Fencing Deer Movement

[Wi transplant]

If it's legal I have no judgement.

I paid for a consultation on my personal farm that was a waste of money. It revolved around a fence controlling exactly where deer could & couldn't enter my 3 acre plot. To give credit: it would have absolutely changed my farm from being extremely difficult to bow hunt to making it incredibly easy to bow hunt. I just don't feel right about it, so the plan & all that money was basically put in the trash.

I agree . But its not always easy to get a mature buck to pinch himself into a gap i know some no prob some its a no go! Definitely an art to setting them up to make them feel comfortable enough to do it! I agree if its legal its legal!

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[Brett Morris]

I agree . But its not always easy to get a mature buck to pinch himself into a gap i know some no prob some its a no go! Definitely an art to setting them up to make them feel comfortable enough to do it! I agree if its legal its legal!

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No doubt. Topography and swirling winds makes bow hunting our farm a real challenge. I just don't think using fencing makes me feel accomplished as a mature buck killer.

I've been really blessed the last couple years with some great deer. 10 years ago I would have been running fence galore. My identity revolved entirely around 'how big of a deer I'd killed'. Thankfully that phase has passed. Ironically success killing big deer followed getting my priorities in-line.

I've also owned 120 acres for 6 years now and never killed a wall mounter off it. One 150'ish inch super mature buck a few years ago that I'm super proud of. I've had way more fun going "old school" and chasing late muzzleloader bucks on permission farms anybody could get permission to hunt. That's the beauty of this adventure, we can all do things a little bit different!

 

[hillrunner]

If it's legal I have no judgement.

I paid for a consultation on my personal farm that was a waste of money. It revolved around a fence controlling exactly where deer could & couldn't enter my 3 acre plot. To give credit: it would have absolutely changed my farm from being extremely difficult to bow hunt to making it incredibly easy to bow hunt. I just don't feel right about it, so the plan & all that money was basically put in the trash.

I agree with most of what you said but I definitely do not reserve judgement on an activity just because it's legal. There are all kinds of legal things a person can do that would still make them a total scumbag of they did it.

 

[Wi transplant]

I agree with most of what you said but I definitely do not reserve judgement on an activity just because it's legal. There are all kinds of legal things a person can do that would still make them a total scumbag of they did it.

Like a politician??? Lmao!!!!!

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[Windlooker]

I have an old 5 strand cattle fence that’s in great shape but no longer needed, no livestock. In two places the deer have knocked down the top two strands jumping the fence creating good crossings and stand sights. Am I supposed to fix the fence??

In another location I have a 3 acre pasture that was being taken over by honey locust. My neighbor bulldozed it for me to save the field. When he cleared he pushed the trees from east to west making a 100 yard long brush pile from south to north. Again this blocked entrance to the field except for where the brush ends to the north and south. Great stand locations.

Whether we create funnels intentionally, unintentionally or through natural weather events etc we can split hairs on this all day. Can have the same talk about equipment advances and standing food plots. If it’s legal it’s legal.

 

[Nrharris]

I have an old 5 strand cattle fence that’s in great shape but no longer needed, no livestock. In two places the deer have knocked down the top two strands jumping the fence creating good crossings and stand sights. Am I supposed to fix the fence??

In another location I have a 3 acre pasture that was being taken over by honey locust. My neighbor bulldozed it for me to save the field. When he cleared he pushed the trees from east to west making a 100 yard long brush pile from south to north. Again this blocked entrance to the field except for where the brush ends to the north and south. Great stand locations.

Whether we create funnels intentionally, unintentionally or through natural weather events etc we can split hairs on this all day. Can have the same talk about equipment advances and standing food plots. If it’s legal it’s legal.

I'm guilty of cutting a section of no longer used cattle fence to entice deer to cross there. Also either closing or opening gates can change their route as well.

 

[Snail3496]

I paid for a consultation on my personal farm that was a waste of money. It revolved around a fence controlling exactly where deer could & couldn't enter my 3 acre plot. To give credit: it would have absolutely changed my farm from being extremely difficult to bow hunt to making it incredibly easy to bow hunt. I just don't feel right about it, so the plan & all that money was basically put in the trash.

Who did the plan?

 

[hillrunner]

I have an old 5 strand cattle fence that’s in great shape but no longer needed, no livestock. In two places the deer have knocked down the top two strands jumping the fence creating good crossings and stand sights. Am I supposed to fix the fence??

In another location I have a 3 acre pasture that was being taken over by honey locust. My neighbor bulldozed it for me to save the field. When he cleared he pushed the trees from east to west making a 100 yard long brush pile from south to north. Again this blocked entrance to the field except for where the brush ends to the north and south. Great stand locations.

Whether we create funnels intentionally, unintentionally or through natural weather events etc we can split hairs on this all day. Can have the same talk about equipment advances and standing food plots. If it’s legal it’s legal.

What if I high fence a 20 acre property but leave 1-20' opening. I then tie up a dog by that opening. Legally, those may be free range deer but morally I'm a piece of crap and those deer are trapped.
You could literally spend days coming up with legal things that are only done by honor less scum without even getting started on the non hunting world.
"If it's legal " may be a good starting point, but it's sure not the end of the discussion.

 

[Windlooker]

That’s a bit extreme don’t ya think. High fences are a different discussion. Do you grow food plots? Leave standing beans? Oh, that’s not baiting. Lol

I have a stand pinched by a pond forcing deer to walk by at 20 yards. Am I unethical knowing deer won’t cross the water?? Oh, that pond was built by a farmer for his cattle. Man made.

Have another stand where a county road running north and south on the edge of my property was closed 40 years ago. It’s now grass but it’s an old road. At a section the road was built to cross a ravine making it the easiest crossing from a field into my timber. Again, man made pinch. We can go on and on.

 

[Bucksnbears]

This is getting kinda stupid.

You wanna make a " fence" to funnel deer, so be it.

But when you post a photo on your big,old,wise buck that has eluded you and countless other hunters, make sure you disclose that you built a fence to funnel him to you.
Hunt smarter, not harder kinda thing.

,

 

[Windlooker]

When you hinge cut a big sized area to promote thicket to keep deer on your property, when you cut browse to attract deer, I think you had a pic on a different thread on your property, tell us how you hunted smarter. If you don’t create the bedding and browse your big old buck might bed elsewhere.

Why’s this getting stupid? Is a food plot promoting deer travel like an open gate or a hole in the fence? Sure. It’s no different and common sense.

I grew up hunting big block timber in PA. Scouting was required to find terrain features and pinch points. It was difficult. In Iowa it’s easy. Travel corridors, pinches, wooded fingers, ridges, ravines, fence lines etc are obvious because they’re not dozed. I guess farmers make us less ethical hunters. We’ll agree to disagree.

 

[hillrunner]

That’s a bit extreme don’t ya think. High fences are a different discussion. Do you grow food plots? Leave standing beans? Oh, that’s not baiting. Lol

I have a stand pinched by a pond forcing deer to walk by at 20 yards. Am I unethical knowing deer won’t cross the water?? Oh, that pond was built by a farmer for his cattle. Man made.

Have another stand where a county road running north and south on the edge of my property was closed 40 years ago. It’s now grass but it’s an old road. At a section the road was built to cross a ravine making it the easiest crossing from a field into my timber. Again, man made pinch. We can go on and on.

Where did I say I had an issue with any of that? The only thing I said was "if it's legal" is not the end of the discussion.

 

[Bucksnbears]

WL, yes, I did and will continue to do " wildlife enhancment".

I will not EVER build a wire fence where deer have to be funneled into a certain spot to go about their daily lives.

Wouldn't do it if a 300" inch deer showed up.
I enjoy the (hunt).

How many here would do it just to shoot does? Spend the time n money for it.
Yeah..., figgered.

There has got to be a line drawn where certain practices have to be scorned upon (even if legal).
Building a man made fence to funnel deer is a sickening thought to me.
Maybe I'm wierd?weird?

Edited to add.
A new Whitetail Group video just popped up a bit ago.
I swore them off months ago because of their manipulation of deer.
I did watch it to confirm. Yep, f*%king fences in damn near every " hunt".

I like listening to Bobby. Seems like a nice,genuine fella that loves deer hunting but...., what he and his group are doing on their properties and then selling them to others as a " ready to hunt" piece sickens me greatly.

As I've said before, ANYBODYwith land and $$ can do this.
Almost a gimme.
Almost as amazing is, those that appose crossbows,late season doe tags, gun season during the rut,ect have the mindset that funneling deer with fences is OK?

 

[singlecoyote]

I know this one is a hot topic. Totally get it. & We are only talking about a strip on fence on here. A strip of fence isn’t gonna get me riled up one way or another to be honest.

Sorry to high jack ….What’s weird to me…. U know where it’s really NOT a hot topic??? Texas. Europe. Africa. I mean, some folks don’t like it but it’s full of COMPLETELY enclosed high fence!!! Common-place “no big deal. Very normal”. I actually had no idea until maybe the last 3 years that probably 75% of hunts guys see in Texas… fully high fenced or the ones that say “free range” are 3 sided high fence. South Africa …. Most those are high fenced. That’s just “normal” there. & if u talk to those folks “if we didn’t, the hunting would be destroyed, poached, shot out, tresspassed, etc”. I have no clue if that’s right or not. Where it catches my thoughts or concerns me…. “These folks think that without there fence, they would not have the opportunity for high quality hunting”. Whether it’s right or not…. That’s just a sad reality that’s probably getting more common around the world vs less. Even though i clearly wish it weren’t the case, it is. It just makes me think…. Can’t we solve any of this to better the resource with REGULATIONS before the masses finally throw their hands up & say “screw it, I’ll take care of it myself if you all will allow the resource to be ruined!” Tells me there’s a lot of places around the world made some very bad, greedy, exploitive & destructive choices on how they manage & regulate the resource & I think SOME of these folks do it out of that last resort desperation. Sorry on the side rant here. Just a topic I’ve heard a lot more about lately.

Skip, what if the fence that your neighbor put up to redirect deer is 5 yards from your shared property lines fence?