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How many acres do you need in order to have an effect as far as buck management?

I have a new neighbor who has 80. I have 29. We are both interested in passing smaller bucks. Problem is that most of the neighboring properties have a  "brown down" attitude.

I am not faulting anyone for shooting small bucks. I have done it for years. I'm just in the place where I'm happy to take a doe and leave a younger buck. Having a neighbor that is interested helps a lot.

I'd just like a chance to see bigger bucks. 

Both properties are mostly red oak. Both were logged 2 years ago. They each have water and bedding, and we are planning to do several food plots next year. 

I have a feeling 109 acres won't cut it though. Thoughts?

"Who the son sets free, is free indeed"  John 8:36

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There is no simple answer, but I would start at 500-1,000 acres. I can tell you I manage 107 acres in northwest NJ and now 432 in Otsego and our bucks wander many more properties than we control.  Food, cover and water are essential, of course. But even then it’s hard. Do what you can and keep passing young bucks and you will see improvement in your age classes, even if the neighbors take a decent 2.5 year old. 
 

We have also had some luck working with neighbors to get (most of) them on the same page. That helps a lot. 

"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Anonymous 

 

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I don't think it's just how many acres are managed, it's the hunter himself. If you go to Wegmans and buy all the steaks an hour later the case is full again.  If you shoot a small buck it's a couple of years to replace him. Each buck that's passed on gives him a chance for survival. Even if the neighbors shoot brown and down doesn't mean he will be shot. Our  40 and the neighbors 60 we let the small ones walk and don't shoot many does. Even though the Amish hunt an adjoining property. Keeping resident doe and feeding them with food plots and giving them cover and bedding draws in bucks. Once in a while one is a shooter. If you can mentally accept the fact that you might go a season without a deer that's a conservationists attitude. I have gone without before  and I also have used a tag to take a wounded deer that I wouldn't have shot to end it's suffering.  Being able to accept what the day offers and enjoying being out in the woods is what I am about.  And yes we see bucks year after year on camera that outsmart us!

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1 hour ago, mowin said:

I think holding the deer on your land during the hunting season would be a start.  A area that you will not enter at all and make into a bedding area would go along way. 

This times 2!. 

You can't control what happens around you but if you can keep them off the other property and on yours that is something you can have a better chance of doing.

Put in some plots, make the does feel comfortable and bucks will come and stay as much as you can get them too. @Lomax

We have 117 acres. Gun season everyone around us hunts.  We don't have a ton but this year we had only 2 bucks all late summer.  Hunting season we had 3 wall hangers and 3 others I would be happy to take.  Bout all you can do.  We've improved out area by frost seeding and some small food plots. Bucks will wander and for us they wander onto our property during hunting season.  

 

 

"it's pointless for humans to paint scenes of nature when they can go outside and stand in it"- Ron Swanson

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2 hours ago, mowin said:

I think holding the deer on your land during the hunting season would be a start.  A area that you will not enter at all and make into a bedding area would go along way. 

I'm on the wagon here too. I think no matter the size of your property, you can not control what the deer do, or the actions of those around you.

So the key, is to make your property as enticing to the local deer as possible! Give them food they like, that they can find only on your property. Mostly though, deer like to "feel safe"!!! They want that area where humans never go! Is somewhat sheltered.  And will travel to that safe, comfortable spot when the pressure heats up nearby. Once they are in there, hunt only the very outside edges, and travel lanes, to and from. At times the temptation to drive or enter the safe spot will be high. Especially when you aren't seeing deer outside of it. But don't do it! Throughout the years you will reap more benefits in the long run.

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Way more inportant than food  is a thick untouched sanctuary area preferably  in middle of your property..  keep food plots away from property lines . If they have water and cover on your place they dont have to leave till near dark to eat. .  There is no way we would take  18 to 22 deer a year  here every year. 485total right now since 93.  Without the 30 acre sanctuary .  The surounding camps are smaller amd pressure just hanging stands  move deer to where they feel safe.  Which is here....   maintaining an area thick involves winter work dropping and hinge cutting trees.  

Do not enter the area except to track or do maintenance.   And it should be your prime area.. hunt the fringe not shooting into it. 

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I also condone shooting anydoe with twin button bucks on your property..  the does are what kicks the young bucks  out. No mamma to kick them away and the only home range they know is the does. So when they grow up and travel their core area tends to stay the area they.knew as fawns. Though mature bucks  may bump them to edge of their area  they always seem  to retain  that home core range..  just an observation on 30 years of owning land.  It dramatically increases your 1.5 year old buck sightings and eventually 2.5 and older. As long as they have their sanctuary to return to the seem to do so. 

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As to the question to how much land?   a doe family group may use as little as 50 acres.  But they dont follow property lines. A buck is 400 to 600 acres  though its core range maybe as small as 80 but again not following property lines..  your best bet is to make the best security cover you can thru logging and habitat manipulation. 

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My spot is maybe 50 acres of woods and thickets, surrounded by hundreds of acres of crops 360 degrees  , half of the “ woods” that in red is two hands needed to get through , I do zero work on it nature does . There’s a number of good bucks I see on cam and in person , the same ones for a few years as well as find their sheds once in awhile I shoot one .

The issue is getting one too come out in daylight , plus they can come out to feed 360, which is why I chuckle at the old “ set up between bedding and food “ that’s great if there’s one bedding area and food area .

Anyways the area has many let them grow guys which has paid off ,you need to get others involved. We used to have a January get to together of area hunters and landowners , we’d get 70 guys in attendance. 

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Biggest problem we have is drawing deer to property.hunting 36 acres,open woods and open hayfield.thick bedding to north and south,which on north side Noone hunts it.gets hunted to the west aswell,all open hardwood.bow season is ok for me as I see deer during the rut time after gun starts they are holed up in that really thick nasty chit,which I think is common. Need to get a few small plots scattered about next year!

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On 11/15/2022 at 9:12 AM, Skillet said:

How many acres do you need in order to have an effect as far as buck management?

I have a new neighbor who has 80. I have 29. We are both interested in passing smaller bucks. Problem is that most of the neighboring properties have a  "brown down" attitude.

I am not faulting anyone for shooting small bucks. I have done it for years. I'm just in the place where I'm happy to take a doe and leave a younger buck. Having a neighbor that is interested helps a lot.

I'd just like a chance to see bigger bucks. 

Both properties are mostly red oak. Both were logged 2 years ago. They each have water and bedding, and we are planning to do several food plots next year. 

I have a feeling 109 acres won't cut it though. Thoughts?

I think as long as all the hunters in your surrounding area follow the game laws you will have plenty of bucks getting a few years on them. Let them tag out on small bucks!

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I read that to have any realistic chance of keeping deer in a property you need a minimum of 800 acres. And that is still not going to keep the majority of the bucks onsite.

 

I think a good 100 acre piece. 35 in sanctuary 35 in food and 3o arranged to hunt around that. Add the water source and keep out trespassers. 

Edited by fletchny11
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