Help Transitioning our Farm

[Traildust]

Get a water system going and high fence it.

[Duane]

If it were my place, I’d first concentrate on eradicating anything and everything that is non-native (plants and animals) and try to return the “improved” pasture back to native grasses and shrubs. Non-native food plots aimed at attracting whitetail will certainly do that for you, but they can be a lot of work annually to maintain and in the long run they don’t necessarily benefit all the other critters that contribute to a well balanced ecosystem.

I’d also apply for a wildlife exemption.

[LivinADream]

I would think about hiring a land consultant. The right ones are a bit pricey but they will be there (not on the property obviously) to help see it thru. They will build you a plan, with growing and hunting big deer. An overlooked but possibly most important thing they will bring to the table that most won't is access routes. They will specialize in what to keep,(native high quality forage) vs what to get rid of (non native/invasives). How to get rid of them. (Cut down, hack and squirt, hinge) What to burn/when to burn (time of year, and how often) how to make and manage bedding areas, sometimes even specific for does groups vs bucks. The order these things are done can also be very important. Done In the wrong order, some things can be a step backwards. There is a long list of things that would make them worth the cost.

On another note, high quality habitat can be done cheap if you have the knowledge. The knowledge is where I struggle as well.

A chainsaw/drip torch/and onX can turn a place into the best habitat for miles and miles in the right hands. Research mineral stumps, the results behind them blow my mind.

MSU deer lab and sawdust and fire are 2 habitat podcasts that I listen to and learn a ton from. Easy interesting listen for those trips back and forth to the property.

[dbaio1]

Following! I am just getting started also. I had the TPWD biologist come out and do a management plan.......no strings attached. First for me is to remove all the dang hogs. (124 hogs down in 12 months) Hog proof fencing going in soon, a little over 4 miles. I will thwack coyotes and bobcats this summer as it is obvious my deer/fawn retention is not great. Just like you (per the biologist) there are MANY good deer taken in my area.....170" and up. I will check out El Gato posts on the subject.

Once you get that fence get to killing. Over 15 yrs of trying to reduce hog population and its a no win battle. Had a trapper remove over 1500 in a 3 yr period. A year after he stopped due to Louisiana regulations you couldn't tell. Luckily our deer and hogs seem to have found a good level of cohabiting.

[GarGuy]

You are in a great area Curt. Rusty is the man. You might try lespedeza and vetch. If you fertilize it, the deer will come. I'll be following.

[Black Ice]

Following! I am just getting started also. I had the TPWD biologist come out and do a management plan.......no strings attached. First for me is to remove all the dang hogs. (124 hogs down in 12 months) Hog proof fencing going in soon, a little over 4 miles. I will thwack coyotes and bobcats this summer as it is obvious my deer/fawn retention is not great. Just like you (per the biologist) there are MANY good deer taken in my area.....170" and up. I will check out El Gato posts on the subject.

If you ever need help I’ve got a thermal. You can scoop me up on the way out😂

[curtintex]

To be clear, I have seven protein feeders fading protein from January to September, And we’ve been doing this for about five years. We have an abundance of water on the place.

[brokeno]

The county should have a TPWD biologist to come out and make recommendations. Just don’t lose your ag exemption.

[Texas Grown]

Maybe put a few more pecan trees in the mix. Then take the grandchilderen pecan hunting during the fall. Teachem how to shell pecans and make pecan pie from them. It's just something else that Pa-paw can teach them to do.Them trees will offer up some squirrels too.

[SaltwaterSlick]

Curt, when we had the Moody Ranch out west, we contacted the local TPWD biologist and he came out and spent a LOT of time helping us to develop a plan to manage our property and its wildlife. Didn't cost us a plug nickle for his services and we learned so much from him that has stayed with us over the years. We now have a pasture on a very large ranch that is managed by a private ranch biologist that is pretty good at what he does. In my estimation, both guys have the same overall approach to managing the land for healthy habitat and growing deer. If you haven't already, by all means contact the TPWD and find your biologist for the area. I'd bet he'd love to help you with the project and you can go from there. It's a cheap and (at least it was for us) a very good way to learn the way of the land. There are a lot of online resources through the various gubment agencies on details of the native habitat in your area. A local TPWD biologist should be a short cut to helping you find those (most of the time free) resources. Then after the biologist helps you line out what you want, if you'd like to kick it up a notch, you can hire a land manager pro, but you will have learned enough about how it all works to make good decisions and nail down your chances of being successful! Good luck sir!!

[SaltwaterSlick]

You know Curt, one other thought I had is that over the years, I have come to understand just how little most guys know about the woods in East Texas with respect to exactly what IS deer habitat, and what deer actually like to eat. I've hunted in the East Texas woods all my life and my dad and uncles on both sides of my family worked in the woods as timber folks and farmers and cattle people. My dad taught me from childhood about the woods, to be woods wise... what the various kinds of trees, shrubs, and other plants were, though being East Texas rednecks, often they'd have their on colloquial names for them. I've got a bunch of buddies that I hunt with in the Trinity River bottom that have hunted in the woods all their lives too, but they can't tell you the difference between a black gum and white oak... Just amazes me!! I told those guys for years, "don't worry about hunting deer/hogs, just hunt for white oak trees and stay there. The deer, hogs and squirrels will be there!" To this day, most of them just don't get it!! A local biologist can be invaluable in helping to familiarize yourself with the native plants on your land... if you don't already have a good handle on that!

[mavrick]

If I had the resources I would contact Mossy Oaks Game Keeper and have them fly someone out. Working with that group should get you a great and quick change for the best.

[Killer]

Just let the pastures go without spraying or mowing for several years you will be surprised how quickly green briar and brush will come back. Pick your spots you want food plots and keep them clear.

you said it your self in the original post. The pastures had green briar and weeds and we killed good quality deer. Turned the pastures into a clear park and deer quality went down.
under brush and green briar will help hide the deer and fawns. I would quit spaying and mowing except the food plot areas fence lines and roads.
You could select cut some of your timber area also this would help promote new growth in the timber also.

[camoclad]

Maybe I missed it. What's your hay pastures? Bermuda?

You really have learned the most valuable lesson. Deer, and all creatures really, hate monoculture. If I was going to put improved pasture or any type of cleared field "back" to wildlife, I'd simply let it "go to seed" so to speak. I may spend a little to kill of the existing non-native grass but other than that, just let it grow.

I finally stopped battling a few years ago on our home place. Years of buying seeds, hopping for rain but not too much, spending time, fuel, blood sweat and tears. About three years ago, I just said, nah. Let it grow. Broadleaf "weeds", bushes, all kinds of vegetation burst forth and I just let it all grow. By September it's 18 ft tall. I take a batwing and 4010 JD through it and cut senderos for the deer season. Progressively more, larger bucks every year the past three years. This year was incredible. The does came in thick and the boys weren't far behind. The combo of food, cover and edge from cutting the senderos seems to be the special sauce in my slice of texas (south of fort worth). I just feed timed corn starting late September through January. Just to give the kiddos a chance... I come back and batwing the rest of the place right around the last frost. Start all over again. I'd like to burn it next year. We will see...

I caint wait for September to cut shooting lanes and senderos and lay out the "playing field" for this year's games! Its my favorite part of the year, more than the hunts themselves.

[jay07ag]

Hey Curt! You’re in an area known to grow Longleaf pine historically. Go get with the NRCS or Longleaf Alliance and convert some of that pasture to Longleaf pine (they’ll cost share it), then burn the tar out of it on a 2 year interval. You’ll see a fantastic response from your deer herd and as a bonus you’ll probably start seeing a bunch of turkeys if there is any sort of source populations nearby. Call me if you have any questions about it…we did this same thing on our place near Lufkin back in 2010 and it’s the best thing we ever did. (936)three31-7246