I am a newer hunter and learned a lot from everyone here at the end of last year. Getting a head start this year, but still feel like I am way behind. I could really use some input before I place feeders and blinds/treestands. I bought 2 feeders, a second trail camera and varnmit cages that are coming this week.

I talked to a buddy at work whos been hunting a while and he suggested getting the 2nd feeder. I've marked up my property and hoping this is enough detail for a sanity check or any good advice y'all might have. Located in East Texas, ~65 acres in the red which is my property. The rectangle on top is very heavily wooded and difficult to navigate through.

Markings I've made on here for input:
- Two yellow spots with red circles: This is where I was planning to put the feeders. I've seen a bunch of deer in the past in that back corner which is at the end of a "road" which is really a path. The lower circle is pasture/transition area which is pretty tall grass right now.
- Green marking: This is a small pond where I have seem some large buck scrapes on decent size trees.

I was planning to put a basic tree stand on that green marked pond, and maybe move between there and the back corner yellow marking. I was also planning to build a small blind near the lower yellow marking that I can see toward the feeder/pasture and into the woods in that area.

Does this seem like a half way decent plan. I realize there isn't a lot to go off of here, so if this isn't enough info I get it.

Appreciate any insight or help. I am planning to get out there and walk again and see what paths I can find where they are traveling.

Image:

It looks like the feeders would be too close together if you put 2 out on 65 acres.

I would put one on the edges of the natural opening further east from the pond.

Id move the bottom yellow circle to the south and east int that cove closer to the tree line and edges. E.tx deer typically shy away from feeders esp after opening weekend. Hand corn just inside the thick stuff and hang cameras and you might be pleasantly surprised whats roaming there.

Agree with Pitch. I believe “if you feed them they will come”. So spacing is key to covering as much country as you can in order to draw deer without duplicating. Besides that you gotta see em to kill em so the natural openings are key(to me). I may do it different if your property wasn’t so thick.

I also agree with Pitch on moving the upper one due East of the small pond in that small natural opening area. You don't have to see long distances in E TX for good hunting. I've taken many many nice bucks in N East TX just hunting on ground or short ladder stand on trails with not more than 20 yards visibility. You want the feeders to attract the Does in E TX and sit back very still for the bucks to sniff check from perimeter. Hunting active rub/scrape line on a good cool Fall morning is a happy place. Good Luck

I'm a huge proponent of "hunt where you see deer". You'd be suprised how many people overlook that. That said, I like the area outlined in Blue here.



I'd put a camera out there and hand spread some corn to see what you get before committing to putting two feeders so close together.

Thanks all, I really appreciate the input. What you've all said makes sense.

That "opening" that is blue above, I don't think is as open as it seems. I bought this property last year and it's not my primary home, so I need to walk that specific part again. I've spent most of my time on the lower part of the land.

For those saying 2 feeders may be too much, is one feeder in this area of land better? I have no problem returning one, I just wanted to be able to have more than one area with deer being attracted for family or whoever to also hunt a quadrant of land at the same time.

Makes a ton of sense to get the cameras out and help drive the feeder locations based on activity, duh!

Thanks again!

In addition to your feeder locations, you will also have to consider your stand locations. You don't want to walk or drive to your stand through an area in which the deer will be traveling on their way to breakfast.

Can't really tell if those are scrubby cedar trees, or real trees? A really easy way to test new feeder locations is using 5 gallon buckets. Get buckets with lids and drill 4 holes about the size of a quarter in the sides just above the bottom. Fill with corn and hang the bucket in a tree with the bottom suspended about 4' off the ground. Deer will butt it with their heads and eat the corn off the ground, and at 4' it is relatively safe from pigs. You can set 3 or 4 of these out at a time and try to get an idea of what sort of traffic you are seeing at each location. Much easier to move around the buckets than a feeder, and much cheaper.

Love that idea, I will do this asap.

My land is pretty heavily wooded with mature trees, so it is pretty thick coverage.

What type of trees do you have? If you have hardwoods you should identify what type you have and where they are….deer are gonna choose acorns over corn especially in east Texas. Find the mature white oaks if you have them and set up around those trees for one of your sets.

We usually have a feeder to about 300 to 400 acres but we have several 1000 acres and every situation is different based on many factors. On such a small property it makes sense to try to have enough feeders to try and hold deer or pull deer in. In your situation it seems two feeders would be ok.

I'd keep them away from the fence lines. Be a good neighbor.

I was looking at that area myself. Pretty sure I'd try one there, and the other somewhere in the SE portion of the property where you have it.

One issue I've seen many hunters do is position the blind in the wrong direction of the feeder. Our stands are north of the feeder as to not get the direct sun at dawn or at dusk. The last thing you want is the sun in your eyes at day break or as the sun is setting, Also, our winds predominantly come out of the south unless a cold front is coming through from the north. Never an exact science for the winds as they can blow in any direction.

Good luck!