Attracting Deer in a Non Deer Area (Eastern Travis Co)??

[cehorn]

So I’m looking for suggestions/help for “eastern” Travis county/rural Pflugerville area.

A little backstory. I have lived in this spot for all of my life (40+ years) and so has my dad (70 years) and never seen a deer or deer sign. Every once in a while I hear people saying they saw a deer or 2 around the area with some of them bucks. About 10 years ago we found a nice ~130” deer skull but never did anything other than think about how cool and odd it was. Additionally, as the crow flies I am less than 5 miles from the Manor golf course (on the same creek system) where I’ve heard of some monster deer being shot. So, the potential for a few deer is there.

Anyway, fast forward to late last November. I finally set up a feeder after talking about it for years, put out some Big & J and a trail camera just off the creek to see what happens and have a place to sit. I checked the camera a week or 2 later and nothing which was expected. Then I checked the camera on Christmas day and holy cow. There were 3 different bucks on the camera with one of them in the 130’s easily. That was the good news. The bad news was about a week earlier I had a picture of the deer fighting and they knocked over the feeder and no more corn. I set the feeder back up and hunted often and checked the camera often but the deer never came back. It wasn’t a total loss as I had a group of 4 hogs come in consistently and so far I have gotten 2 of them. I couldn’t be happier to have shot something 2 minutes from the house even if I never see another deer or pig there.

But, I would like to see and potentially shoot a deer so I’m looking for suggestions to draw them in and keep them there. The questions are, what would you do to try to draw the deer in and keep them coming back? I was thinking about planting a little half acre food plot for the spring and then fall but I have no clue what to plant for each season, etc. That’s really all I have room for given the trees and creek but that would cover my hunting spot. The soil is good black dirt farmland so I think just about anything should grow. I’m not sure I can get a disc down there to plow it but I may be able to. I know that would help. So, what would you plant and where would you get it? I guess I’m looking for suggestions for throw and grow and planting something since I don’t know about plowing it yet. Cost for seed isn’t really an issue since it isn’t a large area. I’m thinking whatever I plant will only take 1 bag so even high dollar stuff won’t be that expensive. I don’t think I have to worry about it getting over eaten since the deer density is very low and there is a chance nothing ever comes in to it. This area is also surrounded but 100’s of acres of corn fields as well so there won’t be a lot of pressure on whatever I plant. OR would ya’ll not plant and do something else? If so, what besides corn and Big & J that I have already done? The reason I did Big&J is because they advertise how far the scent travels to attract and I thought I could use all the help I could get there.

Sorry for the long post but any help/suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[BrianL]

You need year round food, cover, and water. My first thought would be a free flow protein feeder.

[cehorn]

You need year round food, cover, and water. My first thought would be a free flow protein feeder.

Thanks for the reply, I agree. My feeder is less than 10 yards off the creek but it is a long creek and I'm sure the water is the same next to my feeder as it is a half mile away. There are also multiple tanks within a quarter mile so I'm not sure I can do much about water.

My feeder is in about a 20 yard radius open area but it is fairly thick and wooded along the creek so there is cover in the area wedged in between the corn fields. I jokingly say it is more like hunting the midwest than hunting Texas. But again, I don't think the cover is any different in my spot than it is a half a mile away.

I think my focus needs to be on food. Protein is a good suggestion and maybe it would be better to do that than try to plant something. Or maybe do both I guess. One problem with a feeder is my dad. He is more concerned with his crops so he doesn't really want me running a feeder that could potentially draw pigs in from when he plants in a week until end of August when he harvests. I can probably get around that but I'm not sure if it will be worth the complaining on his part.

[BaseKAM36]

is there any thick cover on the place?

[ballgame]

Thanks for the reply, I agree. My feeder is less than 10 yards off the creek but it is a long creek and I'm sure the water is the same next to my feeder as it is a half mile away. There are also multiple tanks within a quarter mile so I'm not sure I can do much about water.

My feeder is in about a 20 yard radius open area but it is fairly thick and wooded along the creek so there is cover in the area wedged in between the corn fields. I jokingly say it is more like hunting the midwest than hunting Texas. But again, I don't think the cover is any different in my spot than it is a half a mile away.

I think my focus needs to be on food. Protein is a good suggestion and maybe it would be better to do that than try to plant something. Or maybe do both I guess. One problem with a feeder is my dad. He is more concerned with his crops so he doesn't really want me running a feeder that could potentially draw pigs in from when he plants in a week until end of August when he harvests. I can probably get around that but I'm not sure if it will be worth the complaining on his part.

Put up a pen using hog panels around your feeder.

Make the diameter large enough so that the pigs cant get any of the corn.

[BrianL]

You can fence off the feeder with hog panels to prevent pigs from getting to it. Feeder still needs to be free choice, as a spin feeder won't throw out enough to support deer, just gives them a snack.

[bowsticker]

Put out some Rice Bran! They will kill it!

[Hix]

High fence and turn em loose....
Seriously. Year around food and water source near by. And bedding area.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BolilloLoco]

Free choice protein feeder full of AntlerMax, broadcast feeder full of apple scented corn, qty14 34” hog panel feeder pen and 1/2 acre hog fenced food plot. Plant Milo in Spring and Buck Forage Oats in fall. You can mow the plot and scratch it with ATV implements or a push mower and rake. Put a couple of Browning Strike Force cameras on the feed pen and plot. Go swap cards every 3-4 weeks and look for tracks.

[whiplash]

I know of a low fence 190” deer killed in eastern Travis county. You may be surprised at what you see.

[Tx.Fisher]

I know of a low fence 190” deer killed in eastern Travis county. You may be surprised at what you see.

Yep, a fella killed it with his bow. It was in a recent TTH magazine.

[Etxbuckman]

I’m surprised to learn the words “Travis County” and “no deer” could be used in the same sentence.

[35remington]

Thanks for the reply, I agree. My feeder is less than 10 yards off the creek but it is a long creek and I'm sure the water is the same next to my feeder as it is a half mile away. There are also multiple tanks within a quarter mile so I'm not sure I can do much about water.

My feeder is in about a 20 yard radius open area but it is fairly thick and wooded along the creek so there is cover in the area wedged in between the corn fields. I jokingly say it is more like hunting the midwest than hunting Texas. But again, I don't think the cover is any different in my spot than it is a half a mile away.

I think my focus needs to be on food. Protein is a good suggestion and maybe it would be better to do that than try to plant something. Or maybe do both I guess. One problem with a feeder is my dad. He is more concerned with his crops so he doesn't really want me running a feeder that could potentially draw pigs in from when he plants in a week until end of August when he harvests. I can probably get around that but I'm not sure if it will be worth the complaining on his part.

Invite me out to slay those hogs with thermal, NV, and suppressors. I’ll even bring you a setup to borrow. Set out a protein feeder. Plow a small area and plant cotton seed or oats. That’s what I would do.

[NickR]

I grew up in the area. I assume you’re talking about wilbarger creek. Never saw a deer anywhere near there back then. Lived there for about twenty years off 973 near wilbarger creek toward Taylor. Havnt spent much time there in the last twenty years. About ten years ago I saw one north of Manor and since then heard of some nice deer in the area shot at shadow glen. I believe cover in that area would be key. Like you mentioned, no other competition for food.

[cehorn]

Free choice protein feeder full of AntlerMax, broadcast feeder full of apple scented corn, qty14 34” hog panel feeder pen and 1/2 acre hog fenced food plot. Plant Milo in Spring and Buck Forage Oats in fall. You can mow the plot and scratch it with ATV implements or a push mower and rake. Put a couple of Browning Strike Force cameras on the feed pen and plot. Go swap cards every 3-4 weeks and look for tracks.

This is the direction I’m heading. I’m going to put out a free choice protein feeder with the corn feeder and fence them with hog panels. It may be after spring break before I get the protein feeder out as I will probably buy a new big one for our place in Uvalde and bring a small one we have there home. I’ll also plant something, just not sure what. Mowing and maintenance will be fairly easy since it is a small area and so close. I can haul the push mower over and knock it out pretty quick. The biggest deal is getting farm equipment in as everything we have (disks, etc.) is bigger than the gate. I may have an option for something smaller that I’m looking into. I have 1 tc up an running. I actually swapped the card for the first time in about a month yesterday and 2 of the bucks came thru a couple of times again. That is the first time they have been on camera since before Christmas.

I know of a low fence 190” deer killed in eastern Travis county. You may be surprised at what you see.

I know there is a possibility. I know there have been some big deer killed in Shadow Glen and I’m less than 5 miles from there. I also know of a decent buck killed at 130 and Pecan in Pflugerville on the same creek system.

I’m surprised to learn the words “Travis County” and “no deer” could be used in the same sentence.

The deer are a lot less dense east of 35 (out of the “Hill Country”). I work 20 miles away on the west side of 35 and there are tons of deer. This is just old farm land with very little cover and habitat for them. BUT, there are a few deer.

I grew up in the area. I assume you’re talking about wilbarger creek. Never saw a deer anywhere near there back then. Lived there for about twenty years off 973 near wilbarger creek toward Taylor. Havnt spent much time there in the last twenty years. About ten years ago I saw one north of Manor and since then heard of some nice deer in the area shot at shadow glen. I believe cover in that area would be key. Like you mentioned, no other competition for food.

Yes it is Wilbarger but much closer to P-ville than 973. I have never seen a deer in 40 years but they are there according to the trail camera pics. Last year I saw a dead deer on the side of the road on Gregg Lane. We also have land over near Taylor off 973 in Coupland and have never seen any deer there either. But I bet there are a few roaming the creeks. It’s just tough when it is 90% farmland and no cover. Did you go to Pflugerville High (I’m dating myself a little as that was the only high school when I went)?

Hopefully getting an early start this year will lead to more frequent sightings next year and maybe a buck on the wall.