Small Property Hunting??? - TexasBowhunter.com Community Discussion Forums

U.S.ArmyRetired · 03-03-2021, 02:38 PM

I hunt a 30 acre property in NE Texas. I am very small limited budget. I have a tractor and brush hog but no disc. I do not have any food plots, I do not feed protein but I do try to keep 2 feeders full of regular corn year round. Do you think just regular ol corn will help hold some deer? It grows up in thick brush every summer. I do mow the fence rows and the pipeline at least twice a summer.

arrowsmack324 · 03-03-2021, 02:42 PM

If you have thick brush and corn there you'll be good to go but your going to have to limit your hunting so you don't run them out of there. I'm sure you get them just gotta put the work in. There are also some no-till food plots methods too, Google them you'll be surprised.

U.S.ArmyRetired · 03-03-2021, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arrowsmack324

If you have thick brush and corn there you'll be good to go but your going to have to limit your hunting so you don't run them out of there. I'm sure you get them just gotta put the work in. There are also some no-till food plots methods too, Google them you'll be surprised.

Lots of hunting pressure from deer leases all around me also.

duckmanep · 03-03-2021, 02:46 PM

do you have pens around your feeders? if not, I would start there to keep hogs off the feeders. NE TX deer like thickets.

HogHunter34 · 03-03-2021, 02:50 PM

Other variables to consider that will depend on how well you hold deer. Food sources is one & certainly won’t hurt to do all you can
Bedding areas is another
Water sources
How much human activity or hunting pressure
Most likely you get deer passing through or pushed off surrounding leased properties
Good luck

arrowsmack324 · 03-03-2021, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by U.S.ArmyRetired

Lots of hunting pressure from deer leases all around me also.

That's perfect if you can make your property a sanctuary you'll be in great shape. Remember does can be decoys for when the rut heats up.. As for quality of bucks that's going to depend on neighbors and whether they do the if it's brown its down thing. Tough part will be limiting your own traffic on the property.

U.S.ArmyRetired · 03-03-2021, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duckmanep

do you have pens around your feeders? if not, I would start there to keep hogs off the feeders. NE TX deer like thickets.

No pens. But hogs just showed in the past year.

Quote:

Originally Posted by arrowsmack324

That's perfect if you can make your property a sanctuary you'll be in great shape. Remember does can be decoys for when the rut heats up.. As for quality of bucks that's going to depend on neighbors and whether they do the if it's brown its down thing. Tough part will be limiting your own traffic on the property.

Limiting traffic is a problem. Kids like to ride 4 wheelers and that is the only place to ride. I have actually thought to not brush hog in there except maybe once right before season but It grows up bad around the feeders if I don't keep it mowed. I only mow the pipeline between my pop-up blind and the feeders. I have one feeder set up about 100 yds on each side of the pop-up on the pipeline. I also mow the fence row.

SharpEnd · 03-03-2021, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by U.S.ArmyRetired

Limiting traffic is a problem. Kids like to ride 4 wheelers and that is the only place to ride. I have actually thought to not brush hog in there except maybe once right before season but It grows up bad around the feeders if I don't keep it mowed. I only mow the pipeline between my pop-up blind and the feeders. I have one feeder set up about 100 yds on each side of the pop-up on the pipeline. I also mow the fence row.

Sounds exactly like my wife's family's 40 acre property in Missouri. We bowhunted there every season, and then came the kids and 4-wheelers. Deer became scarce. They recently bought the adjacent 80 acres to work on bringing back some opportunities.

Mike Fangman · 03-03-2021, 03:29 PM

Throw up a protein feeder, right in the middle and put a pen around it. It helps keep deer frequenting your property. I hunt 60 acres and they hit it harder than the corn.

BLee15 · 03-03-2021, 03:31 PM

We have 40ac in west tx. IMO anything under 50ac is to small to hunt unless you had a rare set up next to big piece of land or something like that. You might get lucky and kill something but actually hunting a big buck would be a 1 in a 10 year thing if your lucky IMO

Capp35 · 03-03-2021, 03:34 PM

Starting October 1st, keep the kids out.
Hunting pressure on the surrounding property will push them on to yours if it has little activity,

jamenefee · 03-03-2021, 03:41 PM

I hunt in similar conditions. I have no problem holding deer, but I also have a major water source on my place and good bedding neighboring my place.

buzzbait · 03-03-2021, 04:29 PM

We hunt 15 acres at the house. We have food and water and large neighbors that don't hunt. Works out pretty good.

austinmike · 03-03-2021, 08:08 PM

I hunt 80 Acers I feed year round and have 4 120 gallon water tanks
I strongly believe the water brings the deer in

bcmuzzy · 03-04-2021, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by U.S.ArmyRetired

No pens. But hogs just showed in the past year.

Limiting traffic is a problem. Kids like to ride 4 wheelers and that is the only place to ride. I have actually thought to not brush hog in there except maybe once right before season but It grows up bad around the feeders if I don't keep it mowed. I only mow the pipeline between my pop-up blind and the feeders. I have one feeder set up about 100 yds on each side of the pop-up on the pipeline. I also mow the fence row.

Roundup is your friend.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

toledo · 03-04-2021, 06:57 AM

Lay off the mowing, especially the fences. Pressured deer don't like being forced across openings. Only clear what is necessary to shoot. If you're worried about woody growth taking over those areas then mow after season. I own small properties and the only mowing I do is with a sling blade a couple weeks before season.

U.S.ArmyRetired · 03-04-2021, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toledo

Lay off the mowing, especially the fences. Pressured deer don't like being forced across openings. Only clear what is necessary to shoot. If you're worried about woody growth taking over those areas then mow after season. I own small properties and the only mowing I do is with a sling blade a couple weeks before season.

I could mow it in the Spring after it dries out. Hopefully, it won't grow too much over the Summer.

03-03-2021, 02:38 PM	#1
U.S.ArmyRetired Ten Point Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Killeen	Small Property Hunting??? I hunt a 30 acre property in NE Texas. I am very small limited budget. I have a tractor and brush hog but no disc. I do not have any food plots, I do not feed protein but I do try to keep 2 feeders full of regular corn year round. Do you think just regular ol corn will help hold some deer? It grows up in thick brush every summer. I do mow the fence rows and the pipeline at least twice a summer.

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03-03-2021, 02:42 PM	#2
arrowsmack324 Ten Point Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Spring Hunt In: 100% Public	If you have thick brush and corn there you'll be good to go but your going to have to limit your hunting so you don't run them out of there. I'm sure you get them just gotta put the work in. There are also some no-till food plots methods too, Google them you'll be surprised.

03-03-2021, 02:46 PM	#4
duckmanep Pope & Young Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Northeast TX	do you have pens around your feeders? if not, I would start there to keep hogs off the feeders. NE TX deer like thickets.

03-03-2021, 02:50 PM	#5
HogHunter34 Ten Point Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Whitehouse, Tx Hunt In: Anderson County	Other variables to consider that will depend on how well you hold deer. Food sources is one & certainly won’t hurt to do all you can Bedding areas is another Water sources How much human activity or hunting pressure Most likely you get deer passing through or pushed off surrounding leased properties Good luck

03-03-2021, 03:29 PM	#9
Mike Fangman Ten Point Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Hunt In: Ranger & Kerrville	Throw up a protein feeder, right in the middle and put a pen around it. It helps keep deer frequenting your property. I hunt 60 acres and they hit it harder than the corn.

03-03-2021, 03:31 PM	#10
BLee15 Eight Point Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Fort Worth, Tx Hunt In: Cherokee & Crossplains	We have 40ac in west tx. IMO anything under 50ac is to small to hunt unless you had a rare set up next to big piece of land or something like that. You might get lucky and kill something but actually hunting a big buck would be a 1 in a 10 year thing if your lucky IMO

03-03-2021, 03:34 PM	#11
Capp35 Ten Point Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Cypress, Tx Hunt In: Menard county	Starting October 1st, keep the kids out. Hunting pressure on the surrounding property will push them on to yours if it has little activity,

03-03-2021, 03:41 PM	#12
jamenefee Six Point Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Etoile Hunt In: Chireno	I hunt in similar conditions. I have no problem holding deer, but I also have a major water source on my place and good bedding neighboring my place.

03-03-2021, 04:29 PM	#13
buzzbait Ten Point Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Columbus/Colorado County Hunt In: Colorado, Lavaca, Blanco, Gillispie and Fayette	We hunt 15 acres at the house. We have food and water and large neighbors that don't hunt. Works out pretty good.

03-03-2021, 08:08 PM	#14
austinmike Ten Point Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Cedar creek tx Hunt In: Driftwood tx	I hunt 80 Acers I feed year round and have 4 120 gallon water tanks I strongly believe the water brings the deer in

03-04-2021, 06:57 AM	#16
toledo Ten Point Join Date: May 2010 Location: College Station Hunt In: the road by your lease	Lay off the mowing, especially the fences. Pressured deer don't like being forced across openings. Only clear what is necessary to shoot. If you're worried about woody growth taking over those areas then mow after season. I own small properties and the only mowing I do is with a sling blade a couple weeks before season.