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Deer Hunting: Too Many Stand Locations?

Sometimes hunters do some crazy things when it comes to deer hunting, especially when it comes to stand location. Or stand better stated, when it comes to stand locations. Deer hunting success is a lot like good real estate: location, location, location! But sometimes as hunters we get overzealous and want to place hunting stands all over the place. It is always good to have options, but too many options can drive a hunter crazy.

I have a buddy who had a 600 acre property that his family owned and only he hunted. The place was less than an hour from his house and it held a good number of deer. Sounds like a total deer hunting dream, right? The only drawback was that he had set up 5 hunting stands and feeders and had multiple food plots. This would be okay if 4 or 5 people hunted the property, but he for the most part was the only guy deer hunting it every year. Continue reading Deer Hunting: Too Many Stand Locations?

Deer Hunting for Sucessful Deer Management

A hunter or landowner interested in managing whitetail for better deer hunting is often unaware of many of the methods to produce and grow future trophies. Bucks are just one component of a deer herd, but hunters should always know how to age deer. How old are the bucks that you’re seeing? If they are young bucks, then they need to grow to maturity before they should be harvested. I don’t mean to insult anyone, but in my experience there are a lot of hunters that have no clue on how to age a deer.

If you do nothing else, shooting only mature bucks is the best way to get the age structure and antler development most hunters want. It takes time and patience to get there, but it can happen. Of course, the only way to shoot a mature buck is to recognize one when you see it. In order to get those bucks old and experience better deer hunting you must also know a young buck when you see it or a lot of mistakes will be made, and time wasted. Continue reading Deer Hunting for Sucessful Deer Management

Freaky Whitetail Buck from Mills County

My family, friends and I have done a lot of deer hunting in our lives and rarely have any of us had the opportunity to harvest a truly non-typical buck. We’ve all harvested bucks with some trash such as stickers and extra kickers and such, but nothing with a droptine or extra main beams or stuff like that. I guess that’s why this Mills County buck is just so darn interesting to me. Here is the story:

“I have been watching this buck since I put up my camera in August and have numerous picture of him almost on a daily basis. I was not sure of the deer’s age, but I knew he was old enough. He was shot at on youth weekend by a 13 year old boy who had extreme buck fever and could not close the deal. Continue reading Freaky Whitetail Buck from Mills County

Deer Hunting at Matador WMA

It can be quite difficult to find a deer hunting lease in Texas because there is high demand for high quality property. Even finding mediocre hunting property is not much easier. However, there is another option for hunters willing to head out on public land and bust a little brush. Texas has 2 options for public hunters: the Annual Public Hunting Permit (APH) or the draw system. One of the draw areas that offers great white-tailed deer hunting is the Matador Wildlife Management Area (WMA).

The Matador WMA is located about 8 or so miles north of Paducah, Texas in the lower-eastern portion of the panhandle. This property varies from slightly rolling to downright hilly with steep hillsides. Not only do white-tailed deer call the Matador home, but so does a good population of mule deer. Of course, feral hogs make use of the creeks and drainages that are scattered across this place. Continue reading Deer Hunting at Matador WMA

Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Hunting

The Gus Engeling Wildlife Management Area (WMA) provides 10,958 acres of public hunting for white-tailed deer and other game species. The area is operated by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and can be accessed through regular permit hunts or special permit hunts. The Engeling WMA serves as a wildlife research and demonstration station for landowners found in the post oak savannah ecoregion of Texas.

APH Permit holders can access the Engeling WMA during regular permit hunt dates without any additional fee. Those without the APH Permit can pay a daily use fee each day. Special permit (draw) hunts are held for white-tailed deer during the archery and general season for selected hunters. During some years, the management area will also hold hunts for feral hogs.

The landscape found on the Engeling WMA varies from nearly flat to gently rolling post oak woodlands consisting of dense stands of oak and hickory overstory with understory plant species of yaupon, greenbriar, elm, and huckleberry. Although most of the area is upland habitat with sandy loam soil, there is a good amount of bottomland habitat. These areas are great for duck hunting and hold a number of feral hogs.

The Engeling WMA is located about 38 miles southeast of Corsicana and 22 miles northwest of Palestine on US Highway 287. Hunters selected for special permit hunts must attend a mandatory orientation on the first day of the hunt at the Wildlife Conservation Center, which is located 1/2 mile north of the main gate on the main WMA road. Standby applicants must report to the Conservation Center at 10:30 am on the first day of the hunt.

Trucks and four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended because portions of the area may be difficult to access during wet weather. Portable deer blinds that do not damage trees are encouraged when on the are. However, portable blinds are not available at the Engeling WMA, so bring your own. An improved campground with camper pads and restroom facilities is available for use by hunters and anglers. For more information on public hunting at the Engeling WMA call the headquarters at 903-928-2251.

Deer Aging: Slice The Tooth?

Aging Deer: Cementum annuli Reader Submitted: With deer hunting and deer management becoming more popular every year, aging bucks property is becoming more important. I was browsing the net and found a company that claims to tell the deer age by looking at a slice of the tooth root. Have you heard of or every used them?

Deer Hunting Pros: I am familiar with all the methods of deer aging and know exactly what you are referring to. The technique you are referring is the cementum annuli method. I have used this type of company 3 times in the past and been satisfied with the results of their services. They delivered results in the stated time frame each time.

In the past, I shot two bucks and a doe and after aging by tooth wear I did not agree with what I was seeing from their body. On the bucks, each time I had estimated the bucks to be 5.5 years old and then when I pulled the teeth they showed no wear. They looked like the teeth of a 3.5 year old deer based on wear. Continue reading Deer Aging: Slice The Tooth?

Deer Hunting: Whitetail Movement in the Fall

With archery season in full-swing and the general white-tailed deer season just around the corner, it is definitely time to think about deer movements and patterns. Understanding where deer are found and how they move is key to getting your whitetail buck this season. Taking advantage of deer movement patterns will increase your odds of seeing a shooting more mature bucks. Most deer hunters know that deer move early in the morning and late in the evening, but they don’t stop there.

During early archery season, white-tailed deer will usually move just before dark. At this time of the year, bucks may still be hanging out in bachelor groups, however, bucks will usually start making scrape lines. Bucks can be patterned on these scrape lines, but the problem with hunting these scrapes is that the bucks are visiting them after dark. In short, hunting scrapes in the early season is not the best way to bag a buck.

As the deer hunting season ages and the air temperature cools off, whitetail will begin to increase their movement. In fact, it is at this time that hunters will typically start seeing more movement in the afternoons. With this in mind, this is the period of time to start hunting scrapes. This is because most of the bucks in an area will begin actively checking scrapes found in their “community.”

White-tailed deer movement, especially bucks, will drastically increase in November due to the onset of the breeding season. As the rut approaches, bucks will start making mental errors as the physical desire to find “hot” does takes priority to remaining invisible. It is at this time when a deer hunter has the greatest opportunity to capitalize on their mistakes.

Hunting the rut is not a new idea, but some hunters take the wrong approach by sitting over feeders. This can work, but a better option is to cover more country. I usually like to hunt in areas where I can see a lot of real estate. Giant food plots will work too. This increases my chances of seeing bucks passing through looking for or chasing does. The rut is the best times to bag a whitetail buck.

As the deer hunting season begins drawing to an end and food becomes scarce, deer movement patterns become very predictable. This is because food sources become limited and deer must go to where the food is available. Set up on these places. Deer will be moving very early, very late and during the middle of the day. Food plots and harvested crop fields are great areas to hunt during this time of year.

In closing, understanding whitetail movement patterns on a property will help any hunter bag a buck year-in and year-out. Every buck is different, buck every buck is the same. Once you learn when and where to be, you will see and harvest more deer year after year. But remember, weather and habitat conditions can drastically impact deer movement and behavior. Good habitat and food availability means less deer movement, whereas poor habitat conditions and hungry deer means more deer movement, more deer sightings. Good luck!

Best Hunting Times for Whitetail Deer

When it comes to deer hunting, there is never a bad time to be outdoors and in the woods. Being an avid deer hunter, I always get asked two questions by other hunters: “What the best deer hunting times?,” and “How often do you deer hunt all day long?” Although I thoroughly enjoy deer hunting, I have to admit that I do not typically hunt throughout the day, at least for the most part. However, on occasion I have toughed it out with great results.

In general, I think the best time to be out deer hunting is in the morning even though I’ve had good success in the evenings as well. In fact, I’ve had better success in the evenings lately, having harvested 3 of my last 4 bucks during the last hour of daylight. But this is a matter of opinion. Both are great deer hunting times because deer are crepuscular, meaning they move mostly during the early morning and late evening. Continue reading Best Hunting Times for Whitetail Deer

New Devils River State Park?

Stop the press! Just when it looked like Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) was going to increase the amount of public land in Texas the train has come to a halt on the new Devils River State Park. It is being reported that top TPWD officials have ordered the state agency staff to continue exploring options to acquire land for a new state park or natural area on the Devils River while strengthening a commitment to protect the river’s sensitive resources.

This move will now stops a final, but gives the agency more time to explore alternatives in response to recent stakeholder input. TPWD Commission Chairman Peter Holt, said:

“We took this off the November 4 agenda because we’ve received great feedback from a lot of people around the state who felt the process may be moving too quickly. Also, several people have brought to us some very interesting alternatives. We want the staff to go forward and figure out how to make this work. We understand the concerns of landowners, hunters, paddling trail enthusiast and conservationists and want to make sure we take all that into consideration.

On the other hand, we represent a state with about 24 million people. The Devils River Ranch is a real opportunity to add something to our park system that is second to none in terms of wildness, but at the same time would allow more people to experience this phenomenal area in appropriate ways.”

Carter Smith, executive director of TPWD, said this regarding the new Devils River State Park, “We will continue considering the entire range of options for conservation and recreation on the river, working with all stakeholders, with a goal to bring back to the commission a suite of alternatives to achieve both the conservation and recreational access elements of our mission.”

Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit – Texas

The Annual Public Hunting (APH) Permit can be purchased from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and provides the opportunity to participate in a variety of inexpensive, public hunting activities for a variety of game species. The hunting permit cost $48. The APH allows hunters to access wildlife management areas (WMA) and state-leased hunting lands for hunting, fishing, nature watching, camping, and other outdoor activities.

The Texas Public Hunting Program includes approximately 1,000,000 acres located throughout the state of Texas. Each year, usually during early August, the APH map booklet for the next year comes out. The map booklet contains all the information of property owned by TPWD as well as acreage leased by the department from other state and federal agencies, timber companies, and other cooperating private landowners.

Annual Public Hunting Permit

Through the APH permit, Texas public hunting land provides access for white-tailed deer hunting, hog hunting, duck hunting. In addition, the public dove hunting areas and other small game leases are included in the map booklet each year. Hunting lands can be accessed by two types of annual permits, but only the APH allows hunting. If you want to scout these public hunting lands, a Limited Public Use (LPU) Permit can be also be purchased which allows permit holders to fish, camp, hike, or partake in other recreational uses.

The Annual Public Hunting Permit is a good value for the money, but permit holders must realize that other public hunters will be using these same areas on the same days at the same times. Many of the WMAs provide excellent duck hunting along the coast. Solid dove hunting prospects exist on WMAs and the private lands leased through the program as well. There is also a large amount of land for white-tailed deer and hog hunting, but permit holders must be willing to travel. For the money, the APH permit provides good access to Texas’ public hunting lands.