So here is the situation, I have a friend that has about 100 acres near Yantis and has told me that I can have the run of the place for free for as long as I want. His family owns it, but they have no use for it and never go there. Since it is free, I'm not really at risk of losing any money (except a new feeder and some corn to begin with). I know that even if there are any deer there, we wouldn't be talking about a 160 trophy, but I am just wondering if there is anything out there. I have to think there are probably hogs and a few turkeys at the very least, but the question is, are there any deer in that area. Ultimately, I am just looking at it as a place that is near Dallas (1.5hr) where I can take my son and hopefully see a few deer and spend some time together in the woods. I just don't want to be waiting for something that isn't within a hundred miles of the place.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Joel

I live probably 20 miles from Yantis. I would bet that there are some deer there and probably hogs. I would also bet that if the land-owners are never there that somebody is hunting it already.

I used to be a memver at the Links at Lands Ends outside of Yantis by Lake Fork, and I saw some really good deer there. I would imagine it is poacher city though.

Thanks for the input. I am amazed at the concept of hunting someones land without permission, but I'm sure it happens. Maybe me being there regularly will help change that.

the best thing you can do to ward against poaching is to keep your hunting setups well off the road and out of site of the road, and give the impression that the property is visited regularly.

Find out who the local game warden is and let him know that you have exclusive hunting rights and anyone else on the property is trespassing and/or poaching. You may have to show proof that you have hunting rights but that shouldn't be a big deal.

If it's free....treat it right, enjoy it, don't break the stupid AR rule and enjoy! I should be so lucky.....

I have land in East Texas and two leases in West Texas (Sterling County and Baylor County). East Texas has ALOT of good deer, they are just more of a challenge to hunt than West Texas.

The key to East Texas is food plots and timing your hund during the rut.

In my opinion, feeders are a waste of time in East Texas. My family shot two excellent bucks on my land north of Longview. Neither of them was shot off a feeder - both off of food plots. Go ahead and plant a spring plot asap - cow peas and lablab are good choices. The spring plot will attact them to your 100 acres. Follow that up with a Fall plot in September - clover is best. That will be your "kill zone" plot.

Just be prepared to spend ALOT of time in your set ups. This is not like West Texas where the feeder goes off and the deer appear out of no where to feed.

East Texas can be a great place to hunt, you just have to think different than if you are hunting in Central or West Texas.

Good luck and have fun.

I agree east texas deer just dont care alot about feeders so much foilage.I also shoot mine coming and going to a natural crossing no feeders or plots.Hogs will destroy the plots.

Good point about plots - just make them BIG (sevaral acres) and the hogs will not be able to destroy them.

Plus, in regard to clover, I really have not had a problem with the hogs going after the clover for some reason.

The main thing is to be prepared and able to spend ALOT of time in your stands. You may go days without seeing anything worth shooting.

I like to have several smaller ones, but then again, I have a few stands I hunt out of. The more edge you have on your plot the better. I try to make mine an odd shape in order to have more edge.

jrrose i hunt near you out off quinlan takes me close to 45 min from sunnyvale to get to the gate and i know for fact there are deer out there just like everyone else has mentioned its hard hunting and you have to be patient there is alot of hunting pressure in that area, i believe bow season is more affective i see ad shoot most my deer during the october month. if you want to kill some hogs i would put a feeder but if you want mainly deer the plots are the way to go we have both and more deer in the plots than the feeers....

Thanks for all of the input. As I mentioned, this is land that is going unused and untouched. I am grateful that it fell in my lap, and my goal is to leave the property in better shape than when I arrived. I am headed out there for the first time this weekend to get the lay of the land. I really have no idea what I am going to find, I don't know if there are any roads on the property, how overgrown it is, are there any clearings, nothing. I have contacted the game warden and introduced myself. He told me that he lives nearby, and there are definately deer and hogs, and absolutely no turkey. The land owner is having a letter notarized giving me full access incase any questions come up.

I am used to hunting west Texas, where feeder equals dinner bell, so some of your responses hit home. I don't mind working hard for the hunt, especially since it is a relatively short drive and it is free. I am excited to see what's out there, and will post up once I get more information. I have never had to start from scratch or develop a food plot, so I am sure I will have lots of questions, heck, i've got plenty now and I haven't even seen the place.

By the way, what is the no AR rule?

AR = Antler Restrictions

X2

First of all welcome to the forum.

I used to love hunting in East Texas, for one thing you actually have to hunt in East Texas. To me it means more you work hard to "ambush" a deer rather then sit in a box blind at a feeder.

I believe my first thing to do is to scout the land, walk the perimeters and make sure you know where the property lines are. While you are at it look for "deer signs". Tracks, trails, droppings, ect.

I would also focus my attention on water holes and creek beds.

You might try setting up some simple "tube" feeders or just throw out some corn for that matter and just see what happens.

You are going to have to spend some time during the hot months to scout out the land and see what is going on.

Thanks DCS, you read my mind. Thats' pretty much my To Do list for this weekend. I need to map the boundries because the property isn't completely fenced. Next is looking for signs of any kind, checking out the topography, looking for funnels or travel routes if I can find them. I am also thinking I will put some corn or somthing out and set up a camera just to see what happens. I am actually pretty excited about truly working for it like this, I think it will be pretty rewarding if it is even slightly productive.

Even if you don't own it and your hunting for free get with the land owner and POST the property lines! I believe it is purple paint? Do it NOW! anyone that has been poaching on that 100 acres will now know that it is PRIVATE property and that trespassing will no longer be tolerated! then contact the game warden and give him your cell phone number and a description of your truck so he knows if someone is poaching! BTW you will still need written permission from your friend in order to hunt the land legally!

East Texas is great to hunt, but you just need to be prepared to put in ALOT of time in your stands to get a chance at a good deer (or any deer at that).

Like I said above in my first post, I have leases in Sterling and Baylor County, but I live and own property in East Texas. My son and I both shot our biggest bucks last season on my property in East Texas, but it took ALOT of time sitting in our stands to wait for a good buck and a good shot.

If you don't have much time, just make sure you get out there during the rut. Last year in my area that was around the 1st and 2nd week in December. The deer were really moving then.

Other than that, avoid hunting during a full moon (too much light at night for them to feed) and just make the time to properly scout and then get some food plots down.

I like East Texas hunting. To me, it is a REAL hunt and not a shoot.

Ive hunted SE and NE Texas evenly for last 34 years. Have seen corn work but seems that the better size deer were indeed coming from Oats or other food plots/natural everyday stuff like acorn ,pecan,persimmons and peanuts etc...
You literally do hunt the day..more time in stands. Seen a lot of deer when not in stand around the 11am -3pm time zone too.

take a little time and plant a clover food plot and you will see allot more deer than with a corn feeder.

I have a friend that is ou that way that takes good shooter bucks every year.

We always see a bunch of deer when we go play there and have also seen some pretty good bucks in that area. I wouldnt hesitate to go put up a stand and feeder on the place, you never know what might walk out. At least its FREE!