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Needing some Axis & Fallow #5478664 12/15/14 06:40 PM
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rbw1330 Offline OP
Bird Dog
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Let me start by giving you a little information about project. I acquired about 250 acres about 3 years ago with the intention of using it as a personal hunting place because the previous owner swore that it had great whitetail hunting and he had the pictures to prove it. The same year I purchased my place the two semi large ranches around it 1100-5000 acre ranches split up their ranches and sold them in pieces. Since this has happened I have about 20 new neighbors that all own a little piece of paradise just like myself, and every animal that moves get shot. I thought about selling the property but my family truly enjoys going out to the property at lease once a month, so I thought about what I was going to do to make this enjoyable for everyone and get us some nice animals to shoot. I have decided to highfence the property and stock it with axis, fallow, and whitetail. My question is a ranch this size in East Texas with plenty of water and native grasses how many would you recommend of each and roughly what is this going to cost me, do I need any state permits or license to legally do this. I have no intentions on selling any hunts other than occasionally charging a buddy a little to help pay expenses. I have met with a fencing contractor who has agreed to do the work and he is going to start at the end of Feb so hopefully by spring I will be able to put some animals on the property. I don't want a zoo or a place that is over run with animals so I am sticking with Axis, Fallow and whitetail. I would appreciate any and all advice on this matter.
Thanks

Re: Needing some Axis & Fallow [Re: rbw1330] #5478923 12/15/14 08:15 PM
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bcranch Offline
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For the whitetails you don't need any special permits but you will have to get a release facility ID from TPWD. The breeder that you get your deer from can take care of this with some basic information from you. Population density is a question that has a few different parts. One of the big ones is, are you going to feed supplimental protein. If you are then you can have a lot more animals. Since whitetail are browsers they are only really interested in the weeds that are in the grasses not the grasses themselves. One thing to look at to is that Axis can outcompete whitetails since they both graze and browse so that is something to keep in mind.

Whitetail density in good habitat without supplementation can vary between 10-15 acres per deer, depending where you are in East Texas. If it is mostly grass and pine it will be far fewer deer per acre than that.

I can't speak for the exotics but the whitetails can be done a couple of different ways. If you have some patience you can buy bred does and a couple of younger bucks to rebreed them the next year. This takes a while to grow your herd but it will give you a more cost effective way of doing it. If you want bucks to shoot now the stocker buck market can get pretty expensive at the higher end.

I can talk specifics with you if you are interested, just shoot me a PM.



Brave Rifles!
Re: Needing some Axis & Fallow [Re: bcranch] #5478987 12/15/14 08:45 PM
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rbw1330 Offline OP
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Thanks for the help I am in no hurry to kill animals so I would lean toward the bred does and younger bucks. What are these types of animals going for these days?

Re: Needing some Axis & Fallow [Re: rbw1330] #5479191 12/15/14 10:23 PM
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bcranch Offline
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You can get bred does for release under $2000 for pretty good ones, we have several in the $1500 or so price range for sale this year. On the high side you can spend all you want on them. One thing to look at when judging if they are good is pedigree. They should come with an actual DNA certificate from a reputable operation like DNA Solutions, if the deer are not pedigreed they could be what they were advertised as or anything else. Then look for does that are not too heavily northern. If they are over 50% that often reduces their survival rate, not always but often enough. A good amount is usually less than that. Deer that are 30% or so usually do as well as any southern deer.

Bucks run the gamut in prices. A younger buck that has not shown a lot of potential yet will sell for less. Bucks that are larger or show good potential will sell for more. Stocker bucks usually start around $2000 on the low end.



Brave Rifles!
Re: Needing some Axis & Fallow [Re: bcranch] #5488341 12/20/14 01:21 AM
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EddieWalker Offline
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I'm in East Texas and I plan on fencing in part of my land to raise a few exotics just for fun and photography. I talked to a local game warden about it and he said there wasn't any rules on it, just that if anything escaped, it was open game to whoever wanted it. As long as the animal wasn't protected or it was illegal to own them, then they where considered livestock and yours to do what you wanted with them.

Eddie

Re: Needing some Axis & Fallow [Re: rbw1330] #5489140 12/20/14 04:23 PM
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shyler Offline
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Eddie your game warden informed you with a little false information, their are things you can do to protect your animals if one gets out, exotics are just like cattle correct their your property, If you put a tag in their ear that is legible from a distance that identifies them in a way that you can tie that tag back to you or your ranch. For example in my breeding pens all my tags have my brand on them with a number. I have all tags an what animal they are on documented on a spread sheet. Now granted anything that doesn't have a tag like new baby's or a tag gets ripped out their is no way to identify that they are yours and they get out they are fair game. Whitetail are a different story they belong to the state even though you pay for them if they get out they are fair game an legally you can't go dart a whitetail an put it back in your place.


Thanks,
Circle F Exotics
Shyler Farley
325-214-3094
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