Dingler

quick pic of my hunting spot. Red lines are property lines of the area I have control over, blue is neighbors property that I have permission to hunt (but no land mangement), yellow lines deer trails, yellow stars my stands, white lines my access, black star is other neighbors stand and his access, brown area old field growth (8+ years) green area is mix of pines and hinge cuts I've been working on. Top is north. property slopes down hill towards the creek, with the steep ridge on the west side, that flattens out at the top.

I also have a near by deer sanctuary. It is located about 3/4 of a mile from my hunting location. It has everything a deer could want. My question is it possible to use that to your advantage? Or just know that when pressure is on that the smart older deer will go there and live till next year? I understand that it is best to stay out off the woods as much as you can other than spring to do improvements, but that is unlikely for me due to my father likes to walk his property, and owns it. My other question is, if you do own more of a deer travel corridor can you do planted trails to get deer to move where you want them, or is it better to enhance trails they already use?

Great pictures! Thanks! Couple more questions, I noticed those pictures are from a few years ago. Have you changed any of your food mixes? Have the woods filled in around those trails/plots? How are your bedding spots related to the trails and stand setups? Do you have any pictures of your bedding areas? I guess a lot of questions, my bad. Just trying to get ideas of what works in the great state of NY.

growalot, What do you plant for food plots to make your place a draw? Seems tough to offer something different, and will grow in our climate. Same with bedding, do you offer more stem count in your woods by thinning? plant pines? or is more of location? By location I mean different bedding for different weather? If that is the case doesn't it make it harder to hunt by not knowing where the deer maybe bedding? Sorry for all the questions but you seem to sound like you have some of this figured out! Thanks

Thanks tjdusaf. Sounds like you understand where I'm coming from. Ordering some trees to plant tomorrow. Can't get my dad on board with a bigger plot where he mows, he did say that I can do one but he wants it were I have a spot that is old field that hasn't been mowed in 8 years (looking good and bedding happens). I'm thinking instead of food there I will put in a water hole. Anyone have any luck with water holes in NY? We do have a pond and a small creek on the property, but I read that deer like small private water spots. I have a 70 gallon tank I was going to use.

Thanks for the info! Like I said working on my plan and want to get it right. Playing with Ideas right now. Thinking I like the idea of doing a couple of small areas first to see how deer respond, then improve on them as the years progress. My main problem is that there is no deer movement after the leaves are off the trees. Right no with the snow on the ground there is almost no tracks, no rubs in the woods, zero scrapes, trail cam pictures are at night, ect.. I know where the deer are beddeing now due to one of my neighbors doesn't hunt and the other neighbor has some thick stuff! I just don't know if it is worth trying to compete with that or not? With ag fields around don't know if food is worth it either? Another neighbor has apple tree orchard so would more apples trees be worth it? I see deer and have taken 2 nice bucks off the property and several does in the past 10 years, but always during bow season, come gun season I have nothing or sit and wait till the get bumped for other places (happened this year). Just don't know what the lowest hole in the bucket is so to speak. I know a picture would help you, so how do I post one?

What about trees that are to big? Girdling? Anyone heard of it? Does it work? Also feel bad for cutting trees down, so going to plant some as well. Anyone ever order from saratoga nursery? Thinking about getting some pines. Got some douglas fir last year and they all died. Going to switch to norway spruce this year.

The area I am thinking about working on is park like woods next to a seasonal grass area bedding area. I am thinking with some hinging and dropping some tree next to that I will increase the size of that spot from about a 1/2 acre to 1 acre. I then can hunt the north and south sides of that area depending on wind direction. I just dont know if it is better to block some of that seasonal grass area off in the middle with edge feathering or make it passable the whole length? On the other side of the season grasses is a open mowed field on two sides. Will this be a good idea? Or not? This property needs cover bad, just figured like was said to work with what I have going now and expand from there.

How close can you safely put a tree stand next to a hinge cut area? I know it depends on cover and wind, but 20 yards for bow to close? Also if I cut 2 spots on the property and hinge cut between them as a transition area will it get used if its in a creek bottom? Then place stands on the transition area on the ridge tops? Just laying this plan out and it looks good on paper but not sure about real world.

Sounds good. I have read whitetail success by design by Jeff Stugis. Good book, I just don't think I have the room on my specific property apply all of his ideas. I plan on adding things one at a time to see how they work or are working. Any other suggestions?

I have started planting a bunch of pines, for cover and to break up one of the fields. I also planted apple and chestnut trees, waiting for them to produce fruit and nuts. But like I said needs to get some sun to the ground. Have a pond on the property as well, but not any small hidden water holes which I will be adding this spring. I do have a spot of old field regrowth that is coming along nice and is bedding area sometimes. Should I add to that spot by hinging and girdling trees next to it? Should I also add other pockets of bedding or just keep increasing the size of that spot and see what happens. I have a plan in my head and on paper, both look good for me, but not sure how the deer will react. Or because there is good bedding on the nieghbors, do I add a food source that is different than what is in the area by clearing the field I let grow up into golden rod, grasses and such.

This is something that I have been looking into for a few years now. I have been hunting the same spot for 16 years now and know how the deer use the woods. My problem is come leaf fall the deer also fall off the property. I know it is way to open. My question is where to start? I know if I just start cutting it will change how the deer move threw or don"t. Do I just do a small part and see what happens? Do I do as much as I can and then have to figure out how to re-hunt it? It's only about 8 huntable acres, I know deer won't be there all the time. I have read so much info and watched so many youtube videos I have information over load!!! I also know cover is king in the ag regions of ny so food plots are low on my list right now. I understand to set it up for wind and hunting locations. the property runs north to south, and all wood area is on the west side, with open fields to the east and south, road on the north. small gully runs north to south threw the middle. Hope that gives everyone a idea of what I am working with. Any help would be awesome. (would post a pic but not sure how)