What types of exotics is easy to maintain when stocking them on a high fence ranch? What exotics are best to have. What exotics would you not stock?

To raise and sell or to hunt?

How big is the ranch and what is currently in it? What’s the property consist of, woods, pasture, etc ?

That is a very open-ended and vague question.....definitely need more details. Just a few questions to get you started:

How big is the property?

Location of the property? (I assume this is the Jackson County property you've been referencing in other threads)

Layout of the property? (wooded, open, improved pasture, creeks, etc...)

Condition of the fence? (new galvanized high-tensile wire will obviously be far superior to a 40 year old rusted two piece fence)

Goals for the property/animals? (breeding, hunting, combination of both, just to look at them, etc...)

Budget?

Blackbuck, axis, and mouflon for my aunt in Lampasas

My properly adjoins a high fence place. It has oryx, fallow deer and elk. The oryx are beautiful animals. Also has some cattle, and whitetail deer. The owner has spent a ton clearing big areas and planting grass. About 800 acres.

Raise stockers, expensive ones like kudu

How many acres you got? We got 732 that is high fenced and one next door that we own and it is separated it’s 330 acres all high fenced. If I add up the total it’s 1060 acres.

To hunt them

The fence is about 10 years old

Axis, Blackbuck, and Fallow are relatively low-maintenance and should do just fine in that area. I would stay away from any sheep or goat species due to the soft ground and potential for hoof problems. I would also stay away from Red Deer, Elk, and Sika right now due to current CWD regulations.

If you want to get a little more fancy, Scimitar Oryx would be my next recommendation. They are hardy and should do well also.

Unfortunately, nothing is cheap right now. A few other species that should do well in that area would be Pere David Deer, Barasingha, Nilgai, Red Lechwe, White Bearded Wildebeest, Eland....but they will all be very pricey (also Barasingha and Lechwe require CITES permits). Just depends on what your budget is and how complicated you want to get.

Here is what I think. You can take it or leave it. Starting a new hunting operation right now might be a tough go. Even in good times it will be hard. You have a lot of established organizations you are going to have to compete with. If you are planning on going the super exotic route you are going to need very good accommodations and food. It is going to be like starting a high-end restaurant in a big city. You best not be expecting a profit for some time. If you want to do hunting, then I would suggest only buying males of the species. There is no good reason to try raising shooters. If you want to be in the raising business, then buy the most expensive animals you can afford. Stick with just one or two breeds and perfect them and get your name out there where buyers actually look for you. I raise Nubian Ibex Goats. I have been doing it for a number of years. Right now, the market for them is down. It like all species fluctuates. I have sold females for as high as $4000. This year I was lucky to get $800. It is a very tough and competitive business. Good luck with which ever route you take.

He never said anything about selling hunts….he simply said “to hunt them”. I assumed he meant for a “friends and family” type hunting place. There’s absolutely no way to make a profit from a new hunting operation today. Not even close.

You do know what you do when you assume?

However, "There's a sucker born every minute." And, there's always gonna be some guy that lives every day in a peckering measuring contest and want's something on his wall that's bigger than some other guy's.

Let me know if you need anything. I can get you any type of exotics