Denny B. from Pennsylvania writes to ask about managing a property for whitetails. “I’d like to buy a small farm, either alone, or with a few friends, and manage it for deer. However, I know next to nothing about the ins-and-outs of doing that. Do you have any good ideas on how to go about this or where I can information?”
Denny, your timing is right on. Neil and Craig Dougherty just came out with a new book, “Whitetails From Ground to Gun,” that covers a lot of the information you need. They talk about the basic ingredients of a property that you should look for, how to evaluate property, and most importantly, what critical things you should consider when purchasing property.
They then discuss how to create the perfect property and how to manage the deer on that property, including a neat chapter on scouting cameras. There are even chapters on hunting deer. The Doughertys have not only created their own super deer property in New York, but they have counseled hundreds of land owners on how to create food plots, and all the intricacies of developing great deer hunting property. Check out this book at NorthCountry Whitetails.
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Dr. Dave writes a weekly column for sportsmansguide.com. Dr. Dave studied deer for 30 years as a wildlife management professor at West Virginia University. In addition he has been a bowhunter for over 40 years, with deer being his main prey. He’s also an outdoor writer and has been with “Bowhunter” magazine for 31 years.