Golf Courses Big Woods Food Source

[Uncle Lou]

I was just catching up and reading in the how far away thread. Headgear mentioned something about a golf course near by and that got me thinking about golf courses and Big Woods Country. I realize that low populated northern big woods don't have a ton of golf courses, but there are spots.

In the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan there are many golf courses. When I am in big woods country, if there are no beach or oak trees I try to key on clear cuts - I call them the ag fields of the north. In the last 10 to 15 years I have seen a lot more agriculture in the NE Lower in one place I hunt.

But back to golf courses being a food source in the great white north. Does anyone key on this food source? I remember seeing a herd of elk on a golf course early one morning in the Northern Lower Peninsula while driving, I don't think they were bedding in the fairway, so their might be something to this.

Thanks for the thought Headgear.

[whitetailassasin]

I know of 2 golf courses and another one that is in the process of becoming one (was deemed a wetland and they have to prove it can hold livestock..?) that are tremendous big buck sanctuaries. The owners and family are only ones who hunt it and have some monsters (150+ range).

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[Twenty Up]

I was just catching up and reading in the how far away thread. Headgear mentioned something about a golf course near by and that got me thinking about golf courses and Big Woods Country. I realize that low populated northern big woods don't have a ton of golf courses, but there are spots.

In the Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan there are many golf courses. When I am in big woods country, if there are no beach or oak trees I try to key on clear cuts - I call them the ag fields of the north. In the last 10 to 15 years I have seen a lot more agriculture in the NE Lower in one place I hunt.

But back to golf courses being a food source in the great white north. Does anyone key on this food source? I remember seeing a herd of elk on a golf course early one morning in the Northern Lower Peninsula while driving, I don't think they were bedding in the fairway, so their might be something to this.

Thanks for the thought Headgear.

I work on Golf Courses so I might be able to help out to some extent. From what I have seen personally (on courses in the SE) the deer feed on the tall grass in the hazards. The fertilizer leaches to some extent onto the edges of the roughs into these areas which allows these native grasses & weeds to grow quicker and fuller than they normally would.

Deer feeding on fairways or golf greens seems unlikely due to how short it's cut, along with some fertilizers commonly used in the industry that deter deer (such as milogranite).

[headgear]

Ha I just got back from scouting the golf course area today, almost connected with a huge buck there last year and it was probably within 500 yards of a green on public land. I've golfed the course in the evening too, plenty of deer hanging around and probably at a much higher concentration vs the usual bigwoods population. Of course this attracts more wolfs to the area, saw plenty wolf tracks today.

[Edcyclopedia]

I have a friend that borders a golf course and does pretty good on occasion.

He wacked a Turkey one year w/ archery and the damn thing ran right next to a green as a group was coming up the fairway.
So he belly crawled to the Turkey and finished it off w/ a Phillips head screw driver in the nick of time.

[Jphunter]

I have a friend that borders a golf course and does pretty good on occasion.

He wacked a Turkey one year w/ archery and the damn thing ran right next to a green as a group was coming up the fairway.
So he belly crawled to the Turkey and finished it off w/ a Phillips head screw driver in the nick of time.

lol I bet that was a sight to see..:)

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[kenn1320]

Golf courses like air ports seem to be sanctuaries for wildlife. Seems more often than not they arent hunted with the same frequency or pressure as the surrounding areas. Many also have oaks that arent crowded in big mature woods, so they really drop the acorns. You could look at them as a draw, but Id bet deer using them are bedded closer than further in most cases.

[whitetailassasin]

I just had two does coming across from a highway off ramp little triangle of thickets headed to a golf course. What a coincidence.

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[backstraphunter]

you know what else are huge buck hang outs L.O.L is a Cemetery i have seen huge HUGE bucks in southern michigan

[Uncle Lou]

There seems to be some agreement with the presence of deer and other wildlife hanging around golf courses. What I was trying to point out is what Headgear is onto. I don't know where he is in Minnesota, but he seems to be in a remote or bigwood setting, as he mentions wolf sign and low deer density commonly. In the big woods food is not as concentrated and deer seam to browse or roam more. I thought stealing what now looks like one of his tactics could either find support among other big woods hunters, or enough interest to scout this possible food source and surrounding areas.

I know I just made a mental note to check around all the areas I hunt in big woods areas for a nearby golf course, and start to consider it a food source.

you know what else are huge buck hang outs L.O.L is a Cemetery i have seen huge HUGE bucks in southern michigan

And nice thought, there are probably more cemeteries in the big woods areas than golf courses. Mowed grass seems to be the key to being a food source. People mow food plots as part of their maintenance of them.

[nater]

Grass is a not a preferred food source but deer will eat it. As others have noted, the bigger draw is the shrubs/forbs/weeds on the edge that get large amounts of sun, the nuts from productive open growth trees, sanctuary areas where few people walk, and the opportunity to socialize in large groups with long sight lines for security.

Some of the biggest rubs I've seen were on the back side of a golf course. A deep wooded ravine ran through the course and the ridgelines were heavily traveled.

Clearcuts/openings in the big woods have many of the same characteristics, but greater browse production (until they start to grow up/shade out). Bigger cemeteries are like the golf courses.

[headgear]

you know what else are huge buck hang outs L.O.L is a Cemetery i have seen huge HUGE bucks in southern michigan

I have seen this too, a lot of the time you can associate these with deer that live closer to towns. Now a days it can be easier to grow large mature bucks near cities than out in the wilderness. Just more food around and less wolf pressure so these areas can attract more deer numbers and = more bucks slipping through the cracks to reach maturity.

[backstraphunter]

your right lou here and the grass is the key where i hunt in the U.P here in michigan and mine you i have hunted there since i was 14 yrs old 35 years now off and on mor on last 8 or 9 years any way since we now have the older 2nd owners of homes up in the sub who snow bird south every winter and take care or ther grass and shrubs and flowers un-like old days owners we now have ubrn deer liveing in around all the houses and small wood lots i got 200 pound does that are 5 and 8 years old and more they do not leave the sub one thing that puzzles me is a lot of them a with out fawns so either they do not get breed any more and are older than i think or the coyotes and foxs get the fawns in spring at night i have seen a 4 to 5 huge does no fawns to 1 doe with fawn or fawns. but cut grass and maintained is key. i think like you said in a food plot thats maintaned not only the cutting but the fertilizer that keeps it lush and green

[Hawthorne]

Biggest buck I've ever seen in the wild was on a golf course right in the middle of metro Detroit. Alot of golf courses have native areas that they let grow up through out the year with Forbs and bushes. Plus lots of edge equals food.

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[parkersdad]

My father-in-law lives on a golf course in Central Michigan. He is constantly texting me photos of a deer heard feeding on the course. I think it would be a good place to focus

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