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Post by Freeborn on Dec 2, 2018 15:45:13 GMT -6
First of all, what do you want to call a dominant buck? Toughest on the block even thou he may only be 130"? Biggest Rack? Biggest Body? Oldest deer? I should have said mature buck (5 years old)
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Post by MoBuckChaser on Dec 2, 2018 15:53:02 GMT -6
First of all, what do you want to call a dominant buck? Toughest on the block even thou he may only be 130"? Biggest Rack? Biggest Body? Oldest deer? I should have said mature buck (5 years old) Here is the problem with trying to hold a buck 5 years old or older. On small parcels I will say it is almost impossible if you want to enjoy your property. Which means visit it on a regular basis. They rarely put up with any interaction. Unless you are the only chunk of ground with cover for 20 miles. He will go elsewhere if you go on your property more than one week during the rut. JMO.
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Post by mnaaron on Dec 2, 2018 16:10:10 GMT -6
Jerry I think you need thicker cover than prairie grass in my opinion. At least in our area bucks favor the swamps and conifers over grasses. If you truly want bigger bucks I would plant some thick thermal cover and limit the amount of work you do on your property.
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Post by nhmountains on Dec 2, 2018 16:17:00 GMT -6
I should have said mature buck (5 years old) Here is the problem with trying to hold a buck 5 years old or older. On small parcels I will say it is almost impossible if you want to enjoy your property. Which means visit it on a regular basis. They rarely put up with any interaction. Unless you are the only chunk of ground with cover for 20 miles. He will go elsewhere if you go on your property more than one week during the rut. JMO. Spot on Mo. we had a mature buck the first year or two we owned the property but, as we did habitat work to add more does the bucks left. The does grew older and are possessive of their food sources. They become receptive during the rut when the big boys visit.
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Post by Sandbur on Dec 2, 2018 16:43:38 GMT -6
Thick habitat with everything they need in close proximity so they do not need to cross paths which each other and I think biggest deal for holding mature deer is no disturbances/sanctuaries. They all have individual personalities some roam and some are home bodies. We have a really nice buck now that we can’t get on camera to save our life. Absolute homebody that barely moves out of the sanctuary. I asked my consulting forester on how he manages a sanctuary. He is a QDMA guy and a deer nut like us. He said he doesn’t believe in them and he can walk to his stand and get in it with five or six antlerless deer watching him. I disagree with him as does, especially old ones are as skiddish as hell around me. Here is the key. He has 400 acres of woods with scattered foodplots and connecting woods. Near as I can tell, he and his wife are the only hunters. I have about 80 acres of cover surrounded by fields with avid hunters all around me. Thick and stay out until the rut is best for me. Kill an adult buck and maybe another will move in before season closes. Far from a sure thing that there is another mature buck nearby.
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Post by kooch on Dec 2, 2018 16:58:47 GMT -6
Thick habitat with everything they need in close proximity so they do not need to cross paths which each other and I think biggest deal for holding mature deer is no disturbances/sanctuaries. They all have individual personalities some roam and some are home bodies. We have a really nice buck now that we can’t get on camera to save our life. Absolute homebody that barely moves out of the sanctuary. I asked my consulting forester on how he manages a sanctuary. He is a QDMA guy and a deer nut like us. He said he doesn’t believe in them and he can walk to his stand and get in it with five or six antlerless deer watching him. I disagree with him as does, especially old ones are as skiddish as hell around me. Here is the key. He has 400 acres of woods with scattered foodplots and connecting woods. Near as I can tell, he and his wife are the only hunters. I have about 80 acres of cover surrounded by fields with avid hunters all around me. Thick and stay out until the rut is best for me. Kill an adult buck and maybe another will move in before season closes. Far from a sure thing that there is another mature buck nearby. You're a veterinarian though right? I think I read that one here somewhere. If so, then I can't blame your does for being skiddish. I'm nervous when I go to my doctor. He stuck something up my ass once.
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Post by kooch on Dec 2, 2018 16:59:53 GMT -6
I mean, I think it was his finger. But I can't really be sure.
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Post by Reagan on Dec 2, 2018 17:00:39 GMT -6
Here is the problem with trying to hold a buck 5 years old or older. On small parcels I will say it is almost impossible if you want to enjoy your property. Which means visit it on a regular basis. They rarely put up with any interaction. Unless you are the only chunk of ground with cover for 20 miles. He will go elsewhere if you go on your property more than one week during the rut. JMO. Spot on Mo. we had a mature buck the first year or two we owned the property but, as we did habitat work to add more does the bucks left. The does grew older and are possessive of their food sources. They become receptive during the rut when the big boys visit. Is it the does that are keeping them away or your activity? I have been wondering about that question before this thread. You do a lot of work on your ground. What would happen if you left it mostly alone for a couple of years?
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Post by MoBuckChaser on Dec 2, 2018 17:02:52 GMT -6
Spot on Mo. we had a mature buck the first year or two we owned the property but, as we did habitat work to add more does the bucks left. The does grew older and are possessive of their food sources. They become receptive during the rut when the big boys visit. Is it the does that are keeping them away or your activity?I have been wondering about that question before this thread. You do a lot of work on your ground. What would happen if you left it mostly alone for a couple of years? Both!
But i know if you have the doe's where he will be for 3 weeks in the fall!
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Coda1
Full Member
Posts: 242
Likes: 303
Location: Hunting north of Staples, MN
Zone: 3B
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Post by Coda1 on Dec 2, 2018 17:26:53 GMT -6
I'd be thrilled to have one 4 year old. Been hunting the area for about 10 years and have not even seen one over 130. Not even on the game camera.
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Post by Freeborn on Dec 2, 2018 18:00:57 GMT -6
I have planted allot of evergreens but with my sandy soil they are growing in slow motion. I'll have perfect cover about the time I'm dead. Still, there are quality deer around and I'll continue to improve my place.
I do think sanctuaries are key to holding bucks and does. I don't go into my sanctuary unless it's to retrieve a deer or in Winter.
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Post by batman on Dec 2, 2018 18:28:47 GMT -6
I cant realistically grow multiple 4.5 year old bucks inside a fenced 40.
May not be a good goal for a wild 50.
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Post by kooch on Dec 2, 2018 18:43:52 GMT -6
I cant realistically grow multiple 4.5 year old bucks inside a fenced 40. May not be a good goal for a wild 50. How many deer do you think you started with? Did you just close them in and go with what you had? Or did you have to somehow add a few?
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Post by batman on Dec 2, 2018 19:01:57 GMT -6
I cant realistically grow multiple 4.5 year old bucks inside a fenced 40. May not be a good goal for a wild 50. How many deer do you think you started with? Did you just close them in and go with what you had? Or did you have to somehow add a few? I don't share my fence numbers publicly, but if you can do the math I have to take 10 - 12 deer off my 40 every year. I will tell you that opening day gunfire no longer upsets me. Neighbors actions no longer upset me. I get along with all of my neighbors. State regulations on wild deer no longer affect my pursuits. I have spent more time on stand in Minnesota this year than the last 10 combined. I have not purchased a MN deer license the past 2 seasons. The pursuit of wild deer in MN is dead to me.
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Post by kooch on Dec 2, 2018 19:34:07 GMT -6
Fair enough
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