after hearing all these ridiculous statements concerning the 300 in deer that was killed sat, I wanna know, especially from the people that made the comments, who has actually hunted on a high fence ranch, of any size.

I've had the pleasure of enjoying many hunts on different ranches, from 300 acres in size to over 4000.

4000 acres in Zapata Co. sice 1992

The ranch was purchased in 91 and hunted as a LF property. In Feburay a helo survey was done and 4 mature buck were counted. The entire place was shot out!.

Up whent the fence that March (1992) For 7 years not a single buck, that was not a SPIKE, was killed as well as hundreds of does. The overall plan was to bring the deer per acre to 1 adult buck to 30 acres. NO protien is used on this place, what the land produces is what the deer eat, beside corn during hunting season.

Since 1999 helo survey pics and sheds have produced at least one 190"-200+" every year to date. The largest buck harvested to date is a typical 12 that scored 188 and change. Which is why I say just because you have a 8' fence, if the place is big enough, doesn't mean your hunting "pen" deer.

I've hunted one in Nacogdoches Co and one in South Tx.

The place I hunt is half high fence, half low fence. I've always hunted outside the fence, but a lot of that portion was sold last year.

The portion inside the fence has had no management practices whatsoever. Actually, I'd like to know what to do in order to start growing some big 'uns.

I have been on several 1800-12000 acres.

I have been bird hunting on two different HF ranches. My observations of the deer on both were that they exhibited the typical characteristics of low pressured deer found almost anywhere in Texas - not overly spooky but not "tame" by any stretch. I didn't see any monster bucks standing around the protein feeders or waiting for the truck to come by with the tailgate feeder going.

I've hunted several high fence ranches (all invites-I never paid) of various sizes. Mostly I've hunted low fence that range from 50 acres to over 100,000 acres in size.

My current lease is about 7,000 acres of low fence out of a much larger low fence ranch. It has a separate 800 acre pasture under high fence for the owner (not part of our lease). Several years ago they killed a nice 170's buck that had never been seen on game cam, in person or by any of the surveys. That buck aged out at 8.5. So he either sprung up through a hole in the ground or did a very good job hiding.

My personal experience is that deer inside high fence on smaller properties will feel the hunting pressure more and will flat disappear. They go completely nocturnal after the shooting starts.

Hunting high fence is not as easy as people seem to think.

12000 acres, high fenced on 3 sides, river on the other... very hard hunting, evne with little or no pressure.

THink size has a lot to do with it. Sure, had a guy call and want me to organize some hunts on 48 acres HF once.... Heck no...

Somewhere bigger maybe, but not small places...

I know a rugged 2000 ac place that would be serious hunting.

It just depends.

It's all hunting, and all hunters need to stick together.

several- 400 - 21k acres... still haven't killed a mature buck off one

What does B&C say about that one???

A good friend of mine has about a 600 or so acre HF ranch in Coryell County. He has let me go hunting there toward the end of the season for the past couple years for a cull buck or doe for my freezer, because i have not had a place to hunt. And i usually pay him in deer jerky. The first year i shot a 4 point that was 18 inches wide.

His entire ranch is VERY thick with brush, and the deer are not tame at all, they are very much wild. If they catch a whiff or see you, they are gone, and you wont see em again. I never hunt in his blinds, i always stalk. It makes the hunt much more enjoyable for me, and it has made for a challenging hunt every time i have hunted there.

seen the most mature 150 plus deer ever Niligi hunting on the King, think I counted close to 10-150 plus and 20 120-150

apparently its not escape proof cause of the river

Partially high fenced on my 7200 acre ranch, my smaller ranches are not high fenced

lol, honestly it is...somewhat. I wish I had pics of the buck my kinfolk shot on their land on the other side of the river. It's either 213 or 217...can't remember which.

I have. Just dozens and dozens of 200+ deer walking up and eating out of your hand everywhere.

i have and seen a lot of good deer i was only allowed to shoot does it was 8,000 acres beautiful place in the hill country i always liked hunting there you saw lots of big bucks it was cool just to watch them

Hunted on a 19,000 acre ranch in Sonora, TX last year. It's like hunting in the zoo. The only time I've seen turkey, pigs and big deer all within 10 minutes of each other.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jaymzyates/20091201Sonora#5410480510414203218

I've hunted several, most have been 5000 acres +

my lease now is around 6000 acres high fenced on three sides that has a low fence on the 4th side with an additional 6 or 7 thousand acres on that other side that is high fenced (which is a different lease). so there are around 12-13 thousand acres, and the deer are basically penned up. They are trapped in the tiny 20 square mile high fence enclosure. sometimes I step on them walking to my blind.

the deer are really easy to shoot. usually, I just start yelling "deer" out of the blind, and they come up. If there's not one big enough, I yell "bigger deer", until one that's big enough finally walks out. then I shoot it.

Yeah I normally just grab em and strangle em so not to damage any meat.

no wonder you have trouble finding one.... they respond better if you yell, "Doe that ain't had no chi'ren in several years."..."Mr. 190 class"...and "5.5yr old itchin' to get shot". Get a little more personal with them and you will see better results.

on the deer preserve I can go out and yell..."Where my ******* at?" and the does will come running out to greet me...lol, I'mmmmm serious.

i have hunted a few places with high fences. i don't care HF or LF, price & a good hunt are my main concerns.

For deer hunting a friend has a HF place 3000 acres. Hunted it 3 times and never killed a mature buck and never saw one on it. He had big deer there, just not lucky I guess. He had plenty get killed each year and had pics from helo surveys that were never seen or captured on cameras. If he wasnt a friend I doubt I would have ever hunt a HF place though just not for me. I have not been back in 8 yrs because it is a 7.5 hr drive for me.

For hog hunting, I hunted a HF place back in the early 90s before I knew what they were. The place was a 200 acres. My buddy and I left the lodge walking with a guide right before daylight. Right at light we spotted a group of pigs along a drainage and I shot and missed. I thought, there went my opportunity for the day as my buddy was up next for any shot. It soon got daylight and I could see there were pigs everywhere. It was like a dang pig farm there were so many. I told the guide to take me back to the cabin because I was done. I was never so thankful for a missed shot in all my life.

My two personal experiences behind a high fence and I think they represent both ends of the spectrum.

From 700 to 100K acres, high and low fences.

I'm managing a 1000 acre low fence ranch, and a 7300 acre high fence operation...