( I'm trying to figure out how a discussion on a 150 acre being surrounded by HF converted into a debate of deer size/genetics East vs. Hill Country deer )

Is it possible some of your neighbors brought in deer stock and some escaped to your place and interbred with the natives?

Non- native means nothing. It waters down very quickly.

Even then you can go up north and find 40lb differences in weight in areas. The smaller deer are always in higher density areas.

Body weight is a combination of density and winter survival. Northern deer are typically heavier do first to lower densities and second harsher winters.

Hill Country whitetails would have equal or better body size than East Texas if those deer where high fenced and their numbers controlled?

Sounds to me me like you have been hunting free for a long time and your screwed. Might be time to pay like most of us do or hang it up.
Sorry for your loss.

Sounds to me me like you have been hunting free for a long time and your screwed. Might be time to pay like most of us do or hang it up.
Sorry for your loss.

owning land = hunting for free? wow, i'm gonna go buy myself some land tomorrow!

owning land = hunting for free? wow, i'm gonna go buy myself some land tomorrow!

Wow, that's harsh! He paid by having the price of 125 acres tied up for 50 years. We all know it is much cheaper to lease than to own.

What's harsh and incredibly stupid and incredibly arrogant about many of these replies is the notion that the deer he saw and took ON THE LAND HE OWNED were somehow instead a gift from his neighbor the rich man.

The big guys in this country have done something I never thought possible-filled many with so much animosity that they have become their boot-licking apologists at every turn. Amazing.

Depending on where this acreage is located I would bet there are people who paid more in 5 years of leasing than what that land is worth.

Very possible. Was the location ever mentioned in this thread? Don't see anything other than a neighbor "cotton farmer". That doesn't sound like west texas.

Well. We own a 150 acre farm/ranch that borders a large ranch on three sides and a larger cotton field on one side. We have enjoyed deer hunting on this place for over 50 years and i was hoping my children and grandchildren would as well. Just received word that a larger corporate hunting outfitter has leased the hunting rights to the ranch that we border on three sides and they will be putting up a high fence on all three sides. The cotton farmer on the west side of us put up a high fence several years ago.

That being said we our deer population will take a hit and maybe be non existant. we have no water on our place and the only real use for the place was recreation.

I dont thing a 150 acre ranch will sustain many deer with no water source and very little browse. We cant afford to feed year round.

The high fencing will lower the value of our property now and render it almost useless.

So the op didn't say he as going to eliminate all the existing deer that will be enclosed on his property?

If you take a negative veiw about everything in life you will always be a negative person. I tend to find the silver lining.

If you knew me you would know I am one of the most positive folks around. That said, I do not tolerate dumba**ery well.

I feel for the OP, but that's life. You take it for what it is and move forward. IMO, the corporation putting up the high fence and the landowner allowing such have done nothing wrong. You are either pro-property rights or you aren't.

Have you ever heard it said "Your rights end where your neighbors' begin?" It is a founding principle of the Constitution. Every landowner has rights, not just a few.

Many western "pro property rights"'states don't allow HFs. Your rights to do as you wish on your property are limited by seasons, bag limits, shooting hours, weapons allowed etc., etc., etc....

Private property rights are not unlimited. Especially when the law says game animals belong to the public, not individual landowners.

Bobo- my silver lining will come when I don't have to read a story like this again.

I don't tell my clients to "find a silver lining" and get out of my office. I help them find it by fighting the ones taking their property.