your feeding 45-50 deer, while most probable not all "live" on your place you seem to have a reasonable herd, not knowing acerage.

CMC

I fully understand and you have seen lots of change since you grew up. The smaller places lends itself to more pressure and I am one of those paying guys as this is my first year on my place. I saw plenty of deer this year but late season it was pretty nocturnal. 209, I blame the yotes more than drought since my place has 2 tanks although getting really low. I may PM you to contact your brother to come help on my place too. The yotes are thick for sure as I saw plenty of tracks in the mud this past weekend.

Thanks guys for input on this thread. I would love to see us all work together for all our benefit but especially the wildlife's benefit.

CMC! You are correct, there is a lot of hunting pressure in both counties. Personally speaking my place doesn't have a lot of hunting pressure around it. The only guys that hunt around us hunt north of the county road. We have talked to them and they seem to be pretty management minded hunters. Nobody hunts within a mile or more to the west, south, or east of us. Those properties are mainly pasture land and wheat fields. I think that is one of the biggest reasons we don't have hardly any deer coming to our wheat field.

DQKid, one word, spotlight. Not really. you're doing the right things, don't stop planting, either. One of these seasons the stars will align properly and your crops will get the rainfall they need. Acorns can be a problem where you and I hunt. Next season should see less of them. Hang in there weedhopper, your patience will soon be rewarded.

I hunt down in Bosque county and had some similar experiences the past couple of years. It was extremely frustrating considering how well the deer came to feeders where I grew up hunting (Comal County outside of NB).

The conclusion I came to late in this season was that I'm wasting my time at the feeders. The deer are there, the camera's prove it, but they come at night and retreat to heavy cover during the day. I really can't change that. However, I noticed that most of the deer I spotted were actually when I was walking to/from my feeders (usually leaving after the morning hunt). I figured out (too late this year) that the deer still move, but just don't move to the feeders and so I put on my camo and moved slowly around the pasture. Stopping every 50 yards and waiting for 10 minutes before moving on.

I finally saw some deer doing that. I have about 1000 acres to hunt, but realistically could only hunt a small portion doing that b/c it takes time (sometimes I would double back).

The only drawbacks to this was that (1) I felt I couldn't do it if other hunters were in the field and (2) once you spot the deer, you still have to get in a position to shoot without getting spotted and also have to make a freehand shot (something I had to practice b/c I always had a blind ledge to shoot from). I saw a big one this year, but I had to move quickly about 80 yards to get in position before he crossed an opening and couldn't get there in time.

Anyway, I'm going to attempt that a little earlier this next year. I'm also going to put up a tripod or two in areas with no food, but that overlook trails/creeks.

The good news is that the deer are there. But they aren't S. Texas deer...so you may have to try something different.

Kid…
1) Where is your camp located on your ranch?
2) Where are your stands in conjunction with your accessed ranch gate and camp?
3) How do you access your stand location(s)?
4) Is part of your 100 acres used for a bedding area by the deer?
If so you could be blowing them out once you arrive at the ranch.
5) On each trip on your ranch are you feeding with a tailgate feeder?
If not I’m thinking you should start. Let the deer know that when they hear your truck food is on its way.
When hunting season starts continue to do the road feeding before each hunt.

We run snares year around now for the coyotes. We also run 10 pig traps year around except during deer season. Every time I go down I corn out the sendero and area I will hunt. 9 out of 10 times I see the bucks eating that corn versus the feeder.

I will commit to notifying the Young/Throckmorton county gang on here of any good deals I run across in or out of season. Firearms, apparrel, feeding products (feeders, protein, corn, etc.). Make it our little informal co-op if you would...

I will be heading down this weekend if any guys wanna get together and trade s secrets

Jeep, wish I could. I plan on going out 1st week in Feb. to fill feeders and get that American Hunter Protein attachment put on one of the feeders. Will be feeding them Farmers Milling Company protein, probably starting out with 16% to see how they like it..
BTW, have you seen many turkey this past season? I'm covered up in those dudes. Bumper crop of grasshoppers this past summer.

Seen a flock of about 30 hens a few times.