You own 300 acres. You work hard throughout the year and invest what you can to try and better the deer herd that occupies your land and the land around yours. You have leasers all around you and know that they take deer each year that probably shouldn't be taken. Now their not shooting every deer, does and smaller spikes, but anything that looks like a "shooter" (2 1/2 small basket six, maybe eight pointer) for the area is more than likely a target buck that is going to get shot.

Feeding protein is an option, and buying the good stuff is something to consider, but you wouldn't feel comfortable feeding it all year long and having someone else reap the benefits. Genetics on the land have decreased over the past decade (for the previous reason mentioned) and over all buck quality falls into that category.

We do as much as we can with what we have. Corn is fed year around and water is spread throughout the property. We've fed protein in the past, but with free ranging animals and not a consistent tracking method, we see a lot of bucks once and then never again. Cameras are placed up and we have the same deer ( does and small spikes) coming to the same locations, but nothing more and it varies year after year. I'm at a point where I just want to throw up a game fence and move forward with what I love. I've also thought about leaving to a lease where game management is mandatory because it takes a lot of skill, composure and heart to truly pass up on a deer an ordinary hunter wouldn't. I just don't want to leave the place I love and have hunted on all my life, like I gave up on it.. Money spent on leasing could be better spent here.

What would your options be? What are some things that you guys would consider that I haven't touched. Advice is very much appreciated.

I'd not add to the problem of shooting out the area and keep rolling the dice.

A deer hasn't been taken off the land in 3 years. Buck in 5..

You want my honest opinion, yes I would toss up a HF and start a small breeding heard of Whitetail and just get the enjoyment out of it seeing what you have helped come to life and grow to be what it becomes at 5 years old etc. Or even toss in some exotics and have something new and cool to watch feed and see from time to time but thats just me. I get just as much enjoyment going to our HF place and seeing the animals grow and getting pics from when the drop there horns till the rub out as I do hunting them at times.

I would put up the high fence too. Your neighbors are leaving no choice and they are probably not putting in a quarter of the time and money you are to kill all the deer. Good luck

have u tried talking to the neighbors and seeing if they will get on board with a management program?

As BBD84 stated I'd throw up a fence. To me it sounds like regardless of what you do in talking to your neighbors they will do what they want. Throw up a fence and start small. Buy a few young breeder bucks and some does. then start with a few exotics when money allows. During years when you don't have the opportunity to take a whitetail you will have exotics there to take for meat. Growing your own trophy animals from your own blood sweat and tears is truly a magical feeling. If you do put up a fence you will be casted out of the "true hunter" club on here and more than likely be put on the "witch hunt" list though

HF for the win!

+1. Inviting your neighbors over some evening for steaks and brain-storming would be a lot cheaper than building a high fence. You may find that everyone would be on board for hiring a biologist to put together a management plan for your co-op.

If your neighbors decide that they're not interested in a co-operative program, you can always fall back on the HF solution.

why does it sounds like that to you, as far as we know he has never met them. they may feel like you are acting the same way you think they are acting, get with them and share ideas and you mightbe able to work it all out.

the county wildlife biologist will meet with you and look at your land with you for free, just call them and they can get you some forms to fill out.

High Fence

^^^^^ This. If they do not want to continue with a coop then you are going to have to make some decisions. Sell the land or invest in a the dreaded HF.
What county are you in? Sounds like it is not an AR county.

Very interesting with no harvest. Some plans that work for others don't work for everyone it seems.....

With 300 acres and everything on it that the deer will need, you should be able to hold a small herd on it. If you didn't hunt it all the time (pressure) the deer should start to grow again. You could take the money that you would have spent on a high fence and buy another property. Then, you could hunt each one every other year.

Btw, if you haven't harvested a deer in 3 years and buck in 5, I'm inclined to think the property doesn't have everything the deer NEED.

IMO, high fence on 300 acres may not be the best way to go...Personally, I would want at least a section, 640 acres to even consider throwing up a high fence..Just my opinion..

HF the sides that you are concerned with and leave the least problematic side open if possible.

or take the money u save from the HF and invest in food plots and habitat enhancement, make a large sanctuary that you NEVER enter, as large as possible and hunt the edges. give the deer what they need so they dont have to leave and pressure them as little as possible.

I agree with jshouse and trying to talk with the neighbors about a co-op.

Works for everyone, some deer always have a way of slipping through the cracks. How old was no show again?

ARs in place to keep No Show alive to an older age. With a county wide Coop in place since 1993. No history of him in the past to know if he was legal buck ever in the past either or ever been seen here till this year. There is also a lot less hunting pressure around me than the OP. A lot less which is a huge differnce with none to my west(800+ acres of semi-open cattle pasture) and very little if any to my south(450 acres with 1900 acres joining). OP does not seem to be in an area with ARs in place either. You can never say everyone till you see his place or see others that have the same problems. Today more folks are management minded than ever before and more mature exist than ever before but there are still pockets that exist like the one in the OP. We do not know what size his neighbors are and how many ranches join his either. We only know what he has given us so far.

The whole problem with the "talk to your neighbors" approach is that even if what you say sounds good to them, if they're leasing, the timeframe for results is short. Nobody wants to pay a couple thousand bucks and not shoot anything.

So while they may agree with you and promise to try better management practices, I wouldn't count on more than a year of them not shooting. Better hope that herd shows improvement quickly.

they dont have to stop shooting everything, just be more selective about what they shoot. and if one group leaves after one year, talk to the new group. i am not saying this will work, its just an option before dropping thousands on a fence.

I agree it's a good place to start, and I'd definitely try that before throwing up a HF.

Just wouldn't be surprised if the issue persists, even if everybody agrees to manage better.

We are actually in a very similar situation to you, except it's 380 acres, not 300. We are part of the local WMA, but several of the neighbors aren't.

I agree with above. Step 1 is to talk to your neighbors and see if you can agree with a management plan. If you can get folks on board, forming a WMA thru TPWD is a great idea as it keeps everyone accountable (via jawbones and harvest records) and includes multiple surveys done by your local biologists.



I don't fully agree with you here. I know many less-ees who are willing to get into it for the long term if the owner is on board. Many folks realize that it takes more than a year to turn a place around. However, there are also the type who are like what you describe, and just want to pull the trigger. In that case, time to evaluate your other options.

We just do not have enough details to say if it will work or not. To much left to WAG on our part. I am for trying all other options before the fence.