For big game - need big game - how do you grow it?
- Thread starter Rangel
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maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
There is a whole study of game preserve management that teaches hunt masters to do exactly what you ask.
The problem in Canada is game rights cannot be owned the way they are elsewhere. Yes, landowners can control who crosses or enters their land. But, there are no legal ways to keep wildlife on your property.
The problem in Canada is game rights cannot be owned the way they are elsewhere. Yes, landowners can control who crosses or enters their land. But, there are no legal ways to keep wildlife on your property.
I am confused with your question…what exactly are you asking and/or saying?
Brassica so they have a green food source when all the farmers fields are done providing food, you can be the fall/winter food source.
Rotate out every couple years with winter wheat
Or do alternating sides so one half always has brassicas
Or corn or peas, depends when you want to be hunting, early season you dont need brassicas or turnip or beats ect.
Rotate out every couple years with winter wheat
Or do alternating sides so one half always has brassicas
Or corn or peas, depends when you want to be hunting, early season you dont need brassicas or turnip or beats ect.
As you can tell from the responses you're getting, not too many guys like you "growing your own deer". Mostly because they can't.
But to answer you're question, if you want to attract more deer and give them better nutrition both to improve the health of the deer and the amount of deer on a property then you need to plant a crop that they like. Deer absolutely cannot resist field peas. Sometimes in the winter you will see 100 deer or more in a field and wonder why they are there. Answer is likely field peas. By far the easiest and cheapest is alfalfa because it grows back every year and is quite a hardy plant. Next best thing is some mix of clover. I've also heard of turnips in many mild US states. Some of these crops might also be good at attracting and maintaining populations of upland game birds like ruffed or sharp tailed grouse.
My uncle used to have 40 acres of alfalfa and we had many sharp tailed grouse there every year, especially in fall. I remember seeing 20-30 birds every day. But when he planted timothy they all disappeared.
You will also need minerals. Salt is a mineral. I think the best to use would be Sifto water softening salt. You can use a large blue salt block commonly used by cattle ranchers but really the best is the small pellets.
There are a lot of guys on this site that do not want to interfere in the "natural course of things" as they see it. But they want to shoot animals from the natural world without spending any money or time to make them better.
I own two hunting properties totalling 550 acres and if it was easy to grow deer and other wildlife it would be called livestock. There are so many factors that will prevent you from getting to acheive your goal of increasing the quality and quantity of animals in your area. By far the most important are the fact that the government and many hunters themselves are opposed to making any improvements that might make a meaningful and positive impact on the health and numbers of deer and other wildlife. I mean afterall, why do you see so many cattle when you drive through the countryside? Wouldn't that be nice to see more deer, elk, and moose? At least I'd like to see more wildlife. And that's one of the reasons I bought my land. Yes it is a small amount but if no one cares to buy the land for the wildlife then soon there will only be hunters with nothing to shoot.
But to answer you're question, if you want to attract more deer and give them better nutrition both to improve the health of the deer and the amount of deer on a property then you need to plant a crop that they like. Deer absolutely cannot resist field peas. Sometimes in the winter you will see 100 deer or more in a field and wonder why they are there. Answer is likely field peas. By far the easiest and cheapest is alfalfa because it grows back every year and is quite a hardy plant. Next best thing is some mix of clover. I've also heard of turnips in many mild US states. Some of these crops might also be good at attracting and maintaining populations of upland game birds like ruffed or sharp tailed grouse.
My uncle used to have 40 acres of alfalfa and we had many sharp tailed grouse there every year, especially in fall. I remember seeing 20-30 birds every day. But when he planted timothy they all disappeared.
You will also need minerals. Salt is a mineral. I think the best to use would be Sifto water softening salt. You can use a large blue salt block commonly used by cattle ranchers but really the best is the small pellets.
There are a lot of guys on this site that do not want to interfere in the "natural course of things" as they see it. But they want to shoot animals from the natural world without spending any money or time to make them better.
I own two hunting properties totalling 550 acres and if it was easy to grow deer and other wildlife it would be called livestock. There are so many factors that will prevent you from getting to acheive your goal of increasing the quality and quantity of animals in your area. By far the most important are the fact that the government and many hunters themselves are opposed to making any improvements that might make a meaningful and positive impact on the health and numbers of deer and other wildlife. I mean afterall, why do you see so many cattle when you drive through the countryside? Wouldn't that be nice to see more deer, elk, and moose? At least I'd like to see more wildlife. And that's one of the reasons I bought my land. Yes it is a small amount but if no one cares to buy the land for the wildlife then soon there will only be hunters with nothing to shoot.
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What are the rules for baiting in Ontario? The way I understand it a lure crop is considered a bait. So if you are limited to two square bales like you are here in Sask then planting a large crop is considered illegal baiting. Proving it would be another thing all together, but you see where I'm going.
Both...good for deer but other animals will eat them too
interesting topic.
The way it started confused me but now I understand.
good post by umchorn2 that is some good info.
I know some folks that have a quarter section here in BC. It doesn't get hunted as much as it used to but when my friend's dad was alive he set the property up as his family's own little hunting paradise. He left a border of mixed birch, balsam and aspen at the back of the property where it borders on crown land all along the back of the property. Having a very large artesian spring on the property means unlimitted water for them and several neighbors and back then (80's) he dug channels from the spring to the middle of the property , filled them with big rock and buried them under what would become that back corner field. The channels brough water to a natural gulley on the property which formed a small creek flowing to an irrigation pond and water for the horse corrals. 40 sum years later that water table is still performing just like he designed it with his excavations.
The water flow allowed for a lush forest to thrive about 200 meters wide down the middle of the 160acres. Loads of berry plants and red willow along with many other plants that the animals thrive on. When he was alive he paid special attention to what as planted in that field and he provided shelter, clean water and food plants..... everything the deer thrived on.
That property remains a little gem and I was fortunate enough to have hunted it many times though these days my friend has moved from there and it's just the mother and druggie brother on the property now. I don't dare go there even though I have permission..... the brother is a nutjob and i don't want to get axe murdered LOL
The way it started confused me but now I understand.
good post by umchorn2 that is some good info.
I know some folks that have a quarter section here in BC. It doesn't get hunted as much as it used to but when my friend's dad was alive he set the property up as his family's own little hunting paradise. He left a border of mixed birch, balsam and aspen at the back of the property where it borders on crown land all along the back of the property. Having a very large artesian spring on the property means unlimitted water for them and several neighbors and back then (80's) he dug channels from the spring to the middle of the property , filled them with big rock and buried them under what would become that back corner field. The channels brough water to a natural gulley on the property which formed a small creek flowing to an irrigation pond and water for the horse corrals. 40 sum years later that water table is still performing just like he designed it with his excavations.
The water flow allowed for a lush forest to thrive about 200 meters wide down the middle of the 160acres. Loads of berry plants and red willow along with many other plants that the animals thrive on. When he was alive he paid special attention to what as planted in that field and he provided shelter, clean water and food plants..... everything the deer thrived on.
That property remains a little gem and I was fortunate enough to have hunted it many times though these days my friend has moved from there and it's just the mother and druggie brother on the property now. I don't dare go there even though I have permission..... the brother is a nutjob and i don't want to get axe murdered LOL
