Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

East Tx Deer Numbers Thread

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    East Tx Deer Numbers Thread

    With the general season completed, I thought I would see how other Polk County and surrounding area hunters felt about the overall deer numbers this past season. Without any real changes to my land, with exception to it now holds some hogs, the deer numbers and deer sightings really dropped off in last few years and then noticeably all of last year. I did not see many this summer and the trend carried right fall and hunting season.

    That I know of there are no neighbors pounding them unmercifully and the hogs are not bad enough to drive deer out of an entire general area. I even have a big MLD club on one border. I have my theory, but before I spew unscientific assumptions out onto TBH, I thought I would ask what others saw this year.

    It’s important to note, I am talking overall numbers, not big bucks. That’s an entirely different thing.

    #2
    I’ve been hunting in east Texas my whole life and hunting has been slow these past few years. I think the herds are the healthiest I’ve seen in a while, we’ve just had so much rain over the last few years that they have lots of foliage and get to browse 24/7. Their need for corn is non-existent, and they do not have to travel far for food.

    On top of that, most oaks have been covered up with acorns the last few years.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by HoustonHunter View Post
      I’ve been hunting in east Texas my whole life and hunting has been slow these past few years. I think the herds are the healthiest I’ve seen in a while, we’ve just had so much rain over the last few years that they have lots of foliage and get to browse 24/7. Their need for corn is non-existent, and they do not have to travel far for food.

      On top of that, most oaks have been covered up with acorns the last few years.
      Okay, so you are a “yes” on the slower hunting as of recently and a “fat deer don’t travel” guy in regards to the reason. Anyone one else regarding thoughts on overall all numbers?

      Comment


        #4
        We are in Jasper and Newton counties, 5K acres on MLD. It’s definitely been slower and harder hunting the last few years. Our deer numbers are up and the herd is healthy, but this year we only shot 3 bucks and normally shoot 12-14. They went nocturnal very early in the season this year. We are considering pushing opening weekend out a few weeks to keep pressure down until cooler weather starts rolling in.

        We are very strict enforcing 4.5+ bucks and 3.5+ on does, and we don’t deviate just to fill tags. We don’t hunt our protein feeders, and we see more bucks on the protein than corn feeders. I think our rainfall has the native foliage so healthy they just don’t need the corn feeders.

        Comment


          #5
          Hardin county and we have had a great year. Seen lots of deer and have killed good ones.

          Comment


            #6
            Lot of nice bucks killed here early. Overall numbers seem to be gaining a little from what I see and hear about. Like HH said above, when the acorns started they seemed to disappear. Coming back out at night again here at the house hitting the corn heavy.

            Comment


              #7
              Thanks for input. I really am wondering about overall numbers and not mature bucks. Specifically does.

              Comment


                #8
                I hunt Polk. We had a decent year numbers wise once the hogs finally left. Average amount of does and yearlings that we have been seeing. Lot of small 2.5 year old bucks, and several decent bucks killed on our lease. Hogs had deer pushed out on us during bow season. Moved out just after opening of general season and numbers improved.


                Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                Comment


                  #9
                  In Panola Co., I seen more deer this year than years past. But this year was a little more different. I would say that 85% of the deer that I saw while on stand were all bucks. Very few does I encountered this year, and when I did see does, it was a lot, meaning all together. I think on one of my last sits, I counted about 11 slick heads that came thru in a bunch. Some were this past spring's fawns and on another stand, think I counted around 8 or 9 that came thru in a bunch. But mostly bucks I saw all season long.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Our numbers are steady. However, and I know it’s not what you are looking for, our quality is way down. We just have not been seeing the antler development the past 3 or 4 years that we have seen in the past.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Our hog numbers are WAY up, our deer numbers are up, our weights are down, our fawn recruitment the past two year has been laughable at best though. We are going to have a problem in about 3-4 more years. When it comes to huntable deer.

                      Our buck quality has been average to below average as well.

                      As for seeing deer, it has been a struggle, same with harvesting.

                      The past two seasons have been extremely unseasonal as well. There has been little to no freeze enough to really kill back the “green” browse.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        This past year was probably the most difficult hunting in East Texas that I can remember. Way too many acorns, the rain the last two years has created ample foraging opportunities, and what seems like milder temps have made it tough hunting. Although, the past two years, we have gotten a freeze early (before November), but it’s been mild after that.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Western Polk County and the deer that were seen while hunting this year were way down. Also, we ended the year significantly down on the number of deer taken, especially bucks. That said, the cameras did seem to indicate the deer were there but we didn't see near as many while hunting. Also seem to be seeing more coyotes on camera.
                          Last edited by famousunknown; 01-20-2020, 05:57 AM.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I had more does on camera this year than any year since the 2011 drought, and most of them had twin fawns. Our numbers went way down after 2011 and years of perhaps excessive doe tags under the LAMPS program. Doe tags issued now are just over half of what we used to get for our property.
                            Hunting was hard for the "feeder watchers" this year as it always is in years of heavy acorn production. Even though our White Oaks didn't produce this year, the Water Oaks had a bumper crop.
                            We saw more Turkeys this year than in recent years too!

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Sabine Co- same numbers as last year as far as our long at the MLD, 90% does. Mostly too young and fines were levied. Same for the few bucks, half too young. Been that way for a couple of years now.

                              Numbers not plentiful.

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X