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ANYONE still trying to grow Huge NATIVE Low Fence Whitetails???

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    #76
    Originally posted by coop2564 View Post
    I have had a HF 1000ac place with native deer Frio co. for 7yrs now. Protein feed at rate more than biologist recommended rates and winter wheat. Largest buck we have killed to date is 159 5/8 gross, another 159 3/8 some 157,156,154,153 etc. we are letting the bucks get to 7.5, but see little to no jump from 5.5 to 7.5 even in mass. Native brouse hurts us on good years...deer do not eat as much protein on good brouse years and always have smaller racks as a result. Biggest racks come on dry years when they have to eat protein 10-15" more. We also kill a lot of 7.5 -8.5 yr old 6, 7 and 8pt than score 120's, are avg. buck scores about 135'' thats 7.5yo all Frio co deer. Some of are bucks weigh over 200lbs highest 228lb. We have had some bucks that had best rack at 5.5 some at 6.5 but I think its more a product of health and food that year than age. We had typ 12 at 5.5 that we think would of scored 167 thought for sure next yr he would break BC but next yr was only 153 still a 12, next yr 155, he is 8.5 now and looks only 153 but is 13pt and has lost tine length and mass. Moral of story is native deer have a ceiling.Age and food aren't the answer. Doesn't mean at some point a 170 wont hit our dirt, just shows how rare they are without genetic help.
    Try adding a cottonseed feeders next to your protein feeders. This will give the bachelor group of bucks all a chance to eat when they hit the feeder pens together. Most of the time a dominate buck will control the protein feeder and most of the bucks will not get to eat while there. I guarantee your deer weights will go up if you start feeding cottonseed and protein together. Plus healthier deer usually means higher scoring bucks. We are seeing a big difference after doing this just 2 years ago.

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      #77
      Originally posted by coop2564 View Post
      I have had a HF 1000ac place with native deer Frio co. for 7yrs now. Protein feed at rate more than biologist recommended rates and winter wheat. Largest buck we have killed to date is 159 5/8 gross, another 159 3/8 some 157,156,154,153 etc. we are letting the bucks get to 7.5, but see little to no jump from 5.5 to 7.5 even in mass. Native brouse hurts us on good years...deer do not eat as much protein on good brouse years and always have smaller racks as a result. Biggest racks come on dry years when they have to eat protein 10-15" more. We also kill a lot of 7.5 -8.5 yr old 6, 7 and 8pt than score 120's, are avg. buck scores about 135'' thats 7.5yo all Frio co deer. Some of are bucks weigh over 200lbs highest 228lb. We have had some bucks that had best rack at 5.5 some at 6.5 but I think its more a product of health and food that year than age. We had typ 12 at 5.5 that we think would of scored 167 thought for sure next yr he would break BC but next yr was only 153 still a 12, next yr 155, he is 8.5 now and looks only 153 but is 13pt and has lost tine length and mass. Moral of story is native deer have a ceiling.Age and food aren't the answer. Doesn't mean at some point a 170 wont hit our dirt, just shows how rare they are without genetic help.

      And there are folks on here that have just about thrown the "genetics" piece out the window thinking it isn't important...lol

      I have to disagree on age and nutrition though. Those are the basic keys to any trophy type management program and normally the easiest to implement for a simple management plan.

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        #78
        I’m bonkers about trying to grow huge low fence deer. I live on our family ranch which has amazing genetics. I watch deer 365 days a year. I feed protein and corn year round and plant soy beans most years. We just feed the heck out of them and pray they get old. Our neighbors are the biggest problem preventing us from having 170+ deer on most years. We are loaded with 130-150 class bucks but have had numerous ones break 160 up to 200”. I’d love to tell you that I have a magic recipe that gives us all the big bucks but I’d be lying if I said it was anything other than dumb luck. I wish more folks with big deer would admit that lol. I find that I’d rather watch all the big bucks vs shooting them. I have had the opportunity to watch many of these deer from when they were very young...My wife finally told me last season that I had to shoot one of I couldn’t feed them anymore lol.

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          #79
          Originally posted by LHPanther View Post
          I’m bonkers about trying to grow huge low fence deer. I live on our family ranch which has amazing genetics. I watch deer 365 days a year. I feed protein and corn year round and plant soy beans most years. We just feed the heck out of them and pray they get old. Our neighbors are the biggest problem preventing us from having 170+ deer on most years. We are loaded with 130-150 class bucks but have had numerous ones break 160 up to 200”. I’d love to tell you that I have a magic recipe that gives us all the big bucks but I’d be lying if I said it was anything other than dumb luck. I wish more folks with big deer would admit that lol. I find that I’d rather watch all the big bucks vs shooting them. I have had the opportunity to watch many of these deer from when they were very young...My wife finally told me last season that I had to shoot one of I couldn’t feed them anymore lol.
          I like your passion! and as much as I feel my strategy and management plans will work I agree 100 percent on dumb luck! I'll take all of it I can get... .

          So what did you shoot?

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            #80
            Some pretty special looking specimans on this thread! It is good to see folks putting in the work and patience it takes to develop some fantastic deer. Great thread Shane!

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              #81
              Originally posted by Abcdj View Post
              Some pretty special looking specimans on this thread! It is good to see folks putting in the work and patience it takes to develop some fantastic deer. Great thread Shane!
              Appreciate David and I agree... lots of good guys on here pouring their heart and soul into their place. Sometimes I think I'm crazy when making that monthly drive south to fill feeders and check on things, but when you pull those SD cards it's all worth it

              Comment


                #82
                Originally posted by Mexico View Post
                I like your passion! and as much as I feel my strategy and management plans will work I agree 100 percent on dumb luck! I'll take all of it I can get... .

                So what did you shoot?
                I shot a mid 150’s 6 year old that I had been watching for 4 years. Always bittersweet taking one that you’ve been following for years....but it’s always fun shooting big bucks with your bow.

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                  #83
                  We tried to! Oh lord how we tried!! But the owners had different plans that included clearing all the underbrush leaving only the big oak trees. Their reasoning was they want to be able to SEE the deer when they were out there. That, and they slowly sold the place off bit by bit, and went up 150% on the price.

                  All low fence Llano county deer









                  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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                    #84
                    Originally posted by LHPanther View Post
                    I shot a mid 150’s 6 year old that I had been watching for 4 years. Always bittersweet taking one that you’ve been following for years....but it’s always fun shooting big bucks with your bow.
                    I shot a deer several years ago that I raised from 3.5 to 7.5. Felt like I shot a friend no joke! Then when I sat in that blind I would miss him walking out ...

                    Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

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                      #85
                      Originally posted by Mexico View Post
                      I shot a deer several years ago that I raised from 3.5 to 7.5. Felt like I shot a friend no joke! Then when I sat in that blind I would miss him walking out ...

                      Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
                      I completely get it. I have caught myself looking out my window looking for him so many times (yes, I watch most of our bucks from my kitchen window lol)

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                        #86
                        Originally posted by Tx.Fisher View Post
                        We tried to! Oh lord how we tried!! But the owners had different plans that included clearing all the underbrush leaving only the big oak trees. Their reasoning was they want to be able to SEE the deer when they were out there. That, and they slowly sold the place off bit by bit, and went up 150% on the price.

                        All low fence Llano county deer









                        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                        DANG BiL you guys had some giants!! That split G-2 buck is a monster! Beams for dayzzzz!

                        No worries on loosing it, you can always come hang out with me!

                        Comment


                          #87
                          We have been since 2011 on 840 acres in OK. Protien/plots year round. We have been going up each year on the plots. We are right at 40 acres this year but should have been at 55 but the pigs wear one of the fields out so we stopped trying to replant. My favorite thing is the food plots. Just learning all the no til practices and looking forward to using cover crops and trying new varieties out. finally got around to putting out some crimson clover like el gato does. We burn a little bit of the property every year. We have a lot of water on the place but I still want to have water in my feeder pens. Trap and kill as many hogs as possible. Trying to grow some trees. We have a few sanctuaries. We have had some great young deer get killed by neighbors but oh well it happens. We moved our cows to one part of our place to keep them away from the deer. We don’t shoot trophies every year because I always want them to get another year. Seems like I’m always saying can’t wait til next year. My goal is to grow giant deer. My dream is to kill a 200 off it one day. We only bowhunt deer/turkey. Only a few times a year we will use a gun to kill some pigs but I think this has helped out a lot with the deer feeling more safe. Been trying to get some cottonseed up around me but it’s hard to find.

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                            #88
                            Originally posted by coop2564 View Post
                            I have had a HF 1000ac place with native deer Frio co. for 7yrs now. Protein feed at rate more than biologist recommended rates and winter wheat. Largest buck we have killed to date is 159 5/8 gross, another 159 3/8 some 157,156,154,153 etc. we are letting the bucks get to 7.5, but see little to no jump from 5.5 to 7.5 even in mass. Native brouse hurts us on good years...deer do not eat as much protein on good brouse years and always have smaller racks as a result. Biggest racks come on dry years when they have to eat protein 10-15" more. We also kill a lot of 7.5 -8.5 yr old 6, 7 and 8pt than score 120's, are avg. buck scores about 135'' thats 7.5yo all Frio co deer. Some of are bucks weigh over 200lbs highest 228lb. We have had some bucks that had best rack at 5.5 some at 6.5 but I think its more a product of health and food that year than age. We had typ 12 at 5.5 that we think would of scored 167 thought for sure next yr he would break BC but next yr was only 153 still a 12, next yr 155, he is 8.5 now and looks only 153 but is 13pt and has lost tine length and mass. Moral of story is native deer have a ceiling.Age and food aren't the answer. Doesn't mean at some point a 170 wont hit our dirt, just shows how rare they are without genetic help.
                            We have two pastures in the hill country next door to each other. One we have been feeding protein heavily for 11 years, its low fence with little pressure from neighbors. The other is HF, but same management practices and only had it about 8 years. We have had some mistakes by guests, but biggest deer to date is 170" native deer. We released some genetics a few years ago on the hf side, and now have some 200+" deer running around. We basically had a breeder buck and some does, and we would tag and release the fawns. The only difference is genetics and it is making all the difference in the world. 30+" of difference. I however, still prefer a native LF deer for myself, but I will eventually kill one on the HF side

                            Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

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                              #89
                              Originally posted by coop2564 View Post
                              I have had a HF 1000ac place with native deer Frio co. for 7yrs now. Protein feed at rate more than biologist recommended rates and winter wheat. Largest buck we have killed to date is 159 5/8 gross, another 159 3/8 some 157,156,154,153 etc. we are letting the bucks get to 7.5, but see little to no jump from 5.5 to 7.5 even in mass. Native brouse hurts us on good years...deer do not eat as much protein on good brouse years and always have smaller racks as a result. Biggest racks come on dry years when they have to eat protein 10-15" more. We also kill a lot of 7.5 -8.5 yr old 6, 7 and 8pt than score 120's, are avg. buck scores about 135'' thats 7.5yo all Frio co deer. Some of are bucks weigh over 200lbs highest 228lb. We have had some bucks that had best rack at 5.5 some at 6.5 but I think its more a product of health and food that year than age. We had typ 12 at 5.5 that we think would of scored 167 thought for sure next yr he would break BC but next yr was only 153 still a 12, next yr 155, he is 8.5 now and looks only 153 but is 13pt and has lost tine length and mass. Moral of story is native deer have a ceiling.Age and food aren't the answer. Doesn't mean at some point a 170 wont hit our dirt, just shows how rare they are without genetic help.
                              What’s a biologist recommended rate of protein?

                              Comment


                                #90
                                Originally posted by BIG BONE View Post
                                We have been since 2011 on 840 acres in OK. Protien/plots year round. We have been going up each year on the plots. We are right at 40 acres this year but should have been at 55 but the pigs wear one of the fields out so we stopped trying to replant. My favorite thing is the food plots. Just learning all the no til practices and looking forward to using cover crops and trying new varieties out. finally got around to putting out some crimson clover like el gato does. We burn a little bit of the property every year. We have a lot of water on the place but I still want to have water in my feeder pens. Trap and kill as many hogs as possible. Trying to grow some trees. We have a few sanctuaries. We have had some great young deer get killed by neighbors but oh well it happens. We moved our cows to one part of our place to keep them away from the deer. We don’t shoot trophies every year because I always want them to get another year. Seems like I’m always saying can’t wait til next year. My goal is to grow giant deer. My dream is to kill a 200 off it one day. We only bowhunt deer/turkey. Only a few times a year we will use a gun to kill some pigs but I think this has helped out a lot with the deer feeling more safe. Been trying to get some cottonseed up around me but it’s hard to find.
                                You bring up a very valid point in Sanctuaries. We have cows on 100 percent of our property so I'm not sure if we actually have a true sanctuary or not. We do have at least two 3 to 4 hundred acre plots on our place that see little to no human activity (and not hunted). The deer hold up in there nicely.
                                I'd like to think they're sanctuaries but with cattle I dont know.
                                Good luck on your 200 inch quest, I bet you accomplish it one day! I have my sights set alot lower at a 170 LF deer.

                                Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

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