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Cattle and Deer?

L

loneranger

Well-Known Member
My neighbor just put up a fence that cut off a traditional dear corridor, crossing into my land. Along with the fence being a new barrier, is it not true that cattle and deer do not mix well. I have observed some cattle farms that graze areas andhave seen little in deer use of the land. Cows destroy all the underbrush in their area, and I am sure this does not sit well with deer. One good prospect of this new cow area is that now the deer will be forced more onto my piece of ground that runs right along the new cattle area.
 
Most of the ground that I hunt have cattle on it. If they are there most of the year (big pature, small hobby farmer that never moves cattle ect...) the deer get pretty used to the cattle being around. The deer do, however, seem to pattern away from cattle, but they don't seem to mind the cows being around.
 
From my experience they tend to stay on the other side of the fence and winter away from the cattle /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: windwalker</div><div class="ubbcode-body">From my experience they tend to stay on the other side of the fence and winter away from the cattle /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif </div></div>

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The best deer ground we have is grazed with cattle. Deer and cattle mix well. Many a day I have looked across the pasture in the morning to see both cattle and deer grazing together. The 2 biggest deer I have taken, have both been in cattle pasture. (one 169 B&C, one 156 P&y). I wouldn't worry to much about it.
 
As soon as the cattle moves into my grandpa's farm, the deer leave. The cover gets destroyed as well. I hate cows. Maybe if they left them in there all year round it would be different, but they always put them in right when the crops are taken out. The deer are still there, but it doesn't hold near the deer that it does without cows.
 
My best hunting spot is occupied with cattle for most of the year. While the cattle are in the area, the deer stay out. Around the end of September, the farmer moves the cattle and the deer filter back into the area.
 
I agree with liv4rut, if the cattle are there a while before season AND if they don't overgraze, the deer will be fine. Some of the ground I'm looking most forward to hunting this year has cattle; good thing about cattle here in Kansas is many farmers won't rifle hunters in, that's good for the bow fellas.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: loneranger</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> One good prospect of this new cow area is that now the deer will be forced more onto my piece of ground that runs right along the new cattle area. </div></div>

I think that you may have to make some adjustments but that it will be a net gain for you.
 
I've had mixed results with cattle it either seems like they spook deer to me or they spook deer away from me. It will probably be good in your situation though because the deer will be utilizing your ground more, rather than compete with the cattle.
 
Yea I do think this new situation will be to my benefit. This guy rides a quad, he interfered with my hunt spot with it twice last season. When I saw him breaking a trail along my prop line I thot, "OH Crud, he is going to make a quad trail". I was relieved when he put up the fence, and let in his cattle. The deer will be forced to use my side more, now with the new fence,plus cattle. I have sometimes wondered what the cattle could tell us they have seen at night,,how big the bucks?
 
In my experience, the effect of cattle has always depended on numbers and time. When there are just a few cows for a little while, it is not that big a deal to deer; they just kind of work around each other. The big problems seem to arise when too many cows are left on the landscape for too long. They can do tremendous habitat damage, destroying underbrush and valuable bedding cover. Not to mention eating down grasses,forbs and browse that deer love.

I hunt one farm where some of the woods are overgrazed and it is like a moonscape!Not only are food sources destroyed, but bedding/escape cover goes down the tubes. The deer simply don't stay on your property when they are pressured (firearms season,etc); they move through until they find security cover where they feel safe.

While sometimes a cattle farm can absolutely shine (during the rut, for example), overall I agree with others; if your neighbor is pasturing his woods, it could be very good for you!
 
There are a lot of variables on this subject, it is hard to give one simple answer. But my experience has been that a "heavily" grazed timber equates to fewer deer, but I have good success hunting turkeys in areas that cattle are in.

If you have foodplots though and the neighbor has cattle...make sure you have some good fence or you won't have any foodplots!
 
He put up a good fence, and yes the 35 head will stay in this area so I expect it to eventually become a moonscape, as has been mentioned. All the better for me because I have lots of cover and some foos plots on my land.
 
Ha, if I quit hunting places that were cattle pastures I wouldnt have much open hunting ground. It would be all solid woods.

Most of the pastures I hunt are not over grazed. Which is helpful. If the neighbors becomes moonscaped I can see how this would be really benificial to you.

Dean
 
Now I am really looking forward to this fall. To actually see how the deer will change their travel patterns! Mornings will be best though, as I think my neighbor will ride his quad along the fence line after work, to check it or just for a ride. He was a quad racer.
 
i hunt next to a cattle farm thats not over grazed. deer run the fence on my side all year . when rut hit`s they run both side`s cow`s or no cow`s they don`t seem to be afraid .
 
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