2021-2022 hunting thread

[CHIEF 5094]

11 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

1 - freaking nice ram.

2 - goddamn….when did the boy become a grown-ass man? WTF? I feel old now.

Tell me about it. I have to keep reminding him that he is taller, and bigger than me. If I order clothing he always tells me to get the next size down for him, which I have to do for the waist line, but his shoulders are broader, hands and feet are bigger. It looks like he has a mustache, but that is sand. The sand is just brutal on this place, you have to wear goggles to see.

 

1 hour ago, Herbie Hancock said:

Put “so I put my wiener down and let it do it’s thing” on the list of things I didn’t expect to read when opening this thread.

That fucker is a killer tracker. He can track for a mile easily. He is the camp mascot, and if someone has something down and can't find it, we put Woody on the trail. There are hunters that get mad if we don't bring him. All he does is sleep and recoup between weekends.

CHIEF

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On 11/25/2021 at 8:40 AM, Brisketexan said:

I agree. If it’s someone who will be hunting again, have them take a doe or a spike their first hunt. It’s still a huge adrenaline rush (my son’s first deer was a doe, and it was a huge moment for him). And it really gets them on board with management, and makes the eventual buck that much more exciting.

Absolutely.  I killed probably 20 doe before my first buck.  It's how we roll.  My son killed numerous doe and spikes before his first buck, which was a management buck.

[workswithseed 2112]

8 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

Tell me about it. I have to keep reminding him that he is taller, and bigger than me. If I order clothing he always tells me to get the next size down for him, which I have to do for the waist line, but his shoulders are broader, hands and feet are bigger. It looks like he has a mustache, but that is sand. The sand is just brutal on this place, you have to wear goggles to see.

 

That fucker is a killer tracker. He can track for a mile easily. He is the camp mascot, and if someone has something down and can't find it, we put Woody on the trail. There are hunters that get mad if we don't bring him. All he does is sleep and recoup between weekends.

CHIEF

Your wiener is named Woody? Awesome.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

On 11/26/2021 at 4:25 PM, deadshank said:

Hey, neighbor!!

Hey neighbors.  Part of our place is on the eastern edge of Zavala.  Most is in Frio.

[Herbie Hancock 7368]

15 minutes ago, CHIEF said:

It looks like he has a mustache, but that is sand. The sand is just brutal on this place, you have to wear goggles to see.

 

CHIEF

Granddad farmed all over Haskell and Knox counties and I remember many a time when he would head out well before daylight during cotton season to get a head start on running the sandfighter. 

[CHIEF 5094]

10 minutes ago, Herbie Hancock said:

Granddad farmed all over Haskell and Knox counties and I remember many a time when he would head out well before daylight during cotton season to get a head start on running the sandfighter. 

Yep. Your snot rockets are just balls of clay. We got a trace of rain, and we were the only ones who could get around. It's like ice with any amount of moisture.

CHIEF

[pearlandhorn 3274]

10 hours ago, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

There have been lots of studies done on both wild and captive populations of deer, and the results are still controversial. Some folks believe that a deer that is inferior while it is young will be inferior when it is mature. Some folks believe that environmental factors play a bigger part in how many points it will have while it is young than genetics. Just like some kids mature later than others, some deer do the same. I dont think there is any way to really tell what their genetic potential is until they reach maturity. That said, if you need some meat for the freezer and a spike walks out and that is the only legal shot you have, smoke him. In general, shoot does unless you have a buck you would be proud to post on here, but if doe days are up and you aren't on MLD property, shoot a spike if you want the meat. Just don't be one of those folks who shoots anything with horns and is to macho to shoot a doe. Also, get a muzzleloader. You get two extra weeks and can shoot does again. Extra points if it is a traditional muzzleloader with a side lock of any variety.

In my opinion, doe meat tastes better than bucks.  Leaner and less gamey to me.

The place I hunt at in Crockett county have a rule this year that anyone that comes out to the place has to take at least two deer.  If you take a buck, you have to also kill a doe.  Or you can take two doe.  There are way too many doe at this place.  They needed to shoot about 70 last year to right the population and only got about 25 doe killed last year.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

10 minutes ago, pearlandhorn said:

In my opinion, doe meat tastes better than bucks.  Leaner and less gamey to me.

The place I hunt at in Crockett county have a rule this year that anyone that comes out to the place has to take at least two deer.  If you take a buck, you have to also kill a doe.  Or you can take two doe.  There are way too many doe at this place.  They needed to shoot about 70 last year to right the population and only got about 25 doe killed last year.

For eating, I keep spikes.  I know they are young.

[BabaYaga 15301]

Blind got a new coat of paint and hunters took a decent 8pt mgmt buck

 

[hookemATL 11761]

I don't wanna work,

I just wanna sit in the blind all day.

I dont wanna work,

I wanna wait for that 8-pt to walk my way.

 

 

But seriously fuck work.  

[Noogman 161]

21 hours ago, hornmpa96 said:

Finally joined the ranks of bow hunters today. This deer went 1000 yards with an arrow through both lungs and his liver but we found him with some hounds.

Congrats! That’s a great buck. It changes the game once you get your first one with a bow, you get addicted to doing that all the time. I hardly gun hunt anymore unless I absolutely need to put one in the freezer on a given day. It’s also incredible how resilient whitetails can be. That will to live kicks in and they’ll go on forever.



I got a doe on Saturday morning and hit her probably an inch or two more forward than you did, and she only went 50 yards. Sometimes you just don’t know how far they’ll go, even with a solid hit.


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Edited November 29, 2021 by Noogman

[ROFL BOX 6649]

Put “so I put my wiener down and let it do it’s thing” on the list of things I didn’t expect to read when opening this thread.

It's like a wrinkled, fleshy divining rod... right?

...Except it pulls you in the direction of venison instead of roast beef.

[BabaYaga 15301]

1 hour ago, Noogman said:

Congrats! That’s a great buck. It changes the game once you get your first one with a bow, you get addicted to doing that all the time. I hardly gun hunt anymore unless I absolutely need to put one in the freezer on a given day. It’s also incredible how resilient whitetails can be. That will to live kicks in and they’ll go on forever.



I got a doe on Saturday morning and hit her probably an inch or two more forward than you did, and she only went 50 yards. Sometimes you just don’t know how far they’ll go, even with a solid hit.


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Why I take neck shots on does now, and only on close in shots in blinds I know the exact distance.  

[ROFL BOX 6649]

Blind got a new coat of paint

Are you at all concerned about VOC's / odors this late into the season?

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[BabaYaga 15301]

17 minutes ago, ROFL BOX said:

 

 

Are you at all concerned about VOC's / odors this late into the season?

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Nah, always work going on out there.  Trucks coming/going, etc

Cattle are run, so I think the deer get used to the activity levels.  Plus its one of the blinds on the outskirts that gets little activity anyway

[fattyflattie 4639]

I would think it would stop smelling in a few days outdoors. Wouldn’t stop me at all. 

[Speedtrucker 2071]

Yeah we always hit our deer stands with more paint to protect from rust. After a day it’s usually gone. Plus with all the farm equipment and diesels usually in play, the deer don’t know what to do with them

[HOOKEM4 5038]

@Spaulding Smails did you go up this past weekend? Was the rut in full swing on your place if so? I left thursday and it seemed it was just popping off. None of the bigger deer were going crazy. I am thinking this weekend i need to slip out to try my luck.

[williemackgarza 1826]

Made it to Mexico this past weekend.
A buddies kid shot an older 12 and I shot a big 7. Our big deer werent really moving yet. Tons of does and younger bucks. We need some cold weather.

[Spaulding Smails 1553]

13 hours ago, HOOKEM4 said:

@Spaulding Smails did you go up this past weekend? Was the rut in full swing on your place if so? I left thursday and it seemed it was just popping off. None of the bigger deer were going crazy. I am thinking this weekend i need to slip out to try my luck.

I sure didn't.  Had an expected event occur that altered our entire Thanksgiving weekend.  My old man was up there Thanksgiving day and said he saw a few new faces and a little tussle between two youngins one evening, but nothing too hot and heavy.  I'm out again this weekend, but will be there come hell of high water the weekend of the 11th.  Hoping we don't miss the peak of the rut.  I have a ton of craziness at work, plus building my house plus some stuff going on with family.  Ranch time has been minimal and sorely missed.  Send pics if you make it out there!

[HOOKEM4 5038]

5 hours ago, Spaulding Smails said:

I sure didn't.  Had an expected event occur that altered our entire Thanksgiving weekend.  My old man was up there Thanksgiving day and said he saw a few new faces and a little tussle between two youngins one evening, but nothing too hot and heavy.  I'm out again this weekend, but will be there come hell of high water the weekend of the 11th.  Hoping we don't miss the peak of the rut.  I have a ton of craziness at work, plus building my house plus some stuff going on with family.  Ranch time has been minimal and sorely missed.  Send pics if you make it out there!

I am going out this weekend with my FIL. He went out yesterday for some reason (bored I guess) and said basically what I said up thread. Not going crazy yet, little bucks messing around but nothing else. 

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

The most I've ever seen at one of our feeders. 

[BabaYaga 15301]

14 minutes ago, crimsonlonghorn said:

The most I've ever seen at one of our feeders. 

.22lr sub's, a can, thermals, and head shots on all those little shits.  

Ranch I helped with (buddy's) in Dripping years back - we set up essentially pig feeders are the perimeter to keep them off the main deer feeders.   Lot of work, but spoiled corn soaked in Kool-Aid or diesel.  We'd either bury it, or set up "hog pipes".

We'd bury/sink one end of a railroad tie in the ground like a fence post.  Attach via chain a bit, capped PVC pipe with dine sized holes drilled on the end that hang lowest to the ground.  They bat that thing around like a tetherball trying to get at that corn.  

Works as long as you keep if full - so it's time intensive, but did help some.

The RR log covered in creosote doubles as a scratching post.  Always covered in hog hair.

Simpler design below, but same principle.

 

[Both Tacos 1806]

On 11/29/2021 at 10:35 AM, pearlandhorn said:

In my opinion, doe meat tastes better than bucks.  Leaner and less gamey to me.

The place I hunt at in Crockett county have a rule this year that anyone that comes out to the place has to take at least two deer.  If you take a buck, you have to also kill a doe.  Or you can take two doe.  There are way too many doe at this place.  They needed to shoot about 70 last year to right the population and only got about 25 doe killed last year.

Contact Texas Youth Hunting Program through TPWD as they set up kids that don't have a place to hunt with landowners wanting pigs or does taken off their place. 

[hornmpa96 2618]

22 minutes ago, Both Tacos said:

Contact Texas Youth Hunting Program through TPWD as they set up kids that don't have a place to hunt with landowners wanting pigs or does taken off their place. 

I second this recommendation. I had a youth hunt earlier this year at my place run by the Texas Youth Hunting Program and it was extremely well run and managed. We had 4 kids and they took 7 does and a few hogs off the place. It was also a lot of fun to guide the hunters as well. 

[williemackgarza 1826]

Really cool of u mpa96.

[Anastasis 23475]

4 hours ago, hornmpa96 said:

I second this recommendation. I had a youth hunt earlier this year at my place run by the Texas Youth Hunting Program and it was extremely well run and managed. We had 4 kids and they took 7 does and a few hogs off the place. It was also a lot of fun to guide the hunters as well. 

You're in Travis right?

[hornmpa96 2618]

34 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

You're in Travis right?

Zavala 

[Anastasis 23475]

3 minutes ago, hornmpa96 said:

Zavala 

Don’t know where I got hat impression. 

[Herbie Hancock 7368]

Well saw my 12 for the first time in over a week. He got spooky so I rushed the shot instead of waiting for a little better light. Turns out he was behind the front leg kid the feeder and not in front of it. Shot the goddamned leg off the feeder and he hightailed it.

So not only did I not get the one deer I really wanted this year, now I’ve got to drive in to fucking town and get a new leg, leg mount and solar panel for the charger because when the feeder fell over it smashed it all to hell. Time for whiskey.

[Speedtrucker 2071]

Well saw my 12 for the first time in over a week. He got spooky so I rushed the shot instead of waiting for a little better light. Turns out he was behind the front leg kid the feeder and not in front of it. Shot the goddamned leg off the feeder and he hightailed it.

So not only did I not get the one deer I really wanted this year, now I’ve got to drive in to fucking town and get a new leg, leg mount and solar panel for the charger because when the feeder fell over it smashed it all to hell. Time for whiskey.

Clever girl…

(Boy)

[BabaYaga 15301]

1 hour ago, Herbie Hancock said:

Shot the goddamned leg off the feeder and he hightailed it.

So not only did I not get the one deer I really wanted this year, now I’ve got to drive in to fucking town and get a new leg, leg mount and solar panel for the charger because when the feeder fell over it smashed it all to hell. Time for whiskey.

Laughing only because I've done similar shit.

Once took a shot on a spike through a sheep pen around the feeder.  Deflected off the wire, and made a perfect little round hole in the ear of the deer.  He flips over, runs headlong in the fence, flips back, then flips over and makes it over the fencing, then stands there utterly confused.

And I shot him through the neck

The end.

Weird shit happens.  It just does.  

[JCHIL 414]

I took this 10 point last weekend.  It wasn’t the best 10 we had on our game cams but he was mature and had a basket rack so I took him out   

[BabaYaga 15301]

48 minutes ago, JCHIL said:

I took this 10 point last weekend.  It wasn’t the best 10 we had on our game cams but he was mature and had a basket rack so I took him out   

Shy deer is shy

[CHIEF 5094]

Guys at the lease yesterday and today are seeing a lot of movement and new bucks. CHIEF Jr. is taking his Heat Transfer final and should be home about 5:45-6:00. I named this photographic masterpiece "Loaded and Fucking Waiting":

CHIEF

[JCHIL 414]

1 hour ago, BabaYaga said:

Shy deer is shy

 

Haha he was a little gun "shy" - That was the only flattering photo I had of this "shy" buck.  He was quartered away from me so my heart/shoulder shot exited thru his chest making a nasty hole, dignifiedly hidden in this photo. 

[Anastasis 23475]

Any of you assholes fuck with the liver.  I got one in the fridge and trying to figure out whether I should do something with it or feed it to my neighbors dog. 

[BabaYaga 15301]

28 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

Any of you assholes fuck with the liver.  I got one in the fridge and trying to figure out whether I should do something with it or feed it to my neighbors dog. 

Man, it's the best part.  One of the most nutrient dense parts of the animal. I usually pan fry, sort of like I do with the heart.  

Steve Rinella always has great recipes for wild game

Liva' and onions

When I run out, I actually take desiccated liver/organ powder pills from Heart & Soil.  

[Anastasis 23475]

Just now, BabaYaga said:

Man, it's the best part.  One of the most nutrient dense parts of the animal. I usually pan fry, sort of like I do with the heart.  

Steve Rinella always has great recipes for wild game

Liva' and onions

When I run out, I actually take desiccated liver/organ powder pills from Heart & Soil.  

Does it freeze ok?

[BabaYaga 15301]

Just now, Anastasis said:

Does it freeze ok?

[HOOKEM4 5038]

FIL was tired of MILs shit and went back out Thursday. I got this pic yesterday morning. CWD zone so he went to check station, biologists said it was 6-7 yr old and on the back slide. Still cool to see deer that old around here. I high tailed it up to try and catch the 10 he saw 15 min after shooting this old guy. We will see, maybe I can get lucky? Doesn't matter, at deer camp.

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[deadshank 24653]

Lots of fog this morning.  Doe down and just BSing in the blind.  

[fattyflattie 4639]

Had same fog this AM. Had a very old mgt buck pop out for about 90 seconds only to disappear again.  He’ll go down next time if he can hang around just a tad longer. Had about a 150# boar that was all bristled up show, but didn’t want to mess with that buck around. Had nuts like volleyballs. Only pig I’ve ever had at my stand. My middle daughter definitely is not ready. Maybe next year. 

[deadshank 24653]

24 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Had same fog this AM. Had a very old mgt buck pop out for about 90 seconds only to disappear again.  He’ll go down next time if he can hang around just a tad longer. Had about a 150# boar that was all bristled up show, but didn’t want to mess with that buck around. Had nuts like volleyballs. Only pig I’ve ever had at my stand. My middle daughter definitely is not ready. Maybe next year. 

You can only hunt your stand at your place?

[fattyflattie 4639]

1 hour ago, deadshank said:

You can only hunt your stand at your place?

Yah everyone has own pastures/areas. I can sit at any of them (except one dude I wouldn’t ask), but wouldn’t shoot any bucks off that I didn’t clear with them.    During bird season it’s full roam.   I’d rather have community stands but this is way they do it. 

[deadshank 24653]

8 minutes ago, fattyflattie said:

Yah everyone has own pastures/areas. I can sit at any of them (except one dude I wouldn’t ask), but wouldn’t shoot any bucks off that I didn’t clear with them.    During bird season it’s full roam.   I’d rather have community stands but this is way they do it. 

That sucks.  How many acres, blinds and members?   What county?

What’s the gate lock code and where’s the good whisky hidden?

[Herbie Hancock 7368]

47 doe and not a single antler in sight. Half hour left of shooting light let’s see what happens

[HOOKEM4 5038]

I suck at picking blinds. FIL went to the valley and I haven't seen shit there all year....the 10 popped up there. He let him walk. I am up watching babies. Blah I suck at this! Got a 36oz yeti full of whiskey and nobody bitching at me so it could be worse.

Edited December 4, 2021 by HOOKEM4
ousux

[Horns99 155]

6 axis bucks in front of me & not a one with decent horns….


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[fattyflattie 4639]

57 minutes ago, deadshank said:

That sucks.  How many acres, blinds and members?   What county?

What’s the gate lock code and where’s the good whisky hidden?

1000, 6, most just have 1.  We’ve got 2 set up for guests. Jim Wells.  Neighbors are having a banner evening it sounds like.   
 

eta: weller is best I have and it’s in the camper you’re welcome to it.  We’ve got some decent deer, but we don’t have @deadshank deer. 

Edited December 4, 2021 by fattyflattie