Just got my first lease. Not a huge farm, but seems pretty good. In southwest WI, its 53 acres with some rolling hills and ridges. 3/4 is timber and the rest is 2 fields of CRP and 1 other one for a food plot. Any tips from others out there who have hunted a property for the 1st time? Thanks for any help!
trail cams, set up mineral site. I use the bio rock with good results plant little food on way too your stand there not so quick too walk threw Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530A using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Take a walk and look for heavy trails that may have good ambush points along the way. Then set some attractants out with cams on them for inventory. I would be hunting in that timber during rut!
Scout as much as possible. Use cameras. Talk to neighbors maybe? I don't think you can legally set up a mineral site as somebody else suggested. what county is it in?
find ways to enter and exit without disturbing the local herd, look for funnels and travel routes, look for old scrapes and rubs--this will tell you all you need to know--I have found that setting up cameras now is fun but can be a waste of time, you may see local doe family groups but bucks may or ay not show up-then as summer turns to fall and bachelor groups disperse then you will see bu movements on your land. find the scrapes and rubs start there
Go walk it now. Everything that happened last year will be evident now, and if you can wait till there is a bit of snow on the ground the primary travel routes will be very visible.
Like many have said, walk it now get what information you can. If feasible put out cameras with lithium batteries. If you are thinking about and can do food plots no matter how small get soil samples now. That way you can get the required lime in with time to work into the soil. Getting the soil right now will make a difference in the long run. Check out aerial photos to see if you find trails and pinch points. Topos will help too. You can usually do that from google. Believe it or not if those CRP fields have been there awhile you can actually find trails through them using google maps. Good luck and keep us posted.
Walk every possible inch. I bought I very small piece of timber connected to more timber. Didn't walk all of it, found a great spot, two 130" bucks were shot from it. After they were shot I walked the thickest part of the woods, and found an even better spot with more sign, and ended up seeing two times as many deer. Also, don't be discouraged if the property doesn't blow you away the first season. I hunt a couple of pieces that are ON one year, OFF the next due to crops. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Thanks for all the help! I will be putting in some work! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Going in on it with a buddy. Going to cost us $1300 each. Found it on basecampleasing.com Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Congratulations, trailer camera and talk with the owner and any others that might have hunted the property in the past. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk