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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: J.G.] #7331631 10/30/18 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
Leave the whitetail alone, manage accordingly. Add a handful of Axis.

This^^^^^^and maybe a handful of bison.....


Originally Posted by Sneaky
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored]
Originally Posted by beaversnipe
Actually, BBC is pretty damn good

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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7331638 10/30/18 02:29 PM
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I'll play! I would add axis deer and blackbuck antelope. Both do well in Texas, are fun and challenging to hunt, and yield great meat. They also reproduce and grow relatively quickly. I think native Bandera Co. whitetail can be managed for development in a high-fence ranch with the right feed and selective hunting, which is sometimes tough on low-fenced properties that may not be surrounded by like-minded QDMers.


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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: Big_Ag] #7331650 10/30/18 02:36 PM
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Originally Posted By: Big_Ag
I’m in the “no exotics to compete with the whitetail” camp. Build a 15 or so acre high fence in a prime habitat area of the ranch that includes cover and a permanent water source. Buy 15 bred high end genetic does, preferably 3 or 4 years old from 2 or 3 sources and put in the 15 acres along with a breeder buck from another source. The does will have their fawns and then be bred back by the breeder buck. The spring of year two after the does have been bred back, release all the deer in the 15 acres onto the ranch. You want to do this in the spring after the bucks have shed their antlers so any native bucks won’t kill your young improved genetic yearling bucks or the breeder buck.

During the two years you are building your high end genetics to release, kill as many of the native does as possible (I guarantee you won’t be able to kill them all). Does contribute more to the gene pool than bucks, but you can’t tell which native does have good genetics, so remove as many as possible, You know the high end does you release do possess superior genes and you want these does to be your ongoing breeding stock. Your high end does will be tagged when they are delivered to your ranch, so this will enable you to protect them from hunters once they are liberated out of the 15 acres.

I’d also try and kill as many of the native bucks, but if you have some better than average genetics, you may want to establish a cull criteria on the native bucks. After the deer are liberated and you are waiting on the improved genetic bucks to grow up, you could add some stocker bucks to hunt. You may also want to add 3 or 4 more bred does every few years to continue diversifying the genetics.

This model works, but does take some patience.


Great idea, if you could release them after two years. Unfortunately, under current TPWD regulations that came about due to CWD, all imported deer (and offspring) must remain on the release site. Otherwise, you'll fall back to NMQ and have to submit 80% of all fatalities or hunter killed deer for CWD testing. For three years, I believe. I could be wrong on the duration. Now days, the very best method of improving your genetics and top end deer are DMP pens.

Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7331698 10/30/18 03:00 PM
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I'd manage the WT herd and make habitat improvements and start a supplemental feeding program to maximize the genetic potential of the native deer. Them I'd add a handful of Axis because I like the way they look and taste. And then, depending on the terrain, I'd chose between Blackbuck (if there is a more open area for them to hang out in) or white Fallow (if the land is more forested.) I like both of those exotics for the way they look and the hunting / eating potential, although I favor fallow as table fare.

Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7331727 10/30/18 03:15 PM
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I'd concentrate my efforts to developing the whitetail population and later maybe a few Axis.
Too much competition will cause problems.



Thursday at 12:45 PM
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Once i learned that i didn't "NEED" to kill something, and that if i did kill something all the fun stopped and work began, i was a much better hunter.
Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: fouzman] #7331730 10/30/18 03:18 PM
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Originally Posted By: fouzman
Originally Posted By: Big_Ag
I’m in the “no exotics to compete with the whitetail” camp. Build a 15 or so acre high fence in a prime habitat area of the ranch that includes cover and a permanent water source. Buy 15 bred high end genetic does, preferably 3 or 4 years old from 2 or 3 sources and put in the 15 acres along with a breeder buck from another source. The does will have their fawns and then be bred back by the breeder buck. The spring of year two after the does have been bred back, release all the deer in the 15 acres onto the ranch. You want to do this in the spring after the bucks have shed their antlers so any native bucks won’t kill your young improved genetic yearling bucks or the breeder buck.

During the two years you are building your high end genetics to release, kill as many of the native does as possible (I guarantee you won’t be able to kill them all). Does contribute more to the gene pool than bucks, but you can’t tell which native does have good genetics, so remove as many as possible, You know the high end does you release do possess superior genes and you want these does to be your ongoing breeding stock. Your high end does will be tagged when they are delivered to your ranch, so this will enable you to protect them from hunters once they are liberated out of the 15 acres.

I’d also try and kill as many of the native bucks, but if you have some better than average genetics, you may want to establish a cull criteria on the native bucks. After the deer are liberated and you are waiting on the improved genetic bucks to grow up, you could add some stocker bucks to hunt. You may also want to add 3 or 4 more bred does every few years to continue diversifying the genetics.

This model works, but does take some patience.


Great idea, if you could release them after two years. Unfortunately, under current TPWD regulations that came about due to CWD, all imported deer (and offspring) must remain on the release site. Otherwise, you'll fall back to NMQ and have to submit 80% of all fatalities or hunter killed deer for CWD testing. For three years, I believe. I could be wrong on the duration. Now days, the very best method of improving your genetics and top end deer are DMP pens.

TTT


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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7331738 10/30/18 03:22 PM
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Giraffes and a few zebras

Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7331750 10/30/18 03:27 PM
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I would only want to manage the native WT. I would only bring in deer to keep from inbreeding down the line and I would hope to be able to somehow capture deer from my LF neighbors to accomplish this.


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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: stxranchman] #7331767 10/30/18 03:36 PM
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Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Originally Posted By: fouzman
Originally Posted By: Big_Ag
I’m in the “no exotics to compete with the whitetail” camp. Build a 15 or so acre high fence in a prime habitat area of the ranch that includes cover and a permanent water source. Buy 15 bred high end genetic does, preferably 3 or 4 years old from 2 or 3 sources and put in the 15 acres along with a breeder buck from another source. The does will have their fawns and then be bred back by the breeder buck. The spring of year two after the does have been bred back, release all the deer in the 15 acres onto the ranch. You want to do this in the spring after the bucks have shed their antlers so any native bucks won’t kill your young improved genetic yearling bucks or the breeder buck.

During the two years you are building your high end genetics to release, kill as many of the native does as possible (I guarantee you won’t be able to kill them all). Does contribute more to the gene pool than bucks, but you can’t tell which native does have good genetics, so remove as many as possible, You know the high end does you release do possess superior genes and you want these does to be your ongoing breeding stock. Your high end does will be tagged when they are delivered to your ranch, so this will enable you to protect them from hunters once they are liberated out of the 15 acres.

I’d also try and kill as many of the native bucks, but if you have some better than average genetics, you may want to establish a cull criteria on the native bucks. After the deer are liberated and you are waiting on the improved genetic bucks to grow up, you could add some stocker bucks to hunt. You may also want to add 3 or 4 more bred does every few years to continue diversifying the genetics.

This model works, but does take some patience.


Great idea, if you could release them after two years. Unfortunately, under current TPWD regulations that came about due to CWD, all imported deer (and offspring) must remain on the release site. Otherwise, you'll fall back to NMQ and have to submit 80% of all fatalities or hunter killed deer for CWD testing. For three years, I believe. I could be wrong on the duration. Now days, the very best method of improving your genetics and top end deer are DMP pens.

TTT


We've done that twice. Problem with TTT is you never know for sure what you're getting in the does.

Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7331778 10/30/18 03:45 PM
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I'd manage the native WT. If I needed some axis to eat just go elsewhere and plug a couple.


"You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas".
Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7331800 10/30/18 03:58 PM
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peep. A couple taz Sasquatches sure to bring em in... bolt
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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: 1860.colt] #7334676 11/01/18 08:15 PM
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Don’t waste money bringing in superior genetic WT unless you kill all natives first. Or, you can waste the next 20 yrs proving for the several thousandth time that natives genetics will drag your high dollar deer back down to their level. If you want more than a max of 160” then you’ll need something other than natives (I’m right. Anyone who disagrees is wrong).

Antelope don’t compete much with WT. I have ~ 40 scimitar, some kudu, over 40 blackbuck and 13 Arabians in a 350 acre pasture with my improved WT (~ 100 WT). I feed alfalfa in the winter and it’s relatively cheap.

Axis are popular but they are hard to hold on my ranch and values are low compared to WT. plus you have to feed lots of does for a sustainable herd. Only deer species I’ll raise now are WT for that reason.

Oryx male and female have trophy value so if you’re interested in $ that’s something to consider. Elk are super hard to hold. Plus elk, red stag, and sika are under cwd restrictions so you have to test harvested animals (a risk I won’t take).



Last edited by therancher; 11/01/18 08:17 PM.

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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7334856 11/01/18 11:09 PM
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Given the size of any hunting property I'd ever likely own, I think I'd best plan on New Zealand white rabbits, Peruvian guinea pigs and European hamsters. Then I could brag about the exotics on my property.


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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: BayouGuy] #7334909 11/02/18 12:04 AM
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Originally Posted By: BayouGuy
Given the size of any hunting property I'd ever likely own, I think I'd best plan on New Zealand white rabbits, Peruvian guinea pigs and European hamsters. Then I could brag about the exotics on my property.


Peruvian guinea pigs eat pretty good if you make a nice sauce to go with them.


Originally Posted by bill oxner
I just turned it on . I was looking bird dogs in the butt this morning.


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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7335440 11/02/18 01:07 PM
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Ok, I’ll throw in my answer.

While Hill Country native genetics can produce some nice racks they aren’t gonna be south Texas type deer, so I would leave the native stock in place and manage them secondary to my two exotics, axis deer and a large sheep type like a stumberg or Hill Country bighorn

For me, axis are such good table far and are pretty much a staple game animal thst I would want them.

I’m also a sheep nut and these Hill Country bighorns have intrigued me, when I didn’t think they would be successful, the stumbergs are beautiful as well and quite large, both of which I like


For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7335460 11/02/18 01:24 PM
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I'm thinking about going to the sale barn and getting some longhorns and offer hunts. clap If they are in fact getting $1400 for one, it might be worth it. Buy them as yearlings, turn them out for a few years then bring in some hunters.
I don't have any livestock on my place and the grass is stirrup deep. Over the last few years the only thing I've done is plant black eyed peas for the deer. The dang hogs stay after it, but it give me something to shoot at all the time and the deer seem to be doing well on it. For me I don't want anything but WT and I'm willing to wait for them to mature/ I do enjoy sitting in the blinds watching them go after my Indian Corn. But I don't want to add any other types of wildlife to my place. popcorn


I Feed Indian Corn. The deer love it and all the colors make them stay at the feeder longer.
Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7336717 11/03/18 09:28 PM
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Hire Augustus McRae as your foreman and let him raise a herd...a herd of whores, maybe.


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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7336748 11/03/18 10:06 PM
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If Axis were not already on the ranch I would add them, if there was already a herd of Axis I would go with red stags as my first choice. Second if I had another choice would be blackbuck. As most have stated I would try to manage the original WT herd that exists.


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Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7336758 11/03/18 10:20 PM
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Stay away from red deer, very distructive, been there done that!!!!!

Re: Let’s play a hypothetical....stocking your Ranch [Re: txtrophy85] #7337420 11/04/18 09:12 PM
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Wipe out the whitetail. Then add camels, goats and llamas.

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