East Tx vs Hill Country Deer Debate

[Bone Thug]

Originally Posted by hoghunter34

only studs on my place so far is me :d

Lol…..

[lovemylegacy]

Originally Posted by Barney1971

NOW-- imagine that 1500 acres with 3 hunters on it-- after about 3 or 4 years of that what kind of deer do you think it would be producing?
(just curious on how you think it would change the hunting)

If our members were shooting their full allotment of deer it maybe different. But like I said, 3 deer were taken last season, buck, 2 doe. We never take our full allotment of deer. The issue here is locals take quite a few. The rifle leases around us slaughter the deer.
To answer your question, that 3 deer taken per season might reduce down to 1 maybe 2. So not much change.
Its a work n progress I guess, getting hunters on board in letting bucks walk and shoot the doe instead, but its miles better than it once was. I hope that answers your question

Just for the record we have produced some very nice bucks. Weights range on mature bucks from 170-200 plus. Depending on when you take them

[trophy8]

Man some folks take this personal lmao. “WE HAVE GOOD PLANTS TOO ****IT!”

[Smart]

Originally Posted by lovemylegacy

I find that hard to believe, especially for the Hill Country. Please specify what type of plants are there. I have always been curious about how the EP can have so many deer. Tiny deer, which is why I say they dont have much food.

If the hill country didn't have much food it wouldn't be able to support the populations. If what you say was the case, the deer would all be walking around like mini deer skeletons....and it dang sure wouldn't be able to support all the wild free range exotics. Have you seen an axis buck on the hoof in the hill country? They don't get to looking like a spotted volkswagen because there is nothing to eat and they are starving. ...Red deer?.....Fallow?.....

[Smart]

Originally Posted by lovemylegacy

Nice thread. Learning a little bit about other regions….never knew deer ate Mesquite. Do they eat the pods also?

They eat them at our place as well...the beans and leaves. I think they and our supplemental feeding have saved our deer this year. When everything else was brown including cactus, and some cedar, the mesquites were green and producing beans. Didn't save our season but it saved the bodies. The horns suck but the bodies are in decent shape compared to 2011.

[Snowflake Killa]

Originally Posted by curtintex

You’d have a better chance of him posting feet pics.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

How much do you think I could get. One of them have a little fungus

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

[Snowflake Killa]

Originally Posted by Pernell

These people who are talking crap about east texas would crap if they saw some of your pics!

This is the pot dude yours are looking good

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

[Snowflake Killa]

Originally Posted by HogHunter34

Sounds like Pat has a honey hole in East Tx

He’s afraid of the outlaws finding it

No brother they found it

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

[Snowflake Killa]

Originally Posted by Barney1971

NOW-- imagine that 1500 acres with 3 hunters on it-- after about 3 or 4 years of that what kind of deer do you think it would be producing?

(just curious on how you think it would change the hunting)

Imagine 1 hunter per 1000 acres

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

[175gr7.62]

Originally Posted by Low Fence

I grow some great deer and know several on here that grow bucks that blow away most herds in the state free range

East Texas biggest problems that keep it from exploding:

Land fragment is largest. In the 90’s everything was 200 acres and a father, son and cheap skate uncle. Now that same 200 is busted into 40-50 acre tracks and each 50 has…. A father son and cheap skate uncle

Then add ALL want to shoot biggest on camera reguardless if it’s mature. Leases are the same. They kill waaaayyyyy too many young deer

Take a place that has the habitat and limit it to 1 hunter per 300-400 acres reguardless of cost and it’s a different world.

Yep. Our 3000ac East Texas place is part of a 30,000 ranch and the landowner limits the number of hunters. We see as many deer per hunt as I have experienced anywhere in the state.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ElfEyes]

Originally Posted by lovemylegacy

Well once again I will disagree. Ragweed both common and giant, Goldenrod, Smylax, Black and Dewberry vines, American Beauty bush, Arrowwood and many other plants are more than available for consumption. Several mentioned above are over 20 percent protein, high in Phosphorous, Calcium, Selenium and many more trace minerals.
It sounds as if both regions are proliferate in nutritious browse. I would like to hear from the EP boys about what browse is a available there.

Agree with the pressure aspect. Our lease is 1500 acres/11 hunters, all bowhunters. So the hunter density is high, but we bowhunt and are picky. Only 3 deer taken last season. Members saw plenty, just wanting a wall hanger.

Calvin if I remember right the soil health/PH have to be in line for those numbers to be attainable. I'm sure y'all all have listened to Dr Harper, Bronson Strickland, and Marcus lashley on the MSU deer study videos. It's amazing what sunlight can do and TSI can do.

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

[KingsX]

This should help some. it is pretty complex ,deer have a wide variety of choices from region to region.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/...1675_07_11.pdf
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/...w7000_1017.pdf
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/...w7000_0193.pdf
https://agrilife.org/wildlife2/files...West-Texas.pdf

[HogHunter34]

Originally Posted by Snowflake Killa

No brother they found it

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

Good grief
RIP Pats honey hole RIP

[Gumbo Man]

Originally Posted by Snowflake Killa

Imagine 1 hunter per 1000 acres

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

Yea I think our place might be over hunted as well. 8 hunters on 6500 acres.

[Gumbo Man]

Well I’m betraying Pat by doing this cause he made me promise not to show any of the deer pictures that he sends me. This is one of his 5 year olds that is expected to explode any year now. Most hunters would have already shot him before he reached his full potential. I’m sorry Pat but I just got tired of seeing em rag on ya.

[bloodtrailer28]

Originally Posted by Low Fence

I grow some great deer and know several on here that grow bucks that blow away most herds in the state free range

East Texas biggest problems that keep it from exploding:

Land fragment is largest. In the 90’s everything was 200 acres and a father, son and cheap skate uncle. Now that same 200 is busted into 40-50 acre tracks and each 50 has…. A father son and cheap skate uncle

Then add ALL want to shoot biggest on camera reguardless if it’s mature. Leases are the same. They kill waaaayyyyy too many young deer

Take a place that has the habitat and limit it to 1 hunter per 300-400 acres reguardless of cost and it’s a different world.

East Texas herds blowing away most free range herds? King Kennedy and several other free range herds down south? Multiple 200s 170s 180s all over.
Panhandle the pitchfork 4 6s and several others are the same.

We run 1 hunter per 1000 acres and it could still be a little more. Biggest bodied buck I've killed in Texas was in Williamson Co and was 223 pounds. We regularly kill 200 plus pounders on our place in the panhandle.

[KingsX]

Originally Posted by Gumbo Man

Yea I think our place might be over hunted as well. 8 hunters on 6500 acres.

Really doesn’t matter how many or how few members are on a ranch if you take the right amount of deer off the ranch every year.

[Snowflake Killa]

Originally Posted by Gumbo Man

Well I’m betraying Pat by doing this cause he made me promise not to show any of the deer pictures that he sends me. This is one of his 5 year olds that is expected to explode any year now. Most hunters would have already shot him before he reached his full potential. I’m sorry Pat but I just got tired of seeing em rag on ya.

Big is in the eyes of the beholder

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

[lovemylegacy]

Originally Posted by Smart

If the hill country didn't have much food it wouldn't be able to support the populations. If what you say was the case, the deer would all be walking around like mini deer skeletons....and it dang sure wouldn't be able to support all the wild free range exotics. Have you seen an axis buck on the hoof in the hill country? They don't get to looking like a spotted volkswagen because there is nothing to eat and they are starving. ...Red deer?.....Fallow?.....

Yeah I get that Smart, so why are the Whitetails small vs a large Axis eating the same stuff. Different subspecies of Whitetail? I have hunted the EP and shot full grown doe and they may be 80lbs live weight. Friends of mine hunt there, they experience the same thing. Not knocking them, just what I have seen. The cattle are butterball fat.

[Smart]

Originally Posted by lovemylegacy

Yeah I get that Smart, so why are the Whitetails small vs a large Axis eating the same stuff. Different subspecies of Whitetail? I have hunted the EP and shot full grown doe and they may be 80lbs live weight. Friends of mine hunt there, they experience the same thing. Not knocking them, just what I have seen. The cattle are butterball fat.

I'm no biologist. Genetics and nutrition/protein levels in actual food available is my guess.... when say compared to SoTx.

We have two distinct size deer on our place. Deer that max out weight wise (with age) like a hill country deer and deer more like west Texas deer that push 185-190lbs . Luckily they both can throw solid horns....on the flip side they both can throw trash.

[lovemylegacy]

Oops

[lovemylegacy]

Originally Posted by KingsX

This should help some. it is pretty complex ,deer have a wide variety of choices from region to region.
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/...1675_07_11.pdf
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/...w7000_1017.pdf
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/...w7000_0193.pdf
https://agrilife.org/wildlife2/files...West-Texas.pdf

Good info, thanx. I was really surprised at the percentage of grass they consumed. Out of necessity I would presume.

Great thread

[Landrover]

Good read and I saw nothing for others to get butt hurt about. I have owned a 50 and 40 acre place in East Texas for over 20 years. I stopped hunting them in two different counties 15 plus years ago. To small, too many other hunters, illegal hunting, majority of pics at night, etc. I went to Ozona for 3 years........way too far and nothing special about it "for me!" I have been in hill country for at least 12 or 13 years thanks to another TBHer!. Never monsters but 5-20 deer EVERY single sit no matter what timeframe.....which is as much fun as a man can have with his clothes on. MLD is always 20 plus tags over the last 5 years. Never more than 4 hunters besides a few 4-H kids that TPWD brings out to shoot does. Usually only 2 or 3 take a deer on the 650 acre place........mucho fun and Fredericksberg is 15 minutes to downtown........Tyler is definititly nice these days also so we are excited about the purchase! Yes, we have killed a few 130's and one Booner in hill country. By far most bucks taken are 125" to 130".....which aint shabby for the area. We shoot as many does as we want to clean however......we never fill the 20 plus MLD tags, but actually try. YES, the overall body size and antlers are smaller in the hill country but the numbers are definitely OFF THE CHARTs which is pure entertainment!!!
NOW.....fast forward those 12 to 13 years in central Texas......I have expanded my land holdings in Smith County (edge of pineywoods as someone mentioned) and will start to make this place work for bowhunting! I will keep my hill country lease for at least the next 3 years but obviously have a ton of work in front of me to get this place up to par.......so zero rush to bowhunt it! Deer and hogs are there and have seen them consistently for 23 years of ownership. Deer on the hoof are easily bigger and the dark horns are beautiful. Hogs rub the heck outta my pines but they will be HIT HARD for the next year or two.....real hard!!! I have a 50 acre clearcut on it now from the previous owner. I may only put 40 back into pine production. The rest in food plot of some type. I need to thin my original 40 acre pine plantation immediately as I am 4 or 5 years overdue. That will also open up sunlight which will be a natural food plot off the bat as noted multiple times. The two acre pond once repaired will surely help keep all critters close. Multiple cans of purple paint will be used with NO TRESPASSING signage, new low fencing (3 or 4 strand barb wire) and cameras will be bought come spring 2023 when everything goes on sale. Not sure what the guys/gals that have experienced success in MY area are doing but I am totally OPEN to learning and then implementing the suggestions. The goal is 140" class deer consistently......if bigger happens I will consider it a bonus. Not sure if i can buy the 23 acres next to me but hopefully I can negotiate with the landowner since they moved to Tennessee........they are waaaaay to expensive right now. Yes, willing to do food plots, feed all year, and put in feeder pens where it makes sense. Bottom line, 165 acres in Smith County isn't huge but it is better than the lonely 40 in Smith or the 50 i have in Bowie County. Open to suggestions, insight, wildlife plan or even someone saying dont waste my time and stay in the hill country permanently.

Originally Posted by lovemylegacy

That my man is an age old question that is still to be answered.
SETx in my opinion has better quality than Edwards Plateau area.
S Tx, thats a different animal altogether.

Agreed!

Originally Posted by ElfEyes

Calvin if I remember right the soil health/PH have to be in line for those numbers to be attainable. I'm sure y'all all have listened to Dr Harper, Bronson Strickland, and Marcus lashley on the MSU deer study videos. It's amazing what sunlight can do and TSI can do.

Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using Tapatalk

Not familiar with any of them but will check them out asap!!!

[trophy8]

Originally Posted by lovemylegacy

Yeah I get that Smart, so why are the Whitetails small vs a large Axis eating the same stuff. Different subspecies of Whitetail? I have hunted the EP and shot full grown doe and they may be 80lbs live weight. Friends of mine hunt there, they experience the same thing. Not knocking them, just what I have seen. The cattle are butterball fat.

On my old lease in Mason we killed many mature bucks from 180-200 lbs. All tiny racks

Herd and habitat management is key.

Now I’m waiting on Bob to come throw his BS flag lmao

[trophy8]

Originally Posted by Smart

I'm no biologist. Genetics and nutrition/protein levels in actual food available is my guess.... when say compared to SoTx.

We have two distinct size deer on our place. Deer that max out weight wise (with age) like a hill country deer and deer more like west Texas deer that push 185-190lbs . Luckily they both can throw solid horns....on the flip side they both can throw trash.

We saw the exact same thing. Like 2 types of deer. And antler development mattered not due to body size. Our highest scoring deer weighed 140 lbs live weight at 6 years old. Most huge bodied(for our area) were average bucks.

[Gumbo Man]

Originally Posted by Smart

I'm no biologist. Genetics and nutrition/protein levels in actual food available is my guess.... when say compared to SoTx.

We have two distinct size deer on our place. Deer that max out weight wise (with age) like a hill country deer and deer more like west Texas deer that push 185-190lbs . Luckily they both can throw solid horns....on the flip side they both can throw trash.

I was in Dimmit County( Carrizo Springs) for 8 years and we also had 2 different size deer on our place. One was your typical dark brush country deer and the other was a smaller reddish color that didn’t get as big bodied as the darker deer. They resembled deer from the Kennedy ranch. When judging antlers you really needed to pay attention to which variety it was.

[lovemylegacy]

Originally Posted by trophy8

On my old lease in Mason we killed many mature bucks from 180-200 lbs. All tiny racks

Herd and habitat management is key.

Now I’m waiting on Bob to come throw his BS flag lmao

Ha! Agree with the management part, key for sure

[Gumbo Man]

Originally Posted by Landrover

Good read and I saw nothing for others to get butt hurt about. I have owned a 50 and 40 acre place in East Texas for over 20 years. I stopped hunting them in two different counties 15 plus years ago. To small, too many other hunters, illegal hunting, majority of pics at night, etc. I went to Ozona for 3 years........way too far and nothing special about it "for me!" I have been in hill country for at least 12 or 13 years thanks to another TBHer!. Never monsters but 5-20 deer EVERY single sit no matter what timeframe.....which is as much fun as a man can have with his clothes on. MLD is always 20 plus tags over the last 5 years. Never more than 4 hunters besides a few 4-H kids that TPWD brings out to shoot does. Usually only 2 or 3 take a deer on the 650 acre place........mucho fun and Fredericksberg is 15 minutes to downtown........Tyler is definititly nice these days also so we are excited about the purchase! Yes, we have killed a few 130's and one Booner in hill country. By far most bucks taken are 125" to 130".....which aint shabby for the area. We shoot as many does as we want to clean however......we never fill the 20 plus MLD tags, but actually try. YES, the overall body size and antlers are smaller in the hill country but the numbers are definitely OFF THE CHARTs which is pure entertainment!!!
NOW.....fast forward those 12 to 13 years in central Texas......I have expanded my land holdings in Smith County (edge of pineywoods as someone mentioned) and will start to make this place work for bowhunting! I will keep my hill country lease for at least the next 3 years but obviously have a ton of work in front of me to get this place up to par.......so zero rush to bowhunt it! Deer and hogs are there and have seen them consistently for 23 years of ownership. Deer on the hoof are easily bigger and the dark horns are beautiful. Hogs rub the heck outta my pines but they will be HIT HARD for the next year or two.....real hard!!! I have a 50 acre clearcut on it now from the previous owner. I may only put 40 back into pine production. The rest in food plot of some type. I need to thin my original 40 acre pine plantation immediately as I am 4 or 5 years overdue. That will also open up sunlight which will be a natural food plot off the bat as noted multiple times. The two acre pond once repaired will surely help keep all critters close. Multiple cans of purple paint will be used with NO TRESPASSING signage, new low fencing (3 or 4 strand barb wire) and cameras will be bought come spring 2023 when everything goes on sale. Not sure what the guys/gals that have experienced success in MY area are doing but I am totally OPEN to learning and then implementing the suggestions. The goal is 140" class deer consistently......if bigger happens I will consider it a bonus. Not sure if i can buy the 23 acres next to me but hopefully I can negotiate with the landowner since they moved to Tennessee........they are waaaaay to expensive right now. Yes, willing to do food plots, feed all year, and put in feeder pens where it makes sense. Bottom line, 165 acres in Smith County isn't huge but it is better than the lonely 40 in Smith or the 50 i have in Bowie County. Open to suggestions, insight, wildlife plan or even someone saying dont waste my time and stay in the hill country permanently.


Agreed!

Not familiar with any of them but will check them out asap!!!

Oscar you might want to try planting Iron and Clay Cowpeas in the spring. Easy to grow and high in protein and fairly drought tolerant. Once the deer figure it’s edible it’s game on. But needs to be at least 4 or 5 acres if you have a relatively high deer density so it can reach 3 leaf stage without being wiped out.

[tps7742]

FYI
On the purple paint.the last few years I will take the color purple I need to a paint store. I have them mix me a color in oil base and use a big brush or small roller. Done for years. And much cheaper than the spray cans not that this is an issue in the big scheme of things. Take a ladder to put your signage up high so the low life’s can’t reach it.

[txtrophy85]

Originally Posted by Gumbo Man

I was in Dimmit County( Carrizo Springs) for 8 years and we also had 2 different size deer on our place. One was your typical dark brush country deer and the other was a smaller reddish color that didn’t get as big bodied as the darker deer. They resembled deer from the Kennedy ranch. When judging antlers you really needed to pay attention to which variety it was.

We had a ranch in Batesville and had two types of deer…normal south Texas deer and then we had these deer that would look like a racehorse….they were a foot and a half longer and 20-30 lbs heavier.

Maybe 5% of the bucks taken were these thoroughbred type deer.

[HogHunter34]

I just read a good article on East Tx deer management
Two of the keys things mentioned were age by allowing bucks to reach 4.5-6.5 age range maturity
Supplemental feeding but also mention of mineral supplement during antler development March - August
Good spring plots mentioned were iron clay cowpeas, Alyce clover & arrowleaf clover
Also key was keeping numbers down to avoid over capacity for the area (too many deer per acre)

[Voodoo]

“ less natural food sources to sustain them?”

On first glance one could arrive at this conclusion but its absolutely false. Not only is there an abundance of food for whitetail, there is abundance for all other natural species of animals, the exotics…and pigs.

Probably the cleanest water in Texas can be found in the Hill Country if you know where to look.

Even the largest Pine nut of all pine trees in North America exist in the Hill Country. Explorer Cabeza de Vaca's route was traced through these pines.

The Blue Oak has the best acorns on the planet, low in tannins, best for making flour.

Fruit of Madrones, persimmon, juniper berries, agarita, plums, so forth and so on…

You cannot starve to death in Hill Country.

The game also retreat to areas where frankly humans either cannot get to or don’t frequent.

[Voodoo]

Originally Posted by txtrophy85

We had a ranch in Batesville and had two types of deer…normal south Texas deer and then we had these deer that would look like a racehorse….they were a foot and a half longer and 20-30 lbs heavier.

Maybe 5% of the bucks taken were these thoroughbred type deer.

Yes, several subspecies

[Muddy Bud]

Originally Posted by Gumbo Man

I was in Dimmit County( Carrizo Springs) for 8 years and we also had 2 different size deer on our place. One was your typical dark brush country deer and the other was a smaller reddish color that didn’t get as big bodied as the darker deer. They resembled deer from the Kennedy ranch. When judging antlers you really needed to pay attention to which variety it was.

I agree with this. Hunted in Refugio County for a couple years and those were the hardest deer to judge age wise. You had some good South Texas Genetics mixed in with some coastal marsh deer. So you could be looking at a a nice 140” deer that you might think is 3 but then talk to the guys at camp and find they been seeing this thing for five years. Been in Jim Hogg County now for the last 5 yrs and our pre rut weights push 230s.

[txtimetravler]

I hunt in hays county…we had south Tx genetics and hill country genetics on an old lease.
Shot an 8 pointer that was a heavy weight compared to a 6 pointer next to him….thought I did good with a ‘cull’. Lol
Looked at his teeth and talked to lease members….only to find out he was a 2 year old.

Apparently in the depression, a guy was buying up small farms going broke. Fast forward, that ranch started transporting STX deer into their huge ranch in the ‘80’s.

It was unreal. One lease member shot a hoss….prolly a 150inch buck but it had stickers all over it. No telling what it would have become if left one more year

[trophy8]

Originally Posted by lovemylegacy

Ha! Agree with the management part, key for sure

I’m aware it’s hard to believe on the body weight. There’s a few TBHers still on it. I have plenty of back up on that. It was very weird for sure. Hunted my grandparents ranch 15 minutes away for 25 years. Doubt we ever killed a deer over 150 lbs off of it.

[kyle1974]

Originally Posted by txtrophy85

We had a ranch in Batesville and had two types of deer…normal south Texas deer and then we had these deer that would look like a racehorse….they were a foot and a half longer and 20-30 lbs heavier.

Maybe 5% of the bucks taken were these thoroughbred type deer.

Yes that seems to exist in a few places. I sure wish we could cull out the smaller deer.

I got this pic a few days ago. There’s some perspective with the young deer being further back, but the one in front is probably one of the largest body bucks I’ve ever seen down here. Too bad he’s a mullet up top.

[Snowflake Killa]

We have 2 deer types to one's that weight 160 and the one's that weight 200 plus

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

[lovemylegacy]

Originally Posted by trophy8

I’m aware it’s hard to believe on the body weight. There’s a few TBHers still on it. I have plenty of back up on that. It was very weird for sure. Hunted my grandparents ranch 15 minutes away for 25 years. Doubt we ever killed a deer over 150 lbs off of it.

No sir, not hard to believe at all. STx deer are a totally different animal than the deer in SETx.

SETx deer are a mutt. Them STx deer are some pure breds

[Tshelly]

Easy answer. You can SEE out west and you can’t in the east lol. Less food so the corn really draws them out Higher forage in east texas in general.

Everywhere I’ve ever hunted had 2 subspecies of deer.

Probably the best answer I’ve seen is the lower pressure per acre in the hill country vs east. I recently got on a new east Texans place with huge neighbors and light pressure. I can see 40-50 deer just with the buggy and 100+ thermal hunting at night


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Backwoods101]

E Tx deer season is year round


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Slew]

Originally Posted by HogHunter34

General observation from areas I’ve seen lots of deer but terrain was lacking imo
Like mentioned above the area appeared rocks & cacti, just didn’t appear to hold the level of natural browse, etc

That was my thoughts when I first hunted El Dorado! My buddy said the deer eat cactus and hide in the shadows from the clouds! There were 4 stands on what they said was 2k acres and you could see all 4 and the camp from any of the stands. Saw more deer in one morning that I would in a couple years of hunting NW LA. I don't know where they came from or went when all the corn was gone but I knew right then my days of looking down a firebreak among pine trees to see 2-3 squirrels and a rabbit were over! I'd just assume fish or chase ducks anyhow over deer hunt but you couldn't pay me to hunt back in the pines. My 2 cents!

[JhuntsAlot]

I hunt E.Texas and Hill Country area, mostly ET because its a closer lease and money is tight.

I have seen quality racks in both places, but the same quality are definitely on different bodies sizes. Sure would be nice to have the same HC activity and movement during daylight in E. Texas.

I havent looked into this and hope this isnt going off topic, but why are there no Axis and Sika in E. Texas?




J

[Anvilheadtexas]

Originally Posted by Low Fence

I grow some great deer and know several on here that grow bucks that blow away most herds in the state free range

East Texas biggest problems that keep it from exploding:

Land fragment is largest. In the 90’s everything was 200 acres and a father, son and cheap skate uncle. Now that same 200 is busted into 40-50 acre tracks and each 50 has…. A father son and cheap skate uncle

Then add ALL want to shoot biggest on camera reguardless if it’s mature. Leases are the same. They kill waaaayyyyy too many young deer

Take a place that has the habitat and limit it to 1 hunter per 300-400 acres reguardless of cost and it’s a different world.

Solid post. The unfortunate reality is that there is continued fragmentation. 40-50 acres turns into 10-15 acres in some places (certainly not all of East Tx). But as time goes by, there will be more and more small tracts and this will mean more pressure in those immediate areas IF owners of the small tracts treat their backyards as a hunting lease. On the flipside if they don’t these little pockets can become become healthy pockets of unmolested deer.

[Landrover]

Originally Posted by Gumbo Man

Oscar you might want to try planting Iron and Clay Cowpeas in the spring. Easy to grow and high in protein and fairly drought tolerant. Once the deer figure it’s edible it’s game on. But needs to be at least 4 or 5 acres if you have a relatively high deer density so it can reach 3 leaf stage without being wiped out.

BAM!! Love gleaning good info from you guys....thanks for the insight!!

Originally Posted by tps7742

FYI
On the purple paint.the last few years I will take the color purple I need to a paint store. I have them mix me a color in oil base and use a big brush or small roller. Done for years. And much cheaper than the spray cans not that this is an issue in the big scheme of things. Take a ladder to put your signage up high so the low life’s can’t reach it.

Again......easy enough. I will buy one can of purple paint and take it to the paint store and let them mix it up. Probably 5 gallons worth.....lol!!!

Originally Posted by HogHunter34

I just read a good article on East Tx deer management
Two of the keys things mentioned were age by allowing bucks to reach 4.5-6.5 age range maturity
Supplemental feeding but also mention of mineral supplement during antler development March - August
Good spring plots mentioned were iron clay cowpeas, Alyce clover & arrowleaf clover
Also key was keeping numbers down to avoid over capacity for the area (too many deer per acre)

Yessir total agreement.........Letting them get to 4.5 or over is the issue historically in that country. Hopefully it has changed.

Originally Posted by Slew

That was my thoughts when I first hunted El Dorado! My buddy said the deer eat cactus and hide in the shadows from the clouds! There were 4 stands on what they said was 2k acres and you could see all 4 and the camp from any of the stands. Saw more deer in one morning that I would in a couple years of hunting NW LA. I don't know where they came from or went when all the corn was gone but I knew right then my days of looking down a firebreak among pine trees to see 2-3 squirrels and a rabbit were over! I'd just assume fish or chase ducks anyhow over deer hunt but you couldn't pay me to hunt back in the pines. My 2 cents!

Lmaoooooo........sounds like we grew up the same way! Deep SE Louisiana swamps fighting deer flies and mosquito's for looooong days and not even seeing a tail flicker. Definitely gonna be a slooooow transition for me from the hill country to our new place in Starville.

[coldtrail]

East TX=more pressure

[trophy8]

Originally Posted by JhuntsAlot

I hunt E.Texas and Hill Country area, mostly ET because its a closer lease and money is tight.

I have seen quality racks in both places, but the same quality are definitely on different bodies sizes. Sure would be nice to have the same HC activity and movement during daylight in E. Texas.

I havent looked into this and hope this isnt going off topic, but why are there no Axis and Sika in E. Texas?




J

Y’all kill them all from the highway

[Mayhem]

Hill country people have leases, east Texas they have the long lease.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[RiverRat1]

Originally Posted by txtrophy85

Pine forests and hay meadows are not the most nutritious things for deer.

What you see as lush, green and productive can actually be very a very sterile environment.
Lots of natural browse in the hill country

This.
Ask a TPWD biologist what browse WTD like.

Anyone who says it's because of too many hunters in East Texas has never been around Llano on opening day of rifle season

[RWB]

I blame it on Yaupon, I hate that stuff