A Complete Plan for 40 Acres: Attract and See More Deer! (637)

Here's a plan to change 40 acres in Michigan into a deer hunting property that will be enjoyed by the whole family. The plan addresses all the key elements for improving whitetail habitat: food, cover, water, travel corridors, neighboring resources and more!
#deerhunting #TeamOutdoors
At GrowingDeer.tv we're all about showing hunters what we are doing each week in the field as we work on our Proving Grounds and others to have better deer hunting! If The hunting strategies and techniques we show can be used if you are hunting public or private land. Our farm has wild, free-ranging deer. If we can grow big antlers on these tough Ozark Mountain bucks, you can too! Good wildlife management tactics, deer management, and food plots with regenerative ag techniques that build better soils! Watch our weekly episodes to see what we're doing, the advice that Dr. Grant Woods (Ph.D Wildlife Biologist) has to share along the way.
A very important consideration to determine why bucks may not be spending more time on the property is what resources are available there versus on the neighboring properties during the hunting season. This could be as simple as where standing corn is located and, just as importantly, where the hunting pressure is the lowest. A 20-acre sanctuary equals 1/8th of the property. If deer have to run a gauntlet of hunting pressure to get to the sanctuary or human scent frequently blows through most of the sanctuary then deer will likely seek cover elsewhere.
Huntable whitetails need cover. Cover is specifically areas where deer are likely to feel more secure compared to surrounding areas.
In the Southern portion of the U.S. cover may be shade. In colder climates it might be native grass that serves to block the wind but allow the sun’s radiant energy to reach the deer. Cover may be areas where predator populations (such as coyotes) are reduced and the deer are less threatened / stressed.
Quality cover reduces stress levels of deer. This allows them to express more of their antler growth and fawn producing potential. Cover can be just as beneficial to a deer herd as quality nutrition, depending on the sources of stress. However, they are co-dependent. One without the other could lead to the deer herd not expressing its potential.

[@doug412]

As a rookie hunter, these videos have taught me why I’m not seeing deer on my buddy’s dads property. I can’t wait to take all this and apply it once I get my own property and out of college.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks for the encouraging words and have fun!

[@thehuntersight7548]

Glad you got internet out where you are now. Love the video

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks!

[@dolphingirl12885]

Brilliant, I imagine few properties are actually planned out like this for good hunting

[@thomasgartner3104]

This is awesome. My property is smaller, but also in a flat river valley area of northern Michigan. I'm determined to get the release process up and running. Even if I'm in the mecca of jack pine sandy soil country lol

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thomas - Great! Please keep me posted!

[@jayryker8261]

Another excellent video👊🏽thank’s again, for sharing!👍🏽

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks again!

[@bradleybenson1422]

@@GrowingDeerTV How do I get you to put together a plan for my property?

[@shanewilliams6790]

Grant, I’m in the process of purchasing 84 acres in SW Mississippi your videos have gave me more information.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Shane - Congratulations!

[@jeffgriffin1497]

Great information

[@dwainegaransi938]

Another great video thanks

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Dwaine - Thanks!

[@Whitetailobsessionoutdoors]

Nice job 👍

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks!

[@grassjunky3705]

This was a great video. Hunted this year for first time. But had to just hope deer come by. Trying to do something like this. Wanting to start asap to better get an idea of where deer should be

[@jacobflemens7514]

Such a cool video

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks!

[@swvafarmer]

I'm gonna need one of those hats Grant

[@GrowingDeerTV]

SWVA - Great! They are $20 + shipping - for more information write us at [e-mail]

[@darryladams519]

Deer will use a good turkey and quail area too. At least down here in GA they will.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Yes - good habitat is good for many species of wildlife

[@stevedenoyer5956]

Nice video, I’m in northern, Mi too. Grand Traverse County

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Steve - I've worked near Traverse City!

[@stevedenoyer5956]

@@GrowingDeerTV Yes, I met you at a church outdoor dinner event.

[@roetru]

How do you see how the property looked like in diffrent years?

[@learning_the_outdoors]

I'm not sure how he did it in this video but the desktop version of Google Earth will allow you to look back years like that.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

RoE - Google Earth has a feature that allows folks to look at past satellite images.

[@jase4364]

Is there a water source nearby? Would it be beneficial to add a small pond?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Jase - There are some wetlands and water near by.

[@wrightschannel8433]

Wish I could get some help with some of our family land. Looking to start doing some work this coming winter. Just not sure where to start.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Great! We try to share helpful information on here! If you'd like for us to bid on creating a detailed site-specific habitat improvement and hunting plan for your family farm, email us at [e-mail]. Please include the farm's location and acreage.

[@usernamehere6061]

Reach out to your local NRCS office. They have some excellent biologists from state agency & quail forever that can write you a plan for free and integrate cost share programs to help you fund the improvements they recommend. Private consultants want you to believe they are more experienced than your state agency because they can't compete with free lol.

[@Mcseverythingoutdoors]

Why no satellite or drone image of the supposed new plots from above?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Our drone crashed! We finally received it back from a repair shop!

[@iamtheshaker]

What methods are necessary to develop the north bedding area (which seems to be open currently) into thick bedding habitat?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

What technique to use depends on the current vegetation. Deer make living 0 to 4' above the ground. If you are working in an area with a closed canopy forest, some trees needed to be terminated to allow enough sun to reach the soil to to stimulate plant growth. If in a pasture, often the pasture grasses need to be terminated and burned and a cover planted or allow the native vegetation grow. These are just a few examples.

[@iamtheshaker]

@@GrowingDeerTV I live in Texas and the native grasses and forbs are generally too short for full cover in my limited experience. Does green cover have a blend for planting cover in open areas?

[@sgto_o7118]

How does one have Dr. Grant Woods come to your property for an assessment? Have followed for years, see things like this all the time, and see nothing on the website as to how to even get on a list. Anyone?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

We don't advertise but do assist several landowners annually. There is a fee for our services based on the location, acreage, etc. If you'd like us to consider creating a habitat and hunting improvement plan for your property, send the acreage and location to [e-mail]. Thanks!

[@BWT7210]

I have 45 acres and have never been able to kill a deer and I’ve owned it for 9years. Iv killed many hogs but no deer. Help?

[@OptimizeNurse]

I harvested my first buck last year. Hunted for 5 years b 4 I was successful. What helped me most was cutting a mountian bike trail to my stands. I think it helped me not leave a ton of scent around my small property (44 acres) and aloud me to quietly enter and exit without alerting every deer in the woods. Also only hunting when the wind was perfect for the location. Like Grant says it critical to approach, hunt and exit with them never knowing you where in the woods. I believe it's especially true for us who have smaller hunting properties. Hope this helps!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Texas - I always try to identify what resources for deer are limited in the neighborhood and then work to provide them where I hunt.

[@nicholasluzetski4993]

How can I connect with Dr. Grant Woods and see if I can hire him to do something similar for our 25 acres!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Nicholas = Send the information about your land to [e-mail] and Grant will review and determine the fee to design a habitat and hunting improvement plan.

[@davidconnor1072]

How could I get you out to my property to help me put together a management plan?
250 acres owned
350 acres leased beside it
75656

[@GrowingDeerTV]

David - Congratulations on having land! Can you do work on the lease to improve the habitat? You can email more information to [e-mail]

[@scottschaeffer8920]

Advise him to sleep with his chainsaw, he’s gonna need it! Nice clip!

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Ha!

[@workoutpartner3d246]

I would like to work with you

[@GrowingDeerTV]

There is a GrowingDeer internship program - checkout the bottom of GrowingDeer.com

[@iamtheshaker]

Hi Grant, how much does it cost for Growingdeer to do an online habitat improvement plan?

[@GrowingDeerTV]

It depends on the acres, etc. Shoot us an email at [e-mail] and tell us about your property including the size and current habitat types such as pine, hardwoods, pasture, crops, etc.

[@jimmydykes7961]

Plant yourself a garden,act like you want something from it...guarantee ya you wont get a thing because of these critters

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Jimmy - Come on - lots of gardens are productive.

[@marke.8334]

If you are having seen a documentary called... It's worse than you think...by revelations of Jesus Christ ministries I suggest you do.. all praise and glory to the most high Jesus Christ

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks Mark!

[@marke.8334]

If you all have not seen a documentary called..... It's worse than you think... By revelations of Jesus Christ ministries.... I suggest you do.... All praise and glory to the most high Jesus Christ

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Thanks Mark

[@joshmoyer815]

You can’t design a property from just looking at a computer.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

We do that often, pending on the property size and habitat type. There's a fee for our time. If you'd like to learn more, email us at [e-mail] and tell us the property size and location and current habitat types.

[@kingachybraky]

I guess I missed what you actually did to make these different areas other than draw them out on a map. You have wasted my time and tested my patience. Totally useless video without explanation of what was actually done to the property to make the bedding areas, feeding areas, and travel corridors.

[@GrowingDeerTV]

Sorry you feel that way. Many enjoyed and learned from this work.