. We have white pine and hemlock growing naturally. Having good sources of multi-season, year-round food close by make for a good deer magnet. Best of luck.
 
What kind of trees are in the woods / cover areas? Do you have good thermal cover - pines, spruce, hemlock? I can only speak from our experience here in Pa., ( where the hunting pressure is intense ), but we've found that block plantings of spruce give the deer security and thermal cover. Our camp & several others in our locality have blocks of spruce scattered around our properties and they act as road screens, security. Deer definitely hang around in them. They've helped keep deer on our place and the other camps as well. We have white pine and hemlock growing naturally. Having good sources of multi-season, year-round food close by make for a good deer magnet. Best of luck.

Scattered oaks, maples, ash and a lot of small poplar and birch no pines though. Lots of brush especially prickly ash and buck thorn. Ive thought about planting spruce and pine and havent done so yet
 
Top