Managing SMALL PROPERTIES Can Lead to
BIG Results By Jeremy Flinn
G
rowing up in the heavily hunted state of Pennsylvania, finding land to hunt was difficult, let alone land you could manage. Though small, many properties I hunted had huge potential. I remember watching a lush bean field on a small property in July and August, and seeing velvet bucks pour out to feed on the high-protein forage. But as the season neared, the deer disappeared. It was obvious the deer were simply entering the property in summer to feed and likely bedded off the property, especially as home ranges expanded. It was extremely tough to find a small property that contained the three essential needs of deer: food, cover and water. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot create a small-tract whitetail haven via management efforts. Food was the attractant on the aforementioned property, but also an ever-changing limiting factor. As combines combed the fields, we lost the main food source and acres of cover. The property was already limited in cover, but when the crops were removed, the land was way too open, especially in a high-pressure state such as Pennsylvania. Sure, there were some pockets of thick cover, but they held deer inconsistently. When the food was gone, deer visited the area less frequently. If we wanted to be consistently successful, we had to make some strategic changes. The small tract was planted each spring in a rotation of soybeans and corn, so summer food availability was strong, but as September arrived, the harvest began, and our chances of seeing a good buck waned. It’s a lot more difficult to create cover than it is to add a Whitetail Institute food plot. So, we started with the easiest opportunity, which was to add some fall annuals that peaked in attractiveness as the ag crops were removed. Using Whitetail Institute’s go-to mixes such as Winter-Greens and Pure Attraction, we created a diversity of forages that peaked at varying times throughout the early and late hunting seasons. The impact was immediate, as we saw more deer than ever during the season. However, because the plots were not as big as we would have liked, they were the main food source and Whitetail Institute blends are so attractive, deer hammered them. As we reached the critical months of February and March, deer were again left with little food on the property. Though it wasn’t hunting season, the nutrition they take in during those months can be critical to antler growth, fawn recruitment and overall herd health the next year.
Understanding the function of a food plot seed blend is critical, not only with the growing conditions and peak attractiveness but also what it provides for deer and when. As our hunting situation improved, we turned our focus to the critical late-winter and early-spring months. Fall plots had faded, the new summer crops were yet to be planted. In such situations, having a plot or two planted in a perennial blend such as Imperial Whitetail Clover or Fusion will provide great forage in late winter and early spring, when not much else is producing. It will be one of the first things to green-up in the spring and it will continue to provide high-quality forage into summer, fall and into winter. As you begin to plan food plot strategy, timing and type is extremely important. However, location — as it relates to access and property lines — might be just as important. The right type of food plot in the wrong place could reduce its value. On any small tract of land, hunting pressure is the No. 1 killer of deer hunting success. It’s important to understand what you have to work with and use it wisely. It’s equally important to only create disturbances when necessary. It isn’t nearly as easy to create long-term cover as it is to plant a food plot, but several options let you create cover that can provide supplemental bedding or better access while minimizing disturbance. Using a product such as Whitetail Institute’s Conceal will let you establish a quick, thick visual barrier. This comes in handy when the only place to plant is near high human traffic areas or if you’re trying to create supplemental cover for bedding. The ability to pop up a visual screen to access a stand and minimize the disturbance of the area when the location isn’t optimum can make the difference in getting on a big buck. One of the last needs for whitetails is water, though this might be one of the more limiting factors, especially depending on the time of year. Many properties might have a natural pond, bog or spring, but that’s not always the case. If you are lucky enough to have one, your water situation is likely covered, except in drought conditions. If you don’t have a water source, you likely have to get creative. The two main options are to bring in a water trough, typically above ground, which collects water and distributes it into a large trough for deer to consume. If your budget is tight, you might want to consider a manmade waterhole. You can accomplish this by simply burying a tub or digging a hole and lining it with a non-permeable pond lining or plastic. Every property has limitations that act as barriers to creating a whitetail paradise. Based solely on size, larger tracts offer more opportunities to provide whitetails what they want. But that doesn’t mean you can’t create those opportunities on smaller hunting areas. It might take more creativity, but through dedication, you can create that whitetail paradise, even on small properties. ^
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Food plots like this Winter-Greens plot should be considered must-haves on small properties.
Vol. 30, No. 1 /
WHITETAIL NEWS 55
