How can I Improve my land for hunting

[marktz96]

I am trying to figure out how to make my land better for hunting. I only own 12 acres, so I feel like I need to use every inch to my advantage. The black line around the place is the property line. The front of the prperty doesn't have many trees. I have only seen some deer there but no big bucks. The back of the property has a lot of trees. I have a trail camera set up on the back corrner of the place and I get a lot of pictures of bucks. I know they are not bedding on my property because they always come from another mans land when I get them on camera. The blues lines are creek that run through the property. They only have water in them when it rains. They huge ditches. Can you help me make my property a better place to hunt. I have a few ideas on what I would like to do but I don't know if they would help. Thanks for the help.

[TexasAg2002]

Food plots maybe?

[unclefish]

Man its really tough with only 12 acres.

The first thing I would do is find any major trails in the back of the property behind the creek. Then I would clear a food plot (with a feeder) right off that trail.....1/2 acre at least. I would also hinge cut the heck out of the back part to ensure that deer have only two ways in and out of the plot so you can know hunt the right wind and know the deer won't enter from an unexpected direction.

[Tx625]

food and water, and more than the neighbors

[akey]

food and water, and more than the neighbors

Yep. I have never hunted on that small of a piece of land but that was my first reaction. If you can clear some space on the "not wooded" side along the creek for some food plots and keep pressure off of the deer in the off season, all the better. On that small of a property I would try my best to make the deer think that is a safe zone with good graze and water in the summer and then sneak a stand in along the creek on the wooded side where they are crossing to get to the food plot.

[marktz96]

Do you have any ideas on how to get water to them. The creek is dry almost all the time.

[bowhunterchris]

Water trough

[glen]

Water hose- low trough- floater valve

[glen]

fertilize your oak trees and try to get persimmion trees. Dont just feed them during deer season. Plant clover (Spring) and Chicory (Summer) plant close enough to turn water sprinkler on when July hits.

[kparker158]

Try to get permission to hunt your neighbors if they don't hunt.

[Northeaster]

This is how my neighbors hunt and are somewhat successful...
Set up right on my fence. Run one feeder full tilt. Shoot anything that comes out.

- I'm being rude - but unless you live on an Iowa grain field, 12 acres is too small to hunt and expect to kill one or more deer per year.

[glen]

I live on 10 acres and could shoot more deer than I care to. We dont hunt here but I have let my kids shoot a deer or two for various reasons over the last 2 years. I was just outside and had 14 down the clearcut.

[DXTroughneck]

12 acres is plenty in the right spot. IU would suggest a year around food plot and feeders and few water troughs. Put everything they need and they wont have to leave.

[Humper]

What kind of trees do you have? Like others have said, I'd start with building up the natural food supply (acorns, clover, etc..) with fertilzer/organics. Create a water supply...(small pond or tank). Supplement the natural stuff with a protein feeder and a small food plot. Also consider planting more food source type trees up front as well.

[marktz96]

I have considered putting a protein feeder out. Could you give me an estimate on how much that would cost for about 20 deer per year? There are a lot of oak trees but they are not very old. Is there anything I could plant to help the deer bed in the front instead of on another property. Thanks for all the input.