I got a little chewed out the other day by a fellow lessee on this 50 acres of land we have. We've been working this property for about a year and a half and we mostly hunt hogs except during deer and turkey season. The property is so thick and so over run with these Brazilian Peppers that we only have one route to get to the back of the property and much of that is on or crosses of game trails. We decided " or so I thought" that we would work this year on cutting trails up each side of the property, East and West sides so that we could hunt the wind better and then be able to cut back into the property wherever we wanted to without stepping over the game trails and leave our scents behind. Make sense so far? So myself and another member started working on completing one of these trails Saturday and on my drive home I called another member and was telling him what we got accomplish on the property that day and he started going off on me about how I was opening up more trails for the deer to travel on and so now they wouldn't travel on their old trails, that being trail we're all walking on and therefore I was making them harder to hunt. So far know one has taken a deer from this property but we get them on trail cams all the time. We just can't get an arrow in them. Am I missing something? I guess I see his point but we can't move in this property without running over the main game trails and I really feel the deer have been patterning us.
I cut trails all the time, but it's on public land, land that theoretically you and I both own. Not on a private ranch.
I don't see his point. Deer will roam no matter if you cut trails or not. It's 50 acres. More than likely no one has killed anything due to not having trails to hunt the wind. I'd call a meeting between all of you. If you pay the same as they do then you have just as much say. Not one single person should be telling the others what to and not to do. Scout!! That's what it sounds like he and you all need to do if there are 3 hunting it and haven't killed any deer. Especially on 50 acres. Either way, cutting trails especially this early should hurt anything I wouldn't think. Heck I have my own 30acres and I cut trails to all my stands. I also rake them before season to help keep me quiet when slipping in.
I cut trails all the time and not small ones either tractor sized trails to get in the back side and my dad has a stand right on it and shot a buck off it this last year i think you have the right idea of doing this it gives you more options to where you want to hunt.
To be honest we don't pay a thing and he's the one with permission to hunt the property. It's all cool though, he apologized and said he was just in a pissy mood. I didn't take him to seriously but just wondering if he has a point. But because the the three of us worked on the trail that he got pissy about we now call it the "Three Stooges Trail"
A tractor is really what we need and yes, right now only two of us can really hunt at a time because we only one way in and way way out.
I seriously doubt the trail cutting will make things worse. Think about what he's implying here. He's pissed because the deer will walk on trails you cut instead of the harder to get to deer trails. I don't know about you, but if I have the option of walking a nice trail or path to a stand, knowing that the deer use the same path.......well, you see what I'm getting at. Tell the guy to starting hunting the "big trails" if he's that worried about it.
Thanks. Bottom line is we HAVE TO cut some trails to get though this property. It could mess up this years hunt but it will give us so many more options in the future. Thanks all for the input.
I wouldn't worry about messing things up for this season. Deer are like humans in one aspect... they will use the path of least resistance. We see more deer on our mowed paths and 4-wheeler paths than when we sit on some of their own trails. You may very well have INCREASED your odds of shooting deer this year. I was pissed when my uncle and his neighbor started riding 4-wheelers past a new stand location to mushroom hunt this year until I checked it out and found lots of 'scat' and loads of prints on that path. I have started riding up there off and on now to keep it clear and have bunches of pics on that path. I can't wait to sit this new stand :D
You haven't killed any deer yet doing the same things you have been doing. I can't see how making trails or doing something differently will make things worse .
Point well taken. I agree. I think the more we can open up trails the more animals we'll get in the property and that's my goal. Don't know how's familiar with Brazilian Peppers but it's a weed/bush that quickly takes over any open area and turns into a huge bush. Major problem down here.
Buy him out and let him do his own thing some where else. Its only 50 acres. Of they are moving they will use it. Buy him some scent spray and tell him to be quite put help Sent from my LG-E739 using Tapatalk 2
Ok I think what maybe happening is He your friend has the permission and you are his guest not a ''lessee'' so he feels that he should be there or be apart of decisions that affect the ground? always get these things sorted out before peoples feelings get hurt..just saying
I think it was clear and still is but another issue is that I'm really pumped on bow hunting and I really like working the property and I think sometimes people feel guilty if their not putting in as much work or money as others but it all works itself out in the end. Right now I have the time and money to do stuff. Other times of the year I can't show at all. He's a great Christian brother I just wanted to know if his objection held water or is there something I'm missing. I really get a lot out of this site and everybody's help and so you guys really help me stay amp'd up on bow hunting so I have a lot of energy when I'm on the property to improve it any way I can. Thanks again to all.
