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Fannin County Produces Big Whitetail Buck

Texas is known for great deer hunting and producing some very respectable bucks on a yearly basis. Although most deer hunters think of South Texas or maybe even the panhandle when it comes to big bucks, increased education on deer management and buck harvest by landowners now allows remarkable bucks to show up just about anywhere in the state. This big whitetail buck was shot in Fannin County, and this was submitted to me in an email:

“My father in law has not deer hunted in 25 years and decided to take it up again finally. He was hunting at a friends deer lease in Fannin County for 3 weeks when this big boy popped his head up in a food plot. When he first saw this deer, buck fever set in pretty good on him. He had to wait to get a clear shot, which allowed him to calm down. Continue reading Fannin County Produces Big Whitetail Buck

Hunting Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Palo Duro Canyon State Park encompasses just over 20,000 acres of the Texas panhandle and is located just south of Amarillo. Palo Duro Canyon is located on the southern high plains, as area referred to as El Llano Estacado, and holds many of the wildlife species native to this region. The public hunting lands found here also has exotic and feral ungulates. The canyon is about 125 miles long, over 20 miles wide, and about 800 feet deep, making for some rugged hunting terrain.

The rim of the canyon is considered part of the short-grass prairie, while the elevated moisture of the canyon floor supports a greater diversity of plants and holds a good number of white-tailed deer. Plants in this area include mid- and tall-grass species in addition to both trees and shrubs, which make excellent deer foods. Other large animals inhabiting this property include mule deer, aoudad sheep, and feral hogs. Hunting at Palo Duro State Park is through Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s draw lottery. Interested hunters can enter the hunt drawing starting in mid-August each year.

The Palo Duro Canyon State Park is located about 12 miles east of Canyon on SH 217. To get to Palo Duro from Amarillo, take IH-27 south to SH 217 and then go east for 8 miles. There are two equestrian compartments available to drawn deer hunters on the public hunting land and they are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Call the Palo Duro Canyon headquarters for more information on whitetail hunting, aoudad hunting, or anything else related to this public hunting land as 806-488-2227.

Matador Wildlife Management Area

The Matador Wildlife Management Area (WMA) consist of 28,183 acres located in Cottle County. This public hunting land is located in the southeast Texas Panhandle, about 7 miles north of Paducah, and is managed by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Game species found on the Matador WMA include white-tailed deer, mule deer, Rio Grande turkey, mourning dove, and bobwhite quail. The WMA also has feral hogs.

Public deer hunting is offered through TPWD’s lottery draw system. You can also enter the draw system for other hunts. Dove hunting and quail hunting on the property is through the Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit. Dove hunting and quail hunting vary from year to year based on weather conditions, but whitetail hunting and mule deer hunting are typically very good, especially if you hit it during the peak of the rut. The hilly terrain makes for some great hunting.

Two camping areas are located about 3/8 mile west of the WMA check station and are available to those bird or deer hunting. However, electrical and water hookups are not available. In addition, open campfires are not allowed during very dry range conditions. All public hunters should bring their own drinking water and camp stoves are recommended since firewood may not be available. Pickup trucks or four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended because portions of the Matador WMA are not accessible by car.

To get to the WMA entrance and check station, drive 2.5 west on FM 3256 from US Highway 83. Call the Matador WMA for information on their public hunting opportunities as 806-492-3405.

Llano County Deer Hunting

The state of Texas is known for some great deer hunting, but there is no other place like the Texas Hill Country. I have hunted in Llano County from time to time throughout the years, and although it’s not know for producing giant bucks, managed properties are really starting to produce some good whitetail deer. This year my wife really took an interest in deer hunting, so we made a trip out there to see if we could get her on a deer.

I should preface this by saying that she she has been sitting with me from time to time in Llano County for a couple of years now, and loves checking out the wildlife. Although it always seemed as though she wanted to shoot a deer, she just has never made up her mind to pull the trigger. However, earlier this year she told me it was time for her to begin her whitetail hunting career. I thought this is great, so after perfecting her shooting skill over the summer she told me last weekend that it was her turn. Continue reading Llano County Deer Hunting

Granger Wildlife Management Area (WMA)

The Granger Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is located in East Central Texas in the Blackland Prairies ecological region. The area consists of 10,888 acres of US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) land located in Williamson County approximately 3 miles east of Granger and 9 miles northeast of Taylor. The management area surrounds the lake and is managed by the USACE and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Granger Lake encompasses about 4,400 acres with the remaining 6,643 acres of land being divided into 9 separate hunting compartments for white-tailed deer and turkey.

Hunters can access the area for dove hunting, hog hunting and duck hunting but must possess an Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit. Public hunting for whitetail and turkey are through a lottery-draw system only. Applications and dates are available in the “Special Drawing and Regular Permit Hunting Opportunities” book that TPWD releases in early to mid-August each year. APH permit holders can access the area during the times established in the “Public Hunting Lands” booklet, which APH permit holders receive in the mail after buying a permit.

The Granger WMA is a unique property that holds many game animals, but most hunters know the area for the big white-tailed bucks that this area has produced over the years. The management area has maintained good age structure in its buck herd by offering either-sex deer hunts only through bow hunting. Many hunters look to hunt the area below the Granger dam, but big deer can be found throughout the management area. The area has a healthy population of feral hogs too, and many hunters chase these animals throughout the year.

Camping is permitted on the adjacent USACE managed parks. For site reservations phone 877-444-6777. Motel and commercial lodging facilities are available in the vicinity as well. It is recommended that hunters wishing to camp should stay at the Willis Creek Park due to its close proximity to the Granger WMA hunter check station. Drawn hunters will be assigned to compartments and the management area will be closed to other users during the special permit hunts.

Public hunters selected for special permit hunts will have limited vehicular access, but ATVs or ORVs may be used for blind placement and game removal. For hunters not selected for draw hunts there may the possibility of standby positions. Call the Granger WMA check station for further hunt information at 512-859-2838.

Mountain Lion Stalks Deer Hunter

There are a lot of deer hunting stories out there that veteran hunters share while at the deer lease sitting around the campfire, but I will never forget the time we were hunting in Central Texas. It was early season and we were bow hunting, and never expected a mountain lion to be in the area. It had to be about 1986 and I was 14 years old. I would hunt by myself, but usually in close proximity to my father.

My dad would walk me to my deer stand which was brush blind at the base of a couple of big cedar trees. We’d always make the trek quietly though the spotty habitat and then dad would pour me out a little corn out along my shooting lanes. Before we’d part ways he would always tell me not to move until he came back. He hunted about 160 yards West of me.

One evening, it was about 45 minutes until dark and I had two deer come out about 15 yards in front of me and and start chowing down on the corn. As the two does doe ate, they settled down and I was just starting to think about positioning myself for a shot. Then suddenly, the deer throw their heads up and stare directly in my direction, but I had not even budged. Continue reading Mountain Lion Stalks Deer Hunter

Deer Hunting the Texas Panhandle

I recently went whitetail deer hunting in the Texas Panhandle and was totally surprised with the terrain. I’d always heard of the giant whitetail bucks that live in this part of Texas, but had never hunted it. I found myself deer hunting in a whole new way. We spent a good amount of time driving around and glassing some “mountains” and I finally saw a buck that looked worthy of chasing on the third day of my hunt. The buck looked big, really big, so I decided to leave the comfort of the jeep to close the distance on foot.

I first saw this buck about 8:15 in the morning shortly after I parked along a hilltop, but he was a long ways off — probably about 1,500 yards. I watched the big-bodied buck bed down, but I moved in closer and could not find him back until later in the day. As I covered the distance, the brush seemed taller and I got a bit off track, but I knew I was in the general area. I realized at this point that I was a long way from the East Texas deer lease I used to hunt as a teenager.

Then boom, there he was at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. Just when I thought the deer hunting had turned sour, my luck had changed! The buck had got up and I believed he was moving towards a water trough off in the distance. I think I really just lucked into spotting him from about 700 yards away, even though I thought I was right on top of him. As I watched the buck he bedded down again, but this time I marked him really well, just north of a lone shrub. He was in the shade and I was going to make my move. Continue reading Deer Hunting the Texas Panhandle

Oklahoma Buck Gets Hammered!

The whitetail deer gun hunting season opened this past weekend in Oklahoma and I my top target was a big mature 8 point buck that I had caught on camera on several occasions. I was willing to hunt hard to bag this buck, so I spent 8 hours in the deer stand on opening day, first catching a glimpse of him at 9 o’clock in the morning as he jumped a fence about 425 yards away. At least, I thought it was him.

This “sighting” was enough of a relief for me, as I had heard at least a 10 rifle shots since sunrise within a mile of our deer lease. The big buck appeared again shortly after 10 o’clock as he had moved closer, but the buck was still moving through a bunch of trees at around 200 yards with enough brush and sticks and grass to obstruct a clean shot. I thought my deer hunting season was really going to start off with a bang as I waited about 10 minutes for him to reappear closer and on the edge of the brush. That didn’t happen.

As it turns out, the buck went downhill, moving down into a deep, heavily wooded draw. I lost him. With the “video” of the big buck playing through my brain, I waited and hoped that he would turn around and head back my way. I had identified this Oklahoma buck as a shooter from my game camera photos, and after seeing him in person I knew he was the real deal. Continue reading Oklahoma Buck Gets Hammered!

Deer Hunting Lease in Perspective

Whitetail deer hunting has become a big business across all of the deer’s range. Most hunters have seen the price of their deer lease rise over the years to keep up with demand, and the demand for real estate in general. Finding a good deer lease is a key component to quality long term deer hunting and management. Without being able to afford your own land, you are up a creek without a paddle if you can not count on being on your deer lease from year to year.

Yes, a deer hunting lease is a place where hunters can purse whitetail, but it is more than that. A hunting lease is supposed to a place where hunters share good times and memories, rather than something that creates a profit for some middle man. As I mentioned earlier, deer hunting and deer leases have become a huge business, with lots of folks in between trying to put money in their pockets. I’m all for making money, but when you head out to find a lease make sure you know exactly what you are getting into. Continue reading Deer Hunting Lease in Perspective

Deer Hunting: What is a Cull Buck?

One of the biggest ongoing disputes around almost any deer hunting camp is the answer — or lack thereof — to this question, “What is a cull buck?” Well, the answer will vary from property to property depending on the quality of whitetail bucks found there, but there are some general rules that apply. Many hunters will shoot spike bucks for cull bucks, but this is not recommended if you have a low number of bucks compared to the number of does. If your deer lease or land has plenty of bucks, then the harvest of spike bucks would be warranted.

Other bucks that qualify as cull bucks or management bucks are those deer with unfavorable antler characteristics. These could be bucks that lack 1 or both brow tines, bucks that are 7 points or less and 2.5 years old or older, or 3.5 and 4.5 year old bucks that have 8 points or less, without broken beams or tines. These 3.5+ year old 8 point deer are now commonly called “management bucks” because the theory is these are good bucks to remove for management of the deer herd. By removing all these cull bucks, it allows hunters and landowners to let the good young, middle aged, and mature bucks to do the breeding and pass on their genes. Continue reading Deer Hunting: What is a Cull Buck?