We always hear the same stuff around perimeter trail access with a sanctuary in the center of a parcel. It makes sense, right? I am curious, does anyone have a property, or can provide an layout, where the access is through the interior and it still works. I am thinking maybe like entering a draw/hollow/ravine that would be center (akin to cleavage). Whether ideal or not...its got to be out there. In Appalachia this seems to be a normal configuration with property lines on adjacent ridges with steep fingers not provided the good access at all. Felt it was a good thinking cap exercise, to where i was struggling, for us before we all et poisoned with Tryptophan tomorrow.
Inside Out layout
- Thread starter gjs4
- Start date
Mortenson
5 year old buck +
We use our farm from the inside out. It has .8 mile of a rock lane going into the center, needed for our past cattle days. Right or wrong, nearly every activity we do is off that lane somewhere along the way. With the topography and layout of our farm, I don't think we'd get a whole lot of use from a perimeter trail system. Good Thanksgiving topic.
rocksnstumps
5 year old buck +
Do you have a max property size in mind for this exercise? Think that has a big impact. And agree topography is gonna be a big part of smaller parcels not blown out from moving into the interior.
For the response above about a lane that is over 3/4 mile long. For me that means starting anywhere on my land that lane would end on my neighbor's. In some cases two neighbors away
Another point is how do neighbors hunt. During gun season nobody hunts the edges of my property. Hell all the renters on neighbor's land do that already! And as everyone likes to bring up about letting your stink blow into the neighbor land instead of your hunting area. Well they are probably smart enough to play the wind for their advantage and my detriment. In hunter dense areas edges ain't all they sound so good on paper.
For the response above about a lane that is over 3/4 mile long. For me that means starting anywhere on my land that lane would end on my neighbor's. In some cases two neighbors away
Another point is how do neighbors hunt. During gun season nobody hunts the edges of my property. Hell all the renters on neighbor's land do that already! And as everyone likes to bring up about letting your stink blow into the neighbor land instead of your hunting area. Well they are probably smart enough to play the wind for their advantage and my detriment. In hunter dense areas edges ain't all they sound so good on paper.
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No on desired size....but obviously if its a huge tract of land the impact of, and necessity for, such interior people areas increases. So....just state what size you're utilizing in the example I guess would be what keep it relative.
I live in NY...high pressure hell where your neighbors scent will blow into you property from theirs, or yours when they trespass. LOL. The best strategy here if you can keep the bandits out is to let everyone trash their place, yours fill in and then start patrolling around week 2-3 of gun when their impatience has the urge to sneak drive them to do such.
rocksnstumps
5 year old buck +
I have corn fields on 3 sides of me. Some adjacent across a country road. Other fields within about 100 yards of my line. Until that stuff is cut their "sanctuaries" are likely dead center in the middle of those fields. For others it might be their land is on the edge of a huge swamp thats hell to hunt whether public or private. Point being the deer sanctuary areas are not on their land but close by and folks adjust accordingly. My land is mostly a wooded glacial drumlin and I own 80% of it.
The difference between corn years and bean yrs is significant on whether they bed in the woods in bean yrs or just hang out in the corn all fall practically all the time
The difference between corn years and bean yrs is significant on whether they bed in the woods in bean yrs or just hang out in the corn all fall practically all the time
I go through the middle and around the outside. I have one food plot 400 yards from the house with my orchard, bees, and berry plants. It is one of my most used food plots. I think it depends on how much are you going to be there - only during deer season - then it matters - throughout the year - I dont think it matters
BenA
5 year old buck +
The main thing is not letting the deer know you're hunting them. If you can let your scent go into deerless areas, it doesn't matter if it's outside in or inside out. Just don't let them smell you or see you or hear you. Some layouts are easier to make that happen. Some properties are handicapped in such a way, that it's not possible to access in certain scenarios without alerting them to your presence.
I think this fundamental premise is forgotten BUT also what triggered the thread idea. IE- what if the bedding is on the edge of your property (due to shape, topography) or on the neighbors. I know the consultants would say ruin it and build better on yours......but that's an "if" as to whether it can be done or not. We all know land is getting costlier and rarer....so working with lemons provided will be key skillset.
The mentions above on routine use for cattle, gardening, etc I would suspect dictate deer bedding in a manner related to their comfortability and in locations where they know when someone is coming and how to escape. I was looking at a lemon (hunting only) property where the the ridges were the best access and there was no access from the bottoms aside from side hilling. Wondering how could someone make this work (assuming the bedding would be leeward and just off the ridge and food would be best on top)
BenA
5 year old buck +
I have food on top and bedding/timber in the hollers. Açces is from the top. Deer here were already bedding in the hollers and coming out of them to feed. I just built on that. I think it's about what deer are used to in the area. If humans are on top, they live in the bottoms. If humans are in the bottoms, they live on the tops/sides.
bigboreblr
5 year old buck +
Im assuming this is your property.
I don't have pics, but I know someone who has a thrashed clear cut area of about 30 acres. Every year he maintains about 5 acres or hinge cutting, girdling, and the like. The trails are mowed usually twice a year. They meander in there. Probably an average of 100 yard between trail spots. Trails are seeded with clover n rye. Although he is in there a bit more than not at all, it does hold nice deer.
Pics would be nice both topo and aerial.
Are you staying on this property? Or just showing up to work / hunt on it. Inside or out, making options to hunt / travel to hunt based on wind direction is key.
I don't have pics, but I know someone who has a thrashed clear cut area of about 30 acres. Every year he maintains about 5 acres or hinge cutting, girdling, and the like. The trails are mowed usually twice a year. They meander in there. Probably an average of 100 yard between trail spots. Trails are seeded with clover n rye. Although he is in there a bit more than not at all, it does hold nice deer.
Pics would be nice both topo and aerial.
Are you staying on this property? Or just showing up to work / hunt on it. Inside or out, making options to hunt / travel to hunt based on wind direction is key.
One question I’ve always had (that I think is relevant to this conversation) is: how far does the wind blow my scent? If hundreds of yards, I literally can’t NOT impact deer with any access strategy on 200 acres, unless I set it up for just 1 or 2 stand locations. And that’s with pretty good perimeter access.
rocksnstumps
5 year old buck +
Turk,
A good question and why I tend to think the perimeter access and sanctuary in the middle is more of a tried and true approach in flat ground country. A south wind is a south wind across all the property whatever the acres. So of course the desire is to approach from the north side and let your stink blow to neighbors behind you or across the road whatever. And adjusting to whatever compass direction the prevalent winds are that day.
Now throw in a 100 ft high ridge in the mix with slopes and benches on each side. Is it really the same wind across all the property? And good luck with easy perimeter access on all 4 sides in that scenario.
A good question and why I tend to think the perimeter access and sanctuary in the middle is more of a tried and true approach in flat ground country. A south wind is a south wind across all the property whatever the acres. So of course the desire is to approach from the north side and let your stink blow to neighbors behind you or across the road whatever. And adjusting to whatever compass direction the prevalent winds are that day.
Now throw in a 100 ft high ridge in the mix with slopes and benches on each side. Is it really the same wind across all the property? And good luck with easy perimeter access on all 4 sides in that scenario.
Telemark
5 year old buck +
I think it might work if there is heavy pressure, but it might be a hail Mary. There are a couple public spots I've been reading about, and a lot of comments said to get to the center and wait for others to push deer to you.
On private land I probably wouldn't do it unless there was a really good and obvious reason to do so.
On private land I probably wouldn't do it unless there was a really good and obvious reason to do so.
It is...but i was honestly just asking for the others takes on setting up the atypical layout/approach of hunting inside outward
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Howboutthemdawgs
5 year old buck +
I tend to not overthink a particular strategy. Looks like your topography is similar to mine. I have certain terrain where I simply cannot put a road so I don’t. I have a bluff wall on one side where you need a repelling rope so that forces me to the interior. It is what it is. I have some perimeter roads and some interior. I just take whichever road brings me to the area I’m hunting but I’m always cognizant of the wind. Not so much on my travel to the spot but moreso for when I’m in the stand.
