Properly Manage Your Deer Hunting Land

Written by Sam Jacobs, Lead writer at www.ammo.com| 11/8/2022

We’ve all been there; the deer just like the neighbors' property more, but why? No matter what you try, you can’t seem to keep them on your property. Well, the truth is, unless you own a high-fence ranch, you can’t keep the deer on your property, but there are many steps you can take to encourage them to stay. Just like humans, deer need food, water, and shelter, and managing your land for these three things will help increase the frequency of these animals visiting your property. Food You don’t need me to tell you that deer visit many places they typically wouldn’t because of food, whether you’re planting a food plot, putting out supplements, or managing the natural vegetation. Ensuring high-quality or nutritional food is one of the keys to properly managing your deer hunting land. One disclaimer is that not all states allow you to put out corn or other supplements, be sure to read your local regulations before you begin using them. If you’re in one of these locations or don’t have the budget and time to purchase seeds and plant them, one of the best ways to help jumpstart native food production is by controlled burning. Fire is a natural phenomenon often overlooked by land managers, but it’s very inexpensive, especially if you have a few buddies willing to help manage the fire.

Water Deer need water to live, if you’re in an arid climate, this might be the most significant factor in keeping the herd nearby, but if you’re hunting bottomlands, this is much less of a concern. Deer aren’t picky about their water as long as it’s not poisonous. So if you have a river, creek, pond, or stock tank on your property, that’s likely sufficient. In some cases, you can drill a well or dig a pond to help increase the water capacity on your property. However, this is expensive and filling a pond depends on the weather, but the pond can double as a bass fishing pond in the summer, so you can get more enjoyment out of it! Whatever you choose, ensure the deer have safe, easy access to the water. Shelter Now deer don’t need you to build them a mansion; they need a place where they can feel safe. This is often in the thickest, nastiest part of the property because predators have difficulty getting close to the deer without the deer hearing or seeing them first, even if that predator has a 30-06 in hand. The size of this area is often dependent on the size of your property and deer herd. In many instances, leaving one acre per 100 is plenty of shelter for many deer. This is the area where they’ll bed, so if you already know where this is on your property, the main thing you need to do is stay out of the area as much as possible and allow it to continue to grow thick every year. If you plan to burn, you’ll need to keep this area in mind. It won’t hurt to burn it once every five to seven years, but more often than that, you’ll begin to kill off the bushy or thorny plants deer use for cover.

Bonus Tips The deer might be on your neighbor's property more often because they feel safer there, whether that’s because they have a clearing or fewer predators. It’s best to have a mixed habitat, or if you like to sound fancy and smart, habitat heterogeneity because the deer can find everything they need to survive without traveling far. Coyotes, bobcats, and hogs make deer uncomfortable, especially when the fawns are nearby. Reducing the number of predators on your property will help the deer feel safer. Parting Shots Some years will be better than others because we have yet to find a way to control the weather, so be sure to manage your expectations alongside your land. It’s also essential to consider if you’re bow hunting or rifle hunting, as these will determine where you need to place your tree stands and blinds. You wouldn’t want to cut down the tree you need for your stand accidentally! Sam Jacobs, Lead writer at www.ammo.com