Not to highjack the seek one thread, what do you think is the minimal amount of acerage someone should hunt? I guess for recovery would be the biggest concern. Let's hear everyone's opinion.
-
Help Support TNDeer:
Acreage
- Thread starter Hillbilly Hunter
- Start date
Smallest I ever hunted was 50acres and it felt small
Depending on whether or not I can be certain I can recover my deer, I'd hunt any size. One of my spots right now is 4.5acres. I often have to recover animals on neighboring properties that I don't have permission to hunt but do have permission to recover deer. I got it before hunting and reaffirm it every season. IMO respect for other properties is key. It's a pre-check criteria for me, not an afterthought. If any one of the neighboring properties within reasonable tracking distance was not on board then I'd not hunt that spot. Plenty places to hunt without the hassle of disrespecting or inconveniencing someone.
Something I've not heard mentioned but matters to me is the aftermath. I'd feel terrible if somebody gave me permission to hunt then had to fight with a neighbor because my deer died on their property. Even if I don't have the trouble, the permission giver might have to deal with the negativity long after I'm gone. That's not fair so I strive to avoid putting anybody in that position.
I Depends what your hunting with my opinion. I have hunted as small as an acer, but if you are you better drop them in there tracks. Or they are gonna be gone and a pain to get. I have lost deer in past due to them going off on other property and people turning me down when I ask if I can retrieve them.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
The only way I'm hunting less than 100y from any property line is if I already have an arrangement with the neighboring landowner securing right to retrieve deer.... even then as a courtesy, I rarely hunt closer than 100y to the line.
So size of the property varies based on that. Biggest thing is entry to my stand without spooking game.
So size of the property varies based on that. Biggest thing is entry to my stand without spooking game.
All depends on the layout and what's around it. I've hunted a 6 acre spot before and it was pretty good.
BSK
Well-Known Member
My brother lives up in the mountains outside Denver, CO. I believe he told me you have to have 20 acres to hunt on your property.
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
All depends on layout.
Snake
Well-Known Member
Right now my property is ten acres and I hunt another place that's 10 acres but it's all wooded both places . Don't the WMA 's require about 40 acres or so per hunter ?
One of the most dependable places I've had was literally 200' x 200' where I could shoot from a tree. High shoulder shots were the rule. The place can be small as long as it's the right place. I've got a friend that bought 40 acres and kills the crap out of deer on it, he told me it's only 40 acres but it's the right 40 acres.
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
We only have about 60, and half of that is pasture in front of the house where we don't hunt at all. We have had two neighboring properties last year get pretty well right on our lines, one a climber that I found setup to watch deer coming off my field into my thin strip hardwoods. Found that stand near the end of last year, and it is still there now.... Pretty sure that's where the big 11 i had disappear right before the cwd firearms season opened. Boy that owns that farm doesn't hunt. My outlook for this year is pretty grim.
I have had to recover deer on neighboring properties just a couple times over the thirty years I have had this place.
I have had to recover deer on neighboring properties just a couple times over the thirty years I have had this place.
That sucks man. One of the worst things for a landowner. No doubt the fellow don't want any trouble with you any more than you want with him. It's the permission hunter that's screwing things up, and your landowner neighbor who gave the hunter permission probably is oblivious to the situation. Sure puts you in a crinkle though.
30-06 type of guy
Well-Known Member
Smallest I've hunted is 18acres. It's a big travel corridor for bucks but they like to hug the line. 2019 I shot a 9 point in a mock scrape and he ended up on the neighbors. Luckily I ended up knowing the son and they found him. I haven't been back since cuz the thought of losing one. Camera caught the shot
Attachments
That's an awesome catch! An congrats on a stud
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
Neighboring landowner is an A hole from Illinois. We don't get along. I haven't asked him who he had hunting my food plot and white oak acorns, he timbered out all of his woods. Sad thing is, my wife and I had an offer in on that farm just 12 hours after he did. I had sole permission on that small farm until my neighbor died.
Other property owner has hundreds of acres, never met him, and no clue who all he has going in and out. That's one of the ones where I have seen them carrying bags of corn on their side by sides on trailers coming in our road and even watched them as they turn into that property. They put a pop up blind on a trail just off the line last year, very close to where I killed my second deer last year. They have to come about a mile and a half after they get to his property through ag crops to even get to where they had their blind. People suck. But hey, I will try to get in early and let them bump deer to me.
Dang that's brutal. I complain sometimes because my place is surrounded three sides by public land so I'm always getting "lost" trespassers. But I'll take it any day over what you've got going on. Sorry to hear that.
BSK
Well-Known Member
That pic is crazy!
PickettSFHunter
Well-Known Member
I hunt an 18 acre place some as the smallest. Just the way it lays with where you need to be , the best spot is where they will run into a neighboring property most of the time with a bow shot. Thankfully it's local people so it's no problem. Around here, it's an epidemic for people to get access to acre or two lots just so they can sneak into the neighboring farms to poach. They don't actually hunt the acre or two, just use them for access.
30-06 type of guy
Well-Known Member
That would reduce a 100 acre farm to around 50 acres of huntable land.
