Hey all,

So I was lucky enough to get a deer lease for the price of killing the rattle snakes on the property. A good deal in my book.

Other than killing the rattlers off, I am free to do anything I want on the lease and it will only be myself and my guest hunting the land. We walked it yesterday and I threw some corn and set up a game cam to see what I may have in the area, but I am wondering for those of you that hunt or are local, what can I expect to see? What food plots tend to grow well in the area? What suggestions would you all have? First time with my own land where I am responsible and looking for any suggestions.

We mostly hunt deer, hogs and dove, but wouldn't mind going for turkey, duck or anything else in the area as well.

Thanks in advance!!

I grew up in Williamson county. I also owned a ranch in Bell county with all the animals you mentioned and food plots.
Overall deer numbers are good but also depends on what side of IH 35 you are on. The west side typically carries more deer than the east side. The average rainfall here each year is around 30-35 inches so food plots are a tough go unless you have irrigation of some sort. Very hit and miss - winter wheat or oats are your best bet. Sounds like you got a great deal and should have great fun improving your hunting.

What part of Wilco are you hunting? I live just east of 35 & while it's true deer density tends to be higher west of the hwy, there's been a definite increase in numbers on the east side in the last 10 years or so. I agree with tlk on the wheat or oats, food plots could be a real challenge imo

I am on the west side of 35 along 195. I was stationed at Ft. Hood for a long while but never had a place to hunt. Funny I move to San Antonio and get a place close to hunt near Ft. Hood.

There is currently a spring running through the property, but I am unsure if that is year round or due to the large amount of rain. Either way tracks were everywhere. Not really enough for irrigation purposes. While I am lucky there are tanks of the property, there is no live stock on mine.

Thanks for the input, hopefully I will have some pictures post up soon. Maybe this year we will have better luck getting my son his first buck.

I am pretty close to that area. There are deer hogs turkey dove and ducks. It all depends on the specific property. Overall it's a nice place to be. Especially if you got it for free. Not many places ever come up for lease around there.

yep, I've lived in Georgetown since 1980 and leases in Williamson/Bell county are very hard to come by. Depending on the area of 195, there can be some good numbers of deer and occasional booner can be had, hogs seem to migrate through some areas too.

I have hunted around Florence & Briggs, on over to Watson (last two in Burnet county). Food plots can be hit or miss depending on rains. I planted oats for years, but the last several years hunting in those areas, I buy a mixed food plot blend from The Feed Store (University Avenue) that has a 9-12 seed mixture with chicory, 3-4 different clovers, oats, wheat, peas, turnips, etc. that seems to have different growth rates throughout the fall/winter. Simplest is oats and black eyed peas in late Sept./Early Oct. when you see a wet cool front pushing thru.

FYI ... I have tractors, implements and trailers in case you need some help plowing/planting for pay or barter.

how in the heck did you come across this place?

I manage commercial real estate and on top of that do investment sales and such. I have a vendor who is also a rancher and he took me and my son to his ranch near Waco and I met his father who owns the land. In conversation we got talking about his property near Killeen and that nobody is ever there and it is a shame. He asked if I would be willing to look at it monthly when I visit my property in Killeen and I said that wasn't an issue. Shortly after he meet my son, he said a boy should have a place to hunt and we worked out the trade. I watch it and can hunt it and likely will need to do something for the ag credit (new term of the deal) and I can hunt it like it was mine.

He is talking about listing it for sale, but we haven't come to terms on all of it yet.

ag credit? like running livestock to keep ag exemption? What kind of shape are the perimeter fences in? depending on how many acres and the layout will determine how many head would need to be let out. Might could find a neighbor that also has livestock to turn out for grazing without the headaches associated with going to auction/sale barn and maintaining while living in SA.

as stated, I have tractors, implements & trailers for transporting if you need help with food plots ...

Yes the exemption. I will let you know if we need the help. I am talking to the landowner now and trying to see what we can work out and what he is really looking for in regards the the exemption.

Taxes are about 10X as high if you dont have the ag exemption---- You never said how much land it was, but the savings in taxes would probably pay to fence it. Like PMK said, let your neighbor run his cows on it, that's waaayyyyy easier than owning cows.

I've drawn the Granger Lake area a couple of times on the TPWD deer hunts. I've seen some huge bucks in that area. I couldn't shoot them as I was rifle hunting. About 8 years ago, a buck scoring 172 was poached on the lake dam. It was shot several times but left there to be found by employees. I've talked to some people hunting east of 35, the numbers aren't there but quality can be.

Last year a buck over 200 was killed by a bowhunter. That same hunter killed a buck over 200 15 years ago, both were Lake Granger deer.

Ive hunted quite a bit on Hood. Haven't killed anything but spent lots of time out there lol. But deer, hogs, turkey, ducks, dove. Although I see more rabbits than anything else so far lol.

On a side note I will definitely be shootin ya a PM soon about the VLB with some questions if you don't mind.

Lake Granger area and rest of these counties are huge differences - Granger has had some huge deer taken - rest of area is typical hill country

From my understanding, the state introduced some south Texas genetics to the Granger deer to see if they would get established.

they did back in the 1940s is what I heard - genetics are still there but do not range must past Granger

We have about 65 ac so it would be a good savings. So far we have a hand full of deer and some turkey and the neighbor's goats that made it through the fence for my corn. I keep catching a glimpse of a cat as well but pretty sure it is feral or the neighbors. Would be awesome if a bobcat.


Feel free to message me about the VLB. It have been a little while from my last deal with them but I am sure we can figure something out.