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New Property

bigcat93

bigcat93

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
981
Location
NJ
Hey guys, wondering how you all think i should go about scouting/setting up a new property. One of my brother's friends family is finally letting me hunt. Not sure how big the woods are on their property thats back up behind their house but the woods back up to a large amount of woods after that. I'm meeting up with them mid next week. So could potentially hunt this property thanksgiving or after if i wanted to.

How would you guys go about doing this? OR would you possible scout it/set cameras, etc and leave it for next year? Never had this happen before and I'm only in my second year of hunting. Scouting/setting is a big part of my "game" that I am mostly trying to improve.
 
Tough question but I'd start by trying to identify natural funnels or travel routes from aerial photos and topi maps and get some boots on the ground to check the spots you've pre-identified. Look at each spot identified and I hang cameras in the spots with sign.


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Knowing the lay of the land is of utmost importance. Scouting is generally the reason for successful hunts. You gotta know where to hunt.

Now, with that said, ... How much time are you gonna have to look and learn about this property this year? Does anyone else hunt the property? Have you looked it up on google maps for aerial view?
If I had a long weekend and only one long weekend, I'd probably gather as much info from satellite photos as possible, to get an idea of where to start. Then, I'd stalk through as scent free and slowly and silently as I could muster and head to the areas I thought looked good in pics. I know how I am, I have spooked a LOT of deer doing this... but IF along the way, you find a reason to stop and hunt right then and there until dark ( which could be a good option to choose to do from afar even if you don't wanna go traipsing through without a clue), then go for it. I have spooked so many deer from their beds and from the area they were in as I tried to clear enough of my property to plant and to hunt that I know they may spook from right there for a couple days, or even permanently if the intrusion is dramatic. But usually, they come back.
So, If never spooking the deer because you think they might not come back, or you might screw up someone else's hunting, then wait til after season and do it systematically, scouting and logging it in a journal, and poring over google maps more, etc.
If, on the other hand, you'll be the only person hunting this land, and you have plenty of time to kill over a few days, then stalk/scout/hunt right then and there. What's the worst that could happen? You scare the deer away and have no chance there in that spot for a few days/weeks/ the rest of this season? Or that you could be just wasting your time hunting in the wrong place/time/method? From my perspective, If I'm the only one hunting it, and only have a few days or even all season, then I'm going in hot. Even a fruitless, bad, time wasting day in pursuit in the woods beats sitting on the couch watching football
 
You could check the plot maps online if you have the address and then use Google earth to check the terrain and features. Identify food and water that will be available through the season. If it's a small property be very mindful of your scent and try to use natural shooting lanes as altering the environment this late in the season could cause them to just avoid the property completely. I have five acres, three are wooded and any time I screw up I be a week before I see any new sign. The only thing I can count on I'd when the neighbors show up on the weekend they'll cut through some part of my property to avoid theirs once they start partying Friday night to announce their presence.

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Google earth.

They like to eat and bed. I like to shoot them between those two places vs in or over those two places personally. Especially if you are new to a property and will have it for some time.

Find a funnel where you can see any ag fields. Observe and adjust. Congrats on the new land. Always hard to come by.
 
Spend time getting to know the owner. Ask where they would like you to park. Ask them how often you can hunt. Have them show you the property lines. Be friendly and you might secure a great spot for a long time. They will tell you about deer sightings and time in the woods will fill in the blanks. Getting on deer is easy, getting on land with good deer is the hard part.
 
always use google earth, along with bing maps to try to get different perspectives. As far as I can tell right now, this property backs up to two properties that are un-owned, which backs up to a Naval Base (which should be fenced all around). Could use that to my advantage as a pinch point of deer travel. The owner has said that they see plenty of deer, but they have seen other hunter's stands out. There is also creek which runs through the back end of this property which leads to an open field in middle of woods I'm particularly interested in. Ill see id i can post some pics later today
 
Ok so.. The red is the best property outline i could make, the green squares are supposedly "null" property without owners based on plot maps.The house I have permission from it the one with the pin on it.
 

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Maybe this will help you on property lines. They look like small properties and isnt the naval station fenced in?

The word harvesting is for vegetables. i kill things.
 

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rr79 said:
Maybe this will help you on property lines. They look like small properties and isnt the naval station fenced in?

thats awesome, how did you do that?

The word harvesting is for vegetables. i kill things.
Click to expand...
 
bigcat93 said:
rr79 said:
Maybe this will help you on property lines. They look like small properties and isnt the naval station fenced in?

thats awesome, how did you do that?

The word harvesting is for vegetables. i kill things.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Its a gps property app. Onyx maps. Shows you names and adress of owners along with state and federal land. If i were at your place it would show location so u dont cross lines. You have to pay by state for app. Its a yearly fee but worth it to me. You can also do same for free from your desk top computer useing tax maps. http://njgin.state.nj.us/oit/gis/NJ_TaxListSearch/
 
There isn't property that isn't owned, contact the township they have a map showing who owns it.
 
Thats a pretty small/thin property. Dress nice and go introduce your self to the neighbors before you hunt and get their numbers so you can track game if it leaves the property. Easier than trying to do it after the deer is down.
 
DIYSaddler said:
Thats a pretty small/thin property. Dress nice and go introduce your self to the neighbors before you hunt and get their numbers so you can track game if it leaves the property. Easier than trying to do it after the deer is down.
Click to expand...

Yeah, property itself is only 4.04 acres. So my guess is the wooded area would be 3 or less. Not including any surrounding properties.
 
You can speed scout that quickly. I'd go at mid-day because it looks like the property could be a travel corridor. I'd look for trails near the mcelwees top right corner and at the back of the property that would lead down to that field that is surrounded by the trees.
I'd limit my shots to extremely close to reduce the risk of a deer dying in the neighbors lawn. You could quickly lose permission if a neighborhood squabble starts around hunting in that back woodline.


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rr79, thanks for sharing that app, i've been looking for something that easy for a while!

With that small property I would go in, find a good spot and hunt in on the fly for the first time. If you observe something different then you can change. In that area those deer are going to be very unpressured suburban deer and you can get away with that for a while. The best chance you are going to have at a buck without baiting them in is to catch them cruising through after does right now.
 
redsquirrel said:
rr79, thanks for sharing that app, i've been looking for something that easy for a while!

With that small property I would go in, find a good spot and hunt in on the fly for the first time. If you observe something different then you can change. In that area those deer are going to be very unpressured suburban deer and you can get away with that for a while. The best chance you are going to have at a buck without baiting them in is to catch them cruising through after does right now.
Click to expand...

Yeah I didn't plan on baiting. Might be able to hunt this tomorrow morning if I'm lucky. Figured I'd try to find a good game trail or sign to the enclosed field and set up of of that.
 
redsquirrel said:
rr79, thanks for sharing that app, i've been looking for something that easy for a while!

With that small property I would go in, find a good spot and hunt in on the fly for the first time. If you observe something different then you can change. In that area those deer are going to be very unpressured suburban deer and you can get away with that for a while. The best chance you are going to have at a buck without baiting them in is to catch them cruising through after does right now.
Click to expand...

Maybe, but if it was MI that wouldn't be the case. There would be guys hunting those other small properties. Actually the OP stated the owners have seen other tree stands, so those deer are pressured.
 
bigcat93 said:
redsquirrel said:
rr79, thanks for sharing that app, i've been looking for something that easy for a while!

With that small property I would go in, find a good spot and hunt in on the fly for the first time. If you observe something different then you can change. In that area those deer are going to be very unpressured suburban deer and you can get away with that for a while. The best chance you are going to have at a buck without baiting them in is to catch them cruising through after does right now.
Click to expand...

Yeah I didn't plan on baiting. Might be able to hunt this tomorrow morning if I'm lucky. Figured I'd try to find a good game trail or sign to the enclosed field and set up of of that.
Click to expand...

I'm not advocating baiting, I'm just saying that on such a small parcel they are really only going to be moving through.
 
kenn1320 said:
Maybe, but if it was MI that wouldn't be the case. There would be guys hunting those other small properties. Actually the OP stated the owners have seen other tree stands, so those deer are pressured.
Click to expand...

I missed that so they may be, but I know the area well and there are lots of areas like that around where there are small properties like that and limited hunters/hunting opportunities. Its on the edge of a pretty ritzy area.
 
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