How do your plots affect the "Huntability" of your property?

[Triple C]

Non food plot bucks since 2012.
1st buck killed on farm. Bottomland hardwoods next to swamp.


2013: My 1st buck from hardwoods.


2016: 1st P&Y buck for son killed in bottomland hardwoods during rut.


Maybe unique to my property but not 1 buck taken from a micro/kill plot in all the years of owning property. If u came and visited and chose a stand to hunt my guess is u would choose one of the micro plot stands because they look so “deery” nestled in the hardwoods and hidden.

This from a state with a 3 month long firearms season and 2 buck tags / 10 antlerless tags per hunter. 2 yr old bucks get slaughtered.

 

[Bassattackr]

We must be hunting a different sub-species of deer down south. Give me one 5+ acre destination plot for 10 "kill" plots down here. Don't have 25 years of managing my own dirt, but if I had to bet the farm on putting a hunter on multiple killing opportunities for both doe and bucks, I'll put that hunter in my largest destination plot every time over the few kill plots (1/2 acre or less) any day of the week. Kill plot may have 2 to 4 deer, maybe, come in to the plot before dark. Destination plot goona have a dozen to 20 deer in it before dark every day come November and almost always, well before dark. During the chase phase of the rut, nothing brings more buck sightings on my place than a plot full of multiple doe groups.

+1. Destination plots with some sort of screening or seclusion form the bulk of the kills around here in MO. We have a 5 acre destination plot on our property and you can watch as multiple deer groups come from several directions / bedding areas to feed on it, and stay all night. To me that is a "destination plot", multiple deer groups honing in a decent sized field and staying until going back to bed. I went from seeing 2-3 deer hunting rut funnels in the woods to watching 10-15 deer per sit.

If the deer aren't coming into the plot until night fall, either it doesn't have the seclusion or safety they require or you have very limited deer numbers. "Here" the action usually starts around 2:30 pm most fall evenings. Many times they're out within minutes of being in the stand. Being able to watch a large area has also been a factor as being able to call/grunt larger bucks within range, especially if the field has any contour or cover in it.

Watching a big 140"+ 3 year old feed 5 yards behind a doe for 5 or 6 minutes last season, peeing on his tarsal glands every minute is something I never got to see hunting rut funnels in the woods. I'm with you Triple C - Give me one 3-5 acre field over 50 hidey hole plots on a property any day of the week.

 

[blueKYstream]

My family purchased 240 acres about 20 years ago. It's about 50-50 hardwoods and fields. We've always planted the same four to six micro plots ranging from .5 to 2 acre plots. We didn't have cameras and couldn't hunt as much as I can now. We saw some good bucks in the plots but it was mostly up to September and then again in December. However over the years, I found that bucks were no longer residing on the property outside of late October, early November. The same areas we saw bucks slowly dried up it seemed. It's not from overhunting because there are fewer hunters now then back then. It's hilly terrain and the travel routes are highly variable. There's one great location to hunt but overall it's very difficult hunting. I can't blame the micro plots either. I've cut some pockets in the timber. The doe numbers respond well in those areas but still working on holding bucks.

About 10 years ago, we purchased an adjacent property. This property was, and continues to be, a cattle farm mostly consisting of fields with a timber border. The timber is a bit more mature. About 5 years ago, we purchased another 20 acres. Despite less cover or food plots, these parcels seem to hold more of the bigger bucks. Its a a but easier scouting and hunting. Bucks visit the larger parcel during the rut but make their way back during that time too. I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything but it all seems backwards to me.

 

[WTNUT]

Answer: Yes it could stand on its own, and no they are not required. Elaboration: Each property is different and every property changes over time, especially when you are looking at 20 plus years on the property. For me, the plots help fulfill my original plan which was taken from Kroll’s first articles in North American Whitetail in the 90s. The series was called “Building a deer factory” if I recall.

I have a lot of acreage and I try to make sure every 80 acre section has every single thing a deer could need (thick cover, high protein food sources like legumes, water, plenty of carbs like corn, sanctuaries, and a few other items). The food plots play a big role in keeping the deer healthy and when you keep hunting pressure to a bare minimum they play a huge role in killing the 5 1/2 to 8 1/2 year old bucks. Nearly every B&C buck that is 5 1/2 or older that we kill is taken from a food plot.

Could we do it without the plots, yes because we did before we had plots. But, it is a lot better hunting because of the plots.

And, for those who are new it takes a lot more than just putting in a plot. No time for all that now, but this is the best I know how to answer the questions posted.


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[Chetcc]

Answer: Yes it could stand on its own, and no they are not required. Elaboration: Each property is different and every property changes over time, especially when you are looking at 20 plus years on the property. For me, the plots help fulfill my original plan which was taken from Kroll’s first articles in North American Whitetail in the 90s. The series was called “Building a deer factory” if I recall.

I have a lot of acreage and I try to make sure every 80 acre section has every single thing a deer could need (thick cover, high protein food sources like legumes, water, plenty of carbs like corn, sanctuaries, and a few other items). The food plots play a big role in keeping the deer healthy and when you keep hunting pressure to a bare minimum they play a huge role in killing the 5 1/2 to 8 1/2 year old bucks. Nearly every B&C buck that is 5 1/2 or older that we kill is taken from a food plot.

Could we do it without the plots, yes because we did before we had plots. But, it is a lot better hunting because of the plots.

And, for those who are new it takes a lot more than just putting in a plot. No time for all that now, but this is the best I know how to answer the questions posted.


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I would love to hear the rest of your thoughts. We hunt 140 acres and are manipulating the land through many forms, including but not limited to cover, food, water, plus improving access routes. Could you start another thread and elaborate?

 

[BenA]

For me, the plots help fulfill my original plan which was taken from Kroll’s first articles in North American Whitetail in the 90s. The series was called “Building a deer factory” if I recall.

I remember that. I had his video series on VHS tapes he put out around the early 90's detailing his approach. I loaned it to someone and never got them back. But, I still have his book. In college, I used his methodology to develop a management plan for an island in the MS river. He has some good, proven methods.

 

[omicron1792]

I remember that. I had his video series on VHS tapes he put out around the early 90's detailing his approach. I loaned it to someone and never got them back. But, I still have his book. In college, I used his methodology to develop a management plan for an island in the MS river. He has some good, proven methods.

A guy out of Birmingham has done that on an island in the Mississippi river for duckhunting. One of my good friends went on a hunt last year. A lot of work, but very unique hunting experience.

 

[Tree Spud]

I get it, it's fun to watch deer strolling into a large plot. I can sit in my large plots and see 20-30 or more deer.

My theory is that when rut pressure starts to increase, the does coming into estrus like seclusion and feel more comfortable in smaller plots surrounded by heavy cover. When a buck is chasing them and they are not ready, they can easily escape. While there is a common belief that bucks get crazy during the rut and move any where without concern, I think mature bucks are still vary and hesitant to move into wide open cover.

Here are a few of the bucks I have taken in my small plots. They are all mature 4-5 year olds. They were all either following a hot doe into a plot or entering a plot as the were 3-4 does in there.

This guy field dressed at 229 lbs


Working a doe in a small plot

 

[Bassattackr]

Treespud - The background of that last photo just looks like a mature buck haven!

 

[Tree Spud]

Treespud - The background of that last photo just looks like a mature buck haven!

Yes it is, several 100 acres of thick alder, dogwood, and tamarack swamp. A natural sanctuary.

 

[Mortenson]

Could it stand on its own without them or does your property require them as a major piece of the puzzle?

We would still have decent hunting without them, but we enjoy that aspect of the property and mostly only set up on or near plots since implementing them about 7 yrs ago. From the 90s into the 2000s we had decent buck hunting sitting over unplowed corn stalks (still harvested) but something changed with our farm 10 yrs ago and the big boys just don't come out into the stalks like they used to. Might be as simple as neighbors using their land differently. Maybe it's the fact that more people are plotting. In the last 6 yrs I've taken my largest racked buck (pictured) and my heaviest buck in a small micro plot in a creek bottom. It was in clover both times. The one came out walking behind a doe in the AM of day 3 gun season which is really rare. She wanted to eat a few bites of clover. He didn't. The other heavy one was the 3rd buck in a parade chasing after a doe on opening morning. Her route took her through the clover. I think our plots help up our odds while keeping us out of the timber at the same time. Bigger destination plots haven't given us huge success yet on the best bucks (could definitely still shoot decent bucks). Although cams show they will be in them a time or two each season during daylight.