Setting up trail cameras and water sources at the edges of your property will help you monitor deer behavior and will leave the deeper pockets of your hunting property open. By sticking to the edges, you won’t disturb the deer on the rest of your property by walking through their territory. Here are some of the reasons why you should refrain from going deep into your property this early in the season.

1. Trail Cameras

Placing trail cameras at the edge of your food and water sources or at the edge of your property line will help you observe the deer herd’s behavior. The observation will include when they enter your property. If you can track when the deer enter your property and when they feed, you’ll be able to track their patterns and document what times of the day they’re the most active. You’ll also be able to tell if they like the current feed you have to offer. You’ll be able to watch how much of the feed they’re eating or what specific plants in your food plot they’re eating the most. You’ll also be able to document whether they take their time roaming your property before they go to the food source. If you have one camera at the property line and one camera on the food source, you can track how long it takes them to appear at the food source. If the window of time is brief, this is an excellent sign that the deer like your offerings, but it makes the window of time you have to hunt them between your property line and the food source shorter. If this is the case, you’ll simply need to make sure you’re in your Stump blind before their scheduled arrival time so you can take action the second you see them. Please note, supplemental feeding is not legal everywhere in Minnesota, so please check your local regulations before setting out a Feedbank Gravity Feeder.

2. Water Sources

Setting up your Wild Water System on the edge of your property will allow you to avoid the deeper parts of your property whenever you need to fill the water tank. This is important because you’ll be able to take a short, simple path to the water source that won’t disturb the deer that might be elsewhere on your property. You should strive to maintain areas where you don’t make your presence known until later in the season. If your scent and presence is everywhere on your property from the get-go, the deer herd might start avoiding it. But if you keep the deeper part of your property free of human scent, that area will be prime hunting as the season gets going. You don’t want to over-inhabit areas where you’d like to eventually place your Stump blind and hunt. It’s not wise to hunt on top of a water source, so by placing the water source on the edge of your property you’re maximizing your available hunting space.

You want to make the most of your hunting opportunities this upcoming hunting season, and one of the best ways to do that is to strategize. How you handle the early season can have a big impact on the rest of the year. Consider our advice above and maximize your success on your hunting property and from your Stump blind.

Do you stay on the edges of your property when you conduct maintenance? Let us know in the comments below!

 

 

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