Suggestions needed: Low maintenance deer management McIntosh Co. Oklahoma

[Der Hund]

Hi all,

I live in Arizona but am purchasing roughly 170 acres of hunting/ranching land in OK. The property is about half wooded (white oak, pecan, and cedar), half cattle ranch pasture, has a creek, and roughly 8 acres of backwater contiguous with Lake Eufaula WMA. The land/water and the present owner's single feeder seem to attract an adequate number of deer (based on trail-cam photos on the property website). Until I retire, I'll only be able to visit the place two or three times a year for a few days. When we toured the place with a Realtor in March, more deer ran off than I'd seen in AZ in the last 10 years. I'd consider success being my kids and I shooting about three doe and/or a buck per year. Management ideas run from a minimum of buying a huge , solar powered feeder; fill it when I can (summer and sometimes in October when school is out), thrown down some salt blocks, and set up a ground blind a couple of days before rifle season (and/or archery season if I get around to buying a crossbow) to buying a UTV and food-plot implements, elevated box blinds plus the feeder(s). I suppose I could look for cheap flights to Tulsa, rent a car, and top off the feeder a few weeks before hunting season if the capacity is limited. I have a lot to learn and would appreciate any wisdom on how to maximize success as defined above. Also considering letting someone lease the land for cattle grazing for the favor of keeping an eye on the place and filling the feeders and/or planting plots fenced off from cattle. Thanks much!

 

[LostArra]

Welcome to Oklahoma!
Before investing in any feeders I would determine if leasing for cattle is going to work out.
An unfortunate side of non-resident land ownership is trespassing, poaching, theft and of course, coon hunters traveling through at night.

Having cattle and a local person checking on them would help but then you put up with cattle while hunting. Not a deal breaker but cattle have an innate ability to screw up hunting set ups. The deer don't mind but the hunter gets annoyed. Plus you have to fence them out of any food plot which could affect the grazing lease possibility.

I would try to be there on opening day of both archery and rifle season when the WMA gets hit by hunters and the deer move to you. I would have plenty of signage posting that border too.

Did the previous owner mention hogs? Just the scent of corn will have them invading even if you fence them out.

As others will probably mention, it's tough to "manage" deer on 170 acres. It sounds like you have good habitat and the WMA should help so attracting deer won't be a problem. With the minimal hunting pressure other than poachers you probably won't have any problems filling a freezer once you find their travel routes.

 

[Fordguy]

From what I've seen in that area, if you're feeding corn on 170 acres you might want to increase the number of does you take per year. Maybe not-. I don't live there, but when I drive to fish eufaula I usually see A LOT of deer. I'd avoid setting up blinds within a week of hunting- put up something permanent since you'll have a permanent food source and let the deer get used to your blind being there all the time.

+1 on the cattle comment. It's frustrating when they mess up a hunt that you've out a lot into (and have a limited time to enjoy).

Hogs are also a concern if they're in the area. Strangely, I have them in my area (pics 10-20 hogs on camera 15 miles away), but so far none on my property or neighboring properties.

Poaching is also a concern. I've heard more rifle shots after dark and seen more spotlighting, road shooting poachers in my area of Oklahoma than I've experienced elsewhere (just my personal experience and it's entirely possibly that it's limited to my area or a few areas).

Know your neighbors and ask them to call you/let you know if they need to enter your property. Assure them that you will show them the same respect.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Would look to see if there’s an Oklahoma hunting forum. If there is (likely) they should be able to provide some additional guidance beyond what Fordguy provided.

 

[S-3 ranch]

My wife is a Chickasaw Indian, we are thinking of moving to ADA OK
sounds like you need a caretaker/ cattle guy to keep a eye out
for poachers and crazy meth heads , and keep filling up some 600lbs stand and fill deer feeders about 3 should do .

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[Der Hund]

Thanks to all for the ideas and advice provided so far. The present owner runs cattle (perimeter fencing and three interior fenced pastures) and has the deer feeder area fenced off from them. Hogs are known to transiently visit the property. I do agree a permanent shooting structure is a good idea - will begin looking at two-person tree ladder stands, quad-stands, and a variety of blinds along with feeders (the all season ones look great!). Who knows; having a place with mineral blocks always present and an occasional (when I'm there) pile of corn on the ground might be all the family venison (and/or pork) harvesting plan needs. 100% agree on getting to know the neighbors; another great feature of this property is it and all the neighbors have county road access so no easement by deed or necessity is needed.

 

[Boarmaster]

I would create salt licks in favor of salt block. They work for years. I use them in AL. Dig a small hole bump a bag of fine mixing salt or mix of minerals in the hole. As it rains and dissolves it soaks into the ground if the hole fills with a little water more the better. The deer will use it frequently. Stay away from feeders if you are in hog territory. Unless you want to hog farm. We planted clover on some of our food plots. Pretty low maintenance.

 

[Btaylor]

If the timber on the place is closed canopy, I would start with doing a TSI cut and get the canopy opened up. I would talk to Quail forever and Game & Fish about native warm season grass programs and use funds from the timber cut to help there. Assuming you probably have fescue pasture, I would convert all of that to native warm season grasses and pollinator mixes along with shrub and tree plantings to create some oak savanna areas and to create flow and access. Missouri's State nursery (David White?? or something like that) is a great place to source tree and shrub seedlings.

Like was mentioned, 170 acres is not enough ground to "manage" a herd but you can certainly create the best 170 acres in your area and it will make a difference. You can do more with a saw and fire than you can with any other tools imo. Create some food plots as well but view in the context of the whole for what they are, supplemental. This approach isnt fast and it is never ending but it is worth the effort imo.

 

[Der Hund]

Thanks to all again; I should have titled the post "Land management" (for deer), vs "deer management". I'm anxious to get in and make the place the best I can, or at least so good the odds of getting "skunked" when hunting for deer are low. My days of putting in for the AZ antlered Coues draw and glassing for the little rascals are behind me!

 

[WCB]

All good info above. I would personally get a couple permanent box blinds. You can always supplement with portable set ups but in reality on 170 acres there are going to be 2 or 3 places where all your deer are gong to be killed anyways.

If you can pay attention to when the deer predominantly use your property you may be able to get away with not even feeding part of the year or cut WAY back. If I were setting it up I would have the feeders a couple hundred yards from the blinds with a barrier in-between (brush, high, grass etc). If the number of deer you saw on your visit is normal I honestly wouldn't change a whole bunch...I have seen properties ruined by guys going in and trying to set up a pretty whitetail property. Food plots, water holes, chainsaw work etc. the perfect groomed whitetail property. There is a reason the deer are on that property.

Personally, I would not have cattle on it or at least the river bottom portions and have screening cover from any view the roads have of the property. Post it well and if someone gets caught on it come down with the Hammer of Thor. Might want to think about setting up an LLP and having it out of OK. Then most people won't really know it is an out of state land owner.