Menard/Mason/Brady 2019-2020 season

[trophy8]

Haven’t seen a thread for our area yet. Antlers are growing. Figured I’d crank one up for updates and Gary’s stories .

How’s everyone doing so far?

Hoping axis make it our way haha

[Lee230]

More rain again this morning. Our place west of Hext has had consistent rain all month.

[WhiplashTX]

Should be a good year for horns.

[220swift]

We are just east of Hext. Bumper crop of chiggers this year....

[nursejenn]

Here's a pic to start off from this morning...

[Bh_liberty]

Originally Posted by 220swift

We are just east of Hext. Bumper crop of chiggers this year....

This statement is not a joke and should not be taken lightly. Ticks and chiggers people.


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[nursejenn]

Originally Posted by 220swift

We are just east of Hext. Bumper crop of chiggers this year....

Originally Posted by Bh_liberty

This statement is not a joke and should not be taken lightly. Ticks and chiggers people.


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I can attest to the chiggers today! Snake boots + overabundance of chiggers = misery! And yes, I sprayed down several times theoughout the day yesterday...

[Bisch]

I got these 2 between London and Menard in the last month!

Bisch


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[elliscountyhog]

Just west of menard off 190. Pigs killing us.

[SHSU18]

In between Brady and Menard and the pigs are taking over as well, we headed out to put up cameras next weekend.

[MenardCountyBow]

West of menard. Cotton seed is going faster than we can fill it up

[tonyterry]

Was at lease this weekend. I saw lots of buck with horns getting big and few doe’s. Nice rain early Sunday morning. Work on pens. It was pretty nice weather for a change. They don’t seem to be hitting cotton seed yet.


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[MenardCountyBow]

Anybody know of a good place to get in the river around menard or ft mckavett? Next time we come down will try to go play in the river

[RS3]

Bisch with a compound? What’s that about?

[ttaxidermy]

10 miles west of Brady it is getting bad dry.. A lot of tall, dead, grass. Bad fire hazard but the Deer are looking good though..

[DaveC]

Originally Posted by MenardCountyBow

Anybody know of a good place to get in the river around menard or ft mckavett? Next time we come down will try to go play in the river

There is a local hangout up the road (on 190) from Kaufmans feed store a few miles.

It's a road called Bois D Arc. it has a river crossing with a great water spot to splash around in.

We've always had a good time swimming there and the locals were always talkative.

This is about the best pic I have showing what the water hole looks like-

[M16]

Originally Posted by DaveC

There is a local hangout up the road (on 190) from Kaufmans feed store a few miles.

It's a road called Bois D Arc. it has a river crossing with a great water spot to splash around in.

We've always had a good time swimming there and the locals were always talkative.

This is about the best pic I have showing what the water hole looks like-

Thanks for telling everybody about “redneck crossing.” Enjoy yourself there but stay in the water. Landowners around there don’t play if you trespass.

[MenardCountyBow]

Originally Posted by DaveC

There is a local hangout up the road (on 190) from Kaufmans feed store a few miles.

It's a road called Bois D Arc. it has a river crossing with a great water spot to splash around in.

We've always had a good time swimming there and the locals were always talkative.

This is about the best pic I have showing what the water hole looks like-

Awesome! Thank you sir. Just looking for a place to cool off next trip

[DaveC]

Originally Posted by M16

Thanks for telling everybody about “redneck crossing.” Enjoy yourself there but stay in the water. Landowners around there don’t play if you trespass.

You’ve got a point, in hindsight I should have sent him a pm.

I used to head over there for a splash after paying my corn tax at Kothman’s. I do like their apple corn though.



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[Gary Roberson]

Ok trophy8, you asked for it. I have been taking advantage of these cool mornings, jogging my hounds to try to keep them in shape and training on a couple of young gyps. I had a little bad luck a couple of days ago as my best dog, Jill treed a coon, climbed as usual and fell out in a rock pile. I thought that she was okay as I continued to hunt but the next morning, found her dead in the kennel. The youngsters better come along as there are some really big shoes to fill.
About the antler growth; antlers on free ranging bucks without supplemental protein are 30-40% better than last year. This is for two very obvious reasons. One, it has rained and rained since last August, about the time it dries out, we get another good rain so natural browse is WAY about average. The second reason is that most of the better looking bucks are three and four years old, not showing to be really mature such as five years old and above. While we had a dry springs for the last couple of years, overall precipitation has not been that bad and these bucks developed healthy bodies though were short in antlers because of the poor springs. Now we have had the great spring and they are at ages where most of the nutrition that they take in will go to antler growth rather than growing a body.
I have seen two groups of bucks with 7 in each group and several groups of 3-5. I am also seeing more 10 point bucks than normal. I have not seen a buck that I thought was in the 7+ age though I am afraid that these bucks were so adversely affected by the drought of 2011 and 2012 that they will never be great antlered bucks.
Adios,
Gary

[MenardCountyBow]

Originally Posted by DaveC

You’ve got a point, in hindsight I should have sent him a pm.

I used to head over there for a splash after paying my corn tax at Kothman’s. I do like their apple corn though.



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Delete the post lol that’s right by us

[MenardCountyBow]

Originally Posted by DaveC

You’ve got a point, in hindsight I should have sent him a pm.

I used to head over there for a splash after paying my corn tax at Kothman’s. I do like their apple corn though.



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We usually get our corn at Kothmans as well

[DPElite]

Originally Posted by DaveC

There is a local hangout up the road (on 190) from Kaufmans feed store a few miles.

It's a road called Bois D Arc. it has a river crossing with a great water spot to splash around in.

We've always had a good time swimming there and the locals were always talkative.

This is about the best pic I have showing what the water hole looks like-

That is a super cool looking spot to chill in

Good luck to all y’all out there


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[ttaxidermy]

Originally Posted by DaveC

You’ve got a point, in hindsight I should have sent him a pm.

I used to head over there for a splash after paying my corn tax at Kothman’s. I do like their apple corn though.



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Kaufmans has Apple Corn???? If so I will be making the drive......

[MenardCountyBow]

Originally Posted by ttaxidermy

Kaufmans has Apple Corn???? If so I will be making the drive......

They do have it. Smells great

[SHSU18]

Anyone seeing Axis? We hunt off of 19 west about 12 miles out of town. We get a few stragglers every once in a while.

[Gary Roberson]

I think that the axis population west of Menard along the river is and has been increasing for several years. You should begin to see more and more of them however, axis tend to drift around where food is better where whitetails will stay in one place and starve.
Adios,
Gary

By the way, it is Kothmann's rather than Kaufman's.

[DaveC]

Originally Posted by ttaxidermy

Kaufmans has Apple Corn???? If so I will be making the drive......

They blend it together there at their store. A call ahead to make sure they have what you want on hand would prevent a wasted trip or give them time to brew up enough batch to fill your needs.

I’ve been using it for years. I’ve heard some complain it’s too dusty, but I’m pretty sure the dust is the apple flavoring.
The bags are a clear plastic with ventilation holes. They have about 80% the strength of regular bags, so watch throwing them around or they will bust at the seams.


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[ttaxidermy]

Originally Posted by DaveC

They blend it together there at their store. A call ahead to make sure they have what you want on hand would prevent a wasted trip or give them time to brew up enough batch to fill your needs.

I’ve been using it for years. I’ve heard some complain it’s too dusty, but I’m pretty sure the dust is the apple flavoring.
The bags are a clear plastic with ventilation holes. They have about 80% the strength of regular bags, so watch throwing them around or they will bust at the seams.


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10-4 thanks.
I haven't used apple scented corn in years but back when I did the deer preferred it over the regular stuff all day, everyday....

[SHSU18]

Any one been up to check out the Dove numbers? Heard the grass is tall at our place in Brady.

[lilbradford]

I’m going to try and go this week or next. All I know is we need rain

[trophy8]

It’s dry dry dry. Need rain bad. Tall grass. Deer are hungry but healthy.

[Gary Roberson]

REALLY hot and dry. We were going to have a MONSTER acorn crop but the dry stretch is causing most of the little acorns to drop prematurely. Deer should be hitting feeders as there is not much out there in the way of browse.
Adios,
Gary

[elliscountyhog]

Covert is showing some great deer this year. Few big axis and they are hungry. Shaping up to be a great year for sure.

[Krivoman]

dry dry dry

[MenardCountyBow]

We will be down Labor Day weekend. Should be able to catch a menard Yellowjacket football game Friday night!

[SV72]

I was up on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning and I can vouch for the heat. I did notice a ton of acorns in the trees but they looked smallish to me. We did get a decent rain last week, so that is a start.

[SV72]

Originally Posted by Gary Roberson

Ok trophy8, you asked for it. I have been taking advantage of these cool mornings, jogging my hounds to try to keep them in shape and training on a couple of young gyps. I had a little bad luck a couple of days ago as my best dog, Jill treed a coon, climbed as usual and fell out in a rock pile. I thought that she was okay as I continued to hunt but the next morning, found her dead in the kennel. The youngsters better come along as there are some really big shoes to fill.
About the antler growth; antlers on free ranging bucks without supplemental protein are 30-40% better than last year. This is for two very obvious reasons. One, it has rained and rained since last August, about the time it dries out, we get another good rain so natural browse is WAY about average. The second reason is that most of the better looking bucks are three and four years old, not showing to be really mature such as five years old and above. While we had a dry springs for the last couple of years, overall precipitation has not been that bad and these bucks developed healthy bodies though were short in antlers because of the poor springs. Now we have had the great spring and they are at ages where most of the nutrition that they take in will go to antler growth rather than growing a body.
I have seen two groups of bucks with 7 in each group and several groups of 3-5. I am also seeing more 10 point bucks than normal. I have not seen a buck that I thought was in the 7+ age though I am afraid that these bucks were so adversely affected by the drought of 2011 and 2012 that they will never be great antlered bucks.
Adios,
Gary

Thanks for the information, Gary. I agree with you on the bucks from the drought years.

[MenardCountyBow]

Bump. Any updates from out there? Season is right around the corner

[huntindude]

Originally Posted by MenardCountyBow

Bump. Any updates from out there? Season is right around the corner

Dry dry dry. Deer are hungry.


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[Gary Roberson]

Had a few scattered showers but overall still very dry. Deer are hitting feed hard as vegetation and browse is dry. Very few doves as of today. Less than I have ever seen here for this time of the year.
Most deer appear to remain in good body condition and good rains would help keep them there. I heard that Anthrax made it almost to Ft. McKavett in a few isolated areas but appears to be slowing down.
Adios,
Gary

[Poo Bear]

Hunted in just past the llano river on the Brady side since 94. FIL just inquired 222 acres in between mason and llano, art to be exact. Was up there last weekend. A couple showers but was pretty dry. Very few dove. Tuned in to this post.


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[huntindude]

Need some rain bad. Been getting quite a few deer that look like this sent to me from the spypoint


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[treestand]

Originally Posted by huntindude

Need some rain bad. Been getting quite a few deer that look like this sent to me from the spypoint


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I saw much the same at my Kimble county lease. Well above average antlers but low body weight. I suspect they will swarm the corn feeders in early now season but the meat will be very lean.

[ttaxidermy]

Should be a good year..

[huntindude]

Originally Posted by treestand

I saw much the same at my Kimble county lease. Well above average antlers but low body weight. I suspect they will swarm the corn feeders in early now season but the meat will be very lean.

Makes sense, we are not far from the Kimble/ Menard county line


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[SHSU18]

Just got our Cameras out Labor day, hope to head up with in few weeks and have some pics for here.

[jhubbz]

Was out there last weekend. Saw a lot of deer and even managed a limit of dove. It was dry. Water sources will be key this year.

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[DK1555]

Originally Posted by jhubbz

Was out there last weekend. Saw a lot of deer and even managed a limit of dove. It was dry. Water sources will be key this year.

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Good deal on the birds! Heading up this weekend to try and shoot a few

[SHSU18]

Originally Posted by DK1555

Good deal on the birds! Heading up this weekend to try and shoot a few

Very dry, birds were flying a couple weeks ago. A few of us managed limits as well.