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Property assistance

TylerWoehlk

TylerWoehlk

Member
Hello ya'll. I don't post an awful lot on the site, but regularly follow posts for useful information and seeing successful harvests.

Well I recently received sole permission for my deceased Great Grandma's property. The property sits in a great area that butts right up to a rather large section of public land along the Iowa River. My Grand Parents used to own all of the area that is now public ground before selling it to the state to turn into public access. I know the caliber of bucks that frequent the area which includes roaming on the public ground. However, all of the bucks that I'm getting pictures of are nocturnal before roaming on this parcel of land.

I'm looking for some advice on the property to find a way to not only increase a desire for them to frequent the land. Also I want the deer to stay on the ground on a more regular basis if possible. I know planting any crops would also give the hunters on public a prime resource to hunt the travel corridor's, but this has proven to be successful on neighboring private property. I can direct message map overlays of the property to whomever is willing to offer suggestions. This is a property that I'll have sole permission for going forward (family inheritance) and would really like to make it great for my kids to have better opportunities to harvest deer.

Generally I'm thinking some type of thicker grass to block the the fence lines and views from the public and neighbors. I'm just not sure how to get the deer to hold up in the timber portion of the property. I'd be willing to look into planting corn or beans on the property to fence off until late season. I think late muzzleloader is going to be this properties best season after people run the deer off of public and neighboring properties. I just need the food and cover for them to find and want to stay after they locate it. Unfortunately I'll run the risk of people just sitting on the property line of the public, but as long as they aren't shooting the property I'm okay.

Please advise if anyone is willing to offer suggestions.

Thanks in advance!
 
How many acres is the property?

What's the breakdown of timber/fields?

If you want to hold bucks, I'd be looking for lots of screening cover/stem density below 6'.
 
The property is roughly 20 acres. 50/50 with 1/2 timber and the homestead facing the road, and 1/2 open hayfield in the back of the property away from the road butting up to the public land.

It's always been planted in hay in the pasture ground due to the sand content apparently. All of the neighbors are able to get crops to grow and this area along the Iowa River is well known for it's sand content. The timber area with the homestead provide a great entrance and exit from the pasture ground. Prevailing NW winds will be perfect for the pasture area as well.
 
I'd be first seeing if any of the public hunters are hunting your field. It will change your property very quickly. Given the small area, if they're hunting the property boundaries (likely given public), you will have a hard time keeping bucks on your 10 acres of cover. Some will be sloppy with their wind, access, etc.

This comes from firsthand experience..
 
Agreed. The property has had one previous hunter with permission, but that will be done after this season. I will be moving cellular cameras around the property during shotgun and late muzzleloader to monitor for people crossing the fence. I know the timber area close to the road towards the public has issues with people hopping the fence to look for Mushrooms. The property sets up so the pasture ground isn't very visible from the road which would make someone hunting from the public all the more likely.

I was thinking something like Giant Miscanthus along the fence lines to limit the view in from the public ground. I would have to keep select paths through the screening for the deer to cross in and out of the property which would make for an easy spot for someone to hunt if they found it. However, there's no trees along the fence around the pasture ground for anyone to place a stand. So someone would need to sit on the ground in order to hunt deer moving towards the property. All of the public ground surrounding the property is laid out in CRP and the property to the north is crops I believe.
 
I don't want to discourage you, but 50 acres next to a public hunting area will make for a very TOUGH time in getting bucks to older age classes, IMO. You can do things to improve your odds, but realistically, bucks are going to range out beyond 50 acres, at least some of the time.

Now then...I have seen many times where a "contented" buck spends a high percentage of his time on < 50 acres...so there is a chance to improve your lot. If it were me, flying blind here, I would focus on the 25 acres furthest away from the public and trick it out with food and cover and then STAY OUT OF IT, hoping to hunt the perimeter of your safe zone. If that makes sense. Good luck.
 
Daver that makes perfect sense. I know managing any type of age structure is a crapshoot especially with a small acreage next to public. I'm also considering all of the neighboring properties to the North and East of the properties to help pull deer in. I don't believe I'll ever have many "home body" bucks living on the property itself. I basically want to pull what I can from other sections and provide them cover and food when they are there. This year will be the first time hunting late muzzleloader here. I believe that season is going to produce the best overall odds. Let the survivors of shotgun season stumble upon food and cover and hopefully they'll keep traveling in during the colder months.
 
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