Landscaping for Wildlife, Overview 40,000 ft flyover

Blue is lake.  Spring green is swampy.  Olive checkerboard is agricultural.  Rainbowed areas show 40 acre parcel.  Everything to scale.

One consideration when landscaping for wildlife is to assess the resources and "pressure" of surrounding areas.

From the standpoint of deer hunting, the large, swampy area to the east of the parcel is a natural sanctuary for deer.  One major upside is the location of the lake.  It creates a natural funnel.  Deer almost have to cross the parcel when they are working their way around the swamp.

The downside is that the region immediately east of the parcel is heavily hunted by folks who shoot "anything with horns".  It is their property.  They are current on their taxes.  I do not judge.

The area immediately west of the property is hunted by a younger man whose motto is, "If its brown, its down."  He judges the success of his hunting season by the number of carcasses he can hang on hooks in the barn.

It has become increasingly clear that the only way to grow big bucks is to create even better sanctuary cover on the property than the pickle-shaped swamp and to provide them, and does, with enough vittles during hunting season (October 1-December 30) to keep them on the property.

Consequently, you will start seeing a great deal of photographic analysis where the photos are taken from about 42-to-48 inches of elevation.

This is a natural bowl with the rim highest on the southwest edge.  It is a natural bedding place from the standpoint of prevailing winds.

And it lacks cover over 24".

Consider...
Consider your reaction to this photo

Something about this photo just gives you the willys, doesn't it?  Image from HERE

and then this photo

But this one seems fine, right?  What is the difference?  Image from HERE

I am pretty sure that deer have the same visceral reaction to being in the open.  They feel much safer when closed in, especially by brush they can push through if they sense a need to escape.