Lots of land little deer

[counteryboy5]

    Hi there i got myself a deer herd problem and i need some help. we have 600 acres of old DNR land up north near the Duluth Superior area. its is a very good area for Beaver, fisher, weasel, coon, and fox trapping. but i would like to increase the sighting of deer. i know the deer are there its just all wide spread solid woods. I've had some thoughts of what to do out there. but there are some probables. the first idea i had was to make two clear cuts and put food plots in. but with the food plot problem is that this area is very remote and can hardly get a four-wheeler back there sometimes. some would say just to make a smaller plot by hand but the about of deer that would be brought to it would just destroy it. i mean really the only easy food source on 600 acres. the soil is also a very clay like texture. and i really don't know if anything would grow that well. Then of course we gotta predator issue. there is two wolf packs rooming around the property. and i had set out a trail cam one spring and had 73 pictures of bears on it. and it was only out there two weeks. and they are really affecting the deer herd population. and i also found that the bucks there are hard up for minerals. i put out a bag of deer cane. and two weeks when i can back there was none left and a four foot deep hole there. if anybody out there has any ideas or suggestions i would really appreciate it. the deer are there but its hard for them. they just need a little help. Thanks

[Brad H.]

From what you are describing, I would try to make some "hidey hole" food plots. This is just basically taking a more open area of the woods, clearing the underbrush and leaves out and planting a food plot in amongst the trees. No need for heavy equipment. Most of the work can be done with a leaf blower and a good weed trimmer with a blade. After its clear its just a matter of hauling some seed back in and spreading with a hand spreader. Water holes can also be a good attractant to deer so that might be something to consider putting in or focusing on if you have some on the property already.

All this is going to be hard though if you cant get the predator population under control. I know the wolves up in that area are doing some awful damage to the deer population and until that is taken care of it is going to be pretty tough to establish a good deer population.

[mrchicken]

Uniform woods are tough on deer & deer hunters.
deer like edges. Hinge cutting trees, or hack and squirt will quickly add some variety to your wood lot.

If you are serious, have a forester cruise the timber with the idea of cutting several small 5ac or less clear cuts.
See if you can get a logger to come in and do the work. Make sure you do your background checking and have a good contract (clean up, fixing roads etc..) which the forester should help you with.

That will provide variety in habitat. You can let the cuts regenerate naturally which are incredible deer plots for the first 3-10 years. Or you can haul seed, prep the ground etc... and do a regular food plot.
Hope this helps.

[counteryboy5]

There are two smaller water holes in the middle of the property. i have a stand on one but both of them of course are where the bears and wolves hand out. a friend of mine come in last year to do some bear hunting, and he shot a 400 pound bear in less then a hour of sitting. most of the deer are drinking from the mud river because it is the most open around that area. And for the hidey hole project what would be a good seed to plant. i haven't had very good results with anything because of the clay texture of the dirt.

[mrchicken]

Sounds like you are going to have trouble growing plots under those mature trees.
Winter wheat will sprout on concrete if you get it wet. Don't expect a golf course or wheat field under mature trees though.

[Brad H.]

Try clover. Deer will hammer it and if you take care of it you can get several years out of one planting. You will have to spray for weeds though, and like mrchicken said you will have to find some open areas that some sun can get through.

[counteryboy5]

Do you think that it would be worth it to cut some of those mature trees to get some sunlight to hit the forest floor? im not really sure how to get the logs out of the area tho. just a idea

[mrchicken]

The single best thing you can do to a big mature stand of trees to improve your deer habitat is to cut smaller openings. Sunlight hitting the forest floor will start a successive regeneration process. Stumps will sucker tender new growth. A variety of forage will sprout from the seed bank. Many if not most of the naturally occurring "weeds" are highly nutritious to deer, especially during the early growth stages.

I know one of the top Deer Management guys in the country and for the absolute best bang for your buck or labor he says cut openings and get the sun to hit the ground. If you have the money for chemicals, do a soil test and lime/fertilize the native browse that pops up. For hunting purposes, several smaller 1-5 ac plots are much better than one big plot. Especially if you map deer travel routes and terrain features then add plots and sanctuary areas along those natural routes.

Hope this helps with some ideas.

[counteryboy5]

what i'm really trying to do for the dear is create a year around food source. to help them with the large predator population and long harsh winters. i want to try create healthy fawns in the spring. and i want to limit the wide spread area the the deer are covering. i want to get a location on the deer so there easier to find during deer hunting season instead of stalking one deer around the whole property. i'm thinking if i make the food plots to small the deer will over browse it and ruin so it wont produce enough to hold them over the winter. that's why i'm thinking i could make a bigger plot to sustain the food needed for the deer. i'm thinking of just making a large plot with like corn or beans and not hunt it but just make it into there sanctuary area. that way there will be no pressure there for them. I am also thinking of putting out year around mineral rocks. i have only heard good things about the trophy rock. do any of you have any thoughts about those. and if u use them at all will the bears carry them off or will they leave them alone?

[mrchicken]

www.amazon.com/Deer-Management-101-Manage-Hunting/dp/0974696803

This is one of the bibles of deer management.

Spend some time reading up on HABITAT management techniques before starting anything. Its too much money and work to jump in without a plan.

Food plots are over rated and over priced IMO. A mixed mess of cut over regrowth supplemented with some cold season forages (rape-turnips) will be your cheapest way to accomplish your goals. Sanctuary, cover, year round food.
Traditional food plots are useful during short windows of peak edibility. This makes them very expensive, especially when you figure in the amount of work, tractor time, repairs etc that goes into establishing and maintaining a plot.

Cost is always something to consider. Labor is another.
Do what gets you the most results for the least cost and labor. Evaluate your results, then modify your plans accordingly.

[Deleted]

Can you hunt and trap the wolves? Seems like two packs would put a hurtin on the deer population especially in the winter. Changing the mature woods into prime habitat will take some time and alot of effort. The deer hotspots I know have thick low browse, wetlands and swamps, agricultural food plots of 100 acres or more with corn alternating with soy beans. Mature woodlands just don't hold the deer. Clear cutting large areas is great if you leave all the tops piled all over the place. Lets light in and encourages the deer to hide too. Deer will also hold up all day in standing corn. We have a very healthy deer herd and the local coyote population is hunted relentlessly. Doesn't the state game department have a resource you can tap into?

[counteryboy5]

I cant hunt or trap the wolves unless i get a tag to do so. and i dont know how to enter to get a wolves tag.

[blazinriverrat]

When u get a license, ask for a wolf tag application. They will supply more info on units. About 20% got tags that applied.

[daswolter]

You could advertise to have people come and hunt or trap bear and wolves on you property. You could even charge a small fee. This would help with the population control since more then one or two predators would be removed in a season if you did it yourself.

If the deer need minerals get the mineral rocks and put them out on known trails and feeding areas but don't hunt them. Do this only during season otherwise you could get fined for out of season baiting.

Get you soil tested for PH and check the food plot seed companies for what they would recommend.

[counteryboy5]

Thanks for the good advice. i am already having people coming in to hunt the bears. last year just my family and friends took three nice boars. i will look into the wolf hunting and trapping more deeply.

[rick2]

Planting winter greens are good for later in the season.But beware you can spend a ton of cash on this quick.But its a lot of fun watching your progress.Always check the ph of your soil.Good luck.