Tex Hunter | Texas Hunting Times: Texas Hunting News

Texas Prescribed Fire Workshop

There are many types of habitat management practices that can be effective for managing wildlife and developing better hunting, but fire, prescribed burning, is one of the most cost effective ways to manipulate habitat at a large scale. Landowners and wildlife managers have been using prescribed burning as an effective habitat management practice for quail, turkey and deer habitat improvement. It’s a good tool that every person interested in wildlife management should have in their box.

A prescribed burn workshop is accepting applications for participants interested in learning more about prescribed fire. The course teaches attendees how to use prescribed fire as a tool for habitat management. The participants will gain an understanding of fire effects and how to use fire in a safe manner to accomplish certain land and wildlife management objectives.

In addition, the course combines lecture, group discussion, teamwork, individual projects and field work to increase each student’s knowledge of fire weather, fire behavior, physical properties and characteristics of fuels, and the effects of fire on vegetation, wildlife and soils. Students will become aware of the risks associated with prescribed burning, including smoke risks and the risk of fire escape. Laws pertaining to the use of prescribed fire and their influence on a burn manager’s planning and decisions will be explained.

After completing the prescribed burning course, individuals should be able to recognize different fuel models important for rangeland burning. The student should have the ability to determine fuel load and reliably estimate live and dead fuel moisture, as well as fire rate of spread and flame length. Participants should have acquired an introductory knowledge of the use of fire equipment. Additionally, each student will have developed a fire prescription, addressing multiple variables, to meet specific land management objectives, and will have created a prescribed burn plan that includes the use of natural and artificial fire breaks.

This prescribed fire workshop meets the training requirements set forth by the Texas Prescribed Burning Board for the Certified Prescribed Burn Manager program. Five CEU’s/day are available for current Certified Burn Managers. Visit this site for more prescribed burning class information or registration info. If you are interested in long-term habitat management on your property, I would highly recommend taking a prescribed burning class at some time in the near future.

Food Plots in Missouri

Question: I live in northern Missouri and own 420 acres of land in an area known for good deer hunting and a good number of big whitetail bucks. We also have a lot of does. Instead of feeding corn or protein feeding or planting clover, I decided to make several small food plots and plant mostly soybeans because they are nutrient rich and they are high in protein. I also planted about 30% of my plots with smaller rape and about 10% buck wheat to see how that would would work out.

I am hoping that these food plots will help supplement the whitetail deer in my area of Missouri and improve overall antler quality and hold deer on the property. My question is whether or not this food plot mix is a good choice, and are there things that I could plant that are better for whitetail? We are really interested in deer management. Thanks for any advice. Continue reading Food Plots in Missouri

Venison Kabob Recipe

Venison Kabobs Recipe

There is never a bad time to fire up the grill for this venison kabobs recipe. Whether it be for the Fourth of July or even during late winter, these kabobs—complete with vegetables—are a crowd pleasing treat to eat! Serve these venison kabobs right on the skewers or remove the venison and vegetables and serve the grilled offerings over rice. Simple, yet sensational!

Ingredients

1.5 pound venison steak or backstrap
1 medium white onion
1 bell pepper or 3 large jalepeno peppers
5 slices thick-cut bacon
Zesty Italian dressing
Salt, pepper and garlic to taste
4, 8+ inch skewers

Directions

Cut the venison steaks or backstrap into 1 1/4 inch cubes. Cut bacon and onions into 1 1/4 inch pieces. After removing the seeds, do the same with peppers. Place venison chunks on skewers, sandwiched by bacon slices, with peppers and onions in between pieces of meat. This alternating technique will sandwich meat chunks and vegetables, providing moisture and flavor during the grilling process. Season with salt, pepper and garlic to your liking.

Grill venison kabobs over medium-high heat, turning and mopping with Italian dressing about every 2 minutes. Grill until the meat is almost cooked throughout, about 10 minutes. Remove the kabobs from the grill and let them rest for an additional 5 minutes, then serve. This venison kabobs recipe also works with vegetables such as squash and zucchini on the skewers too.

Habitat Management for Whitetail Deer Hunting

Question: My ranch is located in South Texas, it has a variety of habitat types and we use it primarily for whitetail deer hunting. The property is about 65% thick brushand about 35% semi-open grassland. We are in a drought so we cannot really do a prescribed burn on the property, so I am wondering if it would help or hurt the habitat and or deer if I went through and brush hogged all the rank, dead grass? When would be the right time of the year to do this deer management wise or for deer hunting? I know that if I mowed it and it rained the plants would all grow back much nicer. Also, if the open habitat should be manipulated through mowing, how often?

Response: From a whitetail deer management standpoint, early summer is the wrong time to be mowing grassy areas. There are a lot of fawns on the ground right now. Tall grass is fawning cover and if you want predators to have a field day, possibly removing the better part of an entire fawn crop, then mow it. However, I would recommend otherwise if you are interested in deer habitat improvement. Continue reading Habitat Management for Whitetail Deer Hunting

Venison Tamale Pie Casserole Recipe

Venison Recipes: Venison Tamale Pie Casserole Recipe

This venison tamale pie recipe is a favorite casserole of mine. It’s easy and it has the Tex-Mex flavor that my family really enjoys. It goes great with black, refried or charro beans. We love making this dish especially during the cooler months, but it’s a winner throughout the year!

Ingredients for venison tamale pie casserole:

1 pound ground venison
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
1 12 ounce can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon comino (cumin) powder
3 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Ingredients for tamale pie corn meal topping:

3/4 cup yellow corn meal
2 cups cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter

Brown ground venison with chopped onion and green pepper until meat is just done. Then drain and add everything except for the shredded cheese. Simmer the mixture for about 20 minutes to let the flavors come together. Next, mix in the cheese and stir until melted. Spoon the meat and vegetable portion of the venison casserole into a greased, large cast iron skillet or a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

For the corn meal topping, stir the corn meal and salt into the cold water. Continue to cook and stir the mixture over medium heat thick. After the mixture thickens, add the butter and mix well. Spoon the corn meal topping over the venison and vegetable mixture. Place the venison tamale pie casserole in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes. Garnish with additional shredded cheese and cilantro, if desired. Serves 6 normal folks or 4 hungry Texans!

Record Rack: Protein Feeding for Whitetail Deer

Question: I have been deer hunting for many years now and hunt on some good property. I have a question about feeding Record Rack protein pellets to white-tailed deer. I used it this last year on a lease, and no one else fed protein, but I thought that it was at least something better than corn. However, not one time while it was feeding RR did I see deer activity around the feeder.

I ended up switching back to corn when the feeder ran out and the deer were right back to hammering it. I know it takes time for whitetail deer to get used to something new, but the Record Rack pellets sat on the ground at two different deer leases, one in South Texas and the other in the Hill Country, and the deer would not eat it. I guess I will be sticking to 20% protein pellets and corn, but have you heard of such a thing with Record Rack? Continue reading Record Rack: Protein Feeding for Whitetail Deer

Deer Hunting, South Texas Habitat Plauged by Drought

The weather in Texas can be hit or miss on any given year, but it seems this year has really been a strike-out in the rainfall category, especially in South Texas. But then again, that region of the state is rarely known for abundant precipitation. It is, however, known for fantastic white-tailed deer hunting. While the area boast extremely high coyote populations, the heavy brush habitat provides excellent whitetail cover and high quality deer foods in the form or browse.

Many of the counties in South Texas can only expect 21-25 inches of rainfall on an average year, so the habitat and the deer in the area will survive this drought, but that still does not make it great for deer hunting this fall. The best way to mitigate for inevitable dry conditions any South Texas property will face is to focus on the wildlife management goals and practices for your property on an annual basis.

First, always think habitat. Good habitat is the corner stone of healthy deer, turkey, and quail populations. Always maintain a minimum amount of ground cover. If possible, one to two feet of herbaceous cover through all seasons is desirable. This residual grass is for fawning cover and quail production. Leaving herbaceous cover for the next rainfall event provides healthy plants that offer the necessary food and cover for many wildlife species. A landowner can not expect to have good quail and whitetail deer hunting if there is no food, recruitment or cover.

The ability to leave standing cover for habitat means having a plan to reduce livestock numbers in the pasture and/or move livestock to irrigated crop land or improved pastures. During extended droughts, you may be faced with removing livestock all together. Along with cattle, keeping whitetail deer and hog populations within the habitat’s carrying capacity will help reduce the potential for damage. By reducing the number of consumers on the land, you can maintain the minimum desired grass cover.

Since surface water is important for most wildlife species, maintain as many effective wildlife and livestock water locations as possible, especially in the hot, dry months. A desirable density would be one wildlife watering location every 400 acres. Although this may not be always be possible, the even distribution of water will spread wildlife evenly across the landscape, allowing for better use of the available habitat.

A popular option many ranches use to maintain a consistent deer population from year to to year is through the use supplemental feed. Though good vegetation through habitat management is best, extreme weather years such as this one mean that supplement feeding will be really important for buck antler growth and fawn production and recruitment. Keep in mind, however, that the ability to feed wildlife (and livestock) may reduce the impacts on habitat, but prolonged supplementing will cost both you and the habitat found on your property.

As far as deer hunting in South Texas this fall, I think we have all seen better years. That being said, there will be some good bucks out there as usual, especially on properties that limit buck harvest, have a good cull buck strategy and maintain a healthy buck age structure. Ranches with good habitat and decent surface water that are feeding protein pellets to deer should barely skip a beat. It’s been a horrible year for quail, but the dove hunting should be good around tanks come September. Send me your reports and or photos!

Whitetail Hunting: The Price of a Deer Lease?

Question: Our deer lease is in a part of Oklahoma that was impacted by the recent wildfires. Earlier this week, my buddy got a phone call form the landowner of the lease and he wants to go up $400 a person! Last deer hunting season, we were paying $1,100 a gun and access to over a little over 1,000 acres. Our lease members went up there on Sunday and the property was was pretty much burned to the ground.

The landowner has about 3,500 acres of deer hunting property that he leases, and about 3,200 of it was black, so pretty much the whole place is devoid of deer habitat right now.What would you tell him? I was thinking that $1,100 per gun is a good price considering there is nothing out there right now. I can not see going up on the deer lease fees until the habitat bounced back, but it’s not my property. What would you do? Continue reading Whitetail Hunting: The Price of a Deer Lease?

Deer Hunting and “Horn” Growth

Question: I hunt on a deer lease in Fairfield, Texas and have had my trail cameras out for about 3 weeks now. I have been getting pictures of some whitetail bucks on the ranch, but their antlers are looking somewhat small, in my opinion. Is it too early in the summer to begin to notice whether or not the bucks on the camera will be shooters come October? I know that antler growth and deer hunting in Texas can depend on the weather, but what do you think about these deer? Attached are some of the buck pictures from the lease. Thank you!

Continue reading Deer Hunting and “Horn” Growth

Deer Hunting, Management in Frio County

Question: I am interested in whitetail deer management for better deer hunting. I guess I am just looking for some advice for our property. We have about 1,400 acres down in Frio County, located southwest of San Antonio. The habitat found on the property is about 75 to 80% thick brush with two good tanks approximately centrally located. Four of the five bordering ranches also have deer hunting, but are not hunted hard in my opinion.

Our ranch is not hunted very hard either, with only 8 to 10 hunts made out there each deer season. In the last 5 years there have been four does and four bucks shot on the property. We have 4 corn feeders on the property and a few small food plots that are effective when it rains. The property was not hunted in the past because of family conflicts, but that ended five years ago. Continue reading Deer Hunting, Management in Frio County