South Louisiana hunting property improvement

[Johnyd883]

Good morning,

I just purchased my first hunting property, it happens to be my dream place from where I grew up, looking to get some thoughts and ideas on how you guys would go about habitat work. This will be my forever home and id like to make it the best it could be.



My Goals:

My goals for this piece are to have a chance at a mature buck every 3 years, mature buck being 4.5 years old



Land Description:

The land is 65 acres of pines that is about to be completely clear cut, its filled with about 20 live oaks that were going to leave standing. 3 drainage ditches converge in the Western side of the property. To the North is my familys land that’s planted in strawberries and I have easy access to equipment from their, to the North East there is a great funnel the deer move though next to a beaver pond, we also lease a big chunk of property I can control. To the east is heavy hunting pressure from a deer lease. To the south is grassy field and mixed cutover that does see hunting pressure but not a ton. To the west is a main road that sees moderate traffic and a subdivision. The way I see deer moving in the area after hunting it for years is they bed in the center where the pines were thinned and move to the outside at dark to go to the different properties and feed on corn, I do see a good bit of daylight at the northwest funnel. My new house is being built on about 1 acre on the north side of the property near the pond.



So starting with a clean slate after its clear cuts id like to know your thoughts on how you`d enhance it and make it better, I have a few thoughts like adding plots to the north to plant beans and a winter crop where I have good tractor access, any help is appreciated!

 

[H20fwler]

Congratulations on the purchase.
I know nothing about southern habitat except what I’ve read here, we have a few members from your area that should be able to help you out.

The property you described sounds great, good luck with it, you came to the right place.

 

[BenA]

Congratulations. I live in south Louisiana, but my land is in Kentucky. I used to manage a pretty large tract in south Louisiana for the company I work for. It looks like you have a great setup. I'd make sure my boundaries are well marked and easily travelled around just to let people and even the deer know where your lines are. Then I'd setup food like you were talking about that's easily accessible by you and away from the hunting neighbors and LOTS of it. Like 4 acres or more in one field and maybe have 2 of those. Then, just try to keep a handle on that regrowing cutover. It's going to take a good bit of work to keep from turning into a brush area with not much growth at lip level to a deer. I'd put some firebreaks in different places to break up the property into different stages of regrowth. Run fire through them at different intervals to set them up for early successional growth. Good luck in your work. It will be fun.

 

[Baker]

Congratulations. I live in south Louisiana, but my land is in Kentucky. I used to manage a pretty large tract in south Louisiana for the company I work for. It looks like you have a great setup. I'd make sure my boundaries are well marked and easily travelled around just to let people and even the deer know where your lines are. Then I'd setup food like you were talking about that's easily accessible by you and away from the hunting neighbors and LOTS of it. Like 4 acres or more in one field and maybe have 2 of those. Then, just try to keep a handle on that regrowing cutover. It's going to take a good bit of work to keep from turning into a brush area with not much growth at lip level to a deer. I'd put some firebreaks in different places to break up the property into different stages of regrowth. Run fire through them at different intervals to set them up for early successional growth. Good luck in your work. It will be fun.

I echo everything Ben says. The cutover will become a giant briar patch quickly which for a few years will be quality habitat. At some point there will be diminishing returns. Getting food sources especially fall winter plots near the middle will be valuable. Consider how a road system should be developed. Nothing helps enjoy a property more than a good road system. Keep your expectations realistic and enjoy the property. Good stuff.

I'm in Rapides Parish and happy to show you around with what we do here. Labor of passion!

 

[Johnyd883]

Appreciate the responses, so do yall think the food is better suited in the middle or the outside?

 

[BenA]

Appreciate the responses, so do yall think the food is better suited in the middle or the outside?

Close to you and have the deer travelling away from the neighbors. You could even put it close to your house and leave a good bit of screening between. You want to treat the food as part of the area they know they're safe.

 

[Johnyd883]

Hows this look?

 

[Turkish]

Congratulations. I live in south Louisiana, but my land is in Kentucky. I used to manage a pretty large tract in south Louisiana for the company I work for. It looks like you have a great setup. I'd make sure my boundaries are well marked and easily travelled around just to let people and even the deer know where your lines are. Then I'd setup food like you were talking about that's easily accessible by you and away from the hunting neighbors and LOTS of it. Like 4 acres or more in one field and maybe have 2 of those. Then, just try to keep a handle on that regrowing cutover. It's going to take a good bit of work to keep from turning into a brush area with not much growth at lip level to a deer. I'd put some firebreaks in different places to break up the property into different stages of regrowth. Run fire through them at different intervals to set them up for early successional growth. Good luck in your work. It will be fun.

Were you the one on the old QDMA forums that had the big place in Avoyelles Parish?

 

[BenA]

Were you the one on the old QDMA forums that had the big place in Avoyelles Parish?

Yes. That was me.

 

[Baker]

Yes. That was me.

Which place did you manage? I know several of the properties down there. Good country, great soil

 

[BenA]

Which place did you manage? I know several of the properties down there. Good country, great soil

It was one of the old Roy O. Martin properties just north of Simmesport. Our company leased 2100 acres to bring clients. I did all the 25 acres of foodplots and maintenance and stands. We had some great deer, but the population was low at the time. We had a 320 acre field in the middle of the place planted in soybeans and wheat every year. You could sit over that field and see one or two deer maybe. But, the caliber of bucks was great. After we had it, the new guy who leased it invited a guest who didn't have a license and shot a buck the game warden said could have been the potential state record. I had that buck on camera a good bit. It was a great place, but I'd much rather own my own instead of leasing. All that work, and it can be gone at a moment's notice. Kind of put a sour taste in my mouth for awhile due to the way everything happened with the lessor, and I drifted away from the QDMA forums for a while before all the turmoil and upheaval there.

 

[omicron1792]

Welcome!

Take @Baker up on his offer. Go visit with him, he is a world class deer manager.

I have a home farm of 320 acres, but I’m starting to put together small properties for hunting. Just bought an 80 acre place and I’m super excited about it.

I think your 65 acres could be fantastic if you plan well and have realistic expectations.

The old adage of sanctuary the inside and hunt the perimeter only works on large parcels imo. I think you should put roads around the clear cut and burn it every three years to keep it in early successional habitat. I would create one large 3 acre food plot on the edge of the clear cut, but towards the center of your property. I am moving more and more to fewer food plots and making the ones I have bigger. Then you can create mineral licks, water sources, and even corn piles along the deer pathways in woods for hunting. Key is catch them moving through towards the food….not killing them at the food.

Good luck and welcome! It’s a journey not a destination.

Read up on deer vetch and Alyce clover here. It’s the perfect summer plot for your area.

 

[Baker]

Not sure if you La. boys saw this buck from the Cleco property next to Honey Brake. 262" That raises the bar! Thats two giants killed within a mile of each other { the other was the Jordon buck killed earlier this yr.}

 

[Turkish]

Not sure if you La. boys saw this buck from the Cleco property next to Honey Brake. 262" That raises the bar! Thats two giants killed within a mile of each other { the other was the Jordon buck killed earlier this yr.}

View attachment 74036

I had seen little Jordan’s deer but not this one.