2017 Panhandle Hunting Thread (5th Annual!)

[myway]

I have been experimenting with rice bran mill ****dest thing I have seen.

[kry226]

A couple of years ago, I had lots of pics of coyotes eating corn under my feeders all season long. None before that year and none since.

Two years ago and this year, I have pics of deer and hogs eating at the same feeder. It's a wild wild world in which we live.

[kry226]

We still have the gap of near 0 fawn crops from 2011-2012 moving through, and 2013 was fairly low also, so we have just a few 4 yr olds this year and close to none on 5-6 yr olds.

But 2014-2017 fawn crops were high. So, 2020-2024 hunting seasons will be amazing, especially if the top end of each age class can make it to 6-7 yrs. If we can get good rainfall during those 5 years, the Panhandle will put down numerous beasts.

Thanks for the insight, sir. Should get better every year. Hopefully.

[Johnny_Dodson]

Anyone hear anything about that poaching ring they busted in gray and wheeler counties?


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[DOUBLE-Z]

Anyone hear anything about that poaching ring they busted in gray and wheeler counties?


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No. I saw a fb post of someone who suspected a poacher in gray county but thats all I've heard. What do you know?

[coldgas]

Anyone hear anything about that poaching ring they busted in gray and wheeler counties?


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I saw there were 4 people arrested. I didn't recognize any of the names. Think they were all from pampa.

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[Top Of Texas]

Anyone hear anything about that poaching ring they busted in gray and wheeler counties?


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Yes, they (wardens) did.

[Top Of Texas]

http://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/4-arrests-made-following-multi-county-investigation-into-panhandle-poaching-ring

[Heron]

So that's where my shooters have gone. That'll teach those bucks for staying nocturnal.

Seriously, though, I don't see the reason for this. It might make some sense if they were selling deer parts or feeding the family, but just driving around, shooting deer and letting them lie makes no sense to me. What a waste. Hope a lot of vehicles and anything else of value are seized.

[texag93]

Deer moment was hit and miss all week in Motley Co. I would see 3-4 deer one sitting and 15 the next.

[Mudslinger]

Movement pcked up here this morning snd tonight. 3 new bucks between this mornng snd this evening and a big shooter 9 showed on camera on the 29th. My hopes got a little bump today.

[pickles]

Went to the lease this weekend with a friend. Saturday was awesome. Bucks running doe like crazy. Rattled a couple bucks to the stand. Saw two shooters but they had no interest in us and were running 100 MPH. Then this morning saw very little action. Sure was nice to get out though. I've noticed so far in this panhandle country the bucks sure do break off their antlers quicker than what I'm used to. They must sure love to scrap. lol

Do have a question for you Panhandle veterans.

We have a place just north of Hedley TX in Donley County. 1600 acres. Pretty good cover. Lots of shinrey and pin oak looking trees. We are somewhat overpopulated with whitetail (just my opinion). Every now then we get some small mule deer bucks on camera. Also some doe every now then. They seem to run with the whitetail most of the time. And I have heard there are decent mule deer killed in the area.

So given where we are. Do you guys think it's worth trying to bring in some bigger mule deer? I mean do you think they might be there or would be more than likely be wasting time? Also how would you guys start attempting to bring them on the property more? Primary food? Plots? Alfalfa?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be awesome. As I am very uneducated on the area and mule deer in general. Figured you folks would know probably better than anyone I could find online.

Thanks in advance.

[Johnny_Dodson]

Went to the lease this weekend with a friend. Saturday was awesome. Bucks running doe like crazy. Rattled a couple bucks to the stand. Saw two shooters but they had no interest in us and were running 100 MPH. Then this morning saw very little action. Sure was nice to get out though. I've noticed so far in this panhandle country the bucks sure do break off their antlers quicker than what I'm used to. They must sure love to scrap. lol

Do have a question for you Panhandle veterans.

We have a place just north of Hedley TX in Donley County. 1600 acres. Pretty good cover. Lots of shinrey and pin oak looking trees. We are somewhat overpopulated with whitetail (just my opinion). Every now then we get some small mule deer bucks on camera. Also some doe every now then. They seem to run with the whitetail most of the time. And I have heard there are decent mule deer killed in the area.

So given where we are. Do you guys think it's worth trying to bring in some bigger mule deer? I mean do you think they might be there or would be more than likely be wasting time? Also how would you guys start attempting to bring them on the property more? Primary food? Plots? Alfalfa?

Any thoughts or suggestions would be awesome. As I am very uneducated on the area and mule deer in general. Figured you folks would know probably better than anyone I could find online.

Thanks in advance.

There are bigger ones in that area, they are just good at hiding. Get as much food and cover as possible on the property. Lots of whitetail numbers will keep down mule deer numbers to a degree, just cause whitetail are more aggressive and the land has a certain carrying capacity and both are competing generally for same food.
If you can put in a large alfalfa or wheat field in center of property you should hold some there and then it’s just a waiting game for 2 weeks a year. Normally they show up week after season.


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[Line-man33]

Movement pcked up here this morning snd tonight. 3 new bucks between this mornng snd this evening and a big shooter 9 showed on camera on the 29th. My hopes got a little bump today.

whe


Where do you hunt I hunt on the stonewall/Kent county line the sign actually splits our property?

[Jethro]

I have to admit, I got bored with deer hunting again this season. The older I get, the easier that happens.

Went coyote calling instead, killed 4 on 4 stands. Should have been 5.

I was glad to see them bust that poaching ring. Been a lot of that kind of stuff going on up here in the panhandle the last few years. There was also the deal from Childress/Quanah earlier this season where folks were shooting and selling deer to the processor. Last year we had a deal just east of town here where 5-6 deer were shot out in a wheat field and left to lay, a couple with heads cut off. One of those was a really nice one that escaped from the poachers and made it over onto another property before he died. Even though they killed him, at least they didn't get his rack.

We have also had lots of trouble with folks from out of state just showing up and road hunting quail. Stay in a motel room and just drive county roads all day shooting birds. One of the big landowners I call coyotes on has just got done hanging all new no trespassing signs again.

Coyote pics:

IMG_3651 by , on Flickr

IMG_3657 by , on Flickr