How to manage deer like states with record size deer do

I’ve always wondered about the “big deer states” like: Illinois, Ohio, and Kansas to name a few. They always seem to be the destination states for many well known whitetail hunters who are seeking to land a large buck. Oftentimes they do, or if not they are at least in and around large herds with healthy deer. If you're like me and ever wondered how these states do this you’ve likely come to the same conclusions that I have. Better food, better weather conditions, better water access, better breeding land, and better management. Most all the big bucks states that you can think come with a food statistic that is equally impressive. A lot of these states are holding over 80% of their land to crops and farming. Most of these states also have more consistent weather patterns that allow herds to hold patterns better. What we want to take a look at is how can we maximize our herds and land to replicate the success that some of these other states have?

How corn can transform your attractiveness and nutrition:

Many people will spend a lot of money with pellet feeds trying to grow current deer and attract more deer to their property. However, there are ways to bypass this “somewhat.” One bag of planting corn will cover roughly 2-3 acres. For most people doing food plots this is plenty of coverage out of a single 50 bag of corn. While corn is not something that you want to have everywhere on your property it is good for your herd to have around 10% of their habitat planted in corn. You should be able to find yellow dent varieties for around $2.50 per LBS. Given time and consistency in planting from year to year, you will find that your herd will do better at lower costs. Our favorite way to plant corn is to drill it,however, you can technically broadcast seed your food plot with corn but your yield will not be nearly as high. Broadcast corn leads to shallower roots and less accessible nutrition for the plant. Even if you are only able to plant just a little corn, it is certain to help your herd and your success in the woods for seasons to come.

Spacing and how it affects your herd:

Something that isn’t easy to deal with is how much work it takes to manage deer herds and the physicality behind it. Something that you have most likely noticed by now if your hunting career is the importance of spacing from things like: human traffic, water, food, and bedding. If done correctly your herd will feel safe traveling your property and this is most likely the best management practice that you can do to set yourself up for success during the season. Manage your habitat as far away from human traffic as possible. Try your best to keep equipment and motor vehicles outside of the management area. Deer are some of the smartest game creatures you have access to and whether you're hunting your own property or a public reserve it’s important to be mindful of the amount of foot traffic you're putting down in a given area. When it comes to knowing bedding areas on your property and how you manage around them, keeping the basics in mind is the most important thing. Don’t over crowed a single area, deer are large animals and they move a lot. Keep water readily accessible along with food on your property! You want to make sure that your herd has every reason to stay and little to no reason to leave. 

Manage for healthy does and big bucks will follow:

You might see big bucks every now and then, but if your doe population isn't right then your buck population won’t be either! Managing a healthy doe population at 70% capacity of your property, averaging an age of 1-3 years will keep big bucks interested and on your land! Deer camp should consist of you and your friends hunting does and bucks that need to be removed from your herd. It’s important to remember that your doe herd is very delicate and keeping a good balance is key to healthy herd management. For most properties with deer herds ranging from 10-50 animals you should be taking out roughly 3-7 mature does per season if possible. 

Actually use your fur bearing season:

 Most people don’t use their trapping season and it shows in how healthy their herd is. Anything from racoons to coyotes are going to have some level of negative side effects on your herd. Racoons will be a menace to the food for your herd and other bird game species you might be trying to manage. Coyotes can be easy but take some time in planning on exactly how to control, if not done properly you run the risk of disrupting your herd and hurting your herds patterns more than helping. Controlling bigger predators can be challenging as well. Most of you have probably gone to the caffe and tried to convince everyone there’s a huge mountain lion thieving your animals in the night. Well, the truth is that mountain lion, bear, and wolf predation accounts for roughly 30% of the nation wide predation to whitetails. Many of you who actually do experience these larger predator issues can utilize what hunting or trapping seasons are available to you for these predators. You can also manage your land to be a less friendly environment to these animals. If the problem is an immediate issue you can reach out to your state's wildlife authorities and ask for further instruction on how to handle the issue.

With time and patience you will find success in managing your herd and you will begin to enjoy the fruits of your labor. It’s most important that you remember to be patient and enjoy the process. We are blessed to live in a world where we were given domain by our Father over the animals. We are to be good and faithful stewards of that blessing.

Adventure Awaits!!!