Small acreage deer hunting

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
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mheichelbech
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Re: Small acreage deer hunting

Unread postby mheichelbech » Sat Sep 09, 2017 5:15 am

Thanks for posting that article. It does a great job of summarizing the key points of small property hunting.

I think the main thing that can help to maximize your hunts on small properties is by hunting the very edges with your access and stand scent blowing away from the deer.

Do you think that the same tactics for hunting bigger properties can apply to smaller?

For example, would it make sense to hunt within shooting distance of doe bedding during the rut if you only get a couple sits anyway or...would you stick to the edges in hopes of maximizing the number of possible sits?

Also, if the woodlot is an urban area that is next to a neighborhood or something...such that human scent is constantly flowing through the woods, does this help and make a difference? My experience is that is absolutely DOES NOT! Even the younger deer can tell the difference between neighborhood scent wafting it's way through the woods and my scent actually in the woods. I have seen this firsthand on enough occasions to know for sure.

I have watched a group of does become alarmed and change course when they caught my scent although they were walking within about 30 yards of a line of houses. I also have watched a buck put on the brakes 10 yards from a spot I had trimmed the previous day.

I have had enough negative occurrences to say that I think deer are maybe more averse to scent than they are in big woods. I have even seen them react negatively to my empty tree stands in a new spot. It seems to me that in small properties they know each and every little detail moreso and can detect things that are different more easily. I can see the logic in this as it would be much easier to see something new in a 2 bedroom house than it would be a 5 bedroom house....or, your more likely to notice crabgrass in small yard as opposed to a big yard.

For me and at least one of the small properties I hunt, the strategy will be:

- to observe from an undetectable distance to see if I can pattern a buck and if that doesn't work,
- I will wait it out to the rut when I know for sure that numerous bucks from all over will be passing within shooting range.
- last option will be waiting to the last 10 days when it will have become a sanctuary from the surrounding properties.


"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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FRH
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Re: Small acreage deer hunting

Unread postby FRH » Sat Sep 09, 2017 5:35 am

My girlfriends parents have 6 acres on the edge of a swamp. We planted a food plot just outside their backyard last year and had deer in it all year. She ended up missing a doe early season and her brother shot his first deer in it during gun season. He was constantly out there riding his bike or just looking around. An hour later there would be deer eating in the plot. Pressure is dependent. If you're going to be in there a lot then they will get used to it. I think they can tell the difference between hunting pressure and jut presence. Didn't hunt there during the rut but had a ton of pics on cameras during the middle of the day when they were cruising through.
mheichelbech
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Re: Small acreage deer hunting

Unread postby mheichelbech » Sat Sep 09, 2017 9:53 am

A book I read about urban hunting, the author talked about wearing cologne and talking to himself on his phone while walking in to imitate a non-hunter.

One (of the many) thing I am not sure about is how deer tell the difference between hunters and non-hunters but I am convinced they can. I have seriously considered trying a Hecs suit to see if it made any difference. I figure I've saved the cost of one by not buying any scent control products the last few years.
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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Re: Small acreage deer hunting

Unread postby cdeam » Sat Sep 09, 2017 10:05 pm

If you buy the HECS suit, give us an update on your experience. That would be interesting.


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