bad 2013 season...ideas to make 2014 better

[Fastltz]

So my deer count was very low this year. I have 300 acres with creeks hills and fields. Lots of oaks and hickory.  Problems I cant fix...neighbors.  also have some dogs that chase deer that im working on fixing. So how do you alll feel about food plots. What have you all done to improve deer pop? Also been hit by blue tounge bad and hope this cold winter can fix that. If I do food plots do you all hunt over them or try to intercept. Thanks all

[SheltonCreeker]

David, sure have felt the same thing here in Southern Illinois. I have approx. 80 acres I have been managing. Last year really put the food out. Soybeans, clover, oats, winter peas, turnips. Little bit of everything. I wasn't able to hunt a lot this fall but with this harsh winter I have noticed the deer seem to be benefiting from the new plots I put in. I think anything you do big or small will help. Good luck!

[NY Yankee]

Do whatever you can to make YOUR property the one the deer most want to be on, They will still travel but if you have lots of stuff for them, they will want to be there. Real foods like corn, oats, soy and clover among others, close to water and cover. Then, you have to figure out where they spend most of their time hanging out. You could hang a tree stand over a small plot AND have a ground blind on an intersecting trail. Biggest thing is you gotta spend the time in the woods watching deer. Trail cameras just wont do it.

[fredhill]

What I did on my Pop's farm and my bordering piece was first get more security cover established. By planting native grasses like big blue stem and gamma grass the deer can hide/bed on your property. Personally I think that is key before food plots. If the deer are bedding on your property you can kill them. Food plots are good but deer will travel to them from their security cover. The thing about hunting over food plots is you can only get a couple hunts off the them before the deer feel your pressure and only use them after dark.

[Orion]

David:  Can be frustrating, for sure.  I've read recently where the deer kill was down in most of the Midwest/Upper Great Lakes states this year due to a lot of different causes.  Certainly was down in my hunting area in northwestern Wisconsin.

In your case, it's disease, overzealous neighbors and maybe a DNR that allows the taking of too many does, don't know.  

Regardless, I encourage you to do some thinking on it before taking steps to modify your approach or your land. Regardless of the ostensible rationale, food plots and other "management" activities are designed to make it easier for folks to kill more and/or bigger deer. They're not illegal. A lot of folks do it. But all our actions to modify mother nature affect the quality and fair chase, one might even say ethics, of the hunt.  Good luck on whatever you decide.