Tips for small acreage hunters? - 50 acres or less

[unclefish]

Anyone got some tips for hunting small tracts of land? I'll be hunting a new place this year (37 acres). I realize that they likely won't be bedding on it because of its size....but I'd like them to keep using it as much as they can. Its got alot of hogs and deer populaiton in the area and is very thick in places.

I will probably put 2 feeders on it (for different wind directions) and also put in some food plots. It will mostly be bowhunting but will have an occasional hog whacking with a gun for the kiddos.

What % should I put in food plots to keep them using my land?

[El Coyote]

do you have water on it?

[jerp]

My only suggestion would be try for as little human impact as possible so it might become a sanctuary from surrounding properies. Slip in and out, always playing the wind, even when filling feeders - and keep "just out there goofing around" time to a bare minimum. It's easy to pollute a place that small by stomping all over the place regularly. I would have just one feeder with multiple stands for wind direction. My 1 1/2 cents.

[unclefish]

Yes has a live creek that dries up only in drought conditions. But there is water right next door also.

[muddydog]

Keep out feed and keep the hunting pressure to a minimum. Some of my best deer have been killed on small out of the way places. You dont have have have alot of land to have game. you have to be careful not to keep them so spooked they will leave and not return or become nocturnal on you. Just as jerp pointed out.

[Scout Man]

Very good info. I had the same question. I bet a lot of hunters have small leases and would welcome the input.
THANKS!

[Txnrog]

Set your stands for the wind. Personally, I would only put one feeder on it - you're just going to have the same deer split between 2 feeders, or more deer @ 1 feeder. I would put 2 stands for different wind directions on the feeder, and another couple on likely trails thru the property - put them all where you can get to them without giving your wind to the bulk of the property.

Also pay real close attention to where the deer are coming from - wind may be great at your stand site, but if they all come in from a bedding area 200 yrds downwind to get there, you'll have some challenges.

[Montec man]

Stay out of it as much as possible, and only hunt what you deem to be the "prime" times when the wind is perfect for your set up. Difficult to get in and out of a place that small without the deer knowing you are there.

[Bily Lovec]

and dont be chincy on the feed, feed protein, alfalfa, horse sweet feed, when they are sitting around the water hole planning their day, you want them voting for the 37 acre candy store

[Bonesplitter]

and dont be chincy on the feed, feed protein, alfalfa, horse sweet feed, when they are sitting around the water hole planning their day, you want them voting for the 37 acre candy store

I like this plan!

[Cuz]

Hunt the fence lines!

[BoneDigger]

I hunted a 47 acre tract a few years ago that I leased from Temple Inland and had very good luck on it. I saw plenty of deer and hogs on it. Landowners all around it were feeding with feeders and I was catching deer as they passed through. None of them were bowhunters so I had October to myself (well, this was east Texas, so I would say during the DAY I had it to myself anyway).

My recommendation would be to stay away from feeders. Go with hand broadcast corn if you can do so. Do a lot of hunting during midday, as deer soon learn to go nocturnal and/or midday to survive.

I had two stands on my 47 acre lease and could have done three, but you're getting the same deer either way. I would personally feed one location and set up two stands to play the wind. You could setup one extra on a trail leading to the corn. If you have any draws or creeks coming into the place, or any type of funnel, you could setup a separate stand location there. If you do, I would stay away from corning that location. Use it heavily during the rut or if you find good trails maybe use it other times as well. The big bucks often learn to stay away from corn during the day. Working a funnel or draw without corn may give you a chance at that big buck that nobody else can seem to see in the daytime. Also, having a good location to hunt without corn can be helpful if you get too busy to corn for a week or two and don't have anything to draw them to your other stand.

I would also recommend that you get to know the adjacent landowners really well. There is a very good chance that if you are bowhunting your deer/hog will run onto another piece of property before you retrieve him/her. Being friendly with the neighbors will also perhaps lead to them watching the place while you are away. Plus, it lets them know you are hunting that little piece of land. Some of these small properties kind of get subsumed by the neighbors and they hunt it as if it were theirs. This might only be them sending their 12 year old over with a .22 for squirrels (as was the case for my little property), or they may actually deer/hog hunt it as if they owned it.

Either way, there is nothing wrong with hunting a small lease. Set up to play the wind and just enjoy being out there hunting. Oh, and get some game cameras. We love pictures!

Todd

[Skinny]

Watch the wind, be minimally invasive, and keep the does happy and coming back day after day. The bucks will follow those does. It is very possible to have a nice size bachelor group on small acreages as well. Like was stated...feed feed feed!!!

My Dad has 3 feeder on 46 acres...front, middle, and back. There is a nice bachelor group, and a bunch of does that kind of make their rounds. Oh, and hogs too. Water helps...and close thick cover does to.

Good luck!!!

[billinkb]

and dont be chincy on the feed, feed protein, alfalfa, horse sweet feed, when they are sitting around the water hole planning their day, you want them voting for the 37 acre candy store

I've hunted small places forever. I can't agree more with staying out and only going in when needed.

I feed all year long.

When I hunt;
I park at the gate and walk in. NO four-wheelers!
I keep my SCENT FREE clothes and boots in a bag, and change in them at the gate each morning and afternoon hunt.

[Txnrog]

As mentioned on the does, I wouldn't harvest any unless you're looking to fill the freezer. The more does you have hanging around, and the more comfortable they are, the more bucks you'll have cruising thru come the rut.