Can’t figure out how to post my pics.

I am helping a buddy out who owns 160 acres around meridian,ms.

1.History of place is that no management has been done, and no summer/mineral feeding has been done in past. This past season for first time, only 1 doe was taken and all bucks passed(small).
2.Adjacent landowners-
to the north is thick pines which is timber company land, not sure on their criteria but we hope to one day get that lease. No big plots on this lease which is 360 acres.
To the east is private landowner club who hunts but they do not shoot does and maybe a buck a year comes off it. No big plots on there and they aren’t very serious in killing much.
To the south entire border is converting to cow pasture
To the west is just recently cut last year, landowner owns a bunch of land but nobody hunts it and he does not allow anyone to hunt. So it will be regrowth until he plants pines. No plots anywhere on that side.

3. Property layout
The east and west sides to part north boundary are hardwoods/creek. Quite a few white oaks and closed canopy.
Center of property is 4 y/o planted pines with no plots etc in there.
He has 2 little plots on the land and that’s it.
Then entire south part bordering the cow pasture will be cut this summer.

My question is there is around 16 acres being cut that borders the west newly cut land. It’s divided by a creek and small patch of hardwoods. In that 16 acres how would you design a plot?
A. Big 5 acre field for so surrounded by newly planted pines
B. Lanes or v or L shape?
This section we want to be a big feed source since neighbor doesn’t hunt nor feed. Just layout is what I’m trying to figure out. Love to plant big field of beans/corn with strips of brassicas etc for fall and leave rest standing but we want the best approach here.

East side is another section being cut. There is a 1.5 acre plot with a creek that separates the field from the pines. We are wanting to add another food source there when cut. Was thinking an L shape, and then replant pines around it. But love to utilize the creek as a travel between 2 fields also.

If I can figure out pic I can post the property to give idea.

We are feeding protein and established 4 mineral sites.
Plan to do some timber management soon as it’s all closed canopy.
Plan to make our access around the outside boundary, as now it’s straight through middle.
Leave middle pines the Sanctuary/bedding.

Just need help on the new plots.

Also used to be loaded with turkey and slowly those numbers have dropped to not even a hen sighting.

If someone can post a pic I can text to ya. 22820977two4.

For the plot, Vee shaped or lanes. Make sure then lanes are wide enough that as the timber grows they are not shaded too much. Orient lanes so that prevailing wind is accounted for and ingress/egress can be done without alerting the deer. Consider a stand that can be hunted on those pre-front days if needed.

Also, in the closed canopy hardwoods, look into crop tree release as well as removing junk mid-story trees. Some micro-clearcuts may be helpful as well.

So do you think a big feed plot isn’t necessary? Something that will be beans/corn? Will the lanes be enough to draw deer across to it?

Would a 2-3 acre feed plot with lanes of it work?

For killing deer, lanes are good. For feeding/attracting/holding alot of deer, it would take some long lanes to amount to the acreage required. IMO

A true 2-3 acres is bigger than 98% of plots in Alabama and Mississippi.

Lanes are good, but I've spent enough of my life staring down a single row of pines, I'll pass on that.

Clear off a 3-5 acre plot with good access and let everything else get thick.

I’ve sat behind huntstand and designed a bunch of layouts. In the end i don’t want it to look good, I want it to work good.
We will be the only true food source (outside of acorns) for a good ways. Would a destination plot of say 4 acres in middle of cutover/pines with lanes on the borders of property catching deer crossing from next door to the plot be good?
Inside of that destination plot would be beans/corn/sorghum etc standing with central being a good fall/winter source.
The entire idea is to draw deer to that food source from neighbors etc.

Hoping to shoot the deer in the lanes/line before the get into the plot.

Think wide lanes, like a power or gas line, instead of 15-20’ tree rows. Say 3 lanes with perennial clover/chicory in the center lane. Plant the other two in cool season blends, etc. You’ll see a lot of movement as they filter in between the lanes. You can also leave one lane fallow for old field management and alternate every 3-4 years depending on plant response.

Another good plan is to daylight the roads, cut them back to 30-40’ wide. In addition to providing forage opportunities both native and cultivated, it allows the sun and wind to help keep roads dry.

Boomerang shape plot with both ends facing that property would probably do well. And you could hunt it in a north or west wind. Put stand in middle.

The biggest factor by far and beyond anything else IMO is the access and approach to your stands. If you can lay it all out where you don't disturb much going in/out that will serve as your #1 in terms of hunting.

If you were looking at a square piece of dirt. Best case scenario IMO would be multiple access points from Southern property line leading north to a shooting house at the lower end of a field looking NW. Figure out how big the fields need to be then make sure they aren't going to get shaded out being too narrow. I prefer larger fields were feasible. I would rather have a couple acre plots than 40 1/4 acre plots. One benefit is reducing your impact hunting too many spots.

Very solid advice right there.

Any idea to reduce the pressure, will improve the hunting.