We've all been there. You do all the work; plant food plots, hang stands, set up cameras and scout, only to go hunting during the season and come up short, not ever getting the opportunity to take that mature buck. What went wrong? Was the weather bad? Did you not hunt enough? One possible answer is that maybe we as hunters need to reevaluate how our activity on a tract is land is impacting our success.
I've heard is said... the definition of insanity is "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." I can't think of a better way to describe deer hunting in general. Sometimes, we are our own worst enemy.
I'm lucky enough to have access to two family farms located in the state of Mississippi. One is 250 acres in size located in north Mississippi. The other is an 80 acre tract located in southwest Mississippi. I used to think that I was unique, only having access to smaller tracts. But over the years I've learned most hunters in my area hunt similar size properties. We all would like to have access to thousands of acres to hunt but the reality is, most of us don't. Therefore, we as hunters need to be careful about how we go about our daily and weekly routines on these small properties. The good news is you can be very successful hunting smaller tracts. We just need to go about it in a very different way.
Excessive ATV Use - I get it... I like to ride my ATV too. I enjoy checking trail camera pics, riding the kids around and enjoying the cool wind in my face on a beautiful fall day. However, too much ATV use can be very detrimental while hunting a small tract of land. Several years ago, my ATV was in the shop for an extended period of time. It just so happened it went down during hunting season. Needless to say I was pretty frustrated that is wasn't repaired in time for the season to begin. However, I ended up seeing more mature deer on my farm that year than in the past. I began to realize the value of limited ATV use. Less overall pressure on deer equals the potential to see more mature deer during daylight hours.
Food Source Stand Locations - Hunting small tracts of land can limit the number of quality food source stand locations. Consider where they are located. Are they in a creek bottom where the wind tends to swirl late in the evening? Can you enter and exit the stand location without being detected by game? These are just a couple of things to consider when designing a food source stand location. All to often, we as hunters allow the game we're after to pattern us. Whitetails are very good at patterning predators. Again, try something different! Don't just do the same thing over and over. Change your stand location while considering the prevailing wind direction. Or, consider creating a new food plot, one that provided a more consistent prevailing wind.
Focus on Quality Sits - This proves to be my downfall every year. Here in Mississippi we have a long hunting season. Deer season opens Oct 1 with bow and extends until the end of January with gun season. Every year I'm guilty of burning out a place. Simply put, I apply too much pressure on a small tract of land. By the time the peak of the rut comes around, late December in my area, the deer have been educated by guess who? ME! What if, I made an conscience decision to wait. Wait for the best times to hunt those stand locations. Wait until the wind direction was right. Be patient and wait. Sounds easy doesn't it. But it's not.
In closing, stop doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Try something new! Develop a plan! Enjoy this coming hunting season with enthusiasm and excitement! You may find that small tract of land you've hunted for years may produce a great whitetail this fall.
Bruce Gray is a Broker and Realtree Land Pro with United Country McDaniel-Gray Realty is Brookhaven, Mississippi. Thinking of selling your home or land? Give Bruce a call today.
Bruce Gray, Broker / Land Pro
(601) 754-5592
brucegray9477@yahoo.com