In 2011 I created several paths through the 60 acres of thick, thick woods that I call paradise. Soon after, the deer were on those paths day in and day out. I was stoked to say the least leading up to the 2011 hunting season. Unfortunately, as the season unfolded, we started noticing deer tracks in our boot tracks as we would leave from a sit (without seeing anything). Needless to say the deer were in the woods, but we had created so many paths that they just used them all and didn’t follow them to our stands locations. I began thinking of how to get those deer to walk on one trail and not the other. Well the only logical idea that came to mind was to limit the amount of paths created. So this year I set out with a pull behind mower, chain saw and clippers. Prior to wondering around the woods I drew up a plan with a map of the property. I included the hot spots for deer activity and the water and food sources. I thought of every scenario. Before I get too involved in this message I want to point out that my property is shaped like an upper case T with the bottom of the T being the only entrance to the property. It is also on the west side of the property with the top of the T being the east and so on. My plan was simple build one large circle path will a single path near the middle leading to a natural funnel. This was a hill that runs north to south and stretches across ¾ of the East side of the property. About 100 yards east of this hill across a bean field is a pond. This path starts at a known cross road for the natural deer trails. There are probably close to 5 different natural trails that meet here. (My main stand is there also) moving forward, I take this path in a westward straight like pattern to a ¼ acre buckwheat plot that was cleared out recently. The Circle path runs through it but I cut it off with the buckwheat. The single path doesn’t run through the middle of the plot, but instead I have it about 20’ behind thick brush just behind the plot. I have two large opening (paths) that lead into the plot from the main (single) path. At this junction I want to allow the deer freedom to “get out quick” if needed. So as my path reaches this junction it turns 90 degrees to the left then gradually turns south west onto the Circle path. The reason I do this is so if the deer since trouble, see trouble, or panic they can get to cover fast without seeing the hunter in the stand any longer. This path continues in a South west direction for about 200 yards until it reaches a T in the path. The T is an Old logging road that I just so happened to make even bigger at this T. I have a two man ladder stand to the left of this T and I had planted Ivy at the base back in April. It is almost completely invisible to any eye. (Insert Pat on the back here) To the right of this T are several large black berry bushes that are over 8’ tall and span out over 20’ in depth. I opened this practical area to plant more Buckwheat. It’s an odd shape plot but it goes out in front of my 2 man stand and ends at a large brush pile I’ve created to block off the rest of the logging road. And about 100 yards south of the stand and T is a 300+ acre Corn field (maybe larger). Last year most of the deer would leave this field and not come close to the stand. They would follow another logging road straight west and then cut over to my path too far for anyone to see. This explained some of the tracks in our boot prints on the way out. I was determined to eliminate this route for the deer. What I did was cut a path starting at the brush pile next to the plot and ran it all the way to the Parallel logging road and built several large brush pile across the logging road to block the deer from traveling down that route. This other logging road is also the property line, and even though no one hunts on the other side I respect the right they have to do so. Also, I hate it when people set up on property lines. By blocking this route and creating a new one I’m forcing the deer to go off the beaten path and providing an easier route instead. Back to the T, from here I follow the logging road with my mower and cut another path that leads to the front of the property (west) and meet the point where I first entered the woods. Not the west Hill that I mentioned earlier. I had to cut a path from the entrance (west) to the back first that runs through the ¼ buckwheat plot. Now there was one more item on my list to complete that weekend. That was creating a new path through the thick 3 acres long young trees instead of riding the edge of the neighbor’s field. He had planted Corn this year and once it’s up there’s no getting a 4 wheeler back there. My buddy and I had wanted to create a path through these trees for a long time now, but you can’t see past the first tree anywhere. These were planted about 15 years ago and they are thick if you didn’t already read that part. We started with the chainsaw until the chain fell off and was damaged. At this point we crack our 1st and 2nd beers open. We stared at this hot mess in disbelief, until I said “Watch this” and just put the 4wheeler in gear, aimed at the north side, hit the gas and closed my eyes. The majority of these trees are 1 ½ to 2 and 3 inches thick. This patch of trees is probably 150 yards long and 45 yards wide with tall timber to the north and corn field to the south. I put a lot of thought into this scenario prior to deployment. My thought was that the young trees near the north where they meet the mature trees would be smaller because the larger trees would hog all of the water and other variables in the ground. To my luck I was 100% correct. Blindly, I pushed through until I saw the dirt road. What a relief it was to have made it through. I quickly turned around and carefully drove through again but in the opposite direction. (Use caution while doing this because most of the trees will be bent over and facing you now, Javelin anyone?) I push through the patch listening to the sweet sound of breaking and snapping trees all the way to the end. My buddy was smiling ear to ear. Now I made two more runs in both directions then got off the 4wheeler with my clippers and hatchet. I cleared most of the stuff out of the way and then ran through with the mower 3 times to really clean it up. Note: A lot of people ride ATV’s down this dirt road and follow them north (O.P.P - other people’s property) because there are tons of riding trails. I do not want people to discover my trails on my property. So what I did was I stopped about 10 yards in the thick stuff and made a turnaround spot. This way no one can see the newly clear trail leading to my paradise. This morning my buddy ran down there to check on the plots and hang another camera. What he found was ton of fresh and old deer tracks on this newly clear path through the thick stuff. He said that is looked as if someone ran a tiller through there and that some tracks were as large as his hand. Other good news is there weren’t any ATV tracks. Try it yourself if you haven’t already done so. Make a solid path to and from you stand. Also gives yourself a good exit and entrance. I have two ways out from every stand now, but on the same trail, so that I don’t have to leave my scent on the ground. Now I’m heading there in upcoming days to put a camera on this new path. I want get an inventory of the deer and try to pattern them. I won’t hunt on this trail because it’s too close to the neighbors that do hunt, but I can sure hunt at the end of the path when they come out of the thickness and into the darkness. I hope this helps some of you. I thought it could provide someone with similar issues, as I had last year, with a fresh new take on how to pattern the deer to your liken. I'll add pics as I get them from my new paths. Thank you for reading.
