Mottz

Okay. Does anyone know how much cattle affects deer movement? Heres why I ask. I was set up in a milo field and some cows came under the fence thru a washout. After 20 min of watching them I called it a day. Should I have waited it out? I'm just wondering cause I've seen turkeys around cows but I can't say I've ever noticed deer around them. Do they avoid the areas that cows are at or do they just wait til the cows areout of the immediate areaand then move in?

BigHunter101

Last year i had a lease in west texas and they ran cattle on it. the deer we had seen were at a very minumum. so i have concluded that they dont mind them if they have to but if there is no cattle somewhere else than they will probably go there so they dont have any competition like if you were going to a resturaunt and one was packed and the one right next door was empty wich one would you go to?

im ocd

I hate [:@]hunting where cattle are present.

MNpurple

Two of the properties I hunt have cattle and I don't think the deer mind them and learn to live with them like anything else, BUT I do not think they like to mingle directly amongst them, when I have had the cattle near my stand, I usually don't see deer.

Schultzy

I agree. One thing that allot of cattle will do Is ruin your habitat that the deer are living In or using. There worse then a lawn mower.

TexasBowHunter

On the place I hunt, they run cattle on and off....With the cattle not being there all the time the deer don't get used to them....Our place is big enough that if the cattle are hanging in the back of the place it would be wise to hunt in the front and visa versa...Our place is fenced into two sections and when they first put the cows in either section the trail cam pic's almost stop for what i consider a long time (1 1/2-2weeks)...The owners will move the cattle off the place by the opening of gun season, so us bowhunters are the only one's theat have to deal with them....Yes, cattle affect the deer...More in some settings and less in other's but they affect them!!!!!

GMMAT

One of my best spots (used to be) is a small secluded field inside a (used to be vacant) pasture. I could hunt on either side of this field....and they'd use it as a corridor (it has a natural breakline at the rear of it....where it abuts a pine thicket). I can't tell you how many deer I've seen in there. I also used to put my mineral lick in there....and got thousands of photos.

Now....there's cows in there (started this past summer). I don't even hunt near there anymore.....well....only once, this year. I just don't think they're using it at all like they used to. Mineral site photos were WAYyyyyyy down.

There's only 6 cows in there, too (20acres of pasture/woods).....soon to be 8. I hope the herd gets more and more used to the cows.....but my deer sightings (a lot by design) are way down in that area.