I would put my access trails right on the property lines and treat most of your property as a sanctuary. You can use hinge cutting if needed to make a screen to help you get in and out of stands undetected. Good luck.
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I have perimeter trails. Originally I tried leaving a small section (5'-10') between the trail and the property line think I'd let it grow up into a screen.

But even though I have the lines marked, the neighbors started taking liberties and cutting over my side of the line with their trails and I'd still occasionally catch the ones that didn't mow trails walking my trail. Now I cut nearly on the line. At least this way my lines will stay marked and the markers that have been in place for many years won't be overgrown.

I vote for cutting right on the line unless you are willing to potentially lose the space. If I had a quarter section I'd consider putting a cheap fence on the line and cutting paths 20 yards inward to create a screen between, but otherwise you either lose a lot of space or have an ineffective screen.

 

I had some existing peripheral roads right on the border when I bought my place but recut and internal road inset by an average of 50' except where terrain or desirable trees made me deviate. Big section of mixed hardwoods on the top there. I have cut hundred of trees for blocking, most of my south and east sides are done. Scotch pines and Blue Spruce don't hinge real well above 4", they just flop down and break off. Still in clearing mode so not easing them down with pulleys like I could.

 

I made my trails around the perimeter and then planted norway spruce and pines in rows to the inside to act as a screen. Not sure I can think of a reason why you'd want to make your perimeter access trails inside further, you'd be losing some ground in a sense.

 

I guess I'm still focused on the deer traveling my border because of the change in habitat there. There is 30 acres of thick pines, honeysuckle and brambles in there. I used to access this side of the property through an old road bed that led to my property. While doing so I frequently busted deer that were bedded in that thick stuff. I suppose after I get my access trails done I can work on thickening up parts of my interior.

 

I would try to make the center of your property as thick as possible-if you bump them on your property lines they will head towards the center of land and not onto the neighbors.
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Question...when you make the perimeter trails do you find thats where the deer travel too? It seems they like the path of least resistance unless they're under pressure.....any thoughts.

 

I'm gonna create thick travel corridors on the interior and thick bedding areas with the chainsaw. I just have to treat my property like a sanctuary and that the main hotspots will be the interior. I know the concepts will work its just a total paradigm shift changing my hunting strategy. For the last 20 years I've focused my hunting opportunities outward towards my neighbors property. I look forward to manipulating my place to make it the place deer wanna spend their daylight hours. I shot my first ever 3.5 year old in Oct by waiting for the first cold front and taking a back door stand access. All stuff I learned on this forum.

 

I had the same question in my mind when thinking about this, though I don't have any trees already established. But my hope was that if I make my travel route on the very border, otherwise exposed, the deer will rather be on the inside once I plant a couple rows of pines inside the edge. Good thread with a good question. Thanks

 

Be careful for watch you wish for. We try to keep our property lines clear for easy access into our property. The timber is somewhat large and you can see all the way from one end to the other. Over the past few years my neighbors tree stands have been creeping closer to the lot line. We figured out we made a great trail for the deer to move down:lol: now we need to kind of stop this and redirect the deer into the center of my property.

 

... We figured out we made a great trail for the deer to move down:lol: now we need to kind of stop this and redirect the deer into the center of my property.

Almost all of the mile or so of internal access road I have cut has immediately shown signs of deer travel. They get tired of walking through jungle too.

 

How sure are you of the location of the property lines? If trails are too close to the edge an accurate survey could put them on the neighbor's property. Also, if you plan to hunt deer or small game from them it might be nice if you could shoot on both sides of the trails instead of just one side.

I have trails that vary in width from walking trails, to quad trails, to narrow pickup truck access roads to routes a logging truck can use. It seems to vary with the surrounding cover but just as might be expected the widest openings seem to be the ones that make deer most cautious, at least in the daylight. FM

 

To build on Forest Meister's thought...I KNOW one of my property lines is in uncharted waters. I have deliberately kept some 50-60 ft off the line in order to make sure my perimeter trails don't end up on my neighbor's side. The deer do use them, but with the buffer zone I have the option of using a climber on the downwind side if I feel it would pay off.

 

I'm very aware of where the property lines are as the adjacent properties are owned by timber operations and were clearcut 20+ years ago. The mature hardwoods on my side is the property line. My dad had the land surveyed in 1979 and I can walk right to the stakes that mark the corners of the property. I am mainly concerned about a atv/tractor/foot access. My side is already open to human/deer travel. I think it makes sense to stay very near the line as I won't lose as much space by keeping it close to the boundary. I'm trying to access stand sites in a "deer free" approach through mature timber on my exterior. I wonder if I'll be creating a travel corridor for deer that I intend to use as my stand access by med hinge cutting trees? Picture it this way, thick jungle of pines and brambles on the neighbors, 10-20 feet of open mature hardwood, then a narrow layer of med height hinge cutting to screen my approach from the interim the interior. Of course after my access is completed I can focus on my parcels interior. Does anyone foresee a potential problem with this strategy?

 

I have found that long, wide, straight, cleared trails may be used by deer, but rarely in daylight hours. If your plan is to sit at one end of those long trails, be prepared to shoot deer as they scoot across, because they aren't likely to spend a lot of time in those openings. That is why when you create deer travel trails within your heavy cover, it's best to make those trails wind around a bit. If your neighbor wants to set up and try to hunt those long access roads, I wouldn't worry about it a lot. You'll be watching an intersection of winding trails between bedding and food, somewhere on the interior of the property.

 

Northjeff has posted on his blogs some great info regarding creating lines of movement for deer and creating access trails. I think he answers most of the questions presented on this post. If not, you may want to contact him, he's very easy to talk to and provides a ton of good info.

 

Yeah, I agree NorthJeff has the right ideas but he doesn't go into that much detail about access trails other than you need them and to access stands perpendicular to the lines of movement. I've read all his articles several times and have been formulating my plan. Most all of the clients that he visits have access and stand selection as #1 priority, my property is no exception. I have my interior planned as that is the "glamorous side" Im trying to avoid making a costly mistake on my access and just want to know what works for anyone else that has been doing habitat improvements.

 

We have a half mile long two track/access trail (straight as an arrow), and I have been hunting over it for about 23 yrs. A little background info first, both sides of the trail is speckled alder and quite thick so the deer do walk down it but usually in the dark because of my neighbors over hunting. I've noticed that does and fawns will walk down it more than bucks. Most of the deer like to cross it, especially during deer season (my neighbors over hunt) other wise they would walk aimlessly down it. Most does will step out and stop and look before they cross, most bucks I've seen cross it in a hurry without stopping or looking. I prefer them to cross my access trail rather than walking down it so I keep it wide,clean and mowed. They have their own trails to walk down that are narrow thick and winding.

 

I'll second that northjeff would be the man to paint a clear picture on this one.

Broomjm is giving you good info too. What he describes is exactly what you need.

I think you do need to make a trail a little further into your property-but make it winding, narrow, and within cover. Take out the canopy and hinge cut in a 40-50' path and notch out a winding deer trail near the interior of this destruction. This will be the trail you are hunting- and the destruction will act a screening for you and cover for the deer.

Your access can be through more open woods and a wider trail. Keep your canopy in the access trail area on the perimeter. You want this area to stay more open woods so you can use the trail with less chance of bumping a deer.

Northjeff has a good article describing a generic plan for a square 40 AC parcel, kind of how you are looking at doing things. You can also look at some pics of his layout plans that are written up for clients. Check out his website and look at some of the property layout images.

Good luck and nice buck you got there!:chillin:

 

I like my access trails inside the borders 20-30 yards if possable, and with all properties its just not easily done with swamps lowlands and Etc. forcing you to make location changes without the use of large equipment and dramatic changes being inccured. Some of my best buck scraping and activity areas are my inside "edge" from hinge cuttings about 20-30 yards wide on my borders used as a sceen, I often create an access trail along these. Most of my trails are not long and straight, I wind them through due to tree stumps and other natural obsticals. Plus I like being able to block a deer's view for much of any distance of a access trail.

I dont think there is any absolute when it come to access trails, many landowners and hunters have different reasons to do what they do with their property from serious QDM managers to multi-use and recreation properties. Deer are very adaptable creatures and will use the typography and your access trails in ways you plan and in others you had no idea. Managing for thickness and cover is my prefered method, but its not the only way.

 

I like my access trails inside the borders 20-30 yards if possable, and with all properties its just not easily done with swamps lowlands and Etc. forcing you to make location changes without the use of large equipment and dramatic changes being inccured. Some of my best buck scraping and activity areas are my inside "edge" from hinge cuttings about 20-30 yards wide on my borders used as a sceen, I often create an access trail along these.

Would you mind sharing why you prefer the access trails 20-30 yards inside the property rather than on the line? Or is the only reason as you mentioned; you want the scraping activity on your side of the screen.

Is it typically your recomendation that you have a 20-30 yard screen on the property lines?

I have to do something as my neighbor to the west hunts on the line and there is a decent travel corridor on my land just East of his blind. I set a stand up this year just East of the "thickish" travel corridor, but being a small parcel (14 acres including our house) I feel like I am not helping our hunting walking into the interior of my land. I know I have to improve the corridor, as well as the property as a whole as it is getting thin, but I am not sure if I should make it thick right up to the line, or if I should leave a stand access trail on the line and make it thick to the east of the trail.

I have been reading on this forum on and off for a few years now, and have learned alot. But to quote another poster, it seems like I have "analysis parallisis". The hunting is pretty good, but every year the woods gets more open and as I have been limiting myself to bucks that are at least 2.5yr I know I have to start to improve the habitat as well as to hunt smarter. The problem is that it seems like there is a lot less room for error with a small piece so I need to get my perimiter screens and access routes right the first time.

Thanks to all who provide insite in advance.

Jason