Keeping Cows out of Feeder???? Help!!

[Sunnylab]

Well, you guys probably already know what I'm going through. I just want to keep the cows out of my feeder. They tear up everything I put up. I got in a lease late this year and have had limited time to get it all set up. The place has good deer but fighting the cows has me about to give up.

the only thing I have not tried is electric. I'm thinking next year if I stay in this place, i'm going to put 2 strand electric on the outside of my pen. This is the only thing I can think of to do.

Pics and advice welcome.
thanks!!

[stickerpatch59]

t post and 2 strand of barbed wire work for me. made the pen 30'x30'.

[TX_Hoghunter]

I have not read any of your other post but 4 foot cattle panels and some T post have always worked for me. What kind of a pen do you have now?

-john

[Todd-ty729]

If you put an outer fence around your existing pen the deer will not jump over both layers.

They have very poor depth perception.

Where do you hunt?

[Stan R]

I have used hog panels with good results.

[culebuck]

Cut a 50" cattle panel n half then barb wire at 30" then at 40" u will be good to keep pigs and cows out

[Smart]

Make you pen bigger. The cows will leave it alone...

[Roger]

How big is your feed pen? I use three strand barbed wire loosely stretched by hand. Keeps them out, but our pens are also big so there is no corn being thrown remotely near the fence to entice them in. If they can reach or smell corn close to the fence, you may never keep them out once they figure out "hey, this fence pushes right over".

[Sunnylab]

Current setup.

T posts and hog wire about waist high. 30' diameter. They walked through it like it wasn't even there.

I don't see how 3 strand barbwire works at all, but if you keep them out with that then they must have plenty other groceries to eat.

the place i hunt is in eastland, tx

[br549redneck]

Cut a 50" cattle panel n half then barb wire at 30" then at 40" u will be good to keep pigs and cows out

This is what i did works great.

[ted_kennedys_liver]

three strand barbed wire is cheapest solution, next is hog wire (I believed its called that comes in a roll and is same height as cattle panels) and then you have cattle panels. Lots of threads on feeder pens on here. Some provide a gap for the deer that are two spooked to jump. some leave small gap between panels or cut a gap on the bottom of a panel or raise the panel completely.

30 x 30 seems to be the absolute smallest pen you build with panels to keep deer from feeling too cramped

Be very careful on using a solar powered electric wire on pen. Naturally deer will almost always go under the barbed wire as opposed to jumping over which is the positive. Negative is You risk shocking the big boy that doesnt clear the wire. Once that happens he wont be back.

One starnd of electric is all you need if you go that route

[Johnny Dangerr]

Ever measure the fence around the property line?

Cattlemen decided 100 years ago that 52 inches is the magic number.Get cattle panels and do not cut them. At least 10 panels and 20 t posts. {dead minimum}

Good luck.

[ted_kennedys_liver]

Cut a 50" cattle panel n half then barb wire at 30" then at 40" u will be good to keep pigs and cows out

i assume reason you cut cattle panels in half (as opposed to buying hog panels) is because you get two panels for price of one? Sounds like a great setup and cost saver.

[Cropduster]

I have used 8 hog pannels for years and have no problems with cattle or hogs. The deer easily jump into the pens and there is plenty of room for more than one deer. They seem to love it, there are number of pic of the deer sleeping in the pen.

[ted_kennedys_liver]

I too had terrible problems with cows (especially this season) - not because of feeder issues but just being in same vicinity. as for feeder solutions all my feeders are hung from trees, lowered and raised with hand winch. feeders are above cow height but again my deer just hate sight of cows.