Hunting Land Frustration

[Doc Holliday]

All you can do is manage your own habitat, and then manage your food situation. Year round food plots, especially summer plots, will be helpful in keeping deer on your side.

That said, with 130 acres, you are never going to keep the deer (especially young bucks that have it in their DNA to wander) out of the 640.

 

[Boarmaster]

You cant do squat about it. Focus on having a good time hunting on what you got to hunt on your property. Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[RealMuddyboots]

Nobody "owns" the deer that frequents their property. Youth hunts are the basis for hunting sustainability. If they kill a doe or buck, it just might launch their hunting passion rest of their lives. This is far more important to our hunting heritage then complaining some kid killed "my" deer.
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[WCB]

1x a year? I'm sure they call a few young bucks but the majority still stick around and chances are they shoot the first thing that walks by which is more than likely a doe.

We have the same early season here in Minnesota to, awesome to get the kids out. But I think it's up to 18 years old and they go by themselves not with an adult which kind of is the point?? Not sure I like that so much but whatever. Then you have the 10 year old that shoots a 160" buck and now thinks every year he or she will get one and in today's society if they don't you know what happens from there!
They will maybe push some big bucks your way!

I'm in MN also and question the same thing on the age of the participants. the ages are 10-17 and 14-17 year olds do not need to be accompanied by adults?

 

[JBrew]

I'd rather have the right 100 acres than the wrong 1,000 acres. It sounds like you have the right 100 acres, or what could be the right 100 acres.

 

[stanginthe11s]

heres my opinion, I don't know the layout of your land in relation to where the youth hunt takes place but there are very few hunters that will actually utilize 640 acres let alone get a young hunter to also venture as far. it should not have any negative affect on you, in fact it would be the opposite. deer will move to your property to seek safety from public hunters, so as long as you don't pressure them, you may start seeing more deer. food plots are always a good idea also however, the #1 priority for any living thing is safety. if your property offers nothing to provide that then you could end up feeding deer for public hunters.
personally, I would be happy that youth hunters are getting out there. do what you can to provide an equal or better habitat for the animals on your side.
remember, a spike is a "trophy" deer to someone, why would you want to take that away?

 

[Howdawg]

Lot of people would give anything for your situation. Look for the positive not the negative.

 

[Newtosavage]

I guess I really just need to vent. My wife’s family owns about 130 acres of beautiful land where we plan on building a home eventually. Until then I can hunt it whenever I want and treat it like it’s mine (if my wife approves of course, since it’s really hers). Lots of deer, no other hunters nearby. I’m not a snob by any means when it comes to shooting deer, I’m an advocate for having meat in the freezer but letting small bucks walk to let them grow. There’s plenty of does for that on this property.

The cool part about the property is it backs up to 640 acres of land that’s owned by the county and that’s where the deer mainly come from as it was clear cut probably 10-15 years ago.

The not cool part about the property is they do a youth hunt 1x a year on the county land.

It’s weird dichotomy because I love that kids in the area get to hunt an awesome piece of property and see a lot of deer and get to take home some meat and make memories with their parents. But I hate that it’s at the expense of all the young bucks I’ve been letting walk. The hunt is this weekend so we’ll see what happens. There’s nothing I can do except go enjoy the woods I reckon.

Hope I don’t sound like an ass as I truly love opportunities for kids like this. It’s just mildly depressing lol


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You're trying to "manage" antler quality on 130 acres that isn't even your own. I think that's where your frustration is coming from. You have a grocery store property. Most people would be grateful even to have that.