Cows and hunting

My dad and I are buying a new lease, but we were informed that the only problem is that the ranch has cows. Why would this be a problem to us? Are the deer afraid of the cows size?

Cows mess up feeders and stuff. They will rub on blinds, eat corn, you name it.

You will need to fence your feeders or they will tare them up.

Cows are 'usually' not a problem so long as the feeders are properly pinned and areas where you shoot are cross fenced (preferably).

During hunting season it can be worrisome unless you have some way to know your back target.

Holsteins and the like are unafraid animals and will rub up against things as well as destroy structures.

I have had cows on my ranch for the last 4 years with zero problems and I do not fence off my feeders. As long as the legs are tied down they cannot knock them over. However, the deer do move out when the cows get close to the feeder - they come right back when the cows are gone.

So should we look for a different ranch or these modifications won't cost that much? We're moving to Dallas in a year or two, so we'll buy a permanent ranch over there.

But up a three stand barb wire fence around the feeder. You dont even need to stretch it tight.

-Tee post
-Barbwire
-Bailing wire

Problem solved.

Everyone has probably had different experiences.. for the most part I don't think they are a problem. I would really suggest putting pens up though. If you have varmint guards and what not, some cows will destroy the feeder trying to get the corn (even if they don't top it over).

Thanks for the help guys.

I think most of the problems with cows come when someone is trying to run too many an a given property. When they get hungry they will give feeders heck, but when in thick green grass wont pay a pile of corn any mind.

matt

+1

deer behind the inlaw's house don't seem to mind the cows.

We have to put a fence around everything. Cows are destructive. I tried nailin' down the legs of my feeders, they bent the legs. We even had to put a fence around our camp. When the Deer see the cows comin', they hookem. This year our landowner moved all the cows to the back pastures during the season. I'm glad I don't hunt that pasture.

How about how annoying they are? If they find you, they never leave and hand out looking to see if you're gonna feed them...

Cows are good and cows are bad. If you don't have them to graze the grasses, the place will become over-grown. Unless they're in your food plot or feeder, cows and deer don't share too much of the same diet. Keep them out of your food plot and feeder and they are a benefit...IMO.

Depends on how many head you have out there and the conditions of your pasture. Some won't even venture to certain areas of the land and will stay mostly where the food and water are located. But again, that also depends on if someone is feeding them regularly, amount of browse, etc.

We've always fenced off our feeders because they will knock them down or lick the cameras. But overall, I've had little problems with them as long as you take the proper precautions.

Just be glad you're not having to deal with horses.

Good luck finding a ranch in Texas that does'nt run cattle.Its the way landowners get an Ag exemption and maybe a little extra income,they eat grass and keep the brush manageable,deer dont eat grass.Just fence them out with a pen around feeders,you'll be fine.

I had close to a thousand dollars worth of pop-up's eaten by cow's this year.

Cows can be a pain. But sometimes you luck out. I have always had them trash stuff.

I can see a problem with that. I've never had anything they could tear up but a friends Nephew had 2 Double Bull blinds eaten a couple of years ago. To add insult to injury, one of the cameras caught them doing it. Would brushing them in stop them maybe? I've been thinking about buying one but hate to spend that much feeding the cows.

Cows are not good for deer hunting. I have had feeders damaged, corn wasted and tripods knocked over. I agree with the idea of putting too many cows on smaller acreage can lead to over-crowding. My tripod was the victim of cows crowding an area and becoming clumsy. I am glad I was not sitting up there at the time. However, there are solutions to the problem. Don't give up on the lease. Try to work an agreement with the landowner first.
Good Luck.

Secure your feeder and blind to the ground and you will be ok. I would also make sure your feeders have good cages around them. Cows on our place tend to only eat the corn that has piled up. When you hand feed, make sure the corn is scattered. I would rather have 20 hogs than 20 cows, I can shoot the piggies. The deer walk off when the cows come out but wait in the brush until they leave. If its a good looking lease, don't let the cows stop you.

I had cow problems last season. I hog-paneled my feeder pen and set up the feeder to throw only in the pen and that was 100% effective, but...(1)I have a thousand pics of these black creatures wandering by or stopping and leaning on the pen...(2) they gathered at my truck, slobbering all over the windows and manuring all around it...(3) They loved to hang out between my feeder and the blind, scaring away game....(4)they gang-banged my deer decoy..(5) Every time I'd use my doe or buck grunt, the cows would come to me. I tried to shoo them away but this only ran off for a few minutes, meanwhile any game could see me acting the fool and scamper off. I threatened to shoot them and the cattle guy said I could...for $1200 each. No cattle for me on my next lease!

Cows aren't too big of a problem, and since they're slower not spooked as easy as other animals they're easier to hunt.

Not that I would EVER advocate this but I've heard stories about guys that keep a few arrows in their tripod tipped with thumpers. They say that in addition to being fun, shooting cows and goats and sheep keep them limbered up. One said that shooting a bull was particularly satisfying and when he stampedes off, all the cows follow.

I'll bet the ranch owner would like to catch them doing that. Hunting around cattle is just the way it is. I would fence off the feeder to keep the damage to a minimum, and enjoy the hunt. I dont move my cattle to the other pasture during deer season, and I always have success.

I don't think I can see myself shooting someone else's cows. Knowing my luck I would probably kill it.

knowing what I know now...I would have put up cattle panels long ago..if you plan on feeding protien..they will wreck their way in..if the pen is not a good one..just sayin..they are a big problem..

I used 6 16' x 50" panels on each feeder to keep them out. No problems after that.

BluVenom, I didn't read all the post on here about the cows and hunting but I can tell you for sure that cow cannot pick corn off the ground. Will they try? I'm sure and in doing so they can and will damage feeders. I raise cows and they cannot graze next to the ground like goats and sheep.

They might be able to graze if the ground looks like this

Guys on our lease use 36" hog panels. This takes care of cows and the hogs at our deer feeders. We do however have a couple of feeders unfenced dedicated just to hog hunting. 8 yrs. on lease and we havn't had a cow get into the deer feeders yet.

So in order to reassure and answer an accusation I received via pm I.was joking about hunting cows. I never have and never will shoot a cow.

I beg to differ. Never had a cattle problem until this year. Property owner missed planting fields with oats this year. No feed fot the cattle. They have busted 2 feeder pens, snapped t-posts off at the ground. If they are hungry, they will get in. I'm building 8 ft. panels all corner welded, cattle panels attached to them and running kickers inside so they can not push them over. Sinking 6" drill stem on the corners with t-posts in between and attaching it all with u-bolts.

I guess you could use a slingshot to scare them away from our feeder

in the same pasture...




any given morning at daylight you can make a round checking fence and calves and see 50-100 deer.

HA!

The blunts on arrows works but a buddy told me about a bad incident he had. No permanent damage so to speak but it did get a little penetration. I did it a few times many years ago with an old 200fps bow at 25 or 30 yards and it was effective but wouldn't take the chance with today's equipment.

jumping out of the bushes with a gilly suit works pretty well. scares the crap out of them

unless they have a calf hid around there, then you will be looking for a tree you can climb

ask my wife who thinks it's a good idea to take a walk through the pasture during calving season.

We keep panels around our feeders now. Our cows broke through the 3 row barbed wire fences we made. The deer jump in the pen, get their fill and jump out. As fas as getting cows away from the feeder, sling shots work well of you are close enough. BB/pellet guns work good too.

I like it when you are hunting and they just get right in front of you and stand for like..... 2 hours.

our cattle would look at ur three strands of loose barbed wire, and laugh as they pushed it right over....

but our cattle are a lil crazy.... once they figure out they can get food in there, its hard to stop em...

hell, i had hog panels all the way around with a barbed wire on top, they destroyed, and i mean DESTROYED my pen,a nd my feeder, one day ill go down there to take some pics... just havent had the heart to put it all back together.

My hunters never fence any of their corn feeders and they have no problems with the cattle. We do have a major hog problem and their feeders are well secured to prevent damage from rooting/rubbing hogs. On the other hand, I fence all of my protein feeders with cattle panels with jump slots cut in a couple of places. To a cow, protein is protein. Antlermax is as good as anything else and with a feeder, it just keeps on coming and coming and coming... Occasionally, you will find a cow that does like the whole corn but normally, they ignore it. Maybe its the piles of pig poop around the feesder? :-) Of course, if we don't get more rain then we have had in the last few months,anything that doesn't move may be fair game to my cattle. I started culling the herd this week because of a lack of food.
Sometimes common sense can alleviate problems in trying to hunt around cattle. Deer have bedding areas and cattle have similar areas that they bed, loaf, etc. It may be near a water source or it may be in an area protected from the wind, etc. Probably not a good place to put up a blind and a feeder. Shoo cow, I am putting up a blind right where you are laying!!!!

Holsteins like to tromp through campfires... many of them eat the ash.

Never figured out why.

the farm i am allowed to hog hunt they dont hunt deer. they have only 15 head of cattle. i think if there is history on the property. meaning, the cattle weren't recently introduced, you should be find. some of my video's have cows and deer feeding within 15-20 yards of each other.

I think people have more trouble with livestock than deer do. They don't all mix and its better without them. I'd just fence your feeders to save money.

I have never pinned my feeders, I suggest that you take a bag of range cubes or a few bales of hay to keep them where you want them while you are hunting.

Just know that if a cow really wants in your pen and all you have is a few loose strands of barbed wire or hog panels, it will get in there.

They don't seem to bother Does on our place, coons either.

They are a problem, less though than sheep, goats, or hogs. An outing ruined is expensive when cows come walking up. That buck you've invested so much time and money in will not show or bolt. Feeder pens are an additional cost, including time, and labor. Few landowners are willing to alter their livestock for hunters, even though hunters put more money in landowners bank account than cows do.

mean as it might be a slingshot or bb gun is fine cow repelent

Also, If you leave a trailer, camper, generator or anything else with wiring, fence it in. They will chew on anything plastic, such as trailer wires or extension cords. Also, I ave seen them lick and slobber on a spin-feeder untill it shorted out and had to be replaced.

Just protect your stuff, and you will be ok.