Nsghunter
Well-Known Member
My family graciously lets me hunt on their property. It's my grandparents old family farm. Its now owned by three separate family members who all join together to create around 100 acres in a nice organized chunk. It's mostly reclaimed farmland on a large hillside split in the middle by a ridge. There are alot of thick areas, very little mature timber (the primary owner uses it for wood for selling firewood and milling lumber.) and quite a few overgrown fields.
I usually always see "meat deer" while hunting/visiting there but I've never used it enough to see any big bucks. I have permission to improve the habitat on the property (burn plant cut) but I have always felt reluctant to do much with it as far as habitat management. I live two hours away and all the owners will allow mostly anyone to hunt or use the property (my grandfather did the same thing so the owners now feel the same way.) I think its great they offer such a great resource to so many people but therein lies my dilemma, I am unsure about doing an type of property management for hunting improvement because I am concerned I would use my family's money, time and sweat equity while a random person may be the ones who reap the bulk of my reward.
I see deer most of time I go to the property but they are usually "meat deer" I have seen one big buck but couldn't get a shot. I believe the property either holds deer or that deer use it. I also feel that if I do nothing to the improve the property and hunt it sparingly my family and I will still be able to take a few deer a year.
Also worth mentioning, we don't have much in the way of money laying around to spend on habitat improvement, we don't have an ATV, UTV or tractor to do anything major, also living two hours away is also a limiting factor due to the investment of time and fuel.
What are your thoughts on investing in this property or what I could do?
I usually always see "meat deer" while hunting/visiting there but I've never used it enough to see any big bucks. I have permission to improve the habitat on the property (burn plant cut) but I have always felt reluctant to do much with it as far as habitat management. I live two hours away and all the owners will allow mostly anyone to hunt or use the property (my grandfather did the same thing so the owners now feel the same way.) I think its great they offer such a great resource to so many people but therein lies my dilemma, I am unsure about doing an type of property management for hunting improvement because I am concerned I would use my family's money, time and sweat equity while a random person may be the ones who reap the bulk of my reward.
I see deer most of time I go to the property but they are usually "meat deer" I have seen one big buck but couldn't get a shot. I believe the property either holds deer or that deer use it. I also feel that if I do nothing to the improve the property and hunt it sparingly my family and I will still be able to take a few deer a year.
Also worth mentioning, we don't have much in the way of money laying around to spend on habitat improvement, we don't have an ATV, UTV or tractor to do anything major, also living two hours away is also a limiting factor due to the investment of time and fuel.
What are your thoughts on investing in this property or what I could do?