First time on a lease I have had to set up my pens. Never bothered to count how many panels were used in the other places I've hunted. I'm thinking 10-12 16' panels is going to be ok? Sound about right for you guys? I will have a corn feeder in the center, a mineral block somewhere in there, and a protein feeder along the edge of the pen.
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Originally posted by hoythitman View PostFirst time on a lease I have had to set up my pens. Never bothered to count how many panels were used in the other places I've hunted. I'm thinking 10-12 16' panels is going to be ok? Sound about right for you guys? I will have a corn feeder in the center, a mineral block somewhere in there, and a protein feeder along the edge of the pen.
My pens are oval - protein in the middle and corn feeders at each end. Dominant deer, for the most part, feed at one end or the other and then take turns at the protein feeder. In October, I've had as many as 23 bucks and 12 does in the 23 panel pen AT ONE TIME.
Bigger is better....IMO.
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I agree with Hammer. The bigger the better. If cost is not an issue and the posts are easy to drive, I would go with at least 15-20 panels in an oval shape. Dominant bucks will keep the other deer pushed out in a small pen. If driving posts are an issue I would get a generator and a hammer drill to start your holes. You won't regret having a larger pen, but you will regret the small one once the bucks start getting aggressive for the food.
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Originally posted by hammer63 View PostIMO, it depends on how many deer you have. I have a 18 panel pen and a 23 panel pen. The bigger the pen, the more likely you are to keep more than 1 dominant deer in the area during the time of year when bucks don't like each other. A dominant deer can, if so inclined, bully his way around a 10 panel pen but he can't continuously bully a 15 panel or bigger pen.
My pens are oval - protein in the middle and corn feeders at each end. Dominant deer, for the most part, feed at one end or the other and then take turns at the protein feeder. In October, I've had as many as 23 bucks and 12 does in the 23 panel pen AT ONE TIME.
Bigger is better....IMO.
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Originally posted by hoythitman View PostNew property not really sure of deer populations. Its Medina county and we have year round water so I'm assuming they are healthy populations. On the other side of that we have elk and I don't want the pen so big that 6 or 7 elk are in there under the corn feeder tearing it up. Another member has a bunch of pics of 2 or 3 bulls under the feeder feeding, the progressing into sparring. Trashed the feeder when sparring so I'm also hanging about making it a winch up feeder and putting it really high.
No, really, elk may be a real problem for your whitetail feeding. I don't know how the two can co-exist without it being a pain in your butt. Let us know how it works out after you've built your pens and had a chance to see what both the deer and elk do.
Best of luck!
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