Was curious about wildlife(Turkey and deer) quality and population in this area? I've hunted around Breckenridge and over near Albany in Shackelford Cty but never in the Southeastern portion of Stephens and Northeastern part of Eastland.

Hoping for some THF wisdom.

A lot of game, but also a lot of hunters in that area.

I have owned property there 40 years around Neccesity, Deer, adequate numbers. Numbers and racks getting better since county went AR. Ranches fairly small compared to Shackelford County meaning more hunting pressure and less big racks. I don't hunt turkeys but there are some...I would guess poor to fair. Lots of hogs and getting more. Lots of coyotes and bobcat. Few if any quail.

I just realized I wrote Southeastern Stephens Cty in my original post. I meant to write Southwestern Stephens Cty.

That lines up better with Northwestern Eastland Cty.

Quantity and quality of deer are getting better, but not great. Very likely to go completely nocturnal after start of season, at least in our area. Turkey are sporadic, some years you'll hear them, some you won't. Definitely not a selling point. Hogs are the same way, we went a couple years without seeing very many of them, this year looks like it's going to be a real problem.

Apparently not that many hunters

we are about 5 miles west of Moran and have solid numbers of deer (topping out in mid 150's), turkey and are overrun with pigs. We have hubbard creek running thru us which is a big help. I'd think representative mature deer in that area should be around 130". Lot depends on parcel of land as smaller places tend to be shot up and bigger places pretty intensively managed by hunters. Btw the area youre describing has a ton of big high fences popping up which could be a good thing depending on your location.

mr. buck what's your definition of smaller places and bigger places? Just curious.

This ^^^. Bucks getting better, hogs plenty sometimes and other times disappeared. Turkeys depends on Fall vs Spring range. 130s is good deer, 140-150 exceptional has been my experience

Do you hunt on Snyder’s?

You took the words right out of my mouth. I was wondering the same thing. I used to hunt the Snyder place where 576 and 283 intersect.

I would want to be north of there. Much less pressure and larger places. How big is the place? Talk with locals there and they all want to lease out anything.

It’s slightly over 1000 acres

If you have 1000 acres and position your hunting sets around the perimeter about 2-300 yards within your fence lines and leave the middle alone you can manage for age in the area and see good results. If you have cover for them to bed in and water.

We lease 6 sections which straddle both counties. There have been, and could be 150" bucks, if you are willing to let them grow. Unfortunately half the hunters on our place see 8 points and pull the trigger. And we have way too many doe, that folks just aren't taking. Also plenty of turkey and pigs.

Thanks Pitchfork and Halfadozen. The willingness of neighbors and current hunters to be patient certainly makes a big difference when it comes to management. I like the stand placement strategy. Glad to know there will be plenty of game.

Plenty opportunities to manage "way too many doe" if lease holders not managing. Examples:
* rules that must take a doe before any cull buck
* implement a guest doe only allowance
* introduce a kid to hunting with doe allowance
* lots of kids organizations, non profit orgs, etc that may have a kid/parent interested in a doe only hunt opportunity

I have just the opposite in SE Stephens County just 1 mile N of NE Eastland County, mostly buck sightings only and very few doe. it's a smaller property that is a funnel pass through area

Anyone been on Lake Cisco. Looks beautiful from a distance. Someone said it was 60 or 70 ft deep.

I don't manage this lease, but have implemented a lot of these in leases I managed in the past. In fairness, some of the hunters kids do take does, but for a ranch of this size there should be more than 3 or 4 doe harvested.