Lack of Deer in Llano?

[Mexico]

You are jumping to conclusion sir. My dad, brother and I share a single spot because we have enough room on lease where we have separate feeders/blinds. Everyone else on the lease is a single hunter and we are never up there at the same time.



And we have strict management rules on what is considered a cull sir. Any buck that is a stag (fuzzy antlers, no nutz) or a 5.5 or older buck that has had no change or antler development.

Alrighty... good luck.

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[PondPopper]

There are a lot of variables that can affect this situation.. Its hard to say without being there. Many have been mentioned above.. Excessive noise(gunfire)and constant activity can screw a good place up pretty quick..

Is there water on the ranch?
Water and year around feed is a huge plus in the hill country especially if our neighbors are feeding year around..

[Garrett Harlan]

There are a lot of variables that can affect this situation.. Its hard to say without being there. Many have been mentioned above.. Excessive noise(gunfire)and constant activity can screw a good place up pretty quick..

Is there water on the ranch?
Water and year around feed is a huge plus in the hill country especially if our neighbors are feeding year around..

Yessir I agree, we have 1 spring fed pond that never runs dry along with small streams that stays full most of the year and 5 stock tanks that stay full for cows. We also feed corn year round at every feeder.

Just a little odd, cause we have had the same rules/management on the place and people aren't ripping around on ATVS or shooting a lot. Its like a switch has flipped.

My top guess is yotes second to maybe neighbors feeding protein year round.

[Double D]

What is the average number of deer taken off the place per year for the last 5-7 years? It is still early in the season and things might turn around. We have had years like that.

[skinsfan]

So how many deer are being taken each year? 12 for you, your dad, and your brother? Or four per spot period? 24 deer total on 1800 acres?

[Garrett Harlan]

What is the average number of deer taken off the place per year for the last 5-7 years? It is still early in the season and things might turn around. We have had years like that.

Average total number of deer taken off the lease in the past 5 years (total allotment from the landowner is 6 spots x 4 deer per spot = 24 deer a year) is 18 deer for the average. Some years are closer to total allotment, some are less. (2019/2020 season only took 14 deer).

Past 3 season harvests:

2017/2018 season: 10 does, 9 bucks (4 mature bucks aging 5-7 years & 5 stag bucks).

2018/2019 season: 11 does, 8 bucks ( 4 mature aging 6-7 & 4 culls)

2019/2020 season: 10 does, 4 bucks (2 mature and 2 culls)

[Garrett Harlan]

So how many deer are being taken each year? 12 for you, your dad, and your brother? Or four per spot period? 24 deer total on 1800 acres?

4 deer total split between my dad, brother and I.

[Garrett Harlan]

We have seen an increase in our hog population as well, but doing our best running traps catching 4-5 hogs per set per trap. Could be causing pressure at the feeders for the corn. Not trying to complain honestly trying to get opinions on more experienced people who have been in similar situations before.

Some of our longtime lease holders who have been on the lease 5 years longer than me (so close to 20 years) are getting tired not seeing deer. He went the whole weekend hunting 3 different blinds and not seeing anything. Only thing keeping him from getting off the lease is we pay just under 3k per spot for 1800 in Llano with a cabin.

[dphillips62]

Find you an out of the way place on a heavy used trail and set up a trail camera and hand corn it. See what happens you may be surprised they are still around

[skinsfan]

4 deer total split between my dad, brother and I.

SO 24 deer total on 1800 acres, that makes sense. My guess is predators. I have seen a drop in deer numbers on my little place the past two years and have killed 6 coyotes and three bobcats.

[Hills of Texas]

Those numbers look reasonable for that area. There’s not a decrease in deer numbers in the county though, if anything the doe numbers are through the roof. I’d just stick it out. It will turn around.

[Garrett Harlan]

Those numbers look reasonable for that area. There’s not a decrease in deer numbers in the county though, if anything the doe numbers are through the roof. I’d just stick it out. It will turn around.

Yessir I agree, planning on keeping the lease as long as the landowners will have us.

[Garrett Harlan]

SO 24 deer total on 1800 acres, that makes sense. My guess is predators. I have seen a drop in deer numbers on my little place the past two years and have killed 6 coyotes and three bobcats.

We hear yotes all the time, wanting to bring in a trapper after the season is over to make a dent.

[PondPopper]

We hear yotes all the time, wanting to bring in a trapper after the season is over to make a dent.

24 per year is not many at all on 1800 acres in the hill country.... Not enough IMO..... Are ya'll seeing many fawns? Have yall been the last few years.?? Coyotes will wreack havoc on you fawn crop.. My bet is a predator problem..

[RR 314]

I think they all came to our place in Llano. Had 22 deer at two feeders (1 blind with two feeders) yesterday. Have to start killing some more slicks.