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Why no deer? help first time hunting lease #5253295 08/14/14 08:33 PM
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OK i got my first deer lease this year. It is near Pilot point. I have dense woods to the north, milo to the south and some of the only water tanks in the area. it has cattle on it but i didnt think that would be too much of an issue. I have been feeding corn all year and just started feeding protein. " i know i should have been feeding the protein first but i wasnt seeing it at Academy." I had deer on cam before i put the barrel feeder up and the only other deer was the week i started feeding protein. I have tons of coyotes and raccoon.Is this place a lost cause? the rancher just tilled the back 60 acres for winter wheat.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253306 08/14/14 08:37 PM
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I wouldn't worry too much right now, though it may be a sign that the population isn't very high.

Have you guys gotten a lot of rain this year? There's a decent chance the deer just don't need to eat from the feeder right now or haven't really noticed it because they're not hungry.

Right now I'm getting pictures of 4-5 does and another 3-4 bucks. Sounds pretty good, but every time I sit, I see 30-40 deer, the vast majority of which just don't care about my feeder at all.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253307 08/14/14 08:39 PM
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Are you seeing many tracks? May look for trails and crossings... sometimes you may just have the feeder in the wrong spot that's out of their normal way...

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253313 08/14/14 08:39 PM
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I dont know much about that area but if you have been seeing a lot of yotes then you may have a small problem there but not to say that having a bunch yotes will scare off all the deer either.
Has this place been hunted before ?
Just FYI you can get protein at the feed store also and is usually cheaper than acdemy .

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253333 08/14/14 08:46 PM
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Pretty sure that area got around 12 inches of rain in a 24 hour period a couple months ago, and on top of that, a lot of other good rains. Don't give up until you have some good freezes, and then the deer will be a lot easier to see at feeders. Spotlight the wheat field at night this winter and you will get a good idea of how many deer you have around there.


If ducks had horns I'd probably be a duck hunter.
I am a horrible deer hunter. Probably the worst. Ever.
Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253336 08/14/14 08:47 PM
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Cameron00 - the fields are still lush and green. Plus with all the crops around i think they dont need the corn.

Navasot - i have seen some tracks but all at the back of the property. trials are very hard to find due to the cows. I may have to move the feeder

Kenneth1977 - I have alot of coyotes dens and i see yotes and dogs on the cam at night. i will have to find a good feed store close.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253340 08/14/14 08:50 PM
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Kenneth1977 the land was hunted years ago but not is a while, but i do think ppl are going on the land when i am not there. the land owner's family can see the land from there house and have reported ppl out there.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253361 08/14/14 08:58 PM
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Sounds to me like you need to do a little predator control.

Those yotes don't like anything near their dens.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: cameron00] #5253375 08/14/14 09:07 PM
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Originally Posted By: cameron00
Sounds to me like you need to do a little predator control.

Those yotes don't like anything near their dens.


Along with people and coons. Coyotes shouldn't be using dens now anyway, unless to get out of the heat. I would be more concerned right now, on whose going out there? They may have a bow stand hidden in there and the added activity doesn't help.

Do you know how to CORRECTLY use a snare?


If at first you dont succeed, then skydiving is not for you..

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Dennis

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253387 08/14/14 09:10 PM
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Milo = all you can eat buffet for deer


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253413 08/14/14 09:22 PM
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the land is fairly open and i doubt i missed a stand but you never know. I do check the camera every week and a half - two weeks. i spray scent killer but im not sure i may be spooking the deer.

Last edited by JBlack; 08/14/14 09:24 PM.
Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253420 08/14/14 09:24 PM
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I dont think the rancher wants any traps out there his cows are very curious creatures.

Last edited by JBlack; 08/14/14 09:24 PM.
Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253421 08/14/14 09:24 PM
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I agree that you shouldn't worry too much.
You said you saw them on cam before the feeder went up, so they're out there.
The feeder is a new thing. A new thing that makes noise. New noisy things are scary to deer, even if that thing spits out corn twice a day.
Also like you and others have said, lush crop fields will mean the deer will go to the corn less.


You are now breathing manually...
Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253422 08/14/14 09:25 PM
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Define open.... as in wide open, scattered brush,?????? Where do the deer bed or live? If the milo is about ready to cut then the deer will be in it.


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253426 08/14/14 09:26 PM
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ok i will stick it out. i have tried to scout but i can only enter the east side of the property and the sun in the evenings keeps me from seeing a whole lot.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253484 08/14/14 09:45 PM
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Agree with all the above. That area has been hit well with rain and is green and lush, so deer don't need to come to a feeder, especially if they don't know it is really there. Wait until it freezes a few times and natural forbs die off, then they will be hitting the feeder, assuming you have it penned off so the cows don't hit it. If you have not done that, make sure you pen the feeder, cows will tear it up once natural forbs die off.

Agree with the spotlighting at night to get an idea of what might really be out there, and also predator control. Take care of the visitors as well. Nothing will hurt worse than either poachers or people scaring off deer by trespassing.

Depending on what is surrounding your place though, you may have little habitat for deer. Especially if the only woods around are on your place. Doesn't mean you can't attract them to your place, but it may be hard given the greenery right now.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253540 08/14/14 10:15 PM
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Originally Posted By: JBlack
I dont think the rancher wants any traps out there his cows are very curious creatures.


If done "correctly" not an issue.

Of course calling in "correctly" works too and is fun. Done wrong = smart coyotes LOL

I agree with STX, if that milo has heads, the deer will be there.


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Dennis

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5253546 08/14/14 10:17 PM
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Is the property anywhere close to Lake Ray Roberts or the State Park? You can be certain that it will be difficult to draw deer out of the park if your close to it. Coyotes are always thick in the area and getting them in check will be hard. I see that the deer in the area use the timber as "greenways and corridors" to move from area to area as large stands of timber are kinda sparse. I bet you'll see more sign and movement as the fall and winter months progress. Don't get too discouraged if they aren't hitting your feeder they have plenty to eat right now.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5254048 08/15/14 02:38 AM
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Originally Posted By: JBlack
Cameron00 - the fields are still lush and green. Plus with all the crops around i think they dont need the corn.

Navasot - i have seen some tracks but all at the back of the property. trials are very hard to find due to the cows. I may have to move the feeder

Kenneth1977 - I have alot of coyotes dens and i see yotes and dogs on the cam at night. i will have to find a good feed store close.
Go to Pilot Point feed. Shane is a good guy and will help get you what you need.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5254093 08/15/14 02:49 AM
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I would suggest getting multiple cams and move them around a lot. Having a cam on the feeder only may be missing loads of deer. When I was in south Texas, I ran 8 cams and found that I had deer - a good number of deer - that were traveling a path 150 yards from my stand and feeder and never came to the feeder.

Changed my feeder location - and voila - deer on cam every day.

Now I run cams for a while before I decide on where to setup feeders and stands.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5254180 08/15/14 03:33 AM
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When we got on our first south texas lease, this was just before the game camera technology came along, we were extremely worried when we were seeing hardly any deer in October and the first half of November, but about thanksgiving, they started coming out of the woodwork, deer everywhere. The next year we knew not to expect too much until about thanksging

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5254601 08/15/14 02:06 PM
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Thank yall for the help. i will be moving my camera to see if they are moving in the fields or by the water.

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5254670 08/15/14 02:43 PM
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Pilot point (and nearby area) has gotten more/better rain this year - and spaced out nicely - than the last few.
Crops are at bumper yield, and hayfields have had bumper 1st & 2nd cuttings already, and still going strong.
Ponds, creeks, and puddles full everywhere - their not hurting for water either (yet).

Hang tight; deer have no reason to be out in the open just yet; fall will help (except for the potential mast bumper crop that is likely).

Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5254839 08/15/14 04:07 PM
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I would have held off on the protein until I knew a little more about the deer in that area; however, I do know there are deer in the Pilot Point area, so maybe just be patient. Sometimes it's best to take the temperature of the water before jumping all in.


How come everybody I meet is a deer hunting expert?
Re: Why no deer? help first time hunting lease [Re: JBlack] #5255486 08/15/14 09:39 PM
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i will be out there tomorrow night trying to reduce the yote population

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