How much land do you need?

[cannycorn2000]

We have about about 300 acres total half of it is CRP fields which are growing fast. The CRP splits our land in half down the middle.  So that means two woods. We have 3 hunters on an 80 and 6 on the other 160 or so.  We each have a couple stand choices to hunt depending on the weather.

[cdn1]

cannycorn2000 how does that workout for you guys in hunting pressure?
my issues are how to effectively hunt the land without putting to much
pressure on the resident deer. I expect that we will have to have appx 8-12 different stand locations to be able to hunt them with the right wind.
and we don't plan to harvest deer off all of the food plots.
  My situation, where we have always hunted up to now. There has always been lots of different land to hunt.(lots of small parcels) now
I worry than 4 hunters on 98acres will be to much pressure and ruin the
quality of the hunt. However I may still be further ahead because the
current group I hunt with don't practice the fundamentals of  good deer
hunters. (hunt the right wind, not smoking on stand and noise management) how much more pressure than that could 4 guys that are
doing the right things apply.

[JPH]

I hunt alone on two properties. One is about 80 acres with 7 tree stands and one ground blind. The other is about 50 acres (35 that I own and a little more that I have permission to hunt) with 9 tree stands and one ground blind. Again, that is all for one hunter.
 
If you really want to limit the pressure, I would turn all of the thick areas of the property into "sanctuaries". Then I would set up multiple stands around the fringes of these areas. This way you will always have stands to hunt that keep your scent out of where you want the deer to feel safe. move in and out quietly and reduce scent and noise at all times.

[cdn1]

JPH there is appx 20-22acres of really thick low bush and swamp on the property,(north west cornner) but the land that borders the west side of the property is also really thick low cedar swamp which Dont think is hunted or has much, if any human intrusion. The mid section of the property is wooded but not really thick was planning to put the food plots towards the center of the property along the south edge of the open woods. Using the more open woods like a coridor/funnel for the deer to move to and from the food plots. I "think" that they are thick enough that the deer would use them at dusk and dawn to move about. Here are the google earth corodinates for the farm house. if you what to see how the property lays out.
 (44 37'03.28"n   81 07'28.31"w) sorry no symbol for degrees
 

[JPH]

Looks good. Are those fields to the north on your property? They look like a prime spot for a food plot. 

[cdn1]

  Not sure as to which fields you refer to but there is 1 18acre field to the northeast corner. It is worked by a local farmer, usually plants corn,soy bean or winter wheat.  The property directly north of ours is a large pinery and there were quite a few tracks in and out of it. The fields directly to the east, and the southwest of the house(by the pond) are where 2 spots are going to go. I would like to plant right along the edge of the woods about 75-100yrds deep, along most of the length of the woods.
  If you follow the laneway through the woods to the northeast field. Directly west, right at the end of the laneway there is a small clearing shaped like a teardrop, that would be the location for the third plot.  The wooded area directly north of the tear drop is the thickest area of woods (poplar/mixed pine) I think that is a bedding area(santuary #1) 
as that is where may son and I saw a good buck heading to at appx 10am 2 weeks ago.
 I think that we should be able to harvest deer off the teardrop field with out to much harm. I don't think that we are going to take any deer off the other plots as it may put to much pressure on them and cause them to only use them at night.
 The other thick cedar swamp is west, southwest of the pond, off the property but unhunted.(santuary#2) My idea is to keep the plots far enough from the edge of the fence line that the deer use the woods on our property to access the food plots. That would be where we set up stands. Any thoughs or suggestions? cdn1
 

[mag30079]

We all would like tons of land to hunt, but use what you got. In Michigan the DNR has a few private properties that are avalible to the public. One is a Military base, and then there's a few farms. These properties are by application only and will only support a limited number. The Military bases guide lines are 17 acres per person. The farms are 14 acres per person. This is just a example of how little you may need.  

[JPH]

Sounds solid to me. I might suggest holding off on your doe kills (especially on the plots) until late in the season.
 
I know this is risky b/c you may not get your doe kills. But I have used this tactic this season, as a way to keep deer close to a micro-property, and it is working so far.
 
I took two bucks off one property and then was able to go in and take a doe. I took one buck off the other property and am hoping to hit the does hard this weekend with a special gun hunt.

[DeanoZ]

Not to hijack this thread but it presented a simliar opportunity for my own QDM question.  i just bought 4 acres in northern VT.  Plan to put a small hunting cabin on it in the near future.  Its on a mountain side so the grade is a little steep, hence I only get occasional deer traffic.  I'd like to change that and thought maybe a small food plot along with an apple tree and a small watering hole might help persuade more deer to come on the property.  Any thoughts on QDM for this very small parcel if anything at all?

[JPH]

DeanoZ, congratulations on the purchase.
 
I think at some point the question stops being one of QDM and is just simply one of sound conservation. In fact it would not break my heart to see the title of QDM fade away and just have the basic principals adopted as the modern hunting/conservation ethic.
 
Am I doing QDM on my 35 acres, or just conservation? I don't know or really care. I'm going to do it no matter what it's called b/c it makes me happy and it works.
 
You can make 4 acres more inviting to wildlife. And if you ask me, no purchase of rural property is worth the cost unless you do. Heck, I've even seen people in town turn their back yards into mini-wildlife sanctuaries. Are you going to hold big bucks on 4 acres? Obviously not, but you could make it a place where deer and other wildlife like to stop at. Good luck!