I have been offered to hunt one piece of property on a farm. The way I understand it this guys owns 300 total acres but it is split into 60 here, 100 there, 60 more someplace else. All within tractor range of his actual farm. This is one of his 60 acre pieces of property. He claims there are deer crossing there frequently. I have attached an aerial to show the property boarders and existing planted crop. The question here is not only lack of timber on the property to set-up in but recovery of an animal after the shot. With such a small chuck and no timber the deer won't bed down when mortally wounded until they are someplace safe in cover right? Populations are pretty good in this area. There should be deer. But I don't have a lot of flexibility as to where to set up. Looks like mostly on the edge of the property along edges either by fence line or the small timber. Would you hunt here? Do you think it will be a waste of time and difficult at best to harvest a deer? Right now setting up on the tree line on the NE corner of the property next on the edge of the timber looks like the best spot to me. That timber is mostly thick pines. Some hardwoods. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Here is the aerial without the markup. Topo: Blue shows property boarder. Google image: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=43.787144,-88.2462&spn=0.0112,0.035963&z=16 Bing Bird's eye of the land. http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=r8xt9y7ncqh5&style=b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=40993229&encType=1
I would speak to nieghboring landowners about recovery permission. If I were allowed access to retrieve a downed animal I would hunt it.
That may be a possibility. I am not sure how the owner would feel about me bringing others there but I'll look into it. My understanding of the way the deer move here is the deer travel from the woodlot on the NE corner of the property to that woodlot you referenced to the NW. They also come from the SE corner from the top of the hill and cross down to that same woodlot to the NW. That's coming from the farmer though which means the deer are pressured when he is seeing them. Not sure what their natural movements are yet. I am about to find out though. I asked the farmer the exact same question and he said, "call me when this happens and I'll ask the neighbors". I assume he knows them well but I am not sure why he would not want me to contact them upfront. It seems a little late after the fact if they say no doesn't it? Let's assume recovery is not an issue for a moment. My biggest concern is hunting such a open field. Instead of hunting a trail that leads to an open field. I would think using a bow you would have to be real lucky to get one in realistic (mine) bow range.
It will be a crap shoot, but you can figure out their main travel routes. Consider sitting halfway down the east border in that faint corner. This makes a direct line from the bedding area in the NW corner to the water source to your east. That will also put you between the wheat and the beans, the activity on the wheat should pick up later in the fall as it starts to sweeten. Based on the maps, that might be where I would start as long as there is a decent way in.
To clarify, the access and parking is on the NE corner on the road. Right where Pitt road makes a 90 bend. I will have to walk in th open field.
That's a tuff decision, but looks like you'll have to do that if you hunt almost anywhere there except the NE corner. Maybe just chance it and try a scent drag, maybe somthing will come out of that NE bedding area and right to you. Tuff one.
Did you look here? http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=r8xt9y7ncqh5&style =b&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=40993229&encType=1 or here? http://www.bing.com/maps/default.as...&scene=40992005&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&encType=1 This shows the most detailed aerial.
