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Feb 7th, 2025
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 Hunting on unhunted farm
#7603782
09/11/19 03:01 AM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 733
Brando-Commando
OP
Tracker
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OP
Tracker
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 733 |
Long story short, my folks bought a small property in Graford Texas that to my knowledge, it's never been hunted on, so now that we have it, I've put a feeder out there to to.try and attract some deer but so far theirs been nothing on camera. What's a fair amount of time to allow before deer MIGHT move in. I do have a Pig and 4 raccoons that show up on a regular basis.
We have plenty of water coverage and now food "corn"
Thanks for any input
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7603825
09/11/19 04:38 AM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,990
unclebubba
THF Celebrity
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 10,990 |
Did you look for deer sign first? Find anything? If you put a feeder out where there are no deer activity you may never get deer activity.
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7603857
09/11/19 10:53 AM
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 8,090
bigjoe8565
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 8,090 |
Put out a couple of cameras and scout the place.
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7603869
09/11/19 11:16 AM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 46,429
Stub
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2005
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Look for deer signs along your fence line, when you find one corn that trail towards your feeder several times they will find it. Good luck 
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7604092
09/11/19 02:41 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,876
Pitchfork Predator
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2013
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Hand corn the funnels and pinch points; areas they need for cover......hang a camera or 2 and see what you have.
They need food, cover and water to live on any property. Does the farm have these? If not they will just be passing through at best.
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7604096
09/11/19 02:47 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,379
Schpanky
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,379 |
that property might not have been hunted but the area has been hunted hard for years. I would tailgate/hand feed every time you go out...deer that might be skiddish around feeders will come to corn on the ground. we had a tailgate feeder made for this purpose and all i can tell you is they work.
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7604362
09/11/19 06:51 PM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 128
polishpreacher
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 128 |
I would suggest getting a few cameras put out around the property, for instance at any water troughs yall may have as well at any tanks or spots on creek/rivers that show promise of possibly being a watering area. Also, acorns are going to be dropping soon so you may put out a few cameras around oak trees as well. How many acres is this place? A lot of places that are unhunted but have heavy hunting around them become sanctuaries/bedding areas for deer, so i would just suggest looking at a few out of the box ideas to start getting a feeling as to what kind of deer traffic you have.
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7604377
09/11/19 07:09 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,855
Walkabout
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,855 |
Back in the day before cameras it was called “scouting”. You went looking for obvious deer trails. Secondary trails are near by but not as obvious. You were looking for tracks both deer and hog. Also, you looked for droppings and areas of concentrated droppings. Scrapes and rubs hopefully. If you were lucky and quiet, you might jump a bedded deer. If so, get the heck out of there. You couldn’t tell sex, age or racks. That’s where the hunting part comes in. Scouting in the off season is a whole lot more fun than looking at a camera card. Hope you find a healthy population and do well this year.
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7604572
09/11/19 10:51 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,618
Texas Dan
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Depending on the size of the tract, I would first identify the thick bedding areas and make it a point to leave them alone. If the tract is a small one surrounded by more pressured areas, the entire tract might be a bedding area, meaning the deer have become spooked by the presence of the feeder. As others have said, you really need to look at the tract as part of a much bigger area that includes adjoining properties. Only then will you have an idea of where and how deer are bedding and traveling on and between properties.
Last edited by Texas Dan; 09/11/19 10:53 PM.
"When the debate is lost, insults become the tool of the loser."
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Stub]
#7604576
09/11/19 10:55 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 46,429
Stub
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 46,429 |
Look for deer signs along your fence line, when you find one corn that trail towards your feeder several times they will find it. Good luck If there is not water close to your property put a good size water trough out there close to your feeder.
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Walkabout]
#7604581
09/11/19 10:58 PM
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Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 3,473
Always ready 2 hunt
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 3,473 |
Back in the day before cameras it was called “scouting”. You went looking for obvious deer trails. Secondary trails are near by but not as obvious. You were looking for tracks both deer and hog. Also, you looked for droppings and areas of concentrated droppings. Scrapes and rubs hopefully. If you were lucky and quiet, you might jump a bedded deer. If so, get the heck out of there. You couldn’t tell sex, age or racks. That’s where the hunting part comes in. Scouting in the off season is a whole lot more fun than looking at a camera card. Hope you find a healthy population and do well this year. This is how I learned and still do to most extent, trail cameras are just confirmation of findings.
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7604775
09/12/19 02:25 AM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 11,916
GusWayne
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 11,916 |
I guess it’s all different
But, our OK place the hogs will show up usually within 24 hours of filling the feeder for the first time(we have a lot) and the deer will be there a few days later
For our Tx places it seems to take a week to 10 days or so
I start feeding every year in August and then let it run dry around Jan/Feb
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7605204
09/12/19 04:38 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 40,699
redchevy
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 40,699 |
I guess all places are different. I hear terms like pinch point, funnel, bedding area, feeding area etc. and scratch my head. Our place doesn't have a single one of those on the entire property. When the property is all the same, relatively flat native brush pasture they have whatever they need, with the exception of surface water in every 100 square foot section.
Id give it some more time and see if you can locate any trails.
Last edited by redchevy; 09/12/19 04:39 PM.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7605310
09/12/19 06:16 PM
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Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 513
soonersorlaters
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 513 |
They all need water. Check water sources for tracks. If you find some, they have to get there from somewhere. Expand that search to trails. Bucks recently shed their velvet so keep an eye out for fresh rubs.
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: redchevy]
#7605384
09/12/19 08:24 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,876
Pitchfork Predator
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,876 |
I guess all places are different. I hear terms like pinch point, funnel, bedding area, feeding area etc. and scratch my head. Our place doesn't have a single one of those on the entire property. When the property is all the same, relatively flat native brush pasture they have whatever they need, with the exception of surface water in every 100 square foot section.
Id give it some more time and see if you can locate any trails. So because you can’t find them they don’t exist? Oh that’s right, you still have much to learn youngster.... 
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Re: Hunting on unhunted farm
[Re: Brando-Commando]
#7605387
09/12/19 08:33 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,087
Navasot
Hollywood
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Hollywood
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,087 |
there is alot of spotty country out there... if your not by the lake, creeks or river.. deer will be few and far between... how small are we talkin
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