Border Hinging...and the fall out...

I've posted and attached to this posting new video of us just two weeks ago hinging the entire border of a neighbor's property line which butts up to the property we have had so many issues with the past couple years.

I stressed it at the end of the video and I'll do so again...this is a last resort tactic, albeit a very useful and powerful one. WE WOULD LOVE TO GET ALONG WITH OUR NEIGHBORING HUNTERS.  The chance to share techniques, approaches and work together would be incredible but sadly that chance is not possible here. We've had trespassing, encroachment upon where we already had permission to hunt (have since elected to remove ourselves), totally disrespect shown towards us and in the 2011 season a poaching incident on our property (we didn't press charges though).

So, we had already hinged our entire northern border, which most of you have seen in past postings/videos and a neighboring land owner talked to us about it. That conversation led to her being perfectly fine with us doing the same to her border which shared a line with the property discussed. We realize that by doing this hinging the neighbor's could become upset but it is none of our concern at this point as we've done all we can to get along. Just be aware of what could come out of doing property line hinging. *It is very powerful to have good relationships with area landowner (we actually hunt this neighbor's property as well).

So here's the video and be sure to check out the rub at the end of the video....hope to tangle with the culprit who made it this coming fall!

Overlooking the obvious...

I'm sure we've all done it. We've driven to our works, maybe church on Sundays or the fishing hole on Saturdays...as we travel we see that chunk of woods or swamp that just SCREAMS deer haven. We don't think too much of it as we either know the owner hunts it, someone does or no hunting is allowed. Perhaps in some cases you just don't see any viable way to hunt it; maybe it's too small to hunt it without your presence being detected (save going in early and all day hunting).

I'm going to break down two things I overlooked for a very long time...but no more. I'm currently building up a mass mailing of letters to parcels of land I'll be seeking hunting permission on for this coming year and hopefully into the future. Now, as I've discussed in the past the success rate  of asking to hunt properties can depress you (honestly if I get 25% respond rate and 5% permission granted I'll be happy), but you gotta remember THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN IS THEY SAY NO.

This post though is to help you perhaps look around a little differently. Instead of looking for the prime spots, usually your wood chunks or thickets you see along roads or out in fields I'm going to tell you to look out further than that.

The example I'm going to use is outlined as such. You've driven by what appears to be a 10 acre chunk of swamp/thick mess of woods that borders a semi-busy roadway. You were turned down access to the property when approaching the owner...now is when you answer the following important question:

"Do I feel this (property) is consistently seeing deer?"

If you answer no, perhaps your search elsewhere needs to begin. HOWEVER, if you answer yes stop looking at the property. That's right stop! You've already decided based upon what you know and see this property sees deer consistently...now start looking where you should be:

NEIGHBORING PROPERTY

 Deer can't just from point A to point B (1/2 mile away) without traversing ground in between. Is there a wooded ditch line running from a food source/water/another chunk of woods to the property you initially wanted on to? Yes, now for the second question:

IS THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY HUNT-ABLE?

Now you must understand sometimes hunting strategies will change in cases like this, but if I am sure these arteries or travel areas leading to the property I wanted on are how the deer will get to and come from the property I'll do anything to get on.

From here you start the process over again and write, call or stop by this new area's owner and hopefully you'll be let on. Expect some weird glances or reaction sometimes using this approach because they could think your crazy for asking to hunt a ditch or one small wooded line on the back of their property. Use full disclosure as to your thoughts and hope for the best.

Just a quick little tip when looking for new properties, sometimes it is plan B or C that trumps plan A....just so long as you're looking for them.

Hopefully I'll be able to outline some exact scenarios in the coming weeks or months about this exact thing where I describe and show illustrations of what caught my eye and how I'm going to attack the situation.

Good luck out there!

Designing a Kill Plot

I will elaborate on this somewhat in the coming weeks but I figure now is as good of a time as any to re-share an article/write up I did for Tom over at Monsterraxx last year.

Create The Ultimate Kill Plot (<-- Click)

As we get ready to enter the spring season I will again be giving away some mineral at my dime for anyone who enters the giveaway. Details as to how to win in the coming weeks.

In the mean time fire up the chainsaws and grab the hand saws it's the time of year to do the most landscape changing in the woods!  While there keep an eye out for those sheds!!