Sure, its possible. If you give them a reason to stay on your place, why wouldn't they? I think if you keep year round plots, keep food on the table, they will stay. I think several small plots are better than one big one. Some of the management gurus may be a better source of info. Start with elgato
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We manage 250 acres and our neighbor has 500 or so I believe and we turn out some pretty solid deer every few years. You wont kill a 130 or 140 every year, but every few you stand a good chance too. Main thing seems to be getting some age on them. All you can do is pass them up and hope to see them next season.
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On our 165 acres in Fayette county feeding year round and plenty of food plots seems to help. I know all the neighbors. They only feed during deer season and won't spend the money on plots. That being said we have had some of our better deer disappear pretty sure being shot by the neighbors. One thing I tell my family about shooting bucks on our place is if we shoot him we know he's dead. If we pass him there is a chance we will see him next year. It seems if a buck can make it through Thanksgiving weekend they have a pretty good chance of making it through the year. It is hard to listen to neighbors on opening weekend blast away. Oh well part of hunting small properties.
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Originally posted by Soggy Bottom View PostOn our 165 acres in Fayette county feeding year round and plenty of food plots seems to help. I know all the neighbors. They only feed during deer season and won't spend the money on plots. That being said we have had some of our better deer disappear pretty sure being shot by the neighbors. One thing I tell my family about shooting bucks on our place is if we shoot him we know he's dead. If we pass him there is a chance we will see him next year. It seems if a buck can make it through Thanksgiving weekend they have a pretty good chance of making it through the year. It is hard to listen to neighbors on opening weekend blast away. Oh well part of hunting small properties.
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yes it is possible. Must have genetics first.
We hunt less then 100 and have gotten neighbors on board with our plan. Have shot 2 bucks 137-155 and this was prior to this. Have 3-4 on camera still alive this year that are in that range also.
If you can get neighbors to buy into 5.5 years old it will make a difference. Don't give up
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He who has the most corn wins.
We have killed a 143 and a 182 and the neighbor got a 145 8pt in the last ten years. We have 300 acres.
I just let them walk and if they neighbors shoot ain't nothing i can do about it, i just hope that a few get by each year.
we also feed year round and we feed protein.
Someone else said it, you gotta try. Eat does and true culls not horns.
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It really depends on where you are. If you are in East Texas off some back roads deep in the thick then heck yeah you can manage the deer. We do it on our place and its 283 acres.
Very hard to hunt out here so no "weekend" hunter is going to kill any good deer unless they just get really lucky. You are always gonna lose a young buck or two, but we have been watching deer grow out here for three years now and I still see the same deer on camera that at 4.5/5.5 years old now.
We are surrounded by hunters on all sides and still able to grow some big mature bucks.
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Having good cover, water, and low pressure is key to a small property. We don't shoot does but the neighbors will tale 3-4 a year. Got 3 small groups of does that hang close to our house year round and we feed and plant to keep them here. During the year we may see a bachelor group come thru a few times but in the fall will see more bucks than does. In September when the bucks start roaming we will watch t/c pics and establish target/wait another year for the 'local' deer knowing some will drift but others will filter in here as well.
This morning I was sitting on the front porch with my coffee watching a 130ish eight pt. eating hand corn 75 yds. away.
So yes you can have big deer on a small place. Just have to be patient.
Good luck.
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You can’t control what your neighbors do, and you can’t keep a deer from crossing a low fence. These are both facts. However, if you properly manage your habitat and your deer you will see a benefit from it. It may not be as dramatic as if the property were high fenced, but you will see improvements. Creating better habitat and adding food sources and sanctuary’s will increase the animal traffic on your property.
Doing nothing will not make things any better. Same as shooting a 4 year old deer will not make him any bigger. Yes it may keep your neighbor from shooting him, but That really just puts you in the same boat as them.
I have 330 acres. We are on our fourth year managing it. We are seeing bigger deer more frequently. Yes we have had deer taken by neighbors that were either our targets or ones that we had decided to let grow, but we are seeing the benefits of our work.
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We hunt on 360 acres low fence, feed protein year round, have summer/winter plots and water throughout.
We don't shoot till they are mature. Shot 2 bucks in 4 years. Year one was 138 class and this year (yr 4) we shot a 148 class. We are seeing a difference when they have constant supplemental feed and only remove the mature bucks. We have been watching a buck that scored in the 160+ category for three years but have not had a clean shot at him. Have not seen him this year. We let the 3.5-4.5 that range from 120-130 class deer walk. We have gone from 1-2 shooter bucks year 1-3, to 5 shooters this year (yr 4). We take our chances and see If they make it till next year. We have new neighbors who have shot 4 bucks in 3 years. That will definitely hurt in the long run.
feed them and wait till mature. There will usually be at least one smart mature buck that can avoid the average hunter walking through your property. He will be difficult to harvest, but fun to hunt him.
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For sure it’s possible, look at the Midwest. Tons of fragmented land and the biggest free range bucks in the country are killed there every year. More land certainly makes it easier and bad neighbors will ruin your chances. (I’m talking about the truly kill everything hunters.) Deer can move a long ways.
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