I'm bought my first ranch/hunting property!!!

[Sneaky]

Milam county seems to have some great folks so far! I just talked to Tim Siegmund, the county wildlife biologist, and got a wealth of information about managing the land for the benefit of the wildlife.

Much to my relief, it's actually a really good thing for the land to have the nearly impassable yaupon thickets cut out from underneath all the large oaks, so that native grasses and flowers can flourish, creating more good food for the wildlife. Once I get my deer hunting wrapped up, it will be time to get the chainsaw and get started! Of course, I'll want to leave some thickets intact for refuge from bad weather, and for places for deer/hogs to bed down. There are also both state and federal funds which can assist landowners with doing things like clearing out underbrush and replanting native grasses, much to my surprise.

I also got the good news that good drinking water in my area has a solid chance of being considerably closer to the surface, compared to other texas locales. Hopefully I'll draw a lucky straw and not need to go all the way to 300+ !

I also spoke with the county private lands biologist, Billy Lambert yesterday. He had a bunch of good info on the deer and hog populations.

What great people! Next on my list is the game warden and the local LEO's.

[plentl65]

Born and raised in Milano. Lots if pigs in some areas and deer population has gotten a lot better since they out the antler restriction into place. Congrats on the purchase!

[DUKFVR]

Beautiful place!! CONGRATS!!!

[westexasagent]

Freaking awesome! Nothing like stomping on ground that is yours! Make sure u have planty of water out and I would keep Hi Pro 30-30 blocks out all the time on the interior of the ranch. Just my 2 cents

[Sneaky]

Freaking awesome! Nothing like stomping on ground that is yours! Make sure u have planty of water out and I would keep Hi Pro 30-30 blocks out all the time on the interior of the ranch. Just my 2 cents

are those protein blocks? I assume they will result in better looking antlers?

[60 Deluxe]

Congrats. Your work is soon to begin. and it never ends.

I would put a 2" pipe post in the fence every 60 to 70 feet. Mine were cedar and they don't do too well in a wildfire. By all means, ask your neighbors if they will split the cost of the fencing. Be sure to put the fence on the property line. That sounds simple enough but it can cause huge problems if you mess up. Barb wire is o.k. unless you think that you may want to buy some goats someday...if so go ahead and put net up. I hate taking barb wire down and rolling it up. Think about whether or not you will install some wire gaps or gates. They are extra work and may only get used once ever ten years but they may be needed for moving stray livestock or for access for firefighters. Or maybe even for retrieving a wounded deer.

When you get your well installed and build some sort of shelter over it go ahead and grab one leg of the 220 and wire a light and a receptacle for getting heat on the well during cold spells. You probably won't need it more than a week a year and you will save enough on plumbing repairs to pay for the cost the first year. Install a couple of valves inside the shelter so that you can shut off water to the cabin or water troughs without having to shut off the pump and drain the pressure tank every time you want to fix a faucet or something.

You might think about an all weather road into the cabin. They will need it to deliver materials, etc. You will thank yourself when the rain comes.

Have fun tweaking the place to suit you and your family. It will definitely keep you out of trouble because you will always have work to do.

Lets see here: cabin, road, well, build fences, barn, deer stands, tractor, implements, fire ring, garden, pond, cut firewood, clear brush, mend fence, hunt, what am I missing? Get used to listening to the Cowboys play on the radio, there isn't time to sit on the couch during a weekend.

[Sneaky]

Congrats. Your work is soon to begin. and it never ends.

I would put a 2" pipe post in the fence every 60 to 70 feet. Mine were cedar and they don't do too well in a wildfire. By all means, ask your neighbors if they will split the cost of the fencing. Be sure to put the fence on the property line. That sounds simple enough but it can cause huge problems if you mess up. Barb wire is o.k. unless you think that you may want to buy some goats someday...if so go ahead and put net up. I hate taking barb wire down and rolling it up. Think about whether or not you will install some wire gaps or gates. They are extra work and may only get used once ever ten years but they may be needed for moving stray livestock or for access for firefighters. Or maybe even for retrieving a wounded deer.

When you get your well installed and build some sort of shelter over it go ahead and grab one leg of the 220 and wire a light and a receptacle for getting heat on the well during cold spells. You probably won't need it more than a week a year and you will save enough on plumbing repairs to pay for the cost the first year. Install a couple of valves inside the shelter so that you can shut off water to the cabin or water troughs without having to shut off the pump and drain the pressure tank every time you want to fix a faucet or something.

You might think about an all weather road into the cabin. They will need it to deliver materials, etc. You will thank yourself when the rain comes.

Have fun tweaking the place to suit you and your family. It will definitely keep you out of trouble because you will always have work to do.

Lets see here: cabin, road, well, build fences, barn, deer stands, tractor, implements, fire ring, garden, pond, cut firewood, clear brush, mend fence, hunt, what am I missing? Get used to listening to the Cowboys play on the radio, there isn't time to sit on the couch during a weekend.

Wow, tons of great info - thanks!

I'm really wanting to put in as much elbow grease as possible to save money, and take pride in doing the work myself. Do you have any advice as to which tasks I should go after, once I finish fencing in my property?

Also, and I hope this isn't a stupid question, but is there any way in hell I can drill a well without spending big money with a drilling company?

With regard to electricity, Is it possible to just have the power company deliver to the road, and from there, trench and bury my own conduit back to where I want my cabin to be? Will they let me do this?

[Darton]

Life is good!

[msubaseball31]

Congrats on the new ranch. Hope you and your family enjoy every minute of it!

[brownwdbwhunter]

The very first purchase I would do is a tractor. You don't have to break the bank with one. We paid 5000 for a 38hp massy fergasson with front end loader and brush hog. I wouldn't get lower then that on the hp and I would make sure it has it has attachments.

[brownwdbwhunter]

It was '70's model and isn't really required much maint.

[60 Deluxe]

First up would be the well and well house. Mine is 200 feet deep and I paid someone to drill it. I set my own pump using poly pipe and cable. It worked for awhile until a splice turned loose on the poly pipe. Then I hired the well driller to come back and fish my pump out of the hole. It now has schedule 40 pvc and I gladly would have paid the few dollars extra for schedule 80 if I had known in time. There is no way that I would tackle a well unless your water table is twenty feet or so.

Call the electric co-op and discuss prices to run a line into your well/cabin. Concho Valley Electric Co-op ran my line in almost a half mile at no charge but we were putting in an all electric home. You will probably find the cost of direct burial cable to be cost prohibitive. Wire has gone sky high pricewise. If you can live with overhead, that is the cheapest and it gives the doves a place to rest and sing for you.

We started in this order
Well
Well house
Road
Electricity
Telephone
Dog pen
Septic tank
House
Water lines to garden and perimeter of yard
Yard (no landscaping, planted grass but......)
Deer blinds and feeder pens
Buy livestock
Buy livestock trailer
Fencing
Build Barn (by myself) 1 year every weekend
Bought tractor with bucket and blade
More fencing
Clear fields
Bought another tractor


And that was done while holding down a sixty to seventy hour a week job. No wonder I'm such a grouch!

[BigL]

Congrats. I've been hunting on 23 acres in Burnet for the past 15 years. Best advice I can give you is try to make it as deer friend as possible in the middle. Cut under growth from Oak trees and fertilize and water the oaks to help them produce as many acorns as they can. Get a water station set up. Food plot. Feed in the middle. You want to draw them as far on your property as you can from all directions.

Then hunt the trails leading to it.

[Italianxbowuser]

I am doing the same as you, started in February. My advice is use locals for any work u don't do yourself, cheaper and bonds you with community. Put up a 24x30 on my 20+ acres. Pm me if I can be of any help

[WyoHunter]

Congrats! I'm sure you'll have a great time spending time with the family there.