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Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
#6495298
10/14/16 05:49 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 629
Astater
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OP
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Alright fellas. I'm not new to deer hunting but I am new to it in Texas and on my land. I've never set up a feeder but just purchased 19 acres to build a house on and put up a feeder 4 weeks ago. Got the pictures below in the first 8 days but here are my questions. 1) Since I only have 19 acres, should I be letting anything I like "walk" for next year? 2) There seem to be a lot of deer in the area, so should I be concerned with filling my tags on just 19 acres? 3) I've never shot a "big" buck. I've always hunted for meat and the fun. Some of these look like good deer and are certainly more trophy worthy than anything I've ever shot. Are any of these "big" and what would they score? I have no idea on how to score a deer. Thanks in advance gents. Snaggletooth. Not shooting him, I just thought he looked cool: The ladies fighting over food...
The things we do for ducks... NRA Life Member Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Lifetime License/Member
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495306
10/14/16 05:57 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 917
DUKFVR
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 917 |
Congrats on your place! Nothing like owning your own land!
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: DUKFVR]
#6495310
10/14/16 06:00 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 629
Astater
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Congrats on your place! Nothing like owning your own land! Thanks man...It's a lifelong dream to own a property like this. Now my wife gets to build the house she wants (within our budget). Life is pretty good right now!
The things we do for ducks... NRA Life Member Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Lifetime License/Member
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495327
10/14/16 06:07 PM
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 18,683
Roll-Tide
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 18,683 |
Congrats. Nice deer. I would hunt it, but being selective. Cull the bad ones. Doe here and there....
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495345
10/14/16 06:20 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,111
Red Cloud
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,111 |
Congratulations, you certainly do have your own little piece of Texas Heaven! There are two 10s in your pics. that look to be quality trophy deer for a 19 acre place. If the opportunity presents itself I would take it unless your neighbors are managing their property to build genetics, then I would meet with them before deciding.
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495349
10/14/16 06:21 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Navasot
Hollywood
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Hollywood
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032 |
SCORE! If you don't hunt it let me know! lol go off of age and you cant go wrong... I live on 38acres and hunt it.. its turned into one of my best spots.. take about 2-3 deer off of it every year for the last 5 years
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Red Cloud]
#6495350
10/14/16 06:22 PM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,785
Mr. T.
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,785 |
Congratulations, you certainly do have your own little piece of Texas Heaven! There are two 10s in your pics. that look to be quality trophy deer for a 19 acre place. If the opportunity presents itself I would take it unless your neighbors are managing their property to build genetics, then I would meet with them before deciding. X2
Cabin rental in Pagosa Springs, Co. Sleeps 10, If interested please PM me.
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495351
10/14/16 06:22 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Navasot
Hollywood
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Hollywood
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032 |
That last buck is a stud!
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495353
10/14/16 06:25 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 16,797
S.A. hunter
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Congrats on your land. What county are you in? My dad has 100 Acres but it doesn't hold a lot of deer. I would figure out how many deer you pull to the feeders and then figure out how many you can take out.
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495401
10/14/16 07:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 226
ChanceHuiet
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 226 |
That buck in the slightly daylight photo is a stud. I can't say I'd pass that deer especially on 19 acres.
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495422
10/14/16 07:33 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 629
Astater
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About 35 minutes to downtown Dallas...this place is out east.
I'm getting 10+ does per day. Maybe more...hard to tell those gals apart from morning and evening visits but at least 10 different ones. Bucks are hit and miss and almost always at night.
I've got 3,000 acres behind be that is timber, so I'm pulling off of that land. 400+ directly behind is for sale so no one is managing it now. (Let me know if you're interested and I'll connect you with the seller).
I plan on being selective but I've never taken a buck as big as most of these and my boys have never taken a deer at all. Any worries with me taking a buck and then my two boys taking a doe or buck each?
The things we do for ducks... NRA Life Member Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Lifetime License/Member
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Navasot]
#6495428
10/14/16 07:35 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 629
Astater
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That last buck is a stud!
That's my thought as well. He's got some mass. Any idea on what he'd score?
Last edited by Astater; 10/14/16 07:40 PM.
The things we do for ducks... NRA Life Member Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Lifetime License/Member
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495444
10/14/16 07:43 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,666
John Humbert
Pro Tracker
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Posts: 1,666 |
You cannot manage deer on 19 acres, so shoot any deer you like and don't worry about. I wouldn't take more than one deer per year. At MOST one buck and maybe a doe. You shoot any more than that and you'll have zero deer in no time at all. Not that you will shoot them all, but they'll learn pretty quickly to stay off your property - and that will be very easy to do with 19 acres.
And BTW, I'd shoot that big one in a heartbeat and keep quiet about it with your neighbors
Last edited by John Humbert; 10/14/16 07:45 PM.
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495445
10/14/16 07:45 PM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 3,161
SouthWestIron
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Veteran Tracker
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Congrats, looks like lots of excellent opportunities.
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495447
10/14/16 07:47 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,573
dlrz71
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THF Celebrity
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Posts: 11,573 |
very nice and congrats on the place!!
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495526
10/14/16 08:55 PM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 50
Dead Shot Ecky
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 50 |
I would hunt it. Shoot what you want, it's your property.
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495528
10/14/16 08:59 PM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 60
AvianQuest
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 60 |
In the past, we've shot lots of deer off of a 15 acre property with two stands that each cover about an acre of land that is open to where you can see deer.
Deer either come to the feeders or they pass through the property. All the neighboring land is hunted but not much pressure.
Is this an antler restricted county? If so, that will help improve the quality of bucks.
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: John Humbert]
#6495601
10/14/16 10:06 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Navasot
Hollywood
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Hollywood
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032 |
You cannot manage deer on 19 acres, so shoot any deer you like and don't worry about. I wouldn't take more than one deer per year. At MOST one buck and maybe a doe. You shoot any more than that and you'll have zero deer in no time at all. Not that you will shoot them all, but they'll learn pretty quickly to stay off your property - and that will be very easy to do with 19 acres.
And BTW, I'd shoot that big one in a heartbeat and keep quiet about it with your neighbors Not in the right areas... you find a good hotspot and you can take much more than one a year.... run plenty of feed, make sure you got water, cover and cover around you... sounds like hes in a spot that offeres alot to have that many animals.. But yes I do agree its easy to "train" deer from coming through an area.. one thing iv done on mine is strictly bow hunt... has it helped who knows all the neighbors do.. but everyone kills deer every year and seems like there are even more the next. I like keeping a property quiet
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495614
10/14/16 10:15 PM
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 131
DHS274
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 131 |
I have 50 acres in far east Texas and I can't manage that with any serious impact. Deer range further out than my land. I would adhere to the law and let your ethics be your guide. You cannot control what happens when they leave your land, so....
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6495673
10/14/16 11:16 PM
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,170
Jimbo
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,170 |
Really depends on the amount of hunting pressure around you. If you are covered in deer that might be a dead giveaway of less hunting pressure, and listen for gunshots during the opening of deer season. Lots of gun shots, then you know there is hunting pressure so letting a deer walk may be good for your neighbor. I almost forgot, if you bought acreage in an area that was newly subdivided from a large ranch, the hunting will be great for about a year or two then it will decline rapidly. Just sayin!
Last edited by Jimbo; 10/14/16 11:18 PM.
Thursday at 12:45 PM #33 Once i learned that i didn't "NEED" to kill something, and that if i did kill something all the fun stopped and work began, i was a much better hunter.
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6496035
10/15/16 03:49 AM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 629
Astater
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I know my neighbors hunt. One has 2,500 acres so that's not pressured. Another bought 19 right next to me and he will be hunting. The land behind be is for sale...400+ acres. The realtor owns it and will hunt it.
There is plenty of water and nothing but timber surrounding the property...one of the reasons we bought it. I know there are hogs in the area but we haven't seen or heard any and they haven't hit the feeder yet...knock on wood. I'll let you guys know how it turns out come November.
The things we do for ducks... NRA Life Member Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Lifetime License/Member
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6496177
10/15/16 12:42 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,323
Dave Davidson
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 8,323 |
Agree with John Humbert. If you hunt the feeder there is a good chance that the deer will only show up at night. I would either try to bow hunt it or hunt a trail leading to the feeder.
Without a sense of urgency, nothing ever happens.
Boy, if I say "sic em", you'd better look for something to bite. Sam Shelley, Rancher Muleshoe Texas 1892-1985 RIP
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6545972
11/16/16 01:45 PM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 629
Astater
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Saw this dude at the feeder while I was on the tractor yesterday. I've seen him more than any other buck out there. How old does he look to ya'll? Most of the bucks I'm seeing look fairly young...
The things we do for ducks... NRA Life Member Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Lifetime License/Member
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: Astater]
#6546014
11/16/16 02:04 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,535
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,535 |
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Bought my own little slice of heaven and there are deer...
[Re: redchevy]
#6546109
11/16/16 03:11 PM
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 233
mdryg1970
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 233 |
"Hell with them fellas. Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms."
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