The bottom deer was our best deer to date. I had my target buck at 10 yards last night but he didn't come exactly where he needed to. The one I'm after is about a 145 10 point.
Yes he was! I did not kill him but my buddy did. The other deer on the bottom is a 4 or 5 year old that needs one more year to peak. We've tried to get more into letting a deer peak than reach a certain age. 5.5 years is the minimum but we let certain deer go if we think they haven't reached their full potential.
Yes he was! I did not kill him but my buddy did. The other deer on the bottom is a 4 or 5 year old that needs one more year to peak. We've tried to get more into letting a deer peak than reach a certain age. 5.5 years is the minimum but we let certain deer go if we think they haven't reached their full potential.
I certainly hope so. This was him last year, I cannot decide if he was a healthy 3 year old last year or a 4 year old. This year he's been hanging out with 4 year Olds and is a main frame 10 with a G2 kicker and 2 base kickers. His name is Potential since we were thinking he may turn into something.
I certainly hope so. This was him last year, I cannot decide if he was a healthy 3 year old last year or a 4 year old. This year he's been hanging out with 4 year Olds and is a main frame 10 with a G2 kicker and 2 base kickers. His name is Potential since we were thinking he may turn into something.
I had a 600 acre place up in New Waverly for 26 years. We finally got control about 10 yrs ago and managed it pretty hard. We killed 2 160’s. One would have been in 170’s but he broke off a 10” dagger. We grew a deer that went 184” that I hunted religiously but was killed by a neighbor. Sadly this place sold this year to be developed. We are killing 150’s at our house 3 miles down the road but nothing to touch 160-170 yet. Not bad for some Montgomery county deer.
Man, those are some hosses! Those suburban bucks can get huge.
We have no control of our herd. We border the Waggoner 530,000 acres on 70 % and the another 20,000 acre place is the other 30%. Neither hunt much. The Wag just started last year and it was 35 miles from us.We have about 2400 acres total.
The deer are rarely pressured and get to 7-8 yrs old and older. We have wheat and oats that draw deer when the weather turns really cold. The deer are very transient
We try and shoot mature deer with a good deal of success. We see 140-50 class deer regularly.
I don't know where the closest high fenced place is to us. From our back fence its 40 miles across the Wag to the next ranch.
I have had a HF 1000ac place with native deer Frio co. for 7yrs now. Protein feed at rate more than biologist recommended rates and winter wheat. Largest buck we have killed to date is 159 5/8 gross, another 159 3/8 some 157,156,154,153 etc. we are letting the bucks get to 7.5, but see little to no jump from 5.5 to 7.5 even in mass. Native brouse hurts us on good years...deer do not eat as much protein on good brouse years and always have smaller racks as a result. Biggest racks come on dry years when they have to eat protein 10-15" more. We also kill a lot of 7.5 -8.5 yr old 6, 7 and 8pt than score 120's, are avg. buck scores about 135'' thats 7.5yo all Frio co deer. Some of are bucks weigh over 200lbs highest 228lb. We have had some bucks that had best rack at 5.5 some at 6.5 but I think its more a product of health and food that year than age. We had typ 12 at 5.5 that we think would of scored 167 thought for sure next yr he would break BC but next yr was only 153 still a 12, next yr 155, he is 8.5 now and looks only 153 but is 13pt and has lost tine length and mass. Moral of story is native deer have a ceiling.Age and food aren't the answer. Doesn't mean at some point a 170 wont hit our dirt, just shows how rare they are without genetic help.
I have had a HF 1000ac place with native deer Frio co. for 7yrs now. Protein feed at rate more than biologist recommended rates and winter wheat. Largest buck we have killed to date is 159 5/8 gross, another 159 3/8 some 157,156,154,153 etc. we are letting the bucks get to 7.5, but see little to no jump from 5.5 to 7.5 even in mass. Native brouse hurts us on good years...deer do not eat as much protein on good brouse years and always have smaller racks as a result. Biggest racks come on dry years when they have to eat protein 10-15" more. We also kill a lot of 7.5 -8.5 yr old 6, 7 and 8pt than score 120's, are avg. buck scores about 135'' thats 7.5yo all Frio co deer. Some of are bucks weigh over 200lbs highest 228lb. We have had some bucks that had best rack at 5.5 some at 6.5 but I think its more a product of health and food that year than age. We had typ 12 at 5.5 that we think would of scored 167 thought for sure next yr he would break BC but next yr was only 153 still a 12, next yr 155, he is 8.5 now and looks only 153 but is 13pt and has lost tine length and mass. Moral of story is native deer have a ceiling.Age and food aren't the answer. Doesn't mean at some point a 170 wont hit our dirt, just shows how rare they are without genetic help.
I'll have to agree to disagree with you bubba. Obviously all deer have a ceiling HF, LF no fence, genetic freaks or native they all have a point or threshold they cant cross no matter what you do for them. Obviously only God knows that number in each deer, we as stewards can only help to try and get them there.
But to make a blank statement that " age and nutrition isn't the answer" is the exact opposite of my experience for the last 20 years. From Dimmit county to Old Mexico up and down the river I've personally seen what affects age and nutrition have done to the deer on the particular ranches I've hunted. Age more than anything. And those factors alone have created the giants in the past where I've hunted. It seems most, but obviously not all already have elevated genetics if allowed to express them.
I'll have to agree to disagree with you bubba. Obviously all deer have a ceiling HF, LF no fence, genetic freaks or native they all have a point or threshold they cant cross no matter what you do for them. Obviously only God knows that number in each deer, we as stewards can only help to try and get them there.
But to make a blank statement that " age and nutrition isn't the answer" is the exact opposite of my experience for the last 20 years. From Dimmit county to Old Mexico up and down the river I've personally seen what affects age and nutrition have done to the deer on the particular ranches I've hunted. Age more than anything. And those factors alone have created the giants in the past where I've hunted. It seems most, but obviously not all already have elevated genetics if allowed to express them.
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Once they hit 5.5 in our place age has made no difference that we have seen. Only how much protein they eat. More brouse they eat the smaller there racks. Just saying whats happening in our place. YMMV
Once they hit 5.5 in our place age has made no difference that we have seen. Only how much protein they eat. More brouse they eat the smaller there racks. Just saying whats happening in our place. YMMV
Gotcha. Definitely agree each place is different . And I have no clue what YMMV is?
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