re: Questions for beginner deer hunter

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There are oaks scattered around. Should I fertilize them??

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It wouldn't hurt anything, but you should do it before the leaves start sprouting. Your best bet is to only fertilize the oaks that you can hunt. Given a choice, deer will choose to eat acorns from a fertilized tree over those from one that hasn't been fertilized. I don't know that it would increase the nutritional value of the acorns though.

As far as the food plot goes, it really depends on the density of your deer heard whether 75x75 would be big enough.

I would put a mineral lick close to the spots where you plan to have stands. Not a trophy rock or salt block, but some kind of bagged mix (I've had luck with 30-06). Deer will use these sights throughout the summer and it seems to get them comfortable coming to the area. Quite a few times I've had early season scrapes near my mineral sites.