Exotics vs whitetail

[Gclyde12]

Guys,
What are yalls thoughts on releasing axis and blackbuck in with whitetail on 200-300 acres. Will this hurt the whitetail growth? Is this going to be one of those deals where you will need to decide wether you want big whitetail or exotics or can you have both?

[CastAndBlast]

Both as long as you are willing to foot the feed bill to keep them growing.

[Bullseye07]

Gonna take lots of feed for a place that small

[texashunter56]

IME exotics and whitetails do not mix very well. It takes a lot more feeders and a much higher feed bill to see better whitetails with exotics on the place. Axis and Blackbuck numbers can get out of hand much quicker than whitetails.

[hogmess]

I would pick one or the other.

[Buff]

I have both and have for 5 years.
We grow some great exotics but have never had a whitetail above 130".
Whitetails are timid around the feeders and everything else pushes them away from the feed

[Honker]

I have both and have for 5 years.
We grow some great exotics but have never had a whitetail above 130".
Whitetails are timid around the feeders and everything else pushes them away from the feed

I fully agree with Buff. Axis and fallow deer will be more dominate. Blackbuck are different story. BB tend to be more docile and usually do not place as much pressure on whitetail.

[Saltyag15]

We released 7 axis deer last February at the ranch in Encinal. Got to watch them last season, and when they come in to corn, they tended to act a lot more like hogs than deer! They were typically in groups of 3 or 4, and they would just start running down the road together spooking off a lot of the other deer. I know that doesn't really answer your question, but it is kind of a cool story because I had no idea how they would act and it was kind of surprising to me.

[Truckville]

I fully agree with Buff. Axis and fallow deer will be more dominate. Blackbuck are different story. BB tend to be more docile and usually do not place as much pressure on whitetail.

This is what I'm finding on the place I hunt out west. From running cameras, I would imagine you could easily have blackbuck and big whitetail but you cannot throw axis in the mix and expect the same results. Axis dominate feeders and are extremely aggressive. I usually get a fighting at a feeder photo every other time I check cameras. This is with free choice protein.
My whitetail are still average/above average for the hill country but they do not get to consume the protein the axis do and it shows.

[Hawkpuppy 1]

Axis will compete directly with your WT. BB would be fine as they are a grazer and shouldn't bother your WT. 300 acres is tough to do a lot with on a big variety of animals and not hurt the habitat...

[Steady_Hand]

I'll say, if you want to bring axis and blackbuck in and keep your whitetail, you will have to manage their numbers or it will get out of control. They multiply like crazy. I've got a low fence piece of ground here in Junction and was wondering why I wasn't seeing many whitetail. I found out why when I went for a walk and ran into a herd of axis. Met them at the corner of a field and they filed through the gate one by one.. so I got a good count. Counted 184

[texashunter56]

The problem with Blackbuck is the fact they can overpopulate to quickly. They will give birth twice per year and numbers get out of hand quickly. I put 5 doe and 3 bucks in an 80 acre netwire LF pasture. 2 does and the 3 bucks escaped. I had 3 does and one had a doe fawn then put in another group of 3 bucks. 2 of them preceded to fight to the death. Started the herd with 3 does, 1 doe fawn and 1 buck. 5 years later had 90 head in 80 acres. With any exotic when numbers get to high they will dominate a feeder. With axis when you get 7 or more at a feeder the whitetail will leave. Famous last words of just about anyone who stocked either of them in a pasture with whitetail was "if they get out of hand I will shoot them and eat them". When it gets dry enough any exotic will take over a feeder.

[Pkripper]

Anyone that needs help with those pesky exotics can PM me and I will gladly help lower the numbers free of charge.

[Honker]

Anyone that needs help with those pesky exotics can PM me and I will gladly help lower the numbers free of charge.

That is extremely generous, PK. That's what I love about TBH...members are always willing to help one another.

[Patton]

Axis will compete directly with your WT. BB would be fine as they are a grazer and shouldn't bother your WT. 300 acres is tough to do a lot with on a big variety of animals and not hurt the habitat...

While I agree that Axis will compete with whitetail more than a BB, Axis are grazers as well more so than browsers.