re: Hunting Club - Buck restrictions?

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Here is a question? If you had a 150 inch, 6 yr old 10 pt standing in the field, and a 2 yr old 4 pt, which one are you shooting?

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This is a straw man that has nothing to do with the point. Everyone wants to see deer when they are hunting, take enough deer to keep it interesting, and shoot big mature bucks. The reality is you get to pick two, if you’re lucky. Neither you nor I have the right to pick for anyone else as long as they are following the law.

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purchased 218 aces this year

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You own about 1/10th of a mature buck’s home range and about 1/5th of a doe’s, on the low end. Nothing you do individually from a management perspective will make a significant impact on the herd overall. You may be able to attract deer from the surrounding property by making yours preferential, but the majority of the harvest and density decisions are being made by your neighbors. You need to get over the contempt for people who lease and work with them if you want them passing on legal deer, or managing density in a significant way.

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My goal is to let it develop it into native grasslands and prairies where that’s it’s natural habitat. I also hope to develop sections of woodland savanna’s where the habitat is best for it.

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This is terrible habitat for deer, and a good example of why your goals will have to diverge from what’s “natural” if you want to attract and hold deer. Deer don’t eat grass, and they will avoid an area altogether if it doesn’t have suitable cover. The bucks are on your property, and likely bedding there, because regenerated clearcut provides a high amount of forage per acre while also providing cover. Manage for early succession without changing the overall complexion of it because for what a deer wants and needs it’s not capable of being significantly better than it has been over the last two years or so. You can prevent it from declining by setting it back to that point in pieces.

Key word for habitat is diversity and I never said I wanted just whitetail habitat. I’m looking at habitat for all wildlife. Turkeys and quail thrive in native grasslands.

Native grasslands are full of big blue stem, little blue stem, narrow leaf silk grass, and eastern gamma grass just to name a few. Don’t confuse invasive pasture grasses with native grasses.

These native grasses allow forbs and herbs to grow amongst them. Deer absolutely love them and the native grasses grow anywhere from 3-8 ft in height depending on the variety.

Insects and bugs love the flowers and turkeys love insects and bugs.

PS - I don’t have contempt towards those who lease. Heck, I lease land to hunt. I showed contempt towards the gentleman who said what does it matter you what I do on my lease. I personally hate the “if it’s brown it’s down hunting style”. That’s just my opinion. As for picking for anyone else what they shoot, you are correct, this is America. The good part about America is that I can voice my opinion just as you can! That’s our First Amendment right. We may not agree, and that’s ok. I respect your right and his right to his choice and opinion, just as you should do the same!

OutdoorReb,

All of the native grasses are already there. When I cut the 10 ft tall brush back, it exploded in certain sections.

I absolutely will break it into blocks. It’s part of the reason I’m bringing a professional in to help me set a plan.

I have west facing hillsides with Texas Live Oaks, Prickly lettuce cactus, chestnuts, and other Texas plant types.

I have north facing hill sides that are full of American beauty bush, wild blue berry, saw briers, blackberry briers, oaks, and pines scattered throughout.

Native diversity is what I’m shooting for.

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We're in the Black Belt in Greene County, AL

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Where in Greene County - I used to hunt as a kid at Cook's Bend where my uncle was a member, this was 20+ years ago. Not even sure if it is still there.