How To Better Hunt S.E. Ga. Paper Co. Land

[roysclockgun]

This will be my third year hunting on club leased property in S. E. Ga. We have 2000 acres, 29 stands, either elevated or ground buildings. There are only 11 members. Each member can bring another hunter from his immediate family, or after Thanksgiving, can bring guest outside the immediate family. Any kills by the guest count against the member's club allowed quota, which is lower that the allowed kill by local law.
During the two seasons that I have hunted there, I have bagged an 8 point buck each year, plus a couple doe for freezer meat. I have not killed my allowed quota. In part, I have not killed my quota because after killing a buck, which must be at least 8 pt. and have a spread beyond the relaxed ears, I will not take another buck unless he is obviously better than the first buck already taken.
My question is: Before choosing a couple of stands that I want to use, what should be my primary reasons for picking those areas? Over my 50 plus years of deer hunting, I have read a bit and have learned some from experience. However, the hunting on paper company ground, with no good crops around that would draw deer, I am perplexed.
During the past two years, deer do not appear to come to corn feeders we put out. I see plenty turkey and squirrel evidence around the feeders, but not much deer activity. Deer seem to, on occasion come to the feeders, but not as much as I had thought. I have tried salt poured into shallow holes, goat feed, oats, sweet feed and nothing seems to really attract the deer.
Actually the feed plots that we plant with radishes, onions and other deer greens, seem to get the best results, but not every time.
Any suggestions?
Lastly, when grunting or banging antlers, I only seem to pull in very small bucks. Any advice on using those tactics in this S. E. Ga. area?
Best,
Steven A.

 

[BretN]

One of my hunting buddies has become addicted to putting out trail cameras on the two small parcels of private ground we hunt on. I would try putting out a couple cameras in areas you'd like to build a new stand in. It won't take long and you'll have a good idea of what is in the area. Of course, the pattern now isn't always the pattern come fall.

When we hunt the large public land tracts, there is little in the way of crops near by. We tend to hunt bottle necks, ridges and travel corridors between bedding and feeding areas most. Or if you can find an area that seems to have a lot of buck sign (rubs and scrapes) those can be good, but not always. I do like to be in the travel corridors that the does use, but are also near some thick areas the bucks hang out in. Aerial photos or google earth can help you locate a bunch of these areas and see how they are connected.

We are not trophy hunters, but any deer we get on heavily pressured public land is a trophy and we are usually dragging it a mile or more out just to get away from most of the other hunters. Sometimes I value those hard earned public deer more than the ones we get on our small acerage. Deer hunting is always a never ending puzzle and one I will never tire trying to figure out. Good luck with it.

 

[Darkhorse]

I've hunted Ga. areas like this many times over the years. My main deer property has zero crops around. I'm fortunate being the only one hunting this property for years.
I imagine the area you describe is flat as a pancake with large pine plantations? Your best bet is too look for core areas or funnels. This can be tough on that type of land.
The country down there will have low wet areas and drainages or creeks of some sort. Often these areas are left wild and the pines are in the upland areas. Hardwoods and Cypress will be predominate in these "Heads". The deer will feed on mast in these areas and bed also, and travel through using them as travel corridors. I would focus my efforts in or around these "Heads" to begin with.
Around mid October the crabapples will ripen in the pines and the deer will dissappear overnight as they focus on eating the crabapples in the pines. After the apples are gone you will notice as they begin making their way back to the "Heads". The best crabapple areas IMO are places where the pines are a little thin allowing other plants to grow. The crabapple thrives in these spots. In your sandy soil you should have no problem finding where they are feeding on the apples.
Don't overlook clearcuts from the first year to when you can't see into them. After that they still be used as bedding areas.
Often the lay of the pines and the age group and varying thickness will create funnels that deer will use.
Deer are creatures of "Edges" meaning they like to live where the flora is as diverseant as possible. So you must learn to see things as they are, not what your used to seeing.