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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

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

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: 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!

Hunter Bags BIG First Whitetail Buck!

Deer hunting is something gets in your soul. And not only that, deer hunting is contagious. Sometimes it’s just as much fun to hear about a successful hunt as it is to bag one yourself. Ask any deer hunter about some of their best hunts and you will get an ear full, but especially if you ask them about the very first buck that they ever shot.

The big buck above was shot in Texas and it was this hunter’s very first whitetail buck. All I can say is, way to go!

“What a first buck! She’s ruined now! This big buck has 14-points and sports a 23-inch inside spread, scoring a total of 175 Boone and Crockett points. I told her that one was gonna be hard to top but now she wants to kill everything and is ready to go deer hunting again! It was an awesome experience getting to sit in the stand and share the experience with her.”

“Before the questions start, yes this whitetail buck was killed on a high fence property, but I could care less! The deer age came in at 8 1/2 years old. The property was high fenced a little over 6 years ago, which leads me to believe that this buck is a native Hunt County deer. Of course, he got some age on him and was beefed up a little on protein!”

Texas Deer Hunting Season Looks Good

White-tailed deer hunting is a big time event down in Texas. And Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is boasting that this year should be a good one for hunters across the state. In fact, it was reported that some hunters in South Texas are especially ready to go, having already set their sights set on specific bucks that they have observed during deer surveys or captured on trail cameras. According to Alan Cain, TPWD whitetail deer program leader:

“There are some landowners down here that have already got some huge bucks located. We’re talking bucks that will score 200 or better. Now those don’t grow behind every tree but these bucks were able to recover from last year’s rut and develop better because of quality habitat conditions.”

Biologist are also sayiing that this deer hunting season could be a breakout year for the Class of 2004. And I’d say they are correct considering that a 300+ inch non-typical buck has already been harvest in South Texas. But 2004 was a peak year for deer productivity and range conditions, which means the odds of seeing a mature 6 ½-year-old buck this season are pretty favorable. And that is music to many a Texas hunter’s ears. Alan Cain continues:

“In 2004, at least in South Texas, we had good rainfall and a good fawn crop. Consequently, even with normal deer harvest over the years, we should have good carryover and I would suggest hunters consider waiting on that older buck and not pull the trigger on the first deer you see.”

Texas Non-Typical Buck Record

It looks like the 2010 white-tailed deer hunting season is off with a bang this year! On the very first day a lucky South Texas hunter bagged the buck of a lifetime, only it seems his ranch keeps producing monster buck after monster buck. Mark Barrett, owner of the Las Raices Ranch in Encinal, Texas, shot a buck that will be the highest scoring non-typical buck ever harvested in the state of Texas.

The buck’s antlers green-scored 311 4/8 inches using the Boone and Crockett scoring method. The record non-typical Texas buck had been seen by ranch personnel as well as the ranch owner’s son, Marko Barrett, who had shot the buck that previously held the distinction of Texas’ highest scoring non-typical buck.

The 4,100 acre Las Raices Ranch deer population consists entirely of native South Texas white-tailed deer. This “Golden Triangle” region of South Texas is known for producing big bucks, but it looks like the area is really staking it’s claim in Texas deer hunting history. And it seems Mark Barrett’s ranch is the shining star.

Spike Bucks: To Shoot or Not to Shoot?

White-tailed deer hunting in Texas is a big deal, so it should come as no surprise that hunters get real passionate about their hunting down in the Lone Star State. One of the longest, on-going debates continues to be the shooting and/or culling of spike bucks. Spikes are bucks that have only a single, unbranched antler on each side of their head.

Research has found that most spikes are 1.5 year old bucks. So, should spike bucks be shot? It depends. Research has found conflicting results and many experts suggest that even the research may have to be thrown out the window when talking about specific properties. Many agree that yearling (1.5 year old deer) spikes should not be shot.

And this is easy to justify because in dry years a a good number of yearling bucks are spikes. Nutrition does play a role, but those same deer may “rebound” the following year into 8 point bucks. If a land manager wants more mature bucks or has a low buck to doe ratio, then shooting any buck may be a bad idea.

Trying to kill every spike in some years may remove a whole age class or cohort of deer off a property. It may be better to cull bucks in later years when you can see another set of antlers and gather additional “data.”

On the other hand, I’ve looked at the research conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The data shows that some spikes can be good bucks, but as a rule of thumb spike-antlered yearlings are inferior to yearling bucks with branched antlers. TPWD did not conclude that every spike should be shot, but merely that they should be harvested if removing inferior antler traits from a deer herd was desired.

Regardless of how you feel about the spike debate, I think you should weigh both options before jumping off into some kind of shoot-first ask questions later kind of deer management program. I can see situations where shooting spikes would be the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do depending on the long-term management goals of the property owner.

Deer Hunting and Feeding Protein

Reader Submitted: We’ve never fed protein pellets for white-tailed deer on our 2,600 acre ranch in Mason County. I was thinking about filling a few feeders in the early spring with protein to supplement bucks during the antler growing season. Would I be wasting my time with using just 4 spin-feeders to feed the pellets or would I need free-choice feeders and a lot more than 3 to do any good?

Texas Hunting: First off, you will not going to make a difference spin-feeding protein for whitetail. Individual deer simply will not get enough of the feed to make a difference. For any hunter or landowner that does plan on implementing a supplemental feeding program, the first thing to do is get the whitetail deer population in line with the carrying capacity of the ranch. This should be the first priority.

Then, the next is to get the buck to doe ratio somewhere around 1:1. This will help you get the most out of both the bucks and the does on your ranch. After you have addressed to total population size and buck to doe ratio, then and only then are you ready to start a free-choice protein feeding program.

If you don’t go about it in this manner then you will either not see a marked difference in the deer herd or you will go broke, probably both. A 2,600 ranch is a lot of deer, so you don’t want to feed anymore than absolutely necessary. In addition, you do not want to be feeding 3 or 4 does for every buck. It is not cost efficient. Does will have higher fawn crops due to supplemental feeding because of better health. These additional fawns create more heads on the ground, which means more deer to shoot each year.

It does not make sense to feed a bunch of does all year long just to shoot them off every year. This is why you want the buck to doe ratio closer to 1:1. This will really help and allow you to get the most for your money and from the deer found on your property.