Texas Hunting Forum

First time east Texas hunt advice

Posted By: huskerman

First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 12:59 AM

First time hunting in east Texas. Just northwest of jasper in the pines. Any good experiences out there, I have heard of vandalism happening to some leases but thought I'd take a chance. 60 acres all to myself surrounded by large tracts of pine. Will have feeders and stands up.
Posted By: maximum

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 01:57 AM

the neighbors will likely hunt it
when you're not there. that's everywhere
anymore. try to hide some cameras if
you can. my place still gets trespassed
after my owning it more than 7-8 years.
it's something that happens if you cant
be there daily. usually neighbors that
see you come and go.
Posted By: huskerman

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 02:01 AM

Ah yeah I am in Houston so not going to be there during the week. Hiding cameras as like to see if they are trespassing. Do the GWs do anything about it. Why I've read seems kjnd of like the locals do what they want and have no respect towards leasers from out of town.
Posted By: rickym

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 02:05 AM

What was said above and find game trails. You will see more deer on/near trails than at feeders usually. Check water sources if any. Find spots to hand corn on or near game trails, and throw out a few pounds as often as you can. Put pens around your feeders or it will become pig city and there will be very little deer activity
Posted By: Texas Dan

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 02:28 AM

You'll swear the deer have disappeared three weeks into the season. Once they feel the pressure from hunters, they alter their routines quickly. Take any vacation you have left and hunt during the middle of the week when possible. Walk more and leave the ATV parked until you have something to load and take back to the meat pole. Every minute you're not on the stand during the rut in early November is a minute when a buck might come past you chasing a doe.
Posted By: sqiggy

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 03:35 AM

Boy, they saw you coming!!!
Everybody knows, "There ain't no deer in E. Tx."!!! whistle
Posted By: Deerhunter61

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 03:49 AM

Many many years ago I hunted 5 miles south of Jasper and there were some really good deer there. There was a lot of night hunting back then. Trespassing is just part of it it seems...
Posted By: passthru

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 04:36 AM

Get you a rechargeable LED spot light like the locals use. bolt
Posted By: basspromaster

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 10:41 AM

Use Google Earth to locate any natural funnels, dry creek beds, game trails and where your neighbors blinds are set up. This will help with some of the guess work and make it so u don't double up the corn for the deer by stacking feeders so close to one another. Get to know your neighbors and if any of them are older offer to help them in anyway you can! They may not want or need help but being a good neighbor is part of the game and might help u along the way.
Posted By: titan2232

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 01:06 PM

If you will be hunting every weekend I'd hand corn a few areas instead of putting up a feeder. You'll probably get more daytime action from deer and less poachers without the feeder.

Spread two or three 50lb bags in different areas and that should get the deer coming in.
Posted By: maximum

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 04:12 PM

Originally Posted By: titan2232

. . . . and less poachers without the feeder.

one year sometime back one of the neighbors came by
and asked why i hadn't put up any feeders, and was
i going to ?
i didn't say anything to him, but to myself i said
hmmmm. . .you couldn't see any of this from the road
when i had some up, and you wouldn't have known i
didn't move them somewhere else unless you've been
here and thoroughly scoped things out when i wasn't here. . .
Posted By: huskerman

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 04:51 PM

Well with no feeder at least I won't have to haul them out there. Looks like there are two neighbors and hopefully they aren't a problem. But sounds like wishful thinking to me. I will miss opening weekend because I am out of town. But I can hunt that Monday so we will see. Deer might be scared off by then. In Nebraska where I'm use to hunting during rifle if you didn't get a deer your first weekend they were all too gun shy by the second. Also no feeders allowed up there.
Posted By: maximum

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 05:59 PM

i don't use 'em anymore because of
the reasons mentioned and the expense.
i can tell when my neighbors feeders
are about to go because the crows start
gathering at my place and take off for his
place as soon as you here the "TINK-TINK-TINK!"
of the corn spinning out. i hunt the trails
and funnels and have some small hidden food
plots scattered around.
the deer at your place will likely be skeerd
by the second week of gun season and glock practice
too. walk straight in and straight out quietly
and stay as concealed as you can. make 'em feel
safe in your area.
Posted By: Dead Eye Mike

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 06:10 PM

Don't leave anything you cannot afford to lose.
Posted By: SouthTXhunter07

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 07:47 PM

Wow, sounds like a horrible place to hunt. Dang.
Posted By: huskerman

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 07:57 PM

If I could afford west or south I would. But this is kinda close to Houston for cheap so it will have to do. Will have to adapt.
Posted By: Navasot

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 08:19 PM

Find the spot you can see the most property like fire cuts or what not and sit.
Posted By: Texas Dan

Re: First time east Texas hunt advice - 10/21/15 08:43 PM

Originally Posted By: maximum
i don't use 'em anymore because of
the reasons mentioned and the expense.
i can tell when my neighbors feeders
are about to go because the crows start
gathering at my place and take off for his
place as soon as you here the "TINK-TINK-TINK!"
of the corn spinning out. i hunt the trails
and funnels and have some small hidden food
plots scattered around.
the deer at your place will likely be skeerd
by the second week of gun season and glock practice
too. walk straight in and straight out quietly
and stay as concealed as you can. make 'em feel
safe in your area.


You can definitely kill deer without a feeder if you're willing to do your homework and look for funnels and travel routes. And unlike feeders where activity is often limited to a brief window around "feeding time", you can catch deer moving along travel routes throughout the day, especially during the rut.

One of the best spots I ever hunted was a clearcut back in Mississippi that I hunted one season as a teenager. The loggers had left a thin strip of trees that followed a small branch that cut across the clearcut. Deer wanting to get to and from wooded areas on each side of the clearcut, would follow the strip of trees like people using a bridge to cross a river. You could sit in a stand at the end of strip, hid back in the woods a bit, and see deer using it all day.
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