Deep East Texas Deer Season Report

[Anvilheadtexas]

Well… it’s mostly over at sundown on Sunday. Let’s hear your 2021/2022 deer report from Deep East Tx. My deer numbers continue to be down and deer sightings very limited (Polk Cty). I knew this going in and put does off limits. We managed to take 2 nice bucks opening weekend and I took a spike last day of bow season (live thread). Overall good season, but honestly have not seen much deer on my place since early November. Curious to hear what others saw this season.

[djohnson]

Just a weird HOT season here in Hill Country. Prior to the season we had MANY shootable deer including a half a dozen 10 pointers. Then it got hot and they just dissapeared. With the heat I just gave up last week and decided I wasn't mad enough at them to waste more time.

[Etxbuckman]

Deer numbers WAY down. On a positive note, pig numbers seem to be way down too.

Ready to put this one in the books and start working towards next season.

[Snowflake Killa]

Deer numbers WAY down. On a positive note, pig numbers seem to be way down too.

Ready to put this one in the books and start working towards next season.

Amen

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

[Anvilheadtexas]

Deer numbers WAY down. On a positive note, pig numbers seem to be way down too.

Ready to put this one in the books and start working towards next season.

True on the rooters as well. They just kinda left my place. I will check Sunday, but as of last week my oat patches were untouched by anything other than rabbits. It’s not like my place is deerless (by no means), but those thst are there are just not eating the oats and peas. Usually by now.. they are starting on green patches.

[Gumbo Man]

I have no complaints other than nothing I wanted to shoot. But that’s the burden that I put on my self. My targets have to be 5 + and I think that the Feb. freeze was hard on mature bucks. My deer numbers have been excellent. Buck to doe ratio close to 1 to 1 on low fence free roaming property. My own personal surveys suggest a deer density of approx. 1 or more deer per 10 acres which I would think is high for the piney woods region. Plenty of daytime activity as well which is always a plus. Well guys let’s just hope the weather is a little kinder to us next season.

[SabineHunter]

Got a decent buck on secluded SNF on 12.21.

I saw numerous bucks back in the second weekend in November, 3 legal 8s. I will be retired come next season so I can devote more time hunting.

[Jason]

Didn't get to hunt too much this year, but when I did it, it was SLOW. Only saw yearling bucks and a few doe.

Saw 1 lone boar all year.

Several sits I never saw a single deer.

I heard several packs of coyotes howling every night, so my theory is that the coyotes have the hogs and deer run out of the area. Trail cameras were pretty sparse as well.

[marshman]

Deer sighting way down on my lease in extreme
South Jasper county. A few decent bucks taken early but even those not in the numbers we’ve had in years past. I haven’t had a deer pic since Nov 27 and am running 3 cell cams. Now pigs are a different story. Way more of them seen than usual.

[ElfEyes]

I don't remember if this is my 10th or 11th season on the newton Jasper county line. We have eight guys and if we shoot 4 deer a year that's a banner deer. Really only 3 of us will shoot a doe. We should be covered in deer and our numbers just don't seem to be what I would think they should. So far zero deer have been killed this year although we've passed does, spikes , and a legal 8 and 10 that's go some growing to do. I think the weather is killing us but I just don't know where all my does are.

[Monark]

Nothing for me on lease east of Woodville. Timber company was cutting before & after opening & they drilled a new well complete with pipeline company coming through. I hunted twice in November & called it quits.

[Hoytbowhunter]

Nothing for me on lease east of Woodville. Timber company was cutting before & after opening & they drilled a new well complete with pipeline company coming through. I hunted twice in November & called it quits.

That’s such a bummer, I gave up on Timberland for that reason. pay money to watch them work!

[Etxbuckman]

I don't remember if this is my 10th or 11th season on the newton Jasper county line. We have eight guys and if we shoot 4 deer a year that's a banner deer. Really only 3 of us will shoot a doe. We should be covered in deer and our numbers just don't seem to be what I would think they should. So far zero deer have been killed this year although we've passed does, spikes , and a legal 8 and 10 that's go some growing to do. I think the weather is killing us but I just don't know where all my does are.

I think the freeze killed a lot more whitetail than we thought (or maybe hoped).

I also believe the longer doe season (16 days) in some counties has hastened the population decline. Some people just can’t help but kill everything they see just because it’s legal.

[Gumbo Man]

I think the freeze killed a lot more whitetail than we thought (or maybe hoped).

I also believe the longer doe season (16 days) in some counties has hastened the population decline. Some people just can’t help but kill everything they see just because it’s legal.

X2 on all accounts.

[Anvilheadtexas]

I think the freeze killed a lot more whitetail than we thought (or maybe hoped).

I also believe the longer doe season (16 days) in some counties has hastened the population decline. Some people just can’t help but kill everything they see just because it’s legal.

We have been pounding does in East Tx now for over a decade. It is my hypothesis that in some areas it is certainly has lead to a reduced number of deer. I’m not sure if it correlates to my immediate challenges…..We have never nor have our neighbors ever gone crazy on shooting does (thst we know). For whatever reason there’s just not as many deer as there were just a few years ago.

Interestingly enough on my place it seems like there are more mature bucks and the bucks are for the time being, good. I can’t imagine my buck recruitment the last two years being worth a darn…. It will be interesting to see how this shakes out a few years down the line.