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For the Small Tract Hunters #7069376 02/07/18 03:45 PM
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Guys, how many of you all are hunting tracts under 200 acres? What kind of tricks of the trade are you all incorporating to draw in the "neighbors" deer for success besides hunting those "fencelines"? Please spill the secrets....


A bit of humor and fun at play....

Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7069461 02/07/18 04:53 PM
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I had two leases, one was 400 acres but only about 100 of it was huntable and was in the back along the fencelines...the other was 200 acres and the real draw was an approx. 80 acre wheat field which made up the north and west borders of the place and almost all the deer came from the north (at least the ones I shot).

My trick with the first was to set up a feeder along the creek-bottom where the trees were and sit and watch the deer come and eat all the double down feed I could provide them.

My trick with the second was really my neighbors trick. They put foldable chairs tied to the fence right along the heavily trafficked trails. I would hunt those chairs because I knew that was right where I could catch a lazy buck.... sleep

Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7069463 02/07/18 04:56 PM
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I own 68 acres and I have two neighbors. One is about the same size and is a long term investment that has remained 100 jungle. No roads no improvements. The other neighbor has been clearing his 240 acres, planting pasture for hay, and thinning his timber. The deer and pig populations have increased dramatically with all his improvement. They really love the new hay fields!!! I'm in the middle of thick cover on one side, lots of food on the other side. At first, it was fun shooting hogs, now it's a pain in the butt and my future goal is to fence in my place to keep the hogs out!!! The deer hunting seems to be about the same. They come in at night and enjoy my corn and food plot. Neither neighbor hunts deer, and every year I have several decent 8 points showing up on camera that never come back the following year as bigger bucks. It's like I have the land of the little guys and the big guys move on to another place when they become trophy size. Across the highway from me, there is a 500 acre place with their own airport. He shot a mt lion at the end of his runway about five years ago, so I know for a fact that they are in the area. I've never seen one, or found tracks of one, but figure that they might be what's killing the bigger bucks. Poachers are unlikely, I'm the poorest guy in the area, and my neighbor spends all his time off roading on his trails.

As for drawing in the deer, all I've been successful at doing is giving them a place to pause for a little bit while heading to my neighbors land. They like corn,and they like the food plot, but they do not love it so much to stick around into daylight hours!!!

Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: EddieWalker] #7069494 02/07/18 05:11 PM
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Originally Posted By: EddieWalker
I own 68 acres and I have two neighbors. One is about the same size and is a long term investment that has remained 100 jungle. No roads no improvements. The other neighbor has been clearing his 240 acres, planting pasture for hay, and thinning his timber. The deer and pig populations have increased dramatically with all his improvement. They really love the new hay fields!!! I'm in the middle of thick cover on one side, lots of food on the other side. At first, it was fun shooting hogs, now it's a pain in the butt and my future goal is to fence in my place to keep the hogs out!!! The deer hunting seems to be about the same. They come in at night and enjoy my corn and food plot. Neither neighbor hunts deer, and every year I have several decent 8 points showing up on camera that never come back the following year as bigger bucks. It's like I have the land of the little guys and the big guys move on to another place when they become trophy size. Across the highway from me, there is a 500 acre place with their own airport. He shot a mt lion at the end of his runway about five years ago, so I know for a fact that they are in the area. I've never seen one, or found tracks of one, but figure that they might be what's killing the bigger bucks. Poachers are unlikely, I'm the poorest guy in the area, and my neighbor spends all his time off roading on his trails.

As for drawing in the deer, all I've been successful at doing is giving them a place to pause for a little bit while heading to my neighbors land. They like corn,and they like the food plot, but they do not love it so much to stick around into daylight hours!!!



They may like your place better if you cleared a little more and made some space for them to sun themselves. Make a good bedding area close to the food plot and you may find they stick around a little more. A nice open grassy area with some small shrubs for them to browse may be all it takes. Couple acres. That way they can eat you food plot, go rest, and then come back. something to think about. Habitat management is part of deer management up

Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7069501 02/07/18 05:17 PM
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Keep corn out and don't over pressure the area. Keep a section that you don't even go into. Traffic will drive them out. There needs to be a sanctuary on the property even if it is small. You need an area that they can feel safe and bed down not just pass through. If you have that, add food and water and you are good to go.


Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: GLC] #7069580 02/07/18 06:01 PM
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Originally Posted By: GLC
Keep corn out and don't over pressure the area. Keep a section that you don't even go into. Traffic will drive them out. There needs to be a sanctuary on the property even if it is small. You need an area that they can feel safe and bed down not just pass through. If you have that, add food and water and you are good to go.

So true, I have hunted 100 acres or less for years and my main draw is a food plot with a corn feeder that throws year round. Also the area behind the feeder, I never go into. As was said, a small sanctuary. Main thing said here is "don't push your deer to your neighbors,"


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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: GLC] #7069592 02/07/18 06:13 PM
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Originally Posted By: GLC
Keep corn out and don't over pressure the area. Keep a section that you don't even go into. Traffic will drive them out. There needs to be a sanctuary on the property even if it is small. You need an area that they can feel safe and bed down not just pass through. If you have that, add food and water and you are good to go.

I have 160 acres, 80% wooded. 2 ponds hold water year round. I have thinned the timber and opened up small clearings to plant food plots and mostly stay out of those areas, this helps hold the deer in the area and was very effective in drawing more deer. 5 corn feeders well in from the fence line set to feed 8:30 am and 3:30 pm, this helps bring the deer in during the day. Neighbor is feeding protein so I just feed corn.

Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7069953 02/07/18 11:50 PM
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I used to have a small 28 acre place behind my house with 102 acres leased (north east Texas), like bronco71 had 2 spring fed ponds and a spring fed creek. Had summer and fall food plots, year round corn feeders with free choice mineral and salt in secluded areas. VERY limited hunting pressure and very selective limited harvest. Also had safe areas that did not get entered unless absolutely necessary. Never went out without seeing doe or two. The big lease behind me loved hunting the fences and pipe line, they said I had every doe in the area hiding out on my place.

A side note, i had a very good relationship with the land owners on every side of my place. We helped each other out with feeder filling, recovery of game and stuck vehicles. I had a tractor and dozer.

Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7070356 02/08/18 05:12 AM
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Study satellite images of the area to identify funnels and pinch points created by variations in cover and pastures in the surrounding properties.

One of the tracts that I hunt includes about 20 acres of oak flat that deer use as a travel corridor through the area. With no food plots or feeders and cattle that stay mostly in the remaining pasture areas, I have stand sites where I have no problem seeing deer. This past season I was working a very nice eight point that I eventually pulled away from once I shot a 14-point on another small tract.

The earlier suggestion to limit pressure is pivotal to success. IMO, deer can pattern you far easier on smaller tracts.


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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7070357 02/08/18 05:23 AM
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My pasture, only 23 acres( but connected to 650 acres of creek bottom land that is not hunted) I have tried a protein feeder, nothing, we are in a farming area and they have browse all year long. Going to try food plots this year just for the he77 of it!! We will see.

Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7070437 02/08/18 12:39 PM
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I had 80 acres to hunt but only hunted the 40 east acres. This year it will go down to 40 acres for the family that owns the 40 to the west is building a Barndominium on their 40. There are two hunters on the 80 west of them.

What I do to entice deer where I am at is:

1. Feed corn year round with a water trough in the pen.
2. Plant a winter food plot.
3. Put Alfalfa out if vegetation is sparse.
4. Put sweet blocks, salt licks and occasional other goodies in the feed pen.
5. I stay out of my hunting area as much as possible.
6. Every other year I Bush Hog travel lanes for the deer and keep natural open areas cleared!


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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7070519 02/08/18 02:11 PM
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300 acres. 7 stands and feeders, along with protein feeders. Water troughs at every setup. We doze scrub cedar and plant food plots. We don't drive around except when absolutely necessary. We have numerous cedar breaks with seismic lanes scattered in a grid pattern. Sure has helped the Game travel. The majority of our land is not hunted. We hunt the edges and do not venture forth through the 'sanctuaries'.

Last edited by Erathkid; 02/08/18 06:59 PM.

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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7070531 02/08/18 02:19 PM
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To me best way to approach it is give them all the food they can eat all the water they can drink and treat the whole dang place as a sanctuary. Blind/hunting area needs to be accessible without chasing every deer off the property.


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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: redchevy] #7070652 02/08/18 03:35 PM
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Originally Posted By: redchevy
To me best way to approach it is give them all the food they can eat all the water they can drink and treat the whole dang place as a sanctuary. Blind/hunting area needs to be accessible without chasing every deer off the property.


Exactly - I have feeders going year round and leave the bedding areas alone. One section of my place is about 40 acres of growth with great cover and I leave it completely unmolested and have placed feeders on the edges so I can access without walking through bedding area. Food plots, water, and minerals help me keep deer close.

I also have very good relations with neighbors and we all work together to maximize draw from the larger places to our west that have much more pressure. Combined we have about 400 acres that we almost manage as one place. Between 3 of our properties, I think we maybe take 5 deer a year. At some point we may need to take more to keep the herd healthy, but we are really just starting to see full recovery from the drought years prior to 2015. Also in an AR county, so lots of young bucks that will be trophy sized in next few years.


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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7070659 02/08/18 03:38 PM
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Depends on what area you're in / talking about & deer density.

200 acres in an overpopulated area of the hill country & 200 acres in the Panhandle or ETx or W / NW of the metromess will take completely different approaches.
One dump 25lbs of corn on the ground in a line a half hour before sunrise & 7 hunters kill all the deer you have tags for by noon, the other 200 acres may not be enough for even 1 hunter or habitat enough for 3 deer.

Shelter, food & water.

I see more deer in a usual week of ranch / livestock work than most hunters do in a season of sitting in a box watching a feeder.
Doesn't matter if running a chainsaw, tractor & shredder, disc, chisel, drill, chain harrow, grading rock roads, walking or driving around checking cows, feeding or putting out round bales, pounding T posts / whatever.

On 200 acres, by the time you drive up to the front gate, get out open & close the gate then drive 50 - 100 more yards about half the deer on the place already know you're there.
After you unload your pickup open & close doors & tailgate, start your atv/utv pull it off the trailer or out of storage another 25% know you're there.
Start a campfire and the rest know as does every deer within 400 acres down wind.

Good thing deer are very curious animals, always checking out whats going on in their area.

Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7070660 02/08/18 03:39 PM
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96 acres over the past 8 seasons. Some of the pics didn't load, so just click on the links at the bottom. Duval County









[img]https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/...7_7587719217398[/img]
[img]https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/...7_7214636826460[/img]
[img]https://texashuntingforum.com/forum/pics/...3_5442712197608[/img]

Last edited by Captain Luke; 02/08/18 03:39 PM.

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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7071454 02/09/18 02:15 AM
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Brown it’s down!

Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: huntwest] #7072344 02/09/18 08:56 PM
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haha
Originally Posted By: huntwest
Brown it’s down!


If you want some friendly advice, get a haircut and take a bath. You wouldn't get hassled so much.


Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7072374 02/09/18 09:21 PM
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These two came off a 76 acre low fence property near Eastland. So, good bucks can be found on small pieces of property. Just provide food, water and an area where you don't go into and they can feel safe and not threatened. Notice that both were killed in a oat & pea food plot on the edge of 40 acres that we never go into. One on November 7th, and my wife's was shot on December 27.



Last edited by Mr. T.; 02/09/18 09:35 PM.

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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7072427 02/09/18 10:04 PM
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Nice deer MR T.


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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7072972 02/10/18 10:17 AM
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I own 144 acres, low fence. Neighbors also low fence. I do not hunt on 1/2 of the property which is a canyon with dry creek bed. That half is a deer sanctuary.
On hunting half, I have 6 feeders year round and a water source.
It has worked well for 20 years..


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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7073125 02/10/18 02:38 PM
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DQ, I hunt 15.28 acres grin I use the same approach as I did when we had nearly 400, mostly land improvements that are conducive to wildlife.

It is harder on such a small tract as many the people around me also hunt the same size parcels. Fortunately the neighbor in back has 300 acres and doesn't hunt, one on the side of me is real good at 1 legal buck, we don't always take one, but over the years the numbers have increased.

Some of the "stuff" I deal with,, New neighbors moved in on the North side, when I met the older fella, he said "we have a lot of deer on our place!, do you have deer too?" He also has 15 acres smh, they put up 3 feeders after bulldozing most of their place and overstocked with animals..smdh


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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7073133 02/10/18 02:45 PM
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I have 30 acres near Willow City and feed year round I also have watering stations near each feeder and kill deer every year.

Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7073285 02/10/18 04:47 PM
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I own 234 acres that I live on. I have fed corn year round since I bought the place in 2012. I started feeding protein year round in the fall of 2012 and have never stopped. In 2014 I started planting spring and fall food plots. Spring plots are at a total of 10 acres or so and fall range from 4-5 acres. This year I only planted about 3.5 acres of fall plots at the 2 blind locations. I also have added water locations in the past 5 yrs. I went from one trough to 3 now and one small seasonal tank that is has the overflow from the windmill. Last year I went from 3 hunting locations down to 2. One of those blinds has 2 feed pens, 2 corn feeders and 3 protein feeders. I plant about 2.5 acres of oats for hunting season there and 1.1 acres at the other blind. It has 1 pen with a corn and protein feeder. My hunting has improved when I went from 3 blinds down to 2. There is one corn feeder in front of my house. I road feed daily from late Aug till end of Feb. I keep traffic to a minimum year round and now that I have two blinds I drive the same roads daily to check feeders, water, cattle, etc. I have 4 bedding areas I do not set foot in and try to limit my driving around the perimeter of them to a minimum. If I hunt, I road feed when going to the blind and then might check traps(in morning) or TC on the way back to the house. I keep joy riding around during the day to a minimum during the year, have never done any riding around/hunting at night for hogs or varmints. I also do not walk/stalk to hunt with the size of my place. Strictly blind hunt. I think what I am doing is working at this year I had more buck activity than any other year. I was seeing 15-20 bucks per sit from mid Dec till end of the season. Never had a season where I saw that many bucks on morning or afternoon hunts. One morning I counted up close to 40 different bucks(had 21 in front of me that morning) that I had seen in person in the past 3-4 days on hunts. I think by keeping traffic down, cutting back from 3 down to 2 hunting locations, feed/plots year round, water in multiple locations, road feeding corn and using the same travel route daily has improved the hunting for my place. I also do not shoot many bucks at all(5 in 6 yrs) and do kill my MLD doe tags off late in ML season(later this year with new MLD). I know I have hunting pressure around me and they all shoot a few deer every year. AR's have been in place for a long time in this county and they have helped a lot also.


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Re: For the Small Tract Hunters [Re: DQ Kid] #7073337 02/10/18 05:45 PM
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I take it Duval county is not an AR county

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