One of the ways I increase the number of mature bucks ,all bucks for that matter is have at least one sanctuary on the land. I try to keep them to at least 10 acers ofcorse 50's better. I but them in places that all ready bedding areas. Thats a big plus but you can make your own bedding area(sanctuary). Ive did this by fring cutting our evern clean cuting. But alway leave oaks,hickory or any kind of food scorce trees. I also pant any thing the will thicken up the area. But if I have the areas I put in two,two's better than one.
I never ,ever not even in the off season to shed hunt do I go in and desturb my sanctuarys in any way. I f I can I ever put them one th up wind side of whee I'll go, or be. But this is not a must but it can help with human pressure and the bucks walking around more in the day light. The only time I do go into it is if I'm following up a wounded buck.
Theres a few things I do to help keep the bucks in the sanctuary. These things make the hunting harder but they will help to keep the bucks from going across the fence as much. I said some you can't totally controll the doe's across the fence.
I make sure it's partfully huntable with the wind. I won't hunt inside it but do hunt the edges with the wind..
#1 I try putting the sanctuary where there's a water scorce or at least have one on my land so bucks don't have to go looking. If not I put one right in the sanctuary. So he dos'nt need to leave.
Cut a plactic berrel in half. I'll tie up a peice or 2 of tin, V'ed and angled to catch rain water. I'll put it on the edge so I can empty it at the begaining of every fall. So they'll have freasher water come season.
#2 I put a minteral site right inside the edge. Uselly at the water barrel. And add enough to last a few years. And when I do have to replenish I'll do it in the off season or when I enpty the watering barrel.
#3 I'll plant solt mass trees(fruit trees) in or around the edges and well my favoret for me and the bucks is HONEYSUCKLE. Here it's a major food scorce as well as it thickens up the area. Like I said I hunt the edges.
If it's a hard woods sanctuary make it on a hill top. All mature bucks bed on hill tops. Dos'nt have to be a big hill as long as it's higher than the surounding land. You can thicken it up and create a food scorce with a chain saw. Remember leave all nut trees. Just by letting sun light reach the ground. The tops are good bedding. I'll plant alternet dog woods. It's a good under story bush grows in all hard woods and really thickens up a area when planted.
What your trying to do is create a area that bucks can come use for saftey. But at the same time do'nt have to leave as much to go get what the need over on the next farm over. There bucks know and will come over to your sanctuary when the pressure starts.
These areas won't go over looked by doe's either. They also stay a little more this also helps to keep the bucks there. Whats the old saying FIND THE DOE'S YOU FIND THE BUCKS thats true tio the affect
Mature bucks are uselly home bodys untill the rut. And even though they'll have a lot of what they need. Although sanctuarys make bucks harder to hunt at the same time makes them more huntable. I'll exsplane on a later post.
#4 And most important is I alway improveing the thickness of the area. By Increaeing it thickness, it's size or the food in and around it.
In the long run sanctuarys is likely the # 1 thing thats helped me kill a lot of bucks.
