4 Lease openings Water Valley, TX

[bullhead44]

$6,750 + $3000 feed + Feeders + Pen+ Stand= 3 whitetail deer
Not saying its a bad deal at all; I know the prices. It just amazes me what a lease cost now.

ditto I sure cant afford anything like that

good luck to the OP in finding good lease mates tho

[TheHammer]

I can understand that. That's how I feel driving through Menard at night.

That’s it. The road is crawling with deer at night.

[txwhitetail]

Saw helicopter flying it today. Be interesting to know what deer density is with all the clearing and mesquite spraying.

Good luck with the lease.


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[Bodey]

Had a good visit with CDavis last week. He is entering into some powerful deer country, that rivals any in the state for low fence genetics. That North Concho area will do it all if you keep the pressure on the numbers. I'm not sure what his numbers are now, but we have kept intensive management pressure on a 5000 acre ranch , just upstream from him. We have been following biologist harvest recommendations since 1987. Trying to keep deer population at about 1deer to 15-20 acres. It requires taking around 50 does and 25 bucks a year. If he has over 7000 acres, I suspect he will need to harvest nearly 100 deer a year, when he reaches the proper desired population.

The toughest challenge, in a bowhunting only scenario, is getting the doe quota harvested. Try to do it early, before rut, but if there are plenty of groceries around, they will rarely be seen at feeders. Later in the season, all the young bucks will dominate feeders and a doe doesn't dream of coming in. Shoot the does when you can and don't hold off because you think the big boy might be coming in. The pastures this Fall are like a salad bowl and I cant say how many deer I've watched walk through corn to get to a nice green patch of weeds.

The best hunting scenario you can ask for in that country, is for it to rain all Spring and Summer, then turn off powder keg dry about the first of September. Exactly the opposite of this year.

Good luck CDavis. You have the makings of a real jewel for a bowhunting ranch. Pay your dues and stick with it a few years. You will be pleasantly rewarded. If we can ever help you, give us a shout.

[Jmh05]

Not a bad area. We are pretty close to you. Does are hard to kill at feeders. Deer were better 10yrs ago but making a heck of a comeback as far as buck quality. I’ve killed multiple P&Y deer at our place up to 146 with a bow.

[KingsX]

Had a good visit with CDavis last week. He is entering into some powerful deer country, that rivals any in the state for low fence genetics. That North Concho area will do it all if you keep the pressure on the numbers. I'm not sure what his numbers are now, but we have kept intensive management pressure on a 5000 acre ranch , just upstream from him. We have been following biologist harvest recommendations since 1987. Trying to keep deer population at about 1deer to 15-20 acres. It requires taking around 50 does and 25 bucks a year. If he has over 7000 acres, I suspect he will need to harvest nearly 100 deer a year, when he reaches the proper desired population.

The toughest challenge, in a bowhunting only scenario, is getting the doe quota harvested. Try to do it early, before rut, but if there are plenty of groceries around, they will rarely be seen at feeders. Later in the season, all the young bucks will dominate feeders and a doe doesn't dream of coming in. Shoot the does when you can and don't hold off because you think the big boy might be coming in. The pastures this Fall are like a salad bowl and I cant say how many deer I've watched walk through corn to get to a nice green patch of weeds.

The best hunting scenario you can ask for in that country, is for it to rain all Spring and Summer, then turn off powder keg dry about the first of September. Exactly the opposite of this year.

Good luck CDavis. You have the makings of a real jewel for a bowhunting ranch. Pay your dues and stick with it a few years. You will be pleasantly rewarded. If we can ever help you, give us a shout.

Well said,Bodey.
CDavis,good luck and in my opinion Bodey is the one I personally would listen to very closely when he talks and gives any advise in that area. Bodey would be a privledge to hunt near as a neighbor for anyone

[Turbo6]

10k for 3 deer? Wow that’s insane. Good luck.

[jeffpg]

Well said,Bodey.
CDavis,good luck and in my opinion Bodey is the one I personally would listen to very closely when he talks and gives any advise in that area. Bodey would be a privledge to hunt near as a neighbor for anyone

Spot on advice.
Bodey knows.

[solocam_aggie]

10k for 3 deer? Wow that’s insane. Good luck.

Geez. It says doe tbd, not A DOE lol.

So maybe something like "10k for 10 deer, wow that's awesome."

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[trophy8]

There’s giant deer and a lot of deer in that area. Good luck!!

[Mr.Speedracer]

Pm sent

[CDavis]

Really appreciate all the help and information Bodey. Really hope I get to meet you out there and pick your mind a little more.

As for the deer survey anyone that is interested here is what the flyover results are.

Cooper,
The deer count looks pretty good. 159 bucks counted and 228 doe and 76 head
additional were counted as fawns but many of those were hard to identify
because it's so late in the year. That gives the ranch an overall 1.1.5 doe
per 1 buck which is about perfect. The age structure could be a little
better, but judging mature is also difficult as well from the air. An
estimated 30% of the bucks were classified as mature with 32% being middle
age and 38% being young. Because none of the bucks were killed this year
that should mean an even higher percentage of the bucks should be mature
next fall.
The goal is to have close to 40% of the bucks being mature.
I am still visiting with Steve about harvest numbers to give your group, but
should have that soon.
He said because of the time of day that they flew some of the very best
bucks they never got a picture of, but he will send me some.
The antlers were very similar to most of the antlers in this area this past
season. The deer are really set up to have a great antler year next season
if it will rain a little in the spring and early summer.

[Tuffbroadhead]

CDavis, best of luck brother. We had a lease on the Concho for years South of Miles and keeping the doe numbers down was serious business but always paid off.

[AntlerCollector]

CDavis, it's looks like you are on the right track by getting a fly over survey instead of just randomly putting up protein feeders, and hoping it works. Good luck to y'all. Lots of really good deer out there.

1 to 1.5 is great

[Puncher51]

It looks like you are doing it right! Good luck and keep us all updated!