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Good size for a high fence hunt? #5465852 12/09/14 12:46 AM
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JPHunting Offline OP
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G'day guys,
I was just wondering what people thought a reasonable area for an high fenced hunt is to make it a real challenge and a fair hunt.
The main place I go is 600 acres high fenced, roughly half semi open paddock and half thick scrub. In my experience there, shooting a stag or buck can be done in a day or two but when you're after a particular one it can be bloody tough, especially when they know you're after them! In fact this year there was a big buck we saw on the first day the client passed up that we never saw again over the next 4 days!

I've just been to my property this weekend for some scouting, will post up a link to some pictures soon.

Cheers,

Jack


I prefer meat in it's original packaging.

JP Hunting - Australian big game guide and outfitter service.
Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5465900 12/09/14 01:11 AM
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I have been on HF places half that size and they have deer that they know exist only because they have game cameras. Deer get really smart when they have to.


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Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5465921 12/09/14 01:21 AM
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Jack,

I think the things to consider are (1) terrain (flat or hilly) , (2) vegetation (open or thick brush and the percentages),(3) the number of animals, and (4)type of animal you are hunting. Also I would assume the animals are not hand raised pets but have been in the enclosure for a while and are not tame.

So with the above in mind, a square mile is 640 acres (close to your 600) ....so if you are talking about something like a whitetail deer in an area with some gullies and a good amount of trees and brush...and a density of 30 or so deer, I'd say it would be a reasonably challenging hunt.

Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5465953 12/09/14 01:34 AM
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They are some very good points.

I've found reds and fallow act in completely different ways on this place.
Most of the reds were put there for hunting, though some of them have just jumped in. In velvet you can get within 100 yards in a car but once they strip it's a different story. They tend to hang around in the semi open country mostly which makes getting close a challenge unless you're happy shooting over 200 yards which some aren't.

The fallow are just born and bred there and tend to prefer the heavy bush, finding them and particularly one you want is tough. Most of this is light rolling hills covered in waste belly button high bracken, more often than not you see the deer when they burst up from near your feet and you get a fleeting glimpse of them through the trees.
Even in velvet they're very wary though, they seem to always stay much more flighty than the reds.


I prefer meat in it's original packaging.

JP Hunting - Australian big game guide and outfitter service.
Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5465972 12/09/14 01:43 AM
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postoak Offline
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This is in Australia? What all species of deer do they have there?


Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5466071 12/09/14 02:22 AM
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Certainly is Postoak, we have Red deer, fallow deer, sambar, Rusa, Chital (axis) and Hog deer.

Simple searcher - I know where you are coming from, it's much the same on this place. In fact this year just been a monster buck showed up that we'd never seen and after checking all of the game cams the property owners only conclusion was he was a wild deer that had jumped in, who knows might be just a ghost buck!


I prefer meat in it's original packaging.

JP Hunting - Australian big game guide and outfitter service.
Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5466406 12/09/14 05:25 AM
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This video is typical of the average here, you seem them for a minute then they materialise into the bush

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9P0R2O21Z-k


I prefer meat in it's original packaging.

JP Hunting - Australian big game guide and outfitter service.
Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5466465 12/09/14 07:30 AM
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I would prefer 2K or so at least personally


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Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5467322 12/09/14 05:34 PM
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As previously stated cover counts for a lot and also stocking levels. Another factor is herding, if an animal tends to be solitary or run in small groups, then less land is needed. I think 500 acres is a good starting point. I would think that 600 acres with red and fallow deer is pushing the minimum. At lower stocking levels pre rut and rut it might be a reasonable hunt.


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Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5467657 12/09/14 07:47 PM
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I think it has a lot to do with how long your client has to "hunt". If they have 2 days to come in, hunt, harvest and leave then you kinda want a place that animals can be located. Ill be honest, I have been to several ranches bow hunting and never seen the particular animal I was after. With a rifle, you can make some things happen, but if you ever think a HF ranch is not sporty, pull out a bow and good luck. HF or not, they can be pretty durn sporting. I think 200+ depending on whether it is archery or rifle hunting. Also depends on if you are driving around in a truck pushing animals or being stealthy and stand hunting.

Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5467671 12/09/14 07:52 PM
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I work on two--one 1000 acres and the other 1200. If you were looking for a specific deer, there is no difference in HF or LF. If you just wanted a management 8, it could be done in a day. I will say this: on one ranch, there was a 75 acre "breeding pasture" as we called it; it was where the top genetics were introduced and then sent into the main herd later on. IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE TO LOSE A DEER ON 75 ACRES. I know this because we lost a spike that was shot in there once. So to answer your question, 600 acres is plenty big.


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Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5467870 12/09/14 09:35 PM
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All very interesting points, I definitely agree on the bow hunting comment though. I think this place would be a great land for bow hunters, I myself have hunted there twice with the bow looking for a meat animal and come out empty handed. I spose the other thing for us is a different style, we don't really use stands, its mostly stalking or what you call still hunting. We are in the process of building a stand over a few rutting stands which I think will be great for next year. It's certainly not the place you come to if you want to shoot a good deer in an afternoon though.

Having said that, I've shot wild deer that were living in little 20 acre patches of bush.


I prefer meat in it's original packaging.

JP Hunting - Australian big game guide and outfitter service.
Re: Good size for a high fence hunt? [Re: JPHunting] #5467875 12/09/14 09:38 PM
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I will agree with nsmike. Cover makes the difference. I have hunted a 700 acre high fence that had very thick cover with a few food plots and we did not have any luck with the bucks. I hunted an 1800 acre high fence in Missouri in both stand and driving around in a truck. Even though it was wooded Oak trees it was not near as dense as the 700 acre ranch so we had better luck.

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