Just about every ranch in every other part of the state puts their feeders in some type of a pen to keep cows, pigs and other animals out except deer. Was thinking of doing it in East Texas but wasn't sure if the deer would be as receptive to it here. Has anyone had any success using feed pens in N. East Texas specifically? Was thinking of doing it to minimize the pigs eating the corn.

We have done it and it works well. That's in Smithland about 17 miles east of Jefferson.

How wide do you make the pens and how tall is the paneling?

I made mine about 30ft across in a circle. I actually used T posts and field fence and have not had any pigs go through or under it....yet. Sure a lot less expensive. (I don't have livestock on my lease though.). It took about a week for the deer to adjust and then were back. I did cut notches in the fencing that I could step over to make it easier for the small ones to jump.

The deer will get used to them. I use Hog panels which are 34" high. Keep the t-post fairly close or the hogs will push the panel up.

The size of the pen depends on how much you want to pay. IMO, the bigger the better. The deer seem more comfortable in big pens than they do in smaller pens. Try to keep most the corn from the feeder inside the pens. This will minimize the hogs coming in as much.

I read somewhere that deer perfer them to be at least 20 ft across. Less claustrophic/ more comfortable. Smaller pens are said to be less inviting. Not a joke.

We use them and the deer have no problem, I believe the one in the picture below is 3 panels x 3 panels(or 48'x48')

We have several of them around spin feeders and protein feeders in Freestone County.

I agree wih the above posters, bigger is better and field fencing,(hog nose wire) with t posts world well. Make sure your main focus is to strengthen the bottom to keep pigs out..

Dr. Kroll convinced me of feeder pens and all his research took place in East Texas. Once they went up on the place I hunted, the hogs were MIA. Everyone around us complained about them but we didn't see one all season. You'll find you throw a lot less feed too. It took the deer all of two days to learn to jump over the fence for the corn. And they appear more relaxed in there too.

Use T-posts and drive them deep. The size of the pen should be about 30X30 (for broadcast feeders, make sure the size captures about 90% of the feed thrown.) Heavy grid wire works very well. Also, make the effort to mow the grass to make it easy pickings. The deer will like the fresh sprigs that come up. Good luck!

Cool! Thanks guys! I'll give it a try.

We used 30x30 as well. It took about as long for them to get used to as anything else you change (new stands, dragging brush, etc.) If hogs are thick, it'll pay for itself in feed prices.

I won't use them, but would take the time to install a swing gate and pulley system for a trip wire while building the pen so you can wipe out a herd of hogs during the offseason.

I just took over another lease here in east Texas that had feeder pens already set up. It looks like they took cattle panels and cut length wise in half so the pens are only a couple of feet tall. Easier for the deer to get in and until pigs learn how to jump it apparently keeps them out.