texashuntingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Beatixre, MooseSteed, Trappernewt, casyoo
71987 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
dogcatcher 110,788
bill oxner 91,416
SnakeWrangler 65,416
stxranchman 60,296
Gravytrain 46,950
RKHarm24 44,585
rifleman 44,461
Stub 43,769
Forum Statistics
Forums46
Topics537,007
Posts9,719,383
Members86,987
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
Print Thread
Couple questions for the board #6666648 02/08/17 04:26 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 34
M
mattyzag25 Offline OP
Light Foot
OP Offline
Light Foot
M
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 34
First time posting so I appreciate all the insight in advance:

My family has a ranch in Zapata County (south south texas)and we high fenced our property in 10 years ago because we are really close to Mexico and put the high fence up for more of a protection/safety aspect and not necessary for deer hunting. We started noticing more and more year about 3 years ago and then got our MLD permits. Last season I was able to get 13 does and this season was able to get 11 does and 8 bucks (all culls). But no one in my family deer hunts but me and I have a terrible case of the fever! I am currently working on getting the population down to more of a 1:1 and decreasing the herd. But any insights and tips would be greatly appreciated. So here are some of my questions:

We don't have any blinds up and feeders so I will be looking into getting some for this coming season so any help there will be greatly appreciated. When it comes to feeders, is it that imperative that there is a fence around them? Also, do I want to have my feeders constantly putting out corn or is it better to just do it during certain months of the year.
Also I would like to hear people's belief on how many acres per one deer. Our property is very think with a good amount of vegetation. We also have 5 water tanks throughout the property for the wildlife. The ranch is a little under 1400 acres.

Also if there is anything else people like to do to help manage/different ways to help benefit the deer besides the tradition corn and protein all information is appreciated.

I am graduating college this May and hopefully going to be staying in Austin so the drive to the ranch isn't too bad so I will be having more time to spend on up keeping and what not.

Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6666690 02/08/17 04:48 PM
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 513
T
Txhuntr2 Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
T
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 513

Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6666692 02/08/17 04:48 PM
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 513
T
Txhuntr2 Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
T
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 513
TPWD has more articles that are worth a read. You just have to find them on their site

Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6666694 02/08/17 04:49 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,964
T
Texas buckeye Online Content
THF Celebrity
Online Content
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,964
Your best resource regarding the deer density and feeder locations etc could be the county biologist. I would give them a call and see if they would come out to the ranch and give you some advice.

1400 acres high fenced more than likely fenced in some pigs too. A feeder is usually fenced off for either cattle or pig blocking...if there are cattle on the place then you will need to fence off the feeders, no cattle and you could leave them open if you want to set up for the pigs to have access and an easier hunting opportunity for the pigs. Whether you feed year round vs just certain months is up to you, but with 1400 acres all high fenced the biologist would likely suggest some supplemental protein feeding unless the natural forbes are excellent. Food plots could also be recommended, but again, biologist would help with size and number of plots recommended.

In south texas on 1400 acres you could legitimately put up a blind every 100 acres and not cover enough ground. Blinds and feeder locations could cost you crazy money if you let it, so since you have had some success with what you are doing, I would recommend starting with less blinds and working up as you feel you need them. NO rush to get blinds up, esp if you put them in the wrong places and they need moved again. My thoughts are get some feeding stations established and then place blinds around them as needed. I have blinds on trailers that I can move as needed, and this year after getting on a new lease I moved one blind three times in a couple months since I didn't have it right. Hard to do that with tower blinds.

Welcome to the forum and get ready to learn a lot from a lot of different opinions!

Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6666696 02/08/17 04:50 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,355
T
TXGH Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
T
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,355
I am in Austin Texas as well. If you need assistance working on anything let me know I am game for helping you out. I know it can be a lot of work. Send me a message


Joseph Trousdale
Host Texas Game Hunters TV
TXGameHunters.com

www.TXgamehunters.com
Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6666725 02/08/17 05:20 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
T
titan2232 Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
T
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
Give jpprocaddie a call. He can set you up with a video camera and AR of your choosing peep



Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6666732 02/08/17 05:23 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,811
T
TxAg Offline
Extreme Tracker
Offline
Extreme Tracker
T
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,811
Welcome to the forum Matt.

If you are MLD y'all must be doing population surveys. Biologist will generally recommend harvesting no more than ~20% of the respective doe and buck population in a given year. So, with the doe and buck tags you said y'all got this year we can reasonably assume you have something like 55 does and 40 bucks, or ~95 total adult deer. That works outs to 14.7 acres/deer which sounds in the ball park for that country. Might be higher if it hasn't been hunted hard last few years though. Also tells me your B:D ratio is pretty good, otherwise they'd likely have you taking more does. Your biologist can tell you your ideal acres/deer, and your target B:D ratio. And, it's no doubt in the Management Plan the ranch filed as part of the MLD process. I'd see if there's a copy available.

Feeder density in that area of the state varies greatly, but I'd say average for ranches I know down there runs 300 to 400 acres per feeder. If you plan to feed free choice protein (and I would if it's in the budget) then you definitely need feed pens. If you are just going to throw corn you could go with something like a Stand n' Fill which is not affected by cows. Pigs would still hit it though.

As to feeding corn year round vs. just during the season that is up to you. Your deer are inside a fence so you aren't worried about keeping them on your property. But, if it was me I'd run one or two year round for pig hunting and buck observation spots.

As said above, food plots can be a great way to get some nutrition to your herd beyond Protein. Also, you can look into Cottonseed. Cheaper to feed, and the cost of the feeder is almost nothing (netwire and a T-post).

Like said above, I'd start slow on blinds. Do some scouting and pick two or three good places to get a feeder going. You can initially hunt them with portable tripods until you're sure you like the spots. Once sure, you can invest in placing semi-permanent elevated blinds. In that thick stuff a little height can be a real advantage.

Just my $.02 above. Happy to talk more on the phone if you want, my number is on my website in the sig line.

Good luck to y'all.

Last edited by TxAg; 02/08/17 05:25 PM.
Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: TXGH] #6666750 02/08/17 05:34 PM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 3,126
K
kdkane1971 Offline
Veteran Tracker
Offline
Veteran Tracker
K
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 3,126
Originally Posted By: jtprocaddie
I am in Austin Texas as well. If you need assistance working on anything let me know I am game for helping you out. I know it can be a lot of work. Send me a message


rolleyes

Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6666904 02/08/17 07:25 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 34
M
mattyzag25 Offline OP
Light Foot
OP Offline
Light Foot
M
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 34
Does anyone have any feeders they really enjoy and why? I really don't have any knowledge of what kind of feeders I should be looking into. My plan is to get 3-4 feeders set up sometime in May/June but don't exactly know which ones I should be looking into. I haven't seen pigs in a while but we do have A LOT of javalinas.

Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6666963 02/08/17 08:00 PM
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 11,510
R
rickym Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 11,510
Originally Posted By: mattyzag25
Does anyone have any feeders they really enjoy and why? I really don't have any knowledge of what kind of feeders I should be looking into. My plan is to get 3-4 feeders set up sometime in May/June but don't exactly know which ones I should be looking into. I haven't seen pigs in a while but we do have A LOT of javalinas.


Id look at a bunch of companies for feeders. Find whats gonna work for you best. Look at the stand and fill models, these days its completely unnecessary to climb ladders or stand on 4 wheelers/trucks to fill your feeders. More work and more dangerous if you fall on a t-post. The javis will come to your feeders just like hogs, and if theres hogs inside that fence, they will find the corn. Kill off a bunch of your javis, they are competition for the deer as far as resources go.



Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6667055 02/08/17 08:50 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,964
T
Texas buckeye Online Content
THF Celebrity
Online Content
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,964
for sure kill off as many of the hogs and javis as you can, they are just eating resources the deer would normally.

I like my All-seasons 600lb stand and fill. easy to load/move as it is lightweight when empty and has skids, but yet has built in varmint cage and solar power. There are many like it that may be cheaper and just as good but its what my local feed store had so I got one. Will get more like it when I need them.

Oh and just because you don't see pigs doesn't mean you don't have any. they breed like rabbits and don't like humans, but on 1400 acres I bet you got some.

Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: rickym] #6667089 02/08/17 09:10 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 34
M
mattyzag25 Offline OP
Light Foot
OP Offline
Light Foot
M
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 34
You have any brands I prefer that I should check out first?

Are you referring if the hogs/javis get inside the fenced in feeder?

Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6667115 02/08/17 09:29 PM
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 11,510
R
rickym Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 11,510
All seasons, Lamco, Alamo, west texas, hb and weaverbuilt just to name a few. Theres alot of good brands out there. They all have they're own price tag, warranty, and customer service can always be an issue. I personally and many others love the all seasons feeders with "the timer" and the eliminator spinner plate

I was reffering to if theres hogs inside your high fence, they will find and eat all the corn, therefore you would want to build feed pens.



Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6667126 02/08/17 09:39 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 235
lawndart956 Offline
Woodsman
Offline
Woodsman
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 235
I went to winch up tripod feeders over the past few years and I will never go back. No climbing ladders with a bag of corn for me. Just back the truck up and fill her full. I had a friend build them and he charged me $200 then I had to put the spinner on. I went with the Spintech 12v and it has been great! they were a little more money but I have had really good luck with them. That being said I am very careful around them and try to not go to close when there is a full 55 gallon drum of corn in the air. I'm not going to trust my life to a $25 boat winch!

Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6667140 02/08/17 09:48 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,811
T
TxAg Offline
Extreme Tracker
Offline
Extreme Tracker
T
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 3,811
Originally Posted By: mattyzag25
Does anyone have any feeders they really enjoy and why? I really don't have any knowledge of what kind of feeders I should be looking into.


I'd look at the All Seasons Stand n' Fill 600. Solid feeder, easy to fill, varmint and pig resistant. Holds lots of corn, so it lasts longer between fillings. Galvanized hopper for long term rust resistance. Get something with a quality 12V control unit and a solar panel. I like "The Timer" personally. Here's what other guys on the forum have to say:
http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/6665926/All_Seasons_Feeders?#Post6665926

Don't mind the Javis, they are native and they don't hurt much. Now the pigs....whack 'em.

Last edited by TxAg; 02/08/17 09:50 PM.
Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6667142 02/08/17 09:50 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,964
T
Texas buckeye Online Content
THF Celebrity
Online Content
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,964
one thing you could do if buying multiple feeders is leave one or two (depending on how many you set up) is leave one un-fenced for the hogs and javis to find and get comfortable around. then it makes hunting them more of a shooting game. Makes your job easier.

But yes, if you have javelinas you can guess there are hogs too, and if you don't pen the feeders up with fencing, then they will find it and bump off all the deer from those feeders. Lots of good advice on here about setting up feeder pens, but generally speaking the bigger the better and use hog or cattle panel and not barbed wire...barbed wire works ok for cattle but hogs will go right through it. Panels down tot he ground will keep hogs out for the most part and deer will just jump over it to get to the corn.

Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6667580 02/09/17 02:16 AM
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,856
R
REALKILLER Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
R
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,856
Sheww. Gotta get a beer and some glasses. Did not read. SOrry. grin Hey, John Wayne used a lasso and an old truck. aim


Recently got a gym membership, strange folks! I like to show up the roid zombies with my full motion curls with the 55lb. bells. Not their cheater short stroked light weights. It's holarious.
Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6667850 02/09/17 12:12 PM
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,638
P
Pitchfork Predator Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
P
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,638
Search for Alamo feeders in the classifieds of this site. They are the best design being offered. I've used pretty much all the ones mentioned above. They are all good but have coon cages that knock the corn down and cause it to pile up around the bottom. Alamos design doesn't require a coon cage but the coons can't get to it. It throws the corn out very evenly in a big circle, allowing for multiple deer to feed without one or two dominating the pile and running all the other deer off. They are built like a tank and are stand and fill, which is the safest and easiest to fill.

Also be aware from your post you will receive many offers of help because you have 1400 acres that's been very lightly hunted in prime real estate of south Texas which is very expensive to buy or lease. You are young and green from what you have posted so be careful of help being offered. Some will try to take advantage so they can hunt your property so be careful about trusting people you don't know. There is plenty of information you can find to figure out what you need to do and county wildlife biologists available to assess your ranch for free.

Good luck and welcome

Last edited by Pitchfork Predator; 02/09/17 12:16 PM.

Marc C. Helfrich
Retirement Planner

www.insured-wealth.com
469-323-8920
Re: Couple questions for the board [Re: mattyzag25] #6668506 02/09/17 08:57 PM
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 12,821
P
PMK Online Content
THF Celebrity
Online Content
THF Celebrity
P
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 12,821
GreenGo stand and fill ... spinners and protein. I will be upgrading over time to these. great design and high quality. Made in Early TX (outside Brownwood).

https://www.facebook.com/GreenGoFeeders/


"everyone that lives dies but not everyone who dies lived..."

~PMK~
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 2004-2024 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3