2019 blackland prairies thread, Ellis, Navarro, hill heck even north side freestone

[KactusKiller]

Another year in our area, figured I’d start a little earlier to catch more of the season prep, planting and planning. I’m still somewhat new to hunting this area since most of my experience is out west or in hill country.
I purchased another 76ac this yr for a total of 108 and have already started planting food plots, pushing/shredding brush and making plans for hunting spots this fall.
Let’s do a survey of who hunts in the area (nsew of what county) but obviously no exacts, how many acres you hunt, your preferred hunting style(feeders, trails, hand corn, box blinds, tripods), what feed or supplements you feed and maybe a pick of your setup.
I want to be more successful this yr so hoping to learn from some of you pros from this area.

I’m in western Navarro, I’ve tried hand corn, feeders, rice bran, food plots, tripods, box blinds and still have not been able to get deer consistent enoughon my property to really hunt them. Most of my herd besides an couple really young bucks and a couple doe are very sporadic. I’ve been planting fall and spring food plots for two yrs. I add mineral licks, corn and some times rice bran. I tried a free choice protein feeder this last season that had a mix of corn, soybeans and rice bran pellets, results weren’t very good.

Hoping a third season will yield better results but right now the land is so lush they aren’t showing much at all and pigs have gotten pretty heavy.

Anyway hope last yr was good and next yr is better for everyone.

[KactusKiller]

Up for the guys in my hood

[Wits_End]

Shredded summer plots but haven't had the chance to plow. Planning to plant a variety including cowpeas, soybeans, millet and sunflowers. It's lush around but deer are still eating in the wheat and oats and occasionally hitting feeders.

I have 1 pig that has been coming in consistently for a while. He runs the deer off, so he must go soon.

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[KactusKiller]

Shredded summer plots but haven't had the chance to plow. Planning to plant a variety including cowpeas, soybeans, millet and sunflowers. It's lush around but deer are still eating in the wheat and oats and occasionally hitting feeders.

I have 1 pig that has been coming in consistently for a while. He runs the deer off, so he must go soon.

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Yep he needs to die, my pigs are pretty active right now, we just can’t seem to ever catch them when we are there.

[Buck Shot]

I live in SE Navarro county and hunt in central Freestone county - am I eligible? Lol.
I put out protein for the first time this year but haven’t done anything else yet because the weather hasn’t cooperated for me. Mixed results on the protein.

[Buck Shot]

I have five box blinds and one tripod. Corn feeders at each. No food plots yet but hope to do a couple this fall. I have cattle on the property so I have to consider exactly where I want them. We’ve had decent success since we bought the land in 2016 but have learned the rut comes early here...so early I was in denial about it until last year....

[amcalister04]

Got a few feeders going but have never done food plots. May give it a go this fall. What’s the best thing besides winter rye or wheat to plant in the fall for this area?

[KactusKiller]

Got a few feeders going but have never done food plots. May give it a go this fall. What’s the best thing besides winter rye or wheat to plant in the fall for this area?

I did a variety this fall with a mix of wheat, oats, purple top turnips, Damon radishes, clover, few winter peas and then did a plot with only buck forage oats.
You will read mixed results but my deer really liked the turnips, radishes and buck forage oats. They eat the greens off the turnips not the actual turnip. I did plant too many tho. Those little seed go a long way, lol.

[KactusKiller]

I live in SE Navarro county and hunt in central Freestone county - am I eligible? Lol.
I put out protein for the first time this year but haven’t done anything else yet because the weather hasn’t cooperated for me. Mixed results on the protein.

For sure, I can’t tell yet on my protein either. My deer aren’t great with any feeders but I have also been very lucky with rain last couple yrs. They got on feed pretty good this last summer when it got really dry then the rain hit in August and they haven’t been the same since because it’s been so wet and green all fall and winter.

[lost cajun]

Hand corn changed everything for me in north Navarro. We would have does and young bucks come in to the feeders, and tons of pigs. Every big buck killed off our place was on hand corn put out less than 100 yards from the feeder.


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[KactusKiller]

Hand corn changed everything for me in north Navarro. We would have does and young bucks come in to the feeders, and tons of pigs. Every big buck killed off our place was on hand corn put out less than 100 yards from the feeder.


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Are you putting the hand corn in a feeder pen or just in the ground? Have you tried hanging feeders from trees to keep the “handcorn” consistent? Dang pigs get to my hand corn before deer most times it seems.

[bowaddict40]

I hunt on the south end of Navarro Mills lake on about 450 acres. We have 2 box blind sets then a couple of ladder stands on travel routes. We normally have lots of does and smaller bucks, but will have 3-4 nice bucks as well. We do not hand corn much because the doe find it before the bucks do. We have penned off our feeders and that has cut down on the pigs we see. We still have a few but not the 30 or 40 at a time that we were seeing. We do not plant food plots, because we have 2 coastal fields and the pecan orchard is full of clover and Rye grass. We do feed protein from mid March until late September. Corn is year round. Here are 2 bucks we killed last year.

[KactusKiller]

Quality bucks for sure, there is some good deer near the **** and down the river.

[KactusKiller]

Quality bucks for sure, there is some good deer near the **** and down the river.

Bad when your phone autocorrects to **** instead of dam

[Killer]

Hunt Eastern Navarro co along Trinity. Have not had good luck with feeders our lease is almost 100% overflow we have killed some nice bucks up to lower 140”