Hunting season is a great time to run into neighbors, doing the same as you, enjoying the great outdoors. As long as you’re on good terms with your neighbor, it makes for an opportunity to tell them about your goals for your property and convince them into also improving their property, if they aren’t also already following sound Gamekeeper principals. Like-minded people can accomplish much more than one property owner trying to battle those around him.
Think about the great big buck Mecca’s like Buffalo County, Wisconsin, Scotland County, Missouri or Pike County, Illinois. A couple of land owners exhibited a bit of restraint in harvesting young deer, they showed amazing results and it all spread from there. You can do it too!
The Quality Deer Management Association has some great information on their website to aid you in convincing your neighbors to think like you. However, the best thing to do is lead by example. Whitetails are “homebodies,” and what you do on your property has an influence over every whitetail whose home range encompasses your property. Develop a sound plan, stick to it, and results will follow. Your neighbors will see this, and unless they’re completely dense, they should also “climb aboard.”
Photo Credit: Yoderrm
