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How do I increase deer on my lease?? #6549282 11/18/16 04:14 PM
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R. Johnson Offline OP
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What is the best & most affordable way to increase the deer on your lease. I hunt in Mills county in the Texas hill country on about 500 acres (low fence). We have 8-10 corn feeders but what are other ways to attract and hold deer?? Without spending a ton of cash??

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549284 11/18/16 04:15 PM
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redchevy Offline
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Especially in years like this... WATER!


It's hell eatin em live
Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549288 11/18/16 04:18 PM
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I hunt Mills County as well. What does your land look like? Cover? Open? Water? I would think 500 acres in Mills would automatically have a good number of deer on it. I hunt on 350 acres. Decent amount of cover on it, mostly oak trees with a couple stock ponds on it. Very healthy deer population.

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549309 11/18/16 04:25 PM
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R. Johnson Offline OP
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It's pretty open with quite a bit of cedar and some oak trees.
Maybe start feeding protein but don't want to spend a ton. Might be able to do a couple of food plots but lots of areas have rock!

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549313 11/18/16 04:28 PM
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If the land is pretty open that might have something to do with it. Our last lease was relatively open but had some cedar. The owner rented a cedar cutter on a bobcat and cleared almost all of the cedar and it hurt what we saw. The deer would hang around on the neighbors property all day and come eat on ours at night.


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Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549452 11/18/16 06:10 PM
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Feeders and food plots should help. Presumably you have 'water' on the place?

My family used to own 800 acres in Goldthwaite and that entire area always had good deer populations. The exception being if 'Goats' were being raised on the land. Cattle didn't seem to hurt.

IF you don't have livestock to deal with...then the strategic placement of feeders and food plots should be of benefit.


Spartans ask not...how many, but where!
Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549475 11/18/16 06:30 PM
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Cover and water are going to be your best bets. If you don't have cover then try food plots. They don't have to be big, you can clear some small ones by hand. I have equipment and know others that do as well. Protein would also help. You don't have to feed year-round or keep it out 24-7, just stock it when you are there or during the season.

I've hunted Mills for nearly 40 years. If you want to meet up next week or some time when I'm there, I'd be happy to come out and evaluate in person. Just PM me.


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Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549614 11/18/16 08:03 PM
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Protein feeders help tremendously!


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Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549703 11/18/16 09:27 PM
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When you say 8-10 corn feeders how many hunters do you have on the place? My in laws live in Mullin and have about 600 acres west of town. They are not hunters and do not allow hunting but on thanksgiving we will drive around and feed the goats. We will jump up at least 20 deer in the middle of the day. So we all know that there a lot of deer in your area. If you have a lot of hunters you all will really need to pay attention to how much noise and traveling you all do on the place. I like to set up a Off Limits area right in the middle of my lease. To give the deer a quiet Sanctuary to bed up in.

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549723 11/18/16 09:53 PM
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8 to 10 feeders are to many for 500 ac JMO, and if you got that many hunters, that's a lot of pressure, there going some where else.

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549878 11/19/16 12:41 AM
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How many doe do you think are killed off the lease each deer?

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6549917 11/19/16 01:05 AM
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We have 500 acres, albeit in Sutton County, with 15 feeders, 3 protein feeders, 3 water troughs, 2 rain guzzlers and an off limits hill in north central of property. We have seen 40 deer in a hunt. When we started there 10 years ago, youd be lucky to see 2 deer. (Anthrax in 2005). Terrain varies with cedar and oaks. We have good neighbors who supplement feed and water as well. IMO you cannot have too many feeders. We have 7 full time hunters and up to 5 or 6 guests who usually pop culls or take a mature one. We havent popped a doe in 10 years and have let the young ones walk, mostly (dad has a happy trigger finger!)

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6550112 11/19/16 04:00 AM
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I have 320 acres in North Texas. We have 4 corn feeders sitting in food plots, wheat and oats. All of our stands are on the perimeter and we don't go into the interior of the place before or during deer season. ALL four wheelers and ATV are off limits unless recovering a deer. I don't run cattle so the place is pretty thick with mesquites, coastal and bluestem. I also have 2 protein feeders I run starting in July. Today me and my Brother hunted and saw 2 shooter 8 pts and a 140 class 10 pt with a broken brow tine plus 5 smaller bucks. This is typical of all of our hunts. The secret to having more deer on your place is simple, food, water, cover and leave them alone. This is easier for me to do since I own the land. Me, my 2 grown boys and my Brother are the only ones who hunt there. Good Luck!

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: MudEngineer] #6550170 11/19/16 04:57 AM
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Beautiful buck!

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6550190 11/19/16 05:34 AM
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How long have you had this lease? Have you done a deer count? It is helpful to have an idea of where you are, and where you trying to go. What is the buck/doe ratio? Do you have a goal as to how many deer to shoot each year, and what sex? Have you tried to manage the habit, such as making brush piles or small clear cuts? I thinking throwing money at corn and protein will be mostly throwing money. Is there water? If not, could you dig a tank?

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: R. Johnson] #6550207 11/19/16 09:27 AM
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water, cover, and food plots will consistently increase pop.


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Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: dgilbert] #6550247 11/19/16 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted By: dgilbert
8 to 10 feeders are to many for 500 ac JMO, and if you got that many hunters, that's a lot of pressure, there going some where else.


I don't agree about the feeders, as long as corn isn't piling up on the ground, I do agree about the hunters.

Re: How do I increase deer on my lease?? [Re: Kpaycheck] #6550248 11/19/16 11:52 AM
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Originally Posted By: MudEngineer
I have 320 acres in North Texas. We have 4 corn feeders sitting in food plots, wheat and oats. All of our stands are on the perimeter and we don't go into the interior of the place before or during deer season. ALL four wheelers and ATV are off limits unless recovering a deer. I don't run cattle so the place is pretty thick with mesquites, coastal and bluestem. I also have 2 protein feeders I run starting in July. Today me and my Brother hunted and saw 2 shooter 8 pts and a 140 class 10 pt with a broken brow tine plus 5 smaller bucks. This is typical of all of our hunts. The secret to having more deer on your place is simple, food, water, cover and leave them alone. This is easier for me to do since I own the land. Me, my 2 grown boys and my Brother are the only ones who hunt there. Good Luck!
Originally Posted By: Kpaycheck
Beautiful buck!

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