Gonna start my first QDM area

[tn droptine]

Well, I recently aquired a little under 50 acres of property in Chester County. It is approx half wooded and half pasture with a small pond in the pasture. It butts up to a large tract of wooded area. I know that it is not as large a piece of property as would be ideal for deer management, but since the surrounding areas do not see much pressure I'm gonna give it a shot.

What do you guys suggest as a good way to start? I plan on planting a few plots of imperial whitetail clover and some other seed, and rotating them out, along with a small grove of apple trees. I also plan on taking around 5 acres and planting pine or fir trees to allow the deer a sanctuary area with heavy cover.

Since this property is in Unit L, do you suggest that I harvest a few does in order to thin out the herd in the area? I plan on letting the younger bucks walk, unless I have a kid or someone new to hunting with me.

Any advice is much appreciated - I have learned a ton from this site, sure is different hunting the deer in TN than it was in Northern Indiana, lol

 

[cfmartin1833]

Im no expert but I do read alot about this kind of stuff. I dont have enought land to do much QDM of my own, but I would say that being sure of the property that surrounds your place would be a good place to start. Of course that is subject to change at any time. Sounds like you have a good idea of what you want to do with the place. Planting some good cover for a sanctuary can be a great thing. I know of a couple places where this has been done with alot of success. As for harvesting does, I would be sure of my herd numbers before I harvested to many. i have heard of a few places in unit L that already have good doe buck ratios. Using some trail cameras to evaluate your herd could be a good start to determining whether to kill does or not. IMO it would be a mistake to just kill does without being sure that the herd can withstand it. But again, Im no expert!

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Best way to start- Visit the QDMA website, order some books. Read the forums( especially the habitat one) Ask questions. The QDMA forums have a wealth of information. Join the QDMA and get your subscription to the best magazine out there, Quality Whitetails, you'll learn a ton from that about habitat and deer management.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

What steven said. This months magazine is one of the best I have read.

Lots to learn just have fun and enjoy yourself. 50 acres isn't much( I only have 59) but with my small place I have done a ton and have really seen a change. I have several good deer roaming the area.

 

[BSK]

If you can alter the habitat, 50 acres is enough to influence the local deer to use your property more than they use your neighbors, especially in daylight.

 

[AlabamaSwamper]

Take your pastures and let them grow to a jungle.

 

[BSK]

Take your pastures and let them grow to a jungle.

One of the cheapest and best things you can do.

 

[bowhunterfanatic]

50 acres is definitely enough to work with (in the right situation). I own/hunt a tract of land smaller than that, and am amazed at what a difference a little QDM has done for it. Three years ago we had multiple daylight sightings of mature (3 1/2 and older) bucks. Last year, my brother harvested a 136 inch 8 point there, and we saw 2 more mature deer during deer season. This year we have trail cam pictures of 2 deer that will go over 125 easily. All we have done really is let some natural growth come up for cover which we use as a sanctuary, kill lots of does, and limit our buck harvests.

 

[river925]

be real careful who you let hunt the property!!!!! would you agree fanatic?

 

[Football Hunter]

sounds fun,I love working on mine

 

[tn droptine]

Take your pastures and let them grow to a jungle.

One of the cheapest and best things you can do.

Yeah - I wish I would have thought about that before I let my fiancee pay to have the pastures bush hogged! Cost me about $600, and the stuff was already over waist high

 

[Boone 58]

Ask Bsk, so much of what you are doing does and will be affected by "what" your neighbors are doing. Depending on the local pressure you may or may not need to harvest does. If killing big deer is your goal then harvesting any animal non antlered may be or need to be kept to a minimum depending on how many deer are actually staying on your property versus how many are just passing thru. i would want to have an area for sure that i could depend on the does using/staying in order to attract rutting bucks. i would want to kill the older does as needed to keep them from running off their buck off spring. etc, etc.....Bsk would know more on how to advise you. Congrats on your acquisition! Best of luck on accomplishing your goals!

 

[tn droptine]

Thanks for all your help guys - I'll try to get some pics of the property up one of these days (Hopefully here next month with a deer in the foreground, lol)