At Ellislie Plantation, we base our management program on four key factors to growing big deer: Age, Genetics, Nutrition, & Population Control.  By letting the majority of our bucks reach maturity (at least 5.5 years old and older), letting certain special bucks walk,  providing excellent nutrition for the whole herd, and maintaining the overall deer population, we are able to see our deer reach their full potential. 

While Ellislie is completely free-range, we feel that genetics  play a very important role in our management program.  Each year, we pass up mature bucks with special antler characteristics in hopes that their genetics will be passed down for years to come.  It is a risk we are willing to take because we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by neighbors who share the same management practices  we do.  We also feel that harvesting "management" bucks is very important.  Bucks that are 4.5+ and exhibit undesirable antler traits (less than 8 points, short tines or beams, etc...) are considered management bucks. 

Having adequate nutrition is probably the most important factor to managing a successful Whitetail herd.  At Ellislie, we believe that planting summer and winter food plots is crucial to  successful deer management.  Our food plots, combined with approximately 600 acres of agriculture (corn, cotton, soybeans, & wheat), provide an excellent source of year round nutrition.  Selective timber harvest practices throughout the property also provide the deer with excellent cover and browse. 

A successful Whitetail management program can't be complete without adequate population control.  Our belief is to limit the "Trophy" buck harvest and take as many "Management" bucks and does the season will allow to keep our deer population at a manageable level.  Without controlling all of the deer population, Age, Genetics, & Nutrition would essentially be nonexistent at Ellislie.

All of the above factors, along with countless hours of hard work, have made Ellislie the ultimate Whitetail hunter's destination.