As I understand it, Geneva county doesn’t have high deer numbers. I’d make as big a plot as you think you can manage and afford to plant and attract every deer in the county.
If only it worked that way…….Deer are not really nomadic though…..Generally speaking, doe herds have to be grown from the current doe groups that exist on a property…….I think it’s a big misconception when people talk about drawing all of the deer around them onto their land, etc……There’s a few variables that just don’t allow it to work out quite like that…..For one, social structure usually doesn’t allow it as doe groups don’t like to be piled in on each other. If there are other resources available, they’ll spread out. I bet the low deer population in that area is not because of lack of food though but rather its because of fragmented patches of fawning habitat combined with a vibrant coyote population……Predator control may be more important than a big food plot……I’d still make the big food plot too though!
I’ve owned this property for a year. I’ve been running cameras the entire time and hunted it this past season after scouting some trails/clearing some bow hunting lanes with my chainsaw. It appears there are a few doe groups that my property is in their home range as I saw them throughout the year. I saw 3-4 different, young bucks in the late summer and into bow season. In the rut, I saw around 10 different bucks (mostly on camera), only a 2 that may have been 4+ yrs old. So, I really want to focus on keeping the doe groups happy so the bucks will continue to show up during rut. The property has what seems to be plenty of cover as it is extremely thick and water as there are 2 year round creeks.
I think having a combo approach of maybe a 2-3 acre open area with some shooting lanes projecting out from it may help me to give more food for the does and create a place put a shooting house to take my young son with me.
CNC I have got 3-4 pics of coyotes and 2 pics of bobcats this past year. I have never trapped, but maybe I should consider it. The raccoon population could definitely use some thinning out there 😂