Private Land/Game Cam Question

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
Hello All,

You all were very helpful to me in my first year hunting in NC. I deer hunted public land around jordan and learned quite a bit about scouting and locating deer etc, from this forum and boots on the ground experience.

Fortunately I just got access to private land (70 acres) 30 minutes from here. I am ecstatic as nobody deer hunts the land. The owner said only one other person has access to it and he is a turkey hunter. The owner uses the land for archery practice and ATV riding however he himself is not a hunter. He did confirm there are deer on the property.

The 70 acres has a creek running all around it and it is mostly hardwoods. The hardwood borders two fields which are on land I do not have access to. There is a thin line of trees connecting two areas of hardwoods between the fields, which is a pinchpoint. I have yet to go scout the area and setup game cams as I just got access today.

That said my questions are:
  1. Where should I set up the game cams? Is this mostly trial and error on new land?
  2. Where should I focus my scouting efforts? Around the creek that circiles the property and try and find potential crossings?
  3. Deer corn placement should be just outside those fields?
  4. What do I do if i run into someone hunting the property who doesnt have permission?
Thank you for the suggestions and any tips are always helpful. I am pumped.

Thanks

-Desert_Hawg
 

JFH3006

Ten Pointer
Go look over the area then u can see exactly what is going on with land. How much does owner ride 4whlrs there and does he ride in fall?
 

georgeeebuck

Ten Pointer
Get a mineral { salt lick} block etc. in asap with a cam. on it to see what is on the place. Most of the deer on the place will use it at sometime this summer . Place it near water ( 50 to 100 yards} at a creek crossing if possible . Identify your possible mash trees ( big white and red oaks ,persimmons ,any fruit} and look for stand sites with the wind and access routes in mind . Look for out of the way thick bedding areas on the place or near it ,and by thick I mean places you would have to craw through ,the bigger the better. Again be looking for stand sites between the thick areas and the fields or mash sites with the wind and access routes in mind. Try to always access stand sites without your scent going into the thick areas. Others will have to speak on deer corn, but I have never seen the benefit of a corn pile near a corn field. Better to hunt trails between the thick stuff and a corn or bean field with acorns on the ground IMHO. Scout it real good but keep as much pressure off of it as the season nears. Ask the landowner how he wants you to handle traspassers .
 
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Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
Get a mineral { salt lick} block etc. in asap with a cam. on it to see what is on the place. Most of the deer on the place will use it at sometime this summer . Place it near water ( 50 to 100 yards} at a creek crossing if possible . Identify your possible mash trees ( big white and red oaks ,persimmons ,any fruit} and look for stand sites with the wind and access routes in mind . Look for out of the way thick bedding areas on the place or near it ,and by thick I mean places you would have to craw through ,the bigger the better. Again be looking for stand sites between the thick areas and the fields or mash sites with the wind and access routes in mind. Try to always access stand sites without your scent going into the thick areas. Others will have to speak on deer corn, but I have never seen the benefit of a corn pile near a corn field. Better to hunt trails between the thick stuff and a corn or bean field with acorns on the ground IMHO. Scout it real good but keep as much pressure off of it as the season nears. Ask the landowner how he wants you to handle traspassers .

Awesome post, this is why I post here. Thanks guys!!
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you have natural browse, honeysuckle, green briar, blackberry, ect...now is a great time to invest in a couple of bags of triple something fertilizer and make your spot sweeter and thicker than the spots around it. For the price of fertilizer you can improve attraction many times over just by improving the native browse.
as far as game camera locations, I'd wait until I found out how many people access the property as walk throughs, invites from the landowner, ect before I invested in game cameras which may grow legs. You have several months to get all the information you need as far as which wind direction you will hunt, how you plan to access your stand locations ect, so don't be in a hurry to do anything that may discourage you in the future.
 

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
If you have natural browse, honeysuckle, green briar, blackberry, ect...now is a great time to invest in a couple of bags of triple something fertilizer and make your spot sweeter and thicker than the spots around it. For the price of fertilizer you can improve attraction many times over just by improving the native browse.
as far as game camera locations, I'd wait until I found out how many people access the property as walk throughs, invites from the landowner, ect before I invested in game cameras which may grow legs. You have several months to get all the information you need as far as which wind direction you will hunt, how you plan to access your stand locations ect, so don't be in a hurry to do anything that may discourage you in the future.

Yes, agreed. I will get boots on the ground next friday hopefully. I have that day off from work so I will get a thorough scout session in.

Thank you for the tips.
 

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
Deer are creatures of habit. Look for game trails. They're just what they sound like. little paths/trails through the woods. If you fan out into the property from that pinchpoint they'll likely quickly become apparent.

Yessir, figured out how to identify game trails from this forum and boots on the ground on public this past season. Had good success seeing deer. Thank you for the tips.

-Abdalla
 

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
On only 70 acres I would put out some a few piles of minerals and corn to bring in the deer in the area and start with an inventory. Put a camera on each pile. Also look for oak trees among the hard woods. That is going to be your fall supermarket.

Yessir, this sounds like a solid plan and aligns with what I have read.

Thanks
 

Deerherder

Ten Pointer
Deer are creatures of habit. Look for game trails. They're just what they sound like. little paths/trails through the woods. If you fan out into the property from that pinchpoint they'll likely quickly become apparent.

This is good advice.

As a place to start finding the trails, look along the creek banks to find where the deer cross. That will lead you to the trails they use to move through the woods.

Do you have a dog? If so, take the dog to identify where the game trails are. The dog does t need any special training, just put it on a leash & see where what area it’s most interested in.
 
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Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
"riding four wheeler" is the key to your success. You can put out truck loads of corn, minerals, and everything else but if there is four wheeler traffic the deer will only show up at night. The key to hunting small tracts is stay away and leave the deer alone until you are ready to kill one. Corn it and change the camera card every two weeks and stay out.
 

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
This is good advice.

As a place to start finding the trails, look along the creek banks to find where the deer cross. That will lead you to the trails they use to move through the woods.

Do you have a dog? If so, take the dog to identify where the game trails are. The dog does t need any special training, just put it on a leash & see where what area it’s most interested in.

No dog but I plan on getting one in the future, so I will keep this in mind. Great, you confirmed my approach for me. My plan was to walk the creek bank to find sign and then go from there. Much appreciated. Will keep you all posted.
 

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
"riding four wheeler" is the key to your success. You can put out truck loads of corn, minerals, and everything else but if there is four wheeler traffic the deer will only show up at night. The key to hunting small tracts is stay away and leave the deer alone until you are ready to kill one. Corn it and change the camera card every two weeks and stay out.

Ok, sounds good. I will get out there next friday for my first scout, I plan on setting everything up then (game cam, corn etc) and then only returning probably once a month. Thank you for the tips, will update once i get out there.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
"riding four wheeler" is the key to your success. You can put out truck loads of corn, minerals, and everything else but if there is four wheeler traffic the deer will only show up at night. The key to hunting small tracts is stay away and leave the deer alone until you are ready to kill one. Corn it and change the camera card every two weeks and stay out.
How do you mean, the 4 wheeler makes them nocturnal? I've been dropped off at stands on a 4 wheeler and had deer pop out 10 minutes later.
 

ellwoodjake

Twelve Pointer
Jonov hit the nail on the head. If you have a pinch point/funnel, you'll have trails. put your cameras there. Once you find out where they're traveling , set up a few ladders to bushwhack them. With ladders, you can slip in and climb quietly. Use several to give you options depending on wind direction. As far as 4wheelers go, see if you can convince the landowner to take a break during hunting season, and hope your neighbors keep riding.
 

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
I will probably actually drive out there today to just get a visual. I will not be actually entering the property, just wanna get a visual and the surrounding area.

I plan on actually scouting it and placing cams etc next friday, once my order comes in. Then not returning for a month or so.

I will keep you all posted thank you all for your replys, was immensely helpful in giving me a direction and a plan to start with.

THANKS!
 

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
Hello All,

I went out there today and couldn't help but look around. I saw some tracks walking in, and walked the creek to find a crossing. I did find one that had higher density of tracks than any of the other areas on the creek. The creek is fairly deep and a beaver had built a dam to shallow it up and the deer were crossing there. I did not see as much sign as I woulda liked but everything is overgrown and greened out at this point. I also did not see a lot of buck sign (rubs) but i did find some older rubs, but again couldnt see due all the growth.

I did have a deer blow at me at one point, it didnt bolt just blew a few times and i went the other way, not to bump it.

Doesn't seem like a high deer density property but I will get a better idea once the game cam is set up.

I will go out there next friday to setup the game cam at that creek crossing with a salt/mineral lick setup, thank you all for your tips.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
Hello All,

I went out there today and couldn't help but look around. I saw some tracks walking in, and walked the creek to find a crossing. I did find one that had higher density of tracks than any of the other areas on the creek. The creek is fairly deep and a beaver had built a dam to shallow it up and the deer were crossing there. I did not see as much sign as I woulda liked but everything is overgrown and greened out at this point. I also did not see a lot of buck sign (rubs) but i did find some older rubs, but again couldnt see due all the growth.

I did have a deer blow at me at one point, it didnt bolt just blew a few times and i went the other way, not to bump it.

Doesn't seem like a high deer density property but I will get a better idea once the game cam is set up.

I will go out there next friday to setup the game cam at that creek crossing with a salt/mineral lick setup, thank you all for your tips.
You aren't going to ruin anything bumping a deer or two at this point. You know deer are there. If it's really thick on the whole and surrounded by fields you can do well catching them going in between the Cafeteria to the bedrooms.
 

82ndAirborneVet

Four Pointer
Hello All,

I went out there today and couldn't help but look around. I saw some tracks walking in, and walked the creek to find a crossing. I did find one that had higher density of tracks than any of the other areas on the creek. The creek is fairly deep and a beaver had built a dam to shallow it up and the deer were crossing there. I did not see as much sign as I woulda liked but everything is overgrown and greened out at this point. I also did not see a lot of buck sign (rubs) but i did find some older rubs, but again couldnt see due all the growth.

I did have a deer blow at me at one point, it didnt bolt just blew a few times and i went the other way, not to bump it.

Doesn't seem like a high deer density property but I will get a better idea once the game cam is set up.

I will go out there next friday to setup the game cam at that creek crossing with a salt/mineral lick setup, thank you all for your tips.
There you go.. Deer will take the path of less resistance so that beaver dam they are already using will work perfect as a natural funnel and crossing all year long! Set up those minerals and those cameras and you will see what is around. And it is way to early for rubs, but old ones do always give you an idea of where bucks may like to venture. Did you find any Oak Trees?
 

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
There you go.. Deer will take the path of less resistance so that beaver dam they are already using will work perfect as a natural funnel and crossing all year long! Set up those minerals and those cameras and you will see what is around. And it is way to early for rubs, but old ones do always give you an idea of where bucks may like to venture. Did you find any Oak Trees?


I found oak trees. I also found a whole jack pot of acorn tops on the ground concentrated in one area, I think the creek washed them all into that spot. I will pay more attention to how many oak trees and where, when I go back next Friday.

Again everything is so greened out, and there are a lot of maple trees on the property as well, but no pine.

The deer sign was scattered across the property but mostly concentrated towards the back side near the creek.

I didnt walk into the thick stuff, there is a lot of it in the middle of the property. I mean thick thick. I mostly stayed on the trail and along the creek.

It did look like the Deer were using the creek crossing to access the fields on the back side.
 

82ndAirborneVet

Four Pointer
I found oak trees. I also found a whole jack pot of acorn tops on the ground concentrated in one area, I think the creek washed them all into that spot. I will pay more attention to how many oak trees and where, when I go back next Friday.

Again everything is so greened out, and there are a lot of maple trees on the property as well, but no pine.

The deer sign was scattered across the property but mostly concentrated towards the back side near the creek.

I didnt walk into the thick stuff, there is a lot of it in the middle of the property. I mean thick thick. I mostly stayed on the trail and along the creek.

It did look like the Deer were using the creek crossing to access the fields on the back side.
There is your bedding area then.. don't go in there, don't even go near it.. leave it as the safe space and intercept them at the Oaks and following that creek. Sounds like an awesome piece! We have 95% pines around here in ENC. I would love to have some hardwoods like that to hunt. You are lucky bro.
 

georgeeebuck

Ten Pointer
If it where me I would not worry about going in to the thick bedding area this time of year and look for last years rubs, beds, old scraps ,sheds, trails etc. That would tell you if they are using it a lot and should not harm a thing this early in the year. I would want to know for sure what is really in there in stead of guessing and guess wrong. You need to know what is planned to be in those fields that you posted about . I don't know how you plan to hunt it ( bow , muzzleloader, rifle)and what area of the state your place is in. You need to know how those fields will be when you plan to hunt them. Talk to the landowner or farmer who is farming them if you can to get some idea what will be there when you plan to hunt. Will it be unpicked soybean , standing corn, tobacco or a bare dirt field? Also keep in mind in your planning a big standing corn field is just a big thicket to a deer. They will live in it and use it to bed in , maybe going to that creek for water or the oaks for acorns. Good Luck!!
 

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
If it where me I would not worry about going in to the thick bedding area this time of year and look for last years rubs, beds, old scraps ,sheds, trails etc. That would tell you if they are using it a lot and should not harm a thing this early in the year. I would want to know for sure what is really in there in stead of guessing and guess wrong. You need to know what is planned to be in those fields that you posted about . I don't know how you plan to hunt it ( bow , muzzleloader, rifle)and what area of the state your place is in. You need to know how those fields will be when you plan to hunt them. Talk to the landowner or farmer who is farming them if you can to get some idea what will be there when you plan to hunt. Will it be unpicked soybean , standing corn, tobacco or a bare dirt field? Also keep in mind in your planning a big standing corn field is just a big thicket to a deer. They will live in it and use it to bed in , maybe going to that creek for water or the oaks for acorns. Good Luck!!


sounds good. I plan on bowhunting it. Thank you for the tips.
 

Desert_hawg

Four Pointer
Update:

I went out to the property today and followed the creek again to where I found that initial crossing previously mentioned, this crossing actually led me to a small sliver of land that has a concentration of oaks. I found a lot sign in this area, including old scrapes, the trail then led me to a bigger crossing across the main creek channel. A really big beaver dam was built upstream a bit shallowing the water out to a trickle. Plenty of tracks to and from in this section. I was really happy to find the bigger crossing and white oaks with a lot of sign. That was very encouraging.

I set up the mineral plot in that area and a trail cam viewing the plot.

I will hopefully be posting pictures later on.

Thanks again for providing the direction. I feel I am getting better and better each time in the woods.

Thanks.
 
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