I am setting up a ranch for "Bow Hunting Only" and I wanted to get everyones opinion. When you go on a day hunt: would you rather have established stands and feeders or do you prefer to bring your own gear and do it yourself?

As well, how important is the lodging? Is a community camp house with 6-8 hunters a turn off and if so, are you willing to pay a little extra for nicer accommodations?

You help and advice is greatly appreciated. Thank You

To me lodging is a big deal. I would prefer to have feeders already running. Stand if already set up should be moved often. Animals get use to a stand especially if you have a bad hunter in them. This help insure they next hunter will not get busted due to others bad habits.

Depending on the size of the place, you could have part of the ranch for those DIY, no stands or feeders. Then another part with feeders and stands in place. If not, have stands and feeders in place but rotate your stands out. Don't hunt the same stands over and over.
As far as lodging, everybody is different. I wouldn't need a 5 star. A place to sleep and a hot shower is all I would need.

Thank you very much for the response. That is a valid concern. My plan at present is to build 16 stand/ feeder locations on 3000 acres and operate 1/2 of them a week. Most of the stands are way up in Oak Trees but I do have a few pop-ups where the trees didn't cooperate. My thought is also to hunt Thursday-Sunday and rest Mon-Wednesday (Lol, I need a day or 2 off so I can hunt too).

That is a good thought too. Our whole place is 13500 acres so I could rotate pastures as well. You guys are awesome...Keep the good ideas coming.

Book a hunt with Heart of Texas bowhunting and see how he does it.

Thanks for the heads up. I checked his site and it looks like a good operation.

I think if everything is set up its better. Thats why people day hunt. They dont have time to mess with all of that. When you going to be up and running. Id come out.

He probably has the best model in the state, that allows for a decent chane at a PY deer for the price for the hunter.and profitability for you

Thank you for the response. Turn-key is the way I am leaning. We will be up by the start of deer season. Maybe a little sooner for hogs, axis etc. This ranch hasn't been hunted in 4 years.

I would be interested in signing up for a hunt. Do you have prices in mind?

Here is what I am thinking, we will run hunts as follows: Thursday-Sunday. Price will be $150 to $300 a day depending on which accommodations you choose. We will offer camp house, semi-private and private accommodations with or without guides and meal service.

I am new to this forum so I don't want to break the rules by turning this stream into an ad. I will run a bow-hunt ad in guides and outfitters later today.

I sent you a pm

No stands no feeders only protein feeders in non hunting areas.. let them corn the road, set up pop ups, etc. Makes for good hunting and even though a lot of foot traffic your not going to over hunt the place imo. There is a place that does this somewere in webb county and I hear great things about it even by the people that go every year without shooting something.. mainly because they got to see a lot of deer and a few giants that just got away

Maybe a pasture designated for campers/tents etc.. miss places like the Callahan that would let you set up a tent in a designated pasture...

No hunting feeders or within 300 yards. Also put min score with penalties or you will never be able to maintain a decent herd

All very good ideas. Thank you again for the input.

let me go in and set it up fer ya

I have not done a lot of day hunts but would prefer a small place to sleep with my hunting buddies, not a bunch of folks I don't know. A camping area with electric is a nice option. Stands set up off the feeders with hand corn and a map of the place showing where everything is. Keep in mind wind direction when you set up stands. Have two stands for each set up, one for north and one for south winds. Don't over hunt it and spell out the "killing" rules according to the price. Most folks understand if they want big bucks they have to pay big bucks.

Good luck

Exactly. Most people that do these hunts don't have the equipment to set up and do the hunts on their own. They don't know the lay of the land, the animal movement patterns or the best ways to get to and from stand sites. An outfitter/guide that knows how to rotate stands, not over hunt and keep herd numbers and health in good shape is rare. But if you do you won't hurt for repeat business and good reviews because with lease prices as high as they are, people's free time becoming more limited and peoples expectation of success when paying for a hunt increasing there are few who do it well that are affordable by the working person.

Thanks again for all the great ideas and insight. I'm setting things up now and I'm like a school kid. Very excited.