Northern Brown County what’s the deal?

[RutnBuk]

I haven't seen much at all at any of the 4 places I hunt in Brown and Mills counties. Worst year Ive seen in awhile. Weather has been terrible as well.

[KactusKiller]

That area can be hit or miss on mature trophy deer. Acorns play a major role there and if it’s green they won’t hardly hit feeders. A good freeze will help a lot but some of those areas have just been shot out because of too many hunters per acre for too many yrs. I would give it another yr. also put a few trail cams on water troughs or just trails and pinch points in the area. I’m betting there is at least a few mature deer there, just not coming to feeders. Get off the feeders and I bet you see some.

[Texans42]

That country is greener then it's been in the business last 15 years. I'd save you vacation until last three weeks of season

[PSE-Madman]

Thanks. Here near home I have a piece of land that’s strictly trophy hunting.it’s bow only
County and I have the potential for 200” deer. We move cameras from feeders to scrapes in early November to get an inventory of the new bucks using the property. I hope to assure you that I’m a seasoned hunter. Lots of horn on the wall. The new place is one of those odd situations though. Never expected to see 150’s though but thought we would see mature deer on the hoof given the layout and available food. I’ll be back in a couple weekends but the crew will be there Friday. Hope to have a BBD for you guys. In the mean time I’m focusing on Collin county. Have some dandy ones here but Dern if they are not patternabke right now

[BarBBar]

My friend has a ranch in southern Brown County. I set up a blind and feeder there. Haven't seen this buck on the hoof. Low fence means the neighbors are hunting "your deer" too.

[Drycreek3189]

Sounds like the previous hunters shot all the bucks young. Gonna take a couple years to let them grow up.

Or maybe they shot the cream of the crop and left y’all the dregs. Either way, one season does not a good lease make.

[Gumbo Man]

Also last year's 100 year freeze coming at a time when bucks are trying to recover from the rut and are run down probably didn't help. Might have lost some mature bucks then.

This. It hurt us as well in ET.

[Abcdj]

I used to drive thru there a lot.To me that area has always looks great. But I never saw many deer. I don't think the numbers of deer have ever really been high. There are deer and some good ones. If you have been hunting somewhere that has a lot of deer your probably disappointed for sure. The freeze didn't help either.

[RutnBuk]

I personally don’t think freeze hurt that much. We didn’t lose any of our good bucks. Not 1. Actually didn’t lose a single deer that we know of.

[DUKFVR]

I used to drive thru there a lot.To me that area has always looks great. But I never saw many deer. I don't think the numbers of deer have ever really been high. There are deer and some good ones. If you have been hunting somewhere that has a lot of deer your probably disappointed for sure. The freeze didn't help either.

I have heard the same thing about the deer population in this area when we were looking for property to buy.

[PondPopper]

Also last year's 100 year freeze coming at a time when bucks are trying to recover from the rut and are run down probably didn't help. Might have lost some mature bucks then.

This right here knocked a dent in older post rut bucks I'll garauntee it... Post rut mortality of mature bucks is high on good years.. Higher than most would think.. That brutal weather took a toll..

[PondPopper]

That area can be hit or miss on mature trophy deer. Acorns play a major role there and if it’s green they won’t hardly hit feeders. A good freeze will help a lot but some of those areas have just been shot out because of too many hunters per acre for too many yrs. I would give it another yr. also put a few trail cams on water troughs or just trails and pinch points in the area. I’m betting there is at least a few mature deer there, just not coming to feeders. Get off the feeders and I bet you see some.

Getting off the feeders is exactly what I would do... When we hunt off of our feeders we see bucks we have never seen and we hunt a small place. It is very interesting.

[RutnBuk]

This right here knocked a dent in older post rut bucks I'll garauntee it... Post rut mortality of mature bucks is high on good years.. Higher than most would think.. That brutal weather took a toll..

I would love for other hunters around here to chime in. Out of 10 different mature bucks from all my places, Not 1 died. They were all around before season but have since only showed up now about 1 time in the middle of the night every few days. Its hit or miss. Dont see how these places could be any different from the overall herd. 2 friends up here with high fence places and all they lost were a couple fawns and some black bucks.

[tbgascorer]

We lost a few mature bucks after the VD freeze. What was the deciding factor, the weather, post rut stress, old age, I am not sure but I would bet all had a hand in it. Here's a thread about Pappy.

https://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=818910

[Big pig]

I’m on the Comanche brown co line
We are in area of small places like ours
The genetics are great, but the age structure of our bucks is dismal
The best of these 3 & 4 year olds get busted during the rut.
Getting a buck to five is a miracle
Makes me think about a high fence just to see one mature.
But our place is too small and so is my pocket book!

BP