Will disturbing my hunting property be detrimental to my hunting season?

I have a bit of a dilemma and could use some quality insight. For starters, I recently gained access to a 10 acre wooded area surrounded by ag fields (some of you might refer to this as a satellite woods). After establishing a mineral site this spring and setting up a couple trail cameras, I discovered two quality bucks frequenting the woods. Based off of photos, I believe one of the bucks is using these woods to bed in periodically. Aside from the farmer working in the fields from time to time and me checking the cameras/touching-up the mineral sites, this woods receives very little pressure (I enter the woods as if I were hunting). With all of this in mind, I'd like to plant a fall food plot, as well as hang a stand and clear shooting lanes, but I am concerned that all of this disturbance might lead to me pushing the buck from the property. I have already sprayed the area I want to plant. My current thoughts are to spend one day in the woods working up the ground, seeding/fertilizing, setting my stand, and clearing a few shooting lanes in early August- this way I'll disturb the woods as little as possible and be ready for opening day, Oct 1. So...I guess my question would be, does this seem like the best way to go about it? Or does my disturbance in August have little impact on the deer's routine come October 1? I have been giving this a ton of thought and would appreciate any input some of you might have.

 

IMO, if your property is surrounded by ag fields and the 10 acres you have is all wooded, I wouldn't bother with a plot. Save yourself the time, money and pressure and just hunt the field edges or funnels within your property and as always, stay out of his bedding area. Good luck this season

 

I think you'll be fine. One or two days wont hurt your chances at success on the opener. Besides, if you don't do it, you may find yourself unprepared come October 1st. At this point the sooner the better. I'd say don't delay the project by doing a little at a time. Its gotta get done, so I'd do it.

 

I agree, what's the purpose of the food plot when you're surrounded by a food source. I'd concentrate on creating a more secure bedding area. If you're so gun ho about planting something, plant some tall grasses or fell a couple big trees. The more secure those bucks feel, the less likely they are to be busted out.

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Those plots can be awesome once the crops are out. What is planted around you?

 

In my opinion, the deer have plenty of food around you. That area is probably a staging or bedding area before they go out to feed. I would leave it alone, besides finding the best stand location based on trails and where they are bedding, hang the stand and get out.

 

Corn is planted in all surrounding fields. My logic is that if I can provide an alternative food source that'll be around come winter, I'll improve my chances of success.

 

Thanks for the input! I'll definitely consider that.

 

Once the corn is out you could have food and shelter, don't expect the plot to last long.

 

Thanks. The food plot is more or less a test trial to see how things pan out. Thanks for the input and best of luck this season!

 

I would plant the plot because deer typically wont target the corn until later in the season, and by then it should be picked. One day of disturbance wont hurt your chances come opening day. Besides, the deer might be bedding in the corn anyways!