5 Year Program..

[Bowslinger]

Hello fellow Tennesseans... I'm new to the site and just wanted to say hello...

I bought this property 4 years ago, and immediatly began QDMA program. After weeks of hard work clearing heavy brush, thinning out a few trees in certain areas and putting in food plots... I bought the property only 2 months prior to the 04 deer season, so I really didnt have much time to do a lot of scouting, I managed to get some great trail cam pics the first week I owned it, so my first food plots, mineral sites and stand locations, were all best guesses. The first season, while I did manage some doe control, I did not see any bucks, til the very last day of the season. I caught a glimpse of a nice 8pt as he slipped down a tree line, and out of sight. This encounter on the last day of the season, gave me some encouragement for the next year.

Well to make a long story shorter... Last year we took 12 deer off of this property, 3 bucks and 9 does, 2 nice 8pts, and a crooked horn spike that my was my nephew's first deer.

here are a few trailcam pics from last year and this summer...

of course we still have a LARGE population of females... but again this year we are planning to regulate the doe population...

 

[MFBAB]

Nice pics and story. BTW, welcome to the site!

 

[spitndrum]

Welcome!!!!!

nice Bucks!!!!!!!

 

[TS_13]

Good looking deer! Good work!

 

[buckhorn40]

 

[BowGuy84]

good stuff! How many acres are you working with there?

we have 104 in KY that we are hunting for the first time tomorrow morning...so excited!

 

[BSK]

Great story and good luck with your program.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

Great story and good luck with your program.

. Ditto

 

[Bowslinger]

this is only 60 acres, about 55 miles south of Nashville. The first year I hunted this property, 04 season, I killed 4 does, and as I said in first post, didnt see any bucks at all, till the last day of season. Again in 05', I enlisted the help of 2 friends to help me manage the herd, and together we killed 7 deer, 5 does, 2 management bucks a 6 pt and a warped horn 7pt. In the 06' season, things got a little better, 6 does, a very nice 8 pt, and we took 3 management bucks out of the pool. Of course last year was our best season so far, and with our cams working overtime for us, we are hoping for much of the same results this year. Our doe population doesnt seem to be hurting any at all, I'm estimating it to be at around 25 to 30 different does that I can make out on our cams. Of course they roam to and fro, on adjoining properties, but they don't seem to be shy about hanging out in front of the cameras... bunch of "madona wannabees"... LOL.

 

[ol 'rube]

nice deer

 

[BigGameGuy]

Bowslinger-

What exactly are management bucks?

 

[doublelung]

welcome to TNDEER. And good luck.

 

[kmac29]

nice work man..i see some definate results in those pics!

 

[decaturhunter]

good story

 

[Bowslinger]

Bowslinger-

What exactly are management bucks?

well I consider a management buck to be anything with obvious bad genetics... say a buck that is 3 to 4 years old and has 4pts on his head... bucks that never progress past 3pts, odd looking small racks, etc...

 

[Boone 58]

thanks for sharing!

 

[BigGameGuy]

Bowslinger,

According to your numbers, over the last three years, you took at least five bucks off your 60 acre property that were 3-1/2 years of age and older. That's not even counting the good 8-pointers you mentioned. If those too were 3-1/2+ years of age, that is probably the highest density harvest of older aged class bucks I have ever heard of in Tennessee. I don't think it's possible for you to do much better.

 

[Bowslinger]

Bowslinger,

According to your numbers, over the last three years, you took at least five bucks off your 60 acre property that were 3-1/2 years of age and older. That's not even counting the good 8-pointers you mentioned. If those too were 3-1/2+ years of age, that is probably the highest density harvest of older aged class bucks I have ever heard of in Tennessee. I don't think it's possible for you to do much better.

this property is also bordering some other bigger properties that total about 1000 acres, although my property is only used for hunting, the other properties around it are used for farming and cattle... the property that sits along my eastern fence is about 300 acres running cattle... in hunting season this property gets a LOT of pressure, I think this tends to push some of these deer over to my side of the fence for cover and bedding areas, and of course food plots in the winter.

I dont pretend to be an expert on whitetails, I'm just happy to have something to work with that has potential and keeps meat in the freezer..

 

[Tin Star]

Bowslinger,
I'm new to the site also and I'm impressed with what you have done with what I would call a small property. I just closed on 50 acers myself in south central Lewis Co. which will also be used for hunting. I don't live in the area and eventually will put a small cabin on the propertly to have a place to stay while I hunt. My property is also bordered on one side by a large tract of land, 1100 acres of GMO timber land. My land was select cut a few years back and there's approximtely 10 acres of pasture on one of the ridges. It also has a spring that feeds a one acre pond. I won't hunt it this year, but I'm anxious to start habitat improvements. Of course I have my own ideas, but would be open to outside ideas on what to do first. Any advise would be appreciated. I will post some pictures as soon as I can figure out how.