2020 panhandle thread

[Arturo V]

Can’t wait for 20-21 season to kick off. Still seeing lots of good mule deer bucks that made it through. Plentiful mule deer doe’s. Lot of our younger white tail bucks looking fat in healthy. Glad to see some mature bucks still around.
Hope we get plenty rain this spring!

[kry226]

You and me both, sir. I hadn't hunted my place much in December until this year. Man, the mule deer!

We'll crack open another thread (our 8th Annual!) about August! Be there or be square. Until then, feel free to keep pinging away at the 2019 thread.

[Arturo V]

Sounds good.

[Johnson]

I'm new to the panhandle area. I have always hunted in the hill county and west Texas and I'm hunting in Mexico at the current time. Can anyone share info on hunting in Hall county to be exact the place is 4-6 miles south southwest of Estelline. I have not looked at the place yet but in the process of leasing it. I have asked how the hunting is on the Green screen before, thought I would ask on this thread as well. To give you a little more info on the property it is 2500 ac and there will be 4 men on it. It is about 1/3 CRP and wheat fields and the rest is canyons and mesquite, has a creek that runs through back side of the lease. There are some cattle on the place about 80 head. I would like to hunt 2-3 men on the place but our wallet won't let us. Any info about these area would be appreciated. Deer numbers, quality, and hunting pressure. As I'm trying to do as much homework as possible before leasing it. Thanks.

[kry226]

I've hunted Hall County since 09. The interesting things I've noticed is that how hunting is in one area can be totally different one mile down the road. The concentrations of animals can be way different. Terrain seems to make the most impact, but it can also differ year to year. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen the same buck in consecutive years. But in 2016, I did kill a whitetail doe that I first saw in 2010. She had a scar on her face that was easy to recognize.

My place is about 20 miles from the area you're asking about and based on the description, it sounds like it should be loaded with mule deer. Hall County is an antlerless mule deer by permit only county, so be sure to apply for the permits through the regional TPWD biologist in Paducah, Dana Wright. There's a form you can download from the TPWD website and 2500 acres ought to net you a few permits.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.

[Arturo V]

I'm new to the panhandle area. I have always hunted in the hill county and west Texas and I'm hunting in Mexico at the current time. Can anyone share info on hunting in Hall county to be exact the place is 4-6 miles south southwest of Estelline. I have not looked at the place yet but in the process of leasing it. I have asked how the hunting is on the Green screen before, thought I would ask on this thread as well. To give you a little more info on the property it is 2500 ac and there will be 4 men on it. It is about 1/3 CRP and wheat fields and the rest is canyons and mesquite, has a creek that runs through back side of the lease. There are some cattle on the place about 80 head. I would like to hunt 2-3 men on the place but our wallet won't let us. Any info about these area would be appreciated. Deer numbers, quality, and hunting pressure. As I'm trying to do as much homework as possible before leasing it. Thanks.

I’m not sure of hunting pressure in your area as I hunt in bro’s or, co.
If your wheat filed is fenced in like ours is, find where the deer jump the fence going in. Once your winter weather goes up- your mule deer will spend a lot of time in the wheat. They move early morning and mid day from what we learned. We have a stand looking into the wheat not far but a 100yard or so from there crossing.
They will travel to water so set up in the bottom of canyon where they will head to water.
I’ve for the white tail, used google earth and found major cattle trails. Crossing in and out of our river going to high ground and lower ground where our farmer feeds them.
I found the highways cattle have left, and walked them and found deer and mule deer do too. Found 4 feeder sites this way about 40 yards off the cattle trails where they start to Webb off the main cattle trail. Had deer coming by the next couple days.
Our lease is 2k a red and we have some good deer on it.
They cover a lot of ground, especially right now during the late season. They’re hitting feeders hard. We’re headed up next week to get our protein going.
Build feed pins, the hogs up there are smart. They too, are pretty hungry. It being so far for us, our feed pins have been our best friends.
I just put my feeder about 10 ft to one side of the feed pins so corn makes it out. To feed the hogs and mule deer that walk by and won’t jump in our pin.

[Johnson]

I've hunted Hall County since 09. The interesting things I've noticed is that how hunting is in one area can be totally different one mile down the road. The concentrations of animals can be way different. Terrain seems to make the most impact, but it can also differ year to year. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen the same buck in consecutive years. But in 2016, I did kill a whitetail doe that I first saw in 2010. She had a scar on her face that was easy to recognize.

My place is about 20 miles from the area you're asking about and based on the description, it sounds like it should be loaded with mule deer. Hall County is an antlerless mule deer by permit only county, so be sure to apply for the permits through the regional TPWD biologist in Paducah, Dana Wright. There's a form you can download from the TPWD website and 2500 acres ought to net you a few permits.

Hope this helps. Best of luck.

Thanks for the info. The landowner has MD permits and says there are plenty of them on the wheat field 100 plus at times. I'm a little worried that this place my not have enough WT deer to hunt, as I'm more of a WT deer hunter.

[Johnson]

I’m not sure of hunting pressure in your area as I hunt in bro’s or, co.
If your wheat filed is fenced in like ours is, find where the deer jump the fence going in. Once your winter weather goes up- your mule deer will spend a lot of time in the wheat. They move early morning and mid day from what we learned. We have a stand looking into the wheat not far but a 100yard or so from there crossing.
They will travel to water so set up in the bottom of canyon where they will head to water.
I’ve for the white tail, used google earth and found major cattle trails. Crossing in and out of our river going to high ground and lower ground where our farmer feeds them.
I found the highways cattle have left, and walked them and found deer and mule deer do too. Found 4 feeder sites this way about 40 yards off the cattle trails where they start to Webb off the main cattle trail. Had deer coming by the next couple days.
Our lease is 2k a red and we have some good deer on it.
They cover a lot of ground, especially right now during the late season. They’re hitting feeders hard. We’re headed up next week to get our protein going.
Build feed pins, the hogs up there are smart. They too, are pretty hungry. It being so far for us, our feed pins have been our best friends.
I just put my feeder about 10 ft to one side of the feed pins so corn makes it out. To feed the hogs and mule deer that walk by and won’t jump in our pin.

Good info on the cattle crossings. Thanks

[myway]

Thanks for the info. The landowner has MD permits and says there are plenty of them on the wheat field 100 plus at times. I'm a little worried that this place my not have enough WT deer to hunt, as I'm more of a WT deer hunter.

You can hunt WT anywhere in the state. MD places are few and far between enjoy it. If you get the pasture leased start working with the land owner toward the extended seasons with MLD immediately.With four hunters I would limit it to a buck a year be it WT or MD. I would try and get guys that don’t “have” to shoot a buck every year.
Get on google earth and see how much wheat is in the area. If somewhat limited you will have plenty of animals..MD,WT, and pigs. Start feeding protein if possible and you will hold the deer and not just the migration to the wheat. It will take the MD a little longer to get on it but they will.The WT will be where you expect them down around the creek bottoms and the mesquite flats around the wheat. As mentioned build pens for the pigs. If you don’t they will take over the feeders. We have pens and keep pig feeders about out of pens about 85 yards away.

I should have also noted that you will be in year 3 of the MD antler restrictions. This is helping tremendously. Read some of the statistics from year 1 and you will be sold.

Good luck in 2020.

[Johnson]

You can hunt WT anywhere in the state. MD places are few and far between enjoy it. If you get the pasture leased start working with the land owner toward the extended seasons with MLD immediately.With four hunters I would limit it to a buck a year be it WT or MD. I would try and get guys that don’t “have” to shoot a buck every year.
Get on google earth and see how much wheat is in the area. If somewhat limited you will have plenty of animals..MD,WT, and pigs. Start feeding protein if possible and you will hold the deer and not just the migration to the wheat. It will take the MD a little longer to get on it but they will.The WT will be where you expect them down around the creek bottoms and the mesquite flats around the wheat. As mentioned build pens for the pigs. If you don’t they will take over the feeders. We have pens and keep pig feeders about out of pens about 85 yards away.

I should have also noted that you will be in year 3 of the MD antler restrictions. This is helping tremendously. Read some of the statistics from year 1 and you will be sold.

Good luck in 2020.

Thank you for all the info. It's just hard to jump into the unknown. My Mexico hunting buddies are working on me really hard to stay hunting Mexico. I've always wanted to hunt north Texas and I'm worried about WT deer numbers and to much hunting pressure around the area. You can't shoot big deer if they are getting shot to early.

[myway]

Thank you for all the info. It's just hard to jump into the unknown. My Mexico hunting buddies are working on me really hard to stay hunting Mexico. I've always wanted to hunt north Texas and I'm worried about WT deer numbers and to much hunting pressure around the area. You can't shoot big deer if they are getting shot to early.

Ooof! I didn’t see how far south you were. That’s a haul! I love the panhandle but I would be headed to Mexico as well if I lived further south.I agree you got to hunt where there at. I am in year seven taking care of/hunting the ranch I do. So basically right behind the drought. The #s have definitely improved and we should be getting into some mature bucks now and the next few years look good for age structure. Just need the rain and the future should be bright.

[JayKen86]

Just throwing this out there, I just recently got off my lease in Mexico and looking to head yalls way. If you know of any land available for lease or an existing place looking for a member, please shoot me a pm.

[Johnson]

Ooof! I didn’t see how far south you were. That’s a haul! I love the panhandle but I would be headed to Mexico as well if I lived further south.I agree you got to hunt where there at. I am in year seven taking care of/hunting the ranch I do. So basically right behind the drought. The #s have definitely improved and we should be getting into some mature bucks now and the next few years look good for age structure. Just need the rain and the future should be bright.

Yeah I'm right in the middle as far as driving. It was a 7 Hr drive to my lease in mexico and it will be 6 1/2 hr drive to this one. One great thing is I don't have to put up with the border crossing.

[Johnson]

Just throwing this out there, I just recently got off my lease in Mexico and looking to head yalls way. If you know of any land available for lease or an existing place looking for a member, please shoot me a pm.

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