Acquired 80 acres to hunt. How do you prep? (**updated**)

[Bushape]

As I have mentioned in other threads/posts I am the sole bowhunter on my 700 acre lease with 8 other people. Had a friend recently hook me up with 80 acres to hunt and I briefly toured it with him this past Sunday. The east boundary of the property is approx 15 acres of pasture that runs parallel to a county road. On the other side of that road is hilly hardwood land. Bordering the pasture to the west is a major stream of water that I truly believe is the major source of water for wildlife along this bottom. Continue West and the bottom is filled with him, poplar, and pine. As the terrain turns steeper it looks like 5-6 points come of the adjoining property and hold what I consider to be the jewel of the property: mature, open hardwoods with white and red oak stands. These hardwoods make up the west boundary with adjoining land being a recent clear cut. The clear cut is currently brown with sage so I am thinking maybe 1-2 year old pines at best. The bad news is a neighbor currently cuts the hay off of the pasture so no chance right now of food plotting. Not sure I really need to as the pasture I looked at Sunday was covered with scat and rubs were spotted along the woodlines. Definately going to get some mineral blocks and cameras out during the spring and go from there. I am not much on ladder stands for bowhunting but since I already have a lease I may set a few up and only use this place a handful of times once the rut starts depending on what my cameras tell me. Am I overlooking anything?


****update after scouting****
Didn't get to do much more than walk the property line. I have driven by this place a few times in the past week and the fields have lots of does late in the evenings. Somewhat to my surprise I found very little sign on the bulk of the property to the west of the creek. What I did find were pretty impressive rubs along the creekbank pretty much the entire length of the property. A lot of tracks on this place. Not going to over think it or try to do too many additions. Overseed with some clover in key places to hopefully funnel deer towards stand sites. I think I can hunt pretty much everything but an East wind and completely avoid hunting too deep into the property. Going to set some cameras while deer are still in a "hunting season" pattern.

 

[huvrman]

Funnels first, then edges (pines/hardwoods, fields/woods), then saddles across ridges.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

Saddles and funnels. Saddles are my go to, but it depends on the overall layout and how the deer use them. Some are better than others. I have a gem on my place.

 

[ImThere]

As said saddles, funnels, add food sources bedding if you have any

 

[Snake]

All good advice above . Did i see a small field surrounded by trees ? Maybe a food plot there , deer will use that field regardless of a food plot or not . Farmer getting hay off from it then it must have good stuff in it . Looks like a really great place especially you only bow hunting. Congrats!

 

[DoubleRidge]

Agree with comments above....saddles, funnels and any transition area or edge. Congrats on the new ground.

 

[Ski]

I like inside corners of habitat changes, dry drainages, and dog-legs or s-curves in creeks. You have all three of those features within a 200 yard stretch right in the center of the property. Deer funnel in tight to the outside elbow of those dog-leg turns. I really like Snake's idea of a plot in that secluded field. If there were food in there, the other habitat features would become dynamite for travel.

Down at the bottom of the property where that center ridge cones down to a point will be an excellent spot to catch bucks coming out of bedding and traveling up toward your new plot, especially if it's a south wind blowing scent from that bottom center field. They'll likely be bedding near the top of the west ridge that faces east, just on the west edge of the evergreen strip running through the middle. The east ridge that faces west, just below the big ag field will also be good bedding. Looks fairly thick.

Lastly, hunting 50-60yds back into the woods below the fields in the north part of the property, especially when you have a plot in the hidden one, will be dynamite buck cruising during rut. When there's a north wind you'll get good buck cruising action as they scent check those fields for does.

That's my take at a glance. Doesn't really mean much without seeing in first hand but from your pics those are areas I'd personally be looking first while scouting, and why. Deer are often pretty lazy so look for shortcuts.

 

[MUP]

My best and most successful areas have been saddles intersecting with terrain feature changes, such as pines adjacent to hardwood ridges.

 

[Bushape]

All good advice above . Did i see a small field surrounded by trees ? Maybe a food plot there , deer will use that field regardless of a food plot or not . Farmer getting hay off from it then it must have good stuff in it . Looks like a really great place especially you only bow hunting. Congrats!

The small field with the little pond is an overgrown power line. It's really the only place I have that I could develop but I am not going to go in day 1 with the landowner and start talking about all of the changes I want to do. The strips of woods to the north and south of it each contained rubs and all of the pasture land is exposed to the paved road. Given what I saw in my brief time there I sort of feel like less is more right now. I'll see. I have thought about finding my most secluded spot and overseeding some clover and fertilizing this spring. Would benefit farmer and me without disturbing anything

 

[EastTNHunter]

I like saddles, funnels, edges, etc, but when approaching a new property that I will have extended access to I like to work it conservatively. Start from the outside and work your way in to watch deer patterns from a distance, then adjust accordingly based on wind direction and available approach. Sometimes this approach is not about a physical "outside - in" parameter, but is based on where you expect deer to be based on cover and terrain vs obvious food sources. I'm often surprised by subtle nuances of the landscape that concentrate or alter deer travel patterns, and oftentimes carry over from year to year. If you keep the long game in mind you can take a better chance of allowing the deer to educate you instead of you educating the deer.

 

[catman529]

Well first I'd hunt it and try to get some intel on what the deer are doing before I did any prep. Also I'd ask the owner if I could top sow some clover on that hay field. I broadcast some crimson clover on a fresh cut hayfield a couple months ago, and it came up really good. Even without that, there should be enough greens down in that grass for the deer to use the field at least sometimes.

I think you are on the right track as far as setting up stands and waiting for the right times to hunt. The more you leave them alone the better the hunting will be when you do hunt. Sounds like some really good habitat ranging from clearcut to hardwood points down to creek bottom. Can't ask for much better

 

[Rakkin6]

I like hunting the inside corners of field edges. Usually bout 100 yards inside the woodline.

 

[Planking]

I would focus on doing something that benefited the landowner first. Maybe you can keep hunting it for a while.

 

[7mm08]

I would focus on doing something that benefited the landowner first. Maybe you can keep hunting it for a while.

Like the biggest country ham you could find would be what I would do first!

 

[Bushape]

Like the biggest country ham you could find would be what I would do first!

My friend's mother and father live on the property. My friend said to watch out because he dad will catch me there and put me to work. Haha. I will definitely do something nice for them.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Like the biggest country ham you could find would be what I would do first!

Yep...for years we always got the neighboring property owners a gift box from Loveless Cafe (jams, slice of ham, biscuit mix) on Christmas. One owner let us hunt his property until we eventually bought it from him. Bought another bordering property also. He called and said he'd give us first offer. 50 acres that had never been hunted.

All for just being nice to people

As for the topic at hand, it's late season. Spend the next couple months walking it and scouting for next season