Freestone County (New to the area)

[Guest]

TBH'ers,

I am new to owning a deer lease and fell into a pretty good deal for 200 acres in Freestone County. Just looking for some advice/suggestions for what to start out with on the property.

Last week I set up (2) 300# corn feeders with 2 cameras to start getting an idea what the area is holding. We are bordered by much larger properties on pretty much all sides so I am hoping we have a good deer and hog population. More to come on that front.

Any suggestions on how many feeders or if I should go with planting a few food plots as well?? If food plots is the way to go does anyone have an idea of what grows well in that area? and How big the food plots really need to be??

Any thoughts are always appreciated.

[Avezorak]

I used to have a lease on Pyramid Ranch north of town. I always did well with just corn feeders and mineral blocks. There are some nice deer in Freestone , just not a huge quantity. There used to be a ton of pigs. Ive been off the lease since 2012. Wish I still had it.

[BolilloLoco]

I would put out 4 corn feeeders and 2-3 protein feeders. Try to keep them in the center of the property if possible. Keep them full year round. Keep travel inside the property to a minimum. No joy riding on atv's or utv's. Food plots are great if you have the capabilities. The bigger, the better. Try to keep them in the center of the property. I would not kill more than one buck per year off the place (including culls). Some years you probably won't kill a buck. Take does as needed in attempts to thin the herd.

[chuckdeerhunter]

Lot of pig and yotes and cottonmouths out there
And that county is ar county if i remember

[fbchunter]

I would feed 3-4 corn feeders. Protein feeding would depend on what type of neighbors i thought i had and their feeding programs. If they arent feeding protein i would not either, unless the neighboring properties are not hunted

[J&M Hamilton10]

Where are you located in the county? I'm just south of RC lake near winkler. I plant buck forage oats, clover, and this year kale. My plots have always done well and bring in deer. And lots of hogs in this county as we'll.

[J&M Hamilton10]

I have a 2 acre plot and a 1 acre plot. If you have hogs you might need a feeder pen for your deer...I do, my deer won't come to a feeder because of the hogs. My pen is 8 hog panels in a circle and it does the trick.

Prob to late but a trophy rock inside a pen is a great way to get pics of deer in summer. You leave a mineral rock or lick out in the open, hogs will lick and eat it right up, from my experience on my place.

[TX_Hoghunter]

It has been a few years but I had been on a lease down there for about 10 years. Loads of hogs and we had a good number of deer. The hard part down there is getting the deer old enough to shoot. Lots of it is legal it is dead in that area. Here is my best buck from the lease.

-john

[courtatlawjudge]

If everyone would heed the advice about not joy riding (or using at all atv) a lot more deer would get killed. Deer don't pay much attention to pickups, IMO, but you can empty a 200 avre place by driving around on it with UTV/ATV. They have done a great job marketing them to sportsmen, but I've seen places full of deer vacated over that and going to stands using wrong approach route and sitting a stand on a bad wind. Whitetails are pressure animals delux. Walking a little further and giving up the convenience of an atv will yield results

[BowHuntBuilder]

Thanks for all the help guys. I am right off of 833 and 121 about 8 miles north of fairfield. I am going up this weekend to check cameras and see what these 2 corn feeders have brought in over this last week. I may dedicate a couple of feeders with no fencing to keep the hogs around and then put up a few with some hog panels. I will post some pics of what I see if there is anything worth while.

Anyone had any success with any no till planting in the area? I dont have anything to till the land with and will be doing most of the work by hand. I could always rent something but just not sure if I want to put a whole lot of work into this place yet.

[Texas8point]

Take it from an old time Freestone County man .... 20+ years

Late September plant a half acre imperial whitetail clover plot.
Dont be fooled brother man, go with what works !!!!
Pm me and we'll talk !

[Texasm1976]

Thanks for all the help guys. I am right off of 833 and 121 about 8 miles north of fairfield. I am going up this weekend to check cameras and see what these 2 corn feeders have brought in over this last week. I may dedicate a couple of feeders with no fencing to keep the hogs around and then put up a few with some hog panels. I will post some pics of what I see if there is anything worth while.

Anyone had any success with any no till planting in the area? I dont have anything to till the land with and will be doing most of the work by hand. I could always rent something but just not sure if I want to put a whole lot of work into this place yet.

Your not to far from me. I am am off of 488 right past right past 833 the next hill down the road. I will post some pics of deer we have seen and killed in a little bit.

[BowHuntBuilder]

Your not to far from me. I am am off of 488 right past right past 833 the next hill down the road. I will post some pics of deer we have seen and killed in a little bit.

Awesome. Would love to see whats out there!