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Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? #5402692 11/06/14 04:09 PM
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the rattler Offline OP
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I have a new ranch, not very big 200 acres but good game. I recently put a house on it and now all the inlaws and friends want to come and I feel that I must lay down some guidelines for who shoots bucks. I have 2 teenagers and the bucks are for us. What are some ideas for management? Thanks


"110 Rattlers to date, so many snakes,so little time"
Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402704 11/06/14 04:14 PM
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Fltmedic Offline
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Most suggest getting a biologist out there to so a survey. Talk to neighbors see who hunts and what their practices are. You may not change their practices but it may affect how you manage your land. Get some cams and feeders up to see what is passing through. That's what I would do if I was in your shoes, congrats on your purchase, living the dream!


Don't take life so seriously, you'll never make it out alive!
Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402710 11/06/14 04:16 PM
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redchevy Offline
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We have 320+- acres for my dad brother and I to hunt. We base total harvest off of surveys. We pick the bucks we specifically want for us or one of us and then other people are typically told you can shoot hogs, any predators(coyotes, bobcat, etc.) a doe, or one of the bucks on an approved list with pictures that we will show them.

We don't have a lot of invite hunts but that is how they have been handled in past.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402724 11/06/14 04:20 PM
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stxranchman Offline
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Hand them a brochure made for your ranch with prices to hunt. up


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Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402743 11/06/14 04:25 PM
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Navasot Offline
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Get some cameras rolling and scout the bucks you have as much as possible.. have the pictures of the bucks that you feel ok for them to take and let that be that... no exceptions. I have a place that's about the same size and we are taking 4yr old+ bucks nothing younger whatsoever. We do have a few 4yr olds that show to have great potential for some big 5yr olds that will get a pass. Easy to cover the bucks really what you need to find out is how many doe you have and an estimate of your ratio... on mine there are more bucks than doe which is very odd for our area but even so we agreed not to take any doe for now and only 4yr old + bucks... so if you have a lot of doe that's a good way to get that side of things taken care of while your boys are hunting bucks. plenty of shooting being done though since we are working the pigs and yotes non stop. On that size property I would try and keep it well fed and as quiet as possible.

Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: stxranchman] #5402744 11/06/14 04:26 PM
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Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Hand them a brochure made for your ranch with prices to hunt. up


So true!


-Those who say money can't buy happiness never bought a dog.

Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402798 11/06/14 04:38 PM
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stxranchman Offline
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Also explain them you have a long term management plan and goal for your land. You will be sticking to it at all times. That plan includes a limited harvest, no exceptions. All hunters will be guided if needed. That makes it easier to keep from shooting a buck. "That buck is still to young" and leave it at that. grin


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402841 11/06/14 04:51 PM
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cp50948 Offline
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I have a similar situation, only I don't own the land. I married into a family with about the same amount of land. They have never really killed any bigger deer. 120's is probably the biggest they've seen. My family has land in Erath county and over the years we've managed to grow some fairly large bucks. My wife's family has as me to help "manage" the herd by telling them which deer should be culled every year. Well after a few years of shooting culls and growing a decent herd. They have gone buck shooting crazy. Last year they killed 3 3.5-4.5 yr 8s and this year they have managed to do the same thing again and it driving me nuts.

Long story short its your land you decide. If they want to shoot a big deer they can chip in on price of land, corn or hunting set ups. Be careful who you let on your land to hunt. It only takes one hunter to mess up what you've been working hard to create.

Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402871 11/06/14 05:04 PM
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On my place there are culls and nothing else. Deer that are legal that have no brow tines, big bodied spikes which I only have 1 that meets this requirement and 2 funky bucks for this year that look like they took a chair to the face. Ive told the few people ive invited this is it your one and only shot. If you take something other than whats in these pics there is no invite to come back. So far in my one week test with one invited hunter...my brother... it has worked grin


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Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402876 11/06/14 05:05 PM
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Bottom line is you're going to have to be very stingy with your deer harvests. Your guests have to accept the idea that they will most likely just be watching and enjoying their time in the outdoors. Once folks figure out that they will have very limited opportunities to shoot, it won't take long for most of them to lose interest. Long term you can reward the folks that are willing to chip-in on some of the work, follow the rules closely, help scout out deer for you and your kids, etc. by letting them take a deer, maybe even a cull buck somewhere along the way.

Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402882 11/06/14 05:08 PM
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Erathkid Offline
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I would say 1 buck per 100 acres. At least where we are. Unless you have a low fenced neighbor with 12,000 acres beside you. You have to lay down the law early, everyone wants to hunt your place. Hogs and varmints only, after deer season.


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Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402910 11/06/14 05:17 PM
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tShawnB Offline
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Don't invite them or let them hunt. Problem solved.


How come everybody I meet is a deer hunting expert?
Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402927 11/06/14 05:22 PM
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1860.colt Offline
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confused2 what is legal amount of deer that can be taken. HF or LF. here it finaly went to 4 deer county, LF & small acre property. been concentrating on hogs here. one sow can have 4-5 at time & just about 3times a year. seen alot of deer on cams this year. fewer & smaller hogs. my 2cents i have cheep posts. best wishes flag



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Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5402933 11/06/14 05:24 PM
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Navasot Offline
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What county is this in?

Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: tShawnB] #5402938 11/06/14 05:28 PM
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Originally Posted By: tShawnB
Don't invite them or let them hunt. Problem solved.

This ^^^ it sounds harsh, but unless you are going to sit in the blind with them, it's the only way to do it and be assured that your requirements are met. My family will be coming in next month for a weekend, and the only person who I will let hunt is my father. Not that I don't care that my brothers don't have a place to hunt, it's just that they decide to spend their money elsewhere instead of on a lease. My dad on the other hand, has a green light to shoot anything he wants...he's earned that right for putting up with me for almost 40 years grin


Originally Posted by East...
Originally Posted by East...
I will get off in a little bit

You shouldnt have said that
Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5403047 11/06/14 06:12 PM
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burkie38 Offline
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My rule is you shoot a buck you are gonna mount it, and I take to the taxi. $400 makes them think it over.

Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5403055 11/06/14 06:15 PM
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Stompy Offline
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Family,,ugh, good luck. No way my family hunts my ranch. Hopefully you have a better family.


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Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5403079 11/06/14 06:23 PM
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For every hour of work they put in on the ranch, they get one entry into a drawing to be held on October 15th. Winner gets to kill a buck of your choice. The more work you put in, the better your chances are of winning.


Tired, Wired, and Uninspired
Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5403103 11/06/14 06:35 PM
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I have 375 acres. My immediate family and two other people (one BIL, one friend) can hunt bucks. BIL and friend know what a mature deer is. In 9 years I have put one deer "off limits" for me and my family. Everyone else can hunt does, hogs, and predators only. No exceptions. You must draw a hard line-otherwise your place will be shot up in a hurry. No one will care about it like you do. They may say they will, but they won't. If you make an exception, everyone else gets their feelings hurt.

Trust me on this.

P.S. I find it strange so many reply as if you can "inventory" a LF place like counting cans on a grocery store shelf. You cannot. Certainly not in east TX. During the rut bucks will show up from far and wide and some of your bucks will leave.

Last edited by Nogalus Prairie; 11/06/14 06:36 PM.

Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5403112 11/06/14 06:38 PM
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yeti2009 Offline
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Tell them to buy their own land.

Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5403192 11/06/14 07:09 PM
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I agree with the masses. My family don't work on my lease or pay for anything, so they don't hunt period. There are day leases they can go to and pay to hunt. Sounds harsh but hey I don't give hand outs.


I have a few exceptions, my lil sis and son, but I work their butts off for it. Nothing like child labor, cheap and they can't mouth off!! I hunt some with my BIL on his place so he's allowed a trip or two per year.

Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: stxranchman] #5403216 11/06/14 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Hand them a brochure made for your ranch with prices to hunt. up


X100

Might even write it out in bags of corn/protein or supplies(feeders/blinds)

Example 1 does= 10bags of corn


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Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: the rattler] #5403979 11/07/14 02:12 AM
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With 200 acres you better get to know the neighbors and see what they are doing. Not knowing what area you are in, it's hard to say, but you probably won't have that many 'management' bucks. Concentrate on the doe population and make sure you take out ones from all age groups. Hopefully you have a lot of cover to give the deer a place hide and avoid traffic.

Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: ddmm] #5404001 11/07/14 02:23 AM
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Originally Posted By: ddmm
With 200 acres you better get to know the neighbors and see what they are doing. Not knowing what area you are in, it's hard to say, but you probably won't have that many 'management' bucks. Concentrate on the doe population and make sure you take out ones from all age groups. Hopefully you have a lot of cover to give the deer a place hide and avoid traffic.


X2 You can't manage a deer herd on low fenced 200 acres, you can only do what you think is right. The neighbors might go along with a management plan, but I wouldn't plan on it happening. As to family and friends, depending on how you handle everything you may lose some friends and may cause some of the family to shun you, is it worth it? Only you can decide that.


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Re: Ideas to manage friends/in-laws and bucks? [Re: dogcatcher] #5404012 11/07/14 02:30 AM
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Originally Posted By: dogcatcher
Originally Posted By: ddmm
With 200 acres you better get to know the neighbors and see what they are doing. Not knowing what area you are in, it's hard to say, but you probably won't have that many 'management' bucks. Concentrate on the doe population and make sure you take out ones from all age groups. Hopefully you have a lot of cover to give the deer a place hide and avoid traffic.


X2 You can't manage a deer herd on low fenced 200 acres, you can only do what you think is right. The neighbors might go along with a management plan, but I wouldn't plan on it happening. As to family and friends, depending on how you handle everything you may lose some friends and may cause some of the family to shun you, is it worth it? Only you can decide that.

confused2 I am and my neighbor to north and east was already when I got this place. He has 360 acres so it is working great so far for both of us. Very limited buck harvest and I am taking off a few does with MLD permits. We have both done limited buck harvest while including family. The only buck I had taken the past 2 season was taken by my Dad. His only buck taken in the previous 3 years was by his nephew, that young mans first buck.


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