Perimeter trail pitfalls?

[hilltopper]

Most of my property is quite thick with alder, down timber, winterberry, etc. There is no shortage of bedding cover. A few years ago I had trails cut with a "timber ax" - a skid steer with an amazing front end attachment that eats everything in its path. We access stands and cross country ski on the trails. When I scout deer movement after the first snowfall I can see that these trails are often primary paths. I was thinking of adding a few more trails this winter. In particular I wanted to get closer to the perimeter to create longer ski trails and perhaps better stand access.

However, my neighbors have stands right on the line, and I'm thinking that trails near the perimeter might actually bring deer closer to them. I have good relations with them but I have no doubt they would shoot a large buck that was just over the line. Have you ever regretted putting in a perimeter trail for this reason? (They would not be right on the property line creating actual shooting lanes for them)

 

[bjseiler]

Mine were already there when I got the property but I would probably put them inside the property line 20-30 yards if I could redo it.....while still marking the property line clearly so neighbors don't just scoot over. What I see on my big trails is the deer often move 5 or so yards into the trees instead of always using the wide lane.

 

[bueller]

The deer by me cross cut trails often, including perimeter trails, and will sometimes walk on them for a short stretch but more often then not they simply cross them rather walk on them. This is even more true after the hunting pressure kicks in. I don't plant these trails because I don't want the deer spending time on them.

 

[Bill]

I cut an access trail down the property line this summer. Big enough for me to mow with a 44" pull behind.
The deer took it over. Luckily the neighbors don't have any trees on their side of the fence as its a big bean field. I think I gave them an easy walk just inside of cover. Don't know how it would be in solid timber.

 

[Jim Timber]

Deer are "creatures of edge" - if you create an edge, they will more likely than not use it.

My neighbors "claimed" the trails were the lot lines before I paid big money to prove otherwise ($3K well spent). Every one of my neighbors puts their stands on the lot lines, even my good ones. I asked one about it and he said "everyone else does it to me".

With the exception of barricades, I've implemented a buffer zone from the lot line to any trails or disturbances or attractions. I want the attractive edge feature to be well inside any potential sight lines of the lot-line-sitters. In time, I'll have conifers growing along the borders as well, and that could prove to become another travel edge but the benefit of being a total visual barrier outweighs that risk.

 

[sandbur]

Just a suggestion. Make your human access trails wide, then create your deer sidewalks inside of them. Make the Deer sidewalks no more than 30 inches wide and about six feet tall. Don’t ever travel on the Deer sidewalks except to keep them clear/clean and only do so about twice a year. Freely use the exterior/human perimeter trail. Lots of human scent on the human trails is OK if they are very near the periphery and you don’t really want Deer to go that way.


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[Jim Timber]

Art, you should come over and see all the tracks on my driveway. Deer use it as much as I do - day and night.

 

[JFK52]

When I bought my property, there was already a road system. I expanded it to create a road system that goes around the entire perimeter of my land. Some roads are right next to the surveyed property line, others are 30 to 50 feet away. When it snows, it drive these roads just to put tracks in them for the deer. The deer appreciate this effort, as the next day I can see all the deer tracks in the tire tracks I have made for them.
Neighbors have put their stands just over my property lines. Not much that can be done about that except I have told them they had better be shooting into their property and not mine.
Being able to drive the perimeter of my land gives me a sense of security as I can spot any problems quickly.