New Lease, New Questions...

Ok, I am getting on a new lease. We have All Seasons stand and fill 600#. The LO has about 20 head of cattle on 900 acres. Do you think we will be ok with not putting these feeders in pens? Thinking about just putting a t-post on each corner and being done with it? Thoughts...?



Also we just got cameras put up on a protein feeder so dont have any pics yet. This rub was on about a 14 inch diameter tree just outside of the protein feeder pen. It is huge and fresh. Any chance this is axis or likely just WT? Lease is between Mason and Menard.

I'm thinking of doing the exact same thing and don't see why it wouldn't work, but interested to see results of anyone that has tried it.

How do you like the new feeder so far? Looking at one of these or the Texas Wildlife Supply.

I personally wouldn't want to be feeding cows. I'd pen it whether it was 1 or 100 head of cattle.

Someone else will have to take a stab at the rub, but my thought is its not just one animal.

we have a bunch more than 20 (likely 70+) head of cattle on our 900 acre lease, I don't recall any of our hunters having feed pens. I always stake my feeders down with t-posts to prevent them knocking the feeder over. I am considering putting a pen up though as the cows have learned the sound of the feeder going off and come a charging but typically only hang out for a few minutes before grazing on off.

If that's a wt rub on a 14" diameter tree then its easily the biggest one ive ever seen!

He'll need a bigger gun huh?

pens...not only will they try to shove the feeder around they will do anything they can to try and get the corn out....they will have the lid off in a week..trust me I have the same feeder and I know....

No, damn cows will flat ruin your hunting if you do not keep them away from your feeder. If my pen doesn't bring back the deer and hogs, I'm ditching the lease.

I really don't think cows affect deer much. Many times on our place I have had deer and cows eating within feet of each other. I know for a fact they don't affect hogs, I got this pic this weekend when we went to fill feeders.

I would put pen around feeder!!

Pen it and make the pen big enough that it doesn't throw the corn out of it. The cows will be there when the feeder goes off and a few T-posts isn't enough to stop them. See my thread, they bent the t-post like it was nothing. http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/5984142/1

+ 1 on the pen.

The rub looks to be from either an axis (most likely) or a fallow. I may be wrong, but I believe the majority of the axis will start rubbing about now for their upcoming rut in May/June/July.

I also would pen the feeder. Have hunted properties with cat, with goats, and cattle and goats and have nothing positive to say about any of the livestock and hunting.

We fenced one of our feeders this season and just keeping the hogs off of it we are seeing more deer at that stand than other. The others will be fenced before next season!

good point redchevy! I am planning on putting up a pen on one or two feeders at my Llano county lease that I mentioned about the cows. I truly think the hogs are the main thing that is keeping the deer at bay from that particular area of the lease. The cows come in but don't hang out long, still lots of corn on the ground when the graze on off to other areas.

Pen 100%...

Definitely put up a pen, cows suck.

A few t-posts and some cut-down cattle panels.

Enjoy your new place.

Fence it, cows are tornadoes with hooves

Pen the feeder. That is a Bumelia Tree and WT love to sign post rub them. I have seen many of them that size rubbed in the Hill Country by even smaller bucks. Axis will use them also.

I've got the same feeder. Put a pen around it and the deer will be more comfortable.

pen it even if you have to do a simple wire fence.. just pigs is better than worrying about pigs and cows...

you will regret not keeping the cows away from it if you let it b

All seasons recommends not putting up a pen to keep cows out. They want to sell you more feeders to replace those that the cows destroy.

I have no experience setting up my own feeders but I have been around cows and it's gonna take just one cow with an itch to take off that solar panel on the side.

I have this feeder, and it is the only feeder I don't have penned. We have cattle, but I have not had any issues (almost two years). I took two large stakes with semi-circles at the top and cinched them down on the angle iron skids on each side. I see more deer and better bucks at this feeder than I do my penned feeders. We have a fair amount of pigs, and sometimes those come in and run the deer off, so that has been the biggest negative to date.

My pens are ten cattle panels (circular) with a few spots cut down, the deer have always seemed uneasy about jumping in. I won't pen my All Seasons until something knocks it over.

I have about 15 of these feeders, none in a pen, for 2 years now, & no problems.

I have both penned and unpenned. Eventually the hogs become a problem when things get dry with the unpenned feeders.

I have found if you make the pen big enough, all bucks will get comfortable with it. 10 panels is way too small IMO. I would go with 18-20.

Pen for sure.

Pen it.