Your own management plan.

[G-Man]

Well if you own property do you have your own management plan? Or do you just follow state regs and hope for the best? I am not just talking about passing bucks unless 3 or 4pts a side. Do you plant food plots/create natural browse/plant trees,shrubs for cover or food/try to take a minimum number of does/create, or have sanctuarys? I am not looking for a debate in if its right or wrong just though if you did any of these things what works for you! It also might help others decide to try or add to what they do already.

[bubba]

I have a patch of cedars on the edge of a swamp probably 40 acres that is sanctuary.  I have tons of cover, and new growth going on naturally, so cover isnt a problem.  I planted 25 acres of winter wheat and rye.  6, 1 to 1 1/2 acre food plots in the middle of cover planted with sugar beets and turnips. There are no stands within 200 yards of any small plot.  We allow the number of does taken with the number of dmp's.  Last year among 7 hunters, there was only one dmp, which I had and filled.  No one archery hunts besides me, and I do that closer to home after work.  Three of us muzzleload, and we are allowed a doe of either sex and an antlerless tag.  One deer was taken during the ml season.  We have almost 500 acres, so we do well.  There is no antler limit, as long as it is legal. We tried a 6 or more, but the neighbrs were shooting everything we passed up, so it was a waste of time and effort.  Most will wait for a good buck anyway, but as the season progresses and the freezer is still empty, the personal size limits change.  Last year there was one spike125 pounds taken by a young man on his first hunt. Another teenage hunter took a 145 pound 6 point and I took a 190 pound 8 point.  That was all that was harvested, even though guys including myself passed on nice deer. 

[SplitG2]

Yes, we have a management plan.  Our plan is now over 5 years and we have seen a positive effect from it.  The quick version of the plan is improve native browse, plant trees/shrubs, food plots, tsi, low pressure, sanctuary, take out does, let the 1- 2 1/2 old bucks walk and cover.

[G-Man]

The plan we use was initally food plots and planting of trees/shrubs, it soon evolved to include a logging/tsi plan with the help of a forester, and the creation of 2 sanctuarys within the property. We have never used a ar program and instead use "if its legal go ahead just don't complain if someone gets something bigger". Almost everyone now passes 1 1/2 year olds as the trail cameras show some good bucks and everyone wants a bigger buck... We do try to take 10 doe a year off the piece as the population never seems to decrease or increase with this goal. It allows just about everyone to fill their doe tag and take home meat thus reducing the pressure to kill a 1 1/2 year old buck just to fill the freezer. The biggest boost to seeing bigger and better buck were the creation of sanctuarys on the  property.

[SplitG2]

I had a point restriction because the guys who hunt my place had hard time judging on the hoof so by default we had ar.  Now they are getting better aging on the hoof(trial cam pictures help).  We put together a hit list prior to the season but they all have the green light to determine what's 3 1/2 or older.  All new hunters have the green light on anything!  This year we took 0 bucks and 5 doe.  The last buck I took on my property was 2006.  This year we had 4 bucks 4 1/2 and older on trail cams, not bad for CNY.

[G-Man]

I like the idea of a hit list, we never really say what ones we are personally looking for but everone wants the big one, fortunatly everyone i hunt with is a big enough person to genuinely be happy for the guy that gets one. We have been doing some kind of management since 94' and are fortunate to get a least one pope and young class buck a year since 1999, still looking for the b&c but 140's are nice too!

[SplitG2]

G-man, can't beat a p&y every year!  We only have 100 acres with brown and down neighbors but just to see them on camera is success for me.

[Bballhunter11]

We just mainly work on habitat improvement here. Second year planting food plots on our 100 acres last year and had pics of 5+  8 points in our plots. Already started the process of making a new plot for next year and expanding another. Also do extensive TSI because it doubles as cutting firewood haha. Places we thinned trees out of 3-4 years ago are thick with vegetation now and deer love them. A lot of big deer have been taken on our property over the years without more rules than NY already gives us.

[nyantler]

I had a point restriction because the guys who hunt my place had hard time judging on the hoof so by default we had ar.  Now they are getting better aging on the hoof(trial cam pictures help).  We put together a hit list prior to the season but they all have the green light to determine what's 3 1/2 or older.  All new hunters have the green light on anything!  This year we took 0 bucks and 5 doe.  The last buck I took on my property was 2006.  This year we had 4 bucks 4 1/2 and older on trail cams, not bad for CNY.

Four 4 1/2 yr olds... I'd say that's great for CNY... or anywhere in NY for that matter.

[SplitG2]

Sorry It was 3 not 4   Just wanted to correct it.

[NYBowhunter]

I have 41 acres in total and plant about 1 acre in food plots and half of those plots are planted in some type of fall brassica plot, I'm also fortunate in that I bought my property that is loaded with apple trees. I have owned the property for three plus years now and I'm still prunning the apple trees...lol..Each year I try to plant oak or apple trees, I have 10 or so apple trees that we hope to get in the ground this year, last year I planted a few apple trees and some ivy. I hunt with 2 ole timers that are well into thier 70's (my dad and uncle) and I dont enforce any restriction as to what they want to take as long as its legal. As far as me taking deer, I will take a young buck with the bow (that may change this year) however with the rifle I'm much more selective and I pass up younger bucks and does. As for sanctuaries I have an old logging road that pretty much runs down the center of my property and to one side of the road the elevation increases greatly and forms a ridge this is the side that I may only venture into a few times a year and this is my sanctuary and I would say the sanctuary is maybe 20 acres. For 41 acres we cant complain in all this year I took a 3 pointer with bow, my dad took a three pointer with rifle, my uncle took a 3 1/2 yr.old 8 pointer with rifle, I took a 4 1/2 yr. old 8 pointer with rifle and a buddy of mine came with me during the last couple days of ML and he took a doe. I want to think that all our hard work is the reason for our success. To be personally honest, lately I haven taken much more interest in the mgt of my land.. then the actual hunt itself.. Call me crazy....but its much more rewarding TO ME to harvest a deer on land you know you put sweat and back breaking work into....Many moons ago it really didnt matter how I got a deer......now a days the whole year long experience means much more to me then getting a deer (looking at trail camera pics., planting plots, walking a newly planted plot with the kids, prunning trees, cutting firewood...you get the idea). All I can say to everyone is to respect the animals you harvest and the land you walk on and mostly have fun with family and friends.....you know why I say this because when we are all long gone and six feet under do you really think anyone is going to give a $hit wether you shot a spike or a 150" deer? I do know what your loved ones will remember the memories and fun that were had. So shoot that spike or wait for that giant, its what makes you happy thats what matters everything else is just petty. 

[outdoorstom]

On our 120 acres, we've dedicated 20 acres as a sancutuary, have done a lot of tsi in our 25 acre woodlot, plant around 5 acres of foodplots, have planted and fenced 12 apple trees in several locations, and don't shoot any bucks smaller than 6 points.

[growalot]

Every thing you mentioned G-Man....love every back breaking ....sweaty.... bug bitten.... sun burned... frozen toed..... hammered fingered  minute of it....lol ;D

[catskillkid]

I have a little over 200 acres of my own with exclusive hunting permission on my neighbors 220 acres. I am very involved in TSI, plant about 6 acres in food plots, clover & turnips. The middle of the land is a 40 acre sanctuary which no one goes into unless performing TSI in the spring and summer.

We started a 6 point or better rule about 4 years ago, and the results have been amazing. We are now seeing much larger bucks than we used to when the average buck was a fork horn. We are firm believers in taking does when the opportunity arises.

QDM works!