2021-2022 hunting thread

[Herbie Hancock 7302]

I am always amazed at the way the wildlife can hide in plain sight. I don't know what's on the other side of your camera (i.e. behind it) but I'm pretty sure it's not the Rocky Mountains yet big ass pigs like these and deer and raccoons and whatever else just hide out in the grass and brush during the day and magically appear when the sun goes down. Wild. 

Cotton and wind farms. Looks like the rolling plains somewhere between Sweetwater and Tulia

[deadshank 24651]

14 hours ago, hookemATL said:

Fuck they are like barrels with legs. How much does an animal that size weigh?

225 - 250 lbs.

[Cajun 11675]

16 hours ago, Speedtrucker said:

Headed back out to my land this weekend with my best friend and his dad.

His dad got us both into hunting, I mean my buddy was gonna fish and hunt no matter what but his dad got me into both and would take me to do both through our childhood and high school.

My buddies mom passed from COVID in late September and during her life celebration, I asked if he’d want to come out and take a deer or 2. Or help cull some hogs at night.

The deer are out while the sun is up at my feeders. These fat fuckers rule the night though…

If you need to apply some Daniel Defense, a 50 round drum mag, and thermal, PM me anytime.

[Cajun 11675]

On 11/6/2021 at 4:47 PM, Brisketexan said:

Doe down already. Will wait it out and see if I can get a shot at another.

Need to get me a skin head para mi pinche freezer.

[Speedtrucker 2063]

Cotton and wind farms. Looks like the rolling plains somewhere between Sweetwater and Tulia

Heh, further north.

Our land is in Vernon. The edge of the eastern rolling plains and cross timbers region.

It’s flat, red dirt. Hogs hadn’t been a real issue until about 4-5 years ago, now they are going off. We’ll kill 20 and I swear it looks like nothing changed on any camera. They seem to play nice with the cows and deer for now though.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

2 hours ago, Speedtrucker said:

Heh, further north.

Our land is in Vernon. The edge of the eastern rolling plains and cross timbers region.

It’s flat, red dirt. Hogs hadn’t been a real issue until about 4-5 years ago, now they are going off. We’ll kill 20 and I swear it looks like nothing changed on any camera. They seem to play nice with the cows and deer for now though.

They'll just ruin your fields.

[Speedtrucker 2063]

They'll just ruin your fields.

Yeah last year they really did work on the sorghum that the guy who leases our 2 crop sides planted. Large patches where they rooted it up and destroyed it. The cotton has looked good from what I can tell but this summer and fall I really didn’t do much day walking, lots of showing up at night and leaving before sunrise.

[Both Tacos 1805]

These MFer's need to die. That pack was at this feeder for 3 hours last night.

[hookemATL 11593]

Fuuuuuuuuck. Some pipe hittin mofos. 

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2721]

Heh, further north.

Our land is in Vernon. The edge of the eastern rolling plains and cross timbers region.

It’s flat, red dirt. Hogs hadn’t been a real issue until about 4-5 years ago, now they are going off. We’ll kill 20 and I swear it looks like nothing changed on any camera. They seem to play nice with the cows and deer for now though.

Lulz. Flat and red is accurate. I’m from WF and hunted in Vernon 2 years ago.

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

2 hours ago, Both Tacos said:

These MFer's need to die. That pack was at this feeder for 3 hours last night.

I'm sure they're grateful for the corn. Thank you for supporting local wildlife. 

[Both Tacos 1805]

It's corn and roasted soybeans. Fattening up the little ones for the smoker.

[deadshank 24651]

16 hours ago, Cajun said:

Need to get me a skin head para mi pinche freezer.

Really?  Where do you process them?

[cabowabo 4449]

12 hours ago, Both Tacos said:

These MFer's need to die. That pack was at this feeder for 3 hours last night.

I’ll take your problem over mine anyway. 
 

[deadshank 24651]

A nice morning. 

[deadshank 24651]

[Both Tacos 1805]

I’ll take your problem over mine anyway. 
 

I'm right there with ya. At least yours shows up during daylight to shoot.

[deadshank 24651]

This guy needs a few more years 

Edited November 12, 2021 by deadshank

[cabowabo 4449]

2 hours ago, Both Tacos said:

I'm right there with ya. At least yours shows up during daylight to shoot.

Yeah, but I have to deal with bag limits and hunting regulations as Javelinas are game animals.  I am going to try to put some hog panels around the feeder, but its in a road and the space is tight.

[Herbie Hancock 7302]

^^^man that guy is going to BADASS as long as everyone else follows your lead and leaves him alone for another year or two.

I had a beautiful 8 I was watching at my grandma’s a couple years ago. Took pics and sent to the group chat between my dad, my uncle and his son in law. Told them I had been watching him all season and I bet he turns in to a monster by the time he’s 5.5 or so. Last weekend of season uncle shoots him, takes a pic and sends it with the caption “this guy is young but man he’s nice!”. I haven’t spoken to that idiot since

[Izhmash 558]

11 hours ago, Herbie Hancock said:

^^^man that guy is going to BADASS as long as everyone else follows your lead and leaves him alone for another year or two.

I had a beautiful 8 I was watching at my grandma’s a couple years ago. Took pics and sent to the group chat between my dad, my uncle and his son in law. Told them I had been watching him all season and I bet he turns in to a monster by the time he’s 5.5 or so. Last weekend of season uncle shoots him, takes a pic and sends it with the caption “this guy is young but man he’s nice!”. I haven’t spoken to that idiot since

I dealt with a similar situation last year. A family member (somewhat close to me) took a deer I had already clearly articulated as "young and prime for growth"....really frustrated me that they didn't respect the opportunity of the future. Either way, I just ended up not even wanting to hunt....not sure if it was COVID or the deer situation, but damned if it didn't affect my emotions in a lot of ways. Just seemed as if there was no logic being considered. Unlike you, I can't just not speak with them, they are part of my core family unit. Frustrating as fuck!!

Hoping you were able to start educating folks a bit. I have had zero success. Their age isn't helping....their ability to assess is getting worse as they creep well into their 70's.

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2721]

I haz sad. Couldn’t go this weekend. Really hate it when things get in the way.

[Both Tacos 1805]

Chilling by the fire ready for duck opener tomorrow. Not many birds around but we'll go enjoy a sunrise.

[deadshank 24651]

20 hours ago, Herbie Hancock said:

^^^man that guy is going to BADASS as long as everyone else follows your lead and leaves him alone for another year or two.

I had a beautiful 8 I was watching at my grandma’s a couple years ago. Took pics and sent to the group chat between my dad, my uncle and his son in law. Told them I had been watching him all season and I bet he turns in to a monster by the time he’s 5.5 or so. Last weekend of season uncle shoots him, takes a pic and sends it with the caption “this guy is young but man he’s nice!”. I haven’t spoken to that idiot since

 

8 hours ago, Izhmash said:

I dealt with a similar situation last year. A family member (somewhat close to me) took a deer I had already clearly articulated as "young and prime for growth"....really frustrated me that they didn't respect the opportunity of the future. Either way, I just ended up not even wanting to hunt....not sure if it was COVID or the deer situation, but damned if it didn't affect my emotions in a lot of ways. Just seemed as if there was no logic being considered. Unlike you, I can't just not speak with them, they are part of my core family unit. Frustrating as fuck!!

Hoping you were able to start educating folks a bit. I have had zero success. Their age isn't helping....their ability to assess is getting worse as they creep well into their 70's.

I hear the both of you.   We are fortunate that we have but only 5 members in our group.  We are MLDP III and have been extremely management-minded from the jump.  We have taken out as many gimp,  goofball and regarded bucks as possible and passed time and time again on nice bucks.  
 

Now for the last 2-3 years we are seeing the mature bucks develop into some really nice specimens.    It has been a long process to let the developing bucks walk and get all the way to 6.5 years old and up.   
 

We have guests that just don’t understand why nice (unknown to them “young” bucks) aren’t taken.  They seem quite flustered over the concept.  
 

Letting immature and borderline / tweener / questionable-aged bucks walk is much easier now that we have multiple nicely developed bucks 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4965]

How yesterday evening started out:

Should be enough for a weekend of fun...

 

5:30 or so rolls around and I'm in the blind with my compadre and a nice doe comes strolling out of the woods into the pipeline right of way. He had the AR-10 on the left, but couldn't find her in the scope (thinking back, it was probably turned up to 20x and I forgot to tell him to turn it down) so I handed him my 300 BLK with the red dot and we waited for her to turn just right. I watched through the binoculars as she jumped and bolted right into the woods. There was just enough daylight left to figure out that there was no blood trail whatsoever. We eventually had to pick a row where we though she was and wade into 3 or 4 year old pine plantation by flashlight. We found here not 20 yards into the woods. She didn't leave a blood trail because he blew the top of her heart off and there wasn't anything left to pump blood. Anyhow, congrats to my compadre for killing his first deer.

 

[deadshank 24651]

Oh, and good morning, my fellow Appalachian-Americans sitting in deer blinds and duck blinds.  
 

Best of luck to you today.  Keep your powder dry. 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4965]

About time to go for a woods walk with the rock lock. Good luck boys, hope they're chasing too!

[crimsonlonghorn 2306]

2 minutes ago, deadshank said:

Oh, and good morning, my fellow Appalachian-Americans sitting in deer blinds and duck blinds.  

Makes sense. 

[686 3401]

Had a decent sit this morning. Wanted to get a doe or two, but didn’t pan out.



Saw a few decent bucks, this one needs another year, lousy pic through binos:

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2721]

How yesterday evening started out:

Should be enough for a weekend of fun...

 
5:30 or so rolls around and I'm in the blind with my compadre and a nice doe comes strolling out of the woods into the pipeline right of way. He had the AR-10 on the left, but couldn't find her in the scope (thinking back, it was probably turned up to 20x and I forgot to tell him to turn it down) so I handed him my 300 BLK with the red dot and we waited for her to turn just right. I watched through the binoculars as she jumped and bolted right into the woods. There was just enough daylight left to figure out that there was no blood trail whatsoever. We eventually had to pick a row where we though she was and wade into 3 or 4 year old pine plantation by flashlight. We found here not 20 yards into the woods. She didn't leave a blood trail because he blew the top of her heart off and there wasn't anything left to pump blood. Anyhow, congrats to my compadre for killing his first deer.

 

Good stuff.
How far was the shot with the 300?
I don’t use my BO for deer so just curious.

[Handcruser 2805]

Good stuff.
How far was the shot with the 300?
I don’t use my BO for deer so just curious.

Why not? It’s a great round for less than 150 yards - which a high percentage of the deer taken in Texas are shot at distances of less than 150 yards.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

Took my daughter out for the first time this season.  On way to blind I ran over a stick that somehow popped up and hit this hard rubber piece to my fuel line.  Truck died 20 seconds later.  So we are sitting in the dark about 5 miles from the stand.  My brother in law was supposed to be in last night.  But he left Houston at midnight to drive straight to blind. So no immediate help.

 I told her let’s just truck hunt.  I spread some corn out. And we sat in my truck.  Hogs came out around 30 minutes after sunrise and she smoked one with her AR.  Her first kill.  I’m late on her as she just turned 10.  Was a good day.  Was able to fix line with about $10 worth of parts once I got a ride back to lodge when my BIL showed.  Now messing with a couple feeders.  I’m hoping she can get her first deer tonight.  

This is the little chingadera that broke.  I crawled under truck and have no idea how that stick could hit it. It’s pretty protected a one in a million chance. Normally I use a Mule. But it was chilly this morning per my daughter so we took my truck.  
 

 

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2721]

Why not? It’s a great round for less than 150 yards - which a high percentage of the deer taken in Texas are shot at distances of less than 150 yards.

It’s my pig rig with thermal.
I use my 6.8 for deer.

[Johnny Sack 8397]

15 minutes ago, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

It’s my pig rig with thermal.
I use my 6.8 for deer.

I’ve come to believe anything from a .223 on up is fine for Texas deer so long as you use the right round.  A Barnes TSX out of a 223 is killing whatever you want.  I wouldn’t shoot one with a FMJ round.  
 

I like big and fast bullets.  So I roll with the Weatherby mag calibers.  

Edited November 13, 2021 by Johnny Sack

[Johnny Sack 8397]

Daughter with a regular cheap 223 round from her AR

 

[Johnny Sack 8397]

My brother in law’s stand.  With a solar setup and video games.  It needs some cleaning.  Haven’t been here since early 2020 season.  Trying to get my daughter her first deer. 
 

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2721]

Nice. What’s the details on the solar setup?

We are contemplating this in a couple of our big Redneck blinds.

[cknight 184]

We had a great opening weekend at our place; two hogs, one coyote and a great 7 point cull.

Herbie, I feel your pain with young deer getting shot especially if they have been discussed. Luckily, we have a good core group of like minded hunters and we all let some really good looking younger deer pass.

The 7 that was shot was almost 160lbs on the hoof and at least a 3.5 year old. Perfect deer to take out as he wasn’t getting any better and have much better deer in his same age class


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[686 3401]

Since Weatherby was mentioned, here’s a bullet performance datapoint on the 200 grain ELD-X. Muzzle velocity 3000fps; impact velocity at 300 yards = 2640 fps, energy at impact = 3095 ft-lbs. Shot was slightly quartering on, entered a few inches in front of the right shoulder and was recovered under the skin just in front of the point of the left shoulder. Obviously shed a lot of weight, but a nice mushroom. I’m a Barnes fan as well and was “only Barnes” for awhile, but they don’t open as well at extended range. Hard to argue that the ELD-X didn’t do just fine here. I want to try some Nosler LRABs, but they have been completely unobtainable for awhile. Nathan Foster really likes the ELD-X and it’s coming around on me.





I’m typing this from my blind, nice little evening sit. Bucks are chasing does pretty hard here in Lampasas County.



Did see this high fence monster buck right off the side of the county road chasing a doe at 11:15 this morning when we were driving into town for lunch.

[686 3401]

We had a great opening weekend at our place; two hogs, one coyote and a great 7 point cull.

Herbie, I feel your pain with young deer getting shot especially if they have been discussed. Luckily, we have a good core group of like minded hunters and we all let some really good looking younger deer pass.

The 7 that was shot was almost 160lbs on the hoof and at least a 3.5 year old. Perfect deer to take out as he wasn’t getting any better and have much better deer in his same age class


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Big Culls are fun. My dad shot a similar big six cull a few years back at a place in south Texas

[deadshank 24651]

Fat Boy and Little Man

[deadshank 24651]

Little Man has some forked G2s

[USCATX 1067]

I feel stupid asking, but this is a pig on the left in the second pic, right?  Also finally have some decent deer coming in at the new setup. No shooters yet so I’m going to try to cull that super tall/narrow 8 that I posted previously with my .460 S&W.  

[deadshank 24651]

2 hours ago, USCATX said:

I feel stupid asking, but this is a pig on the left in the second pic, right?  Also finally have some decent deer coming in at the new setup. No shooters yet so I’m going to try to cull that super tall/narrow 8 that I posted previously with my .460 S&W.  

Looks like a yellow pig.   Definitely an odd figure.  

[Speedtrucker 2063]

Looks like a yellow pig.   Definitely an odd figure.  

Yeah just a light colored slender hog.

Has the same rear view like this one:

[davidg 4024]

Texas heart shots for everyone

[686 3401]

Fat Boy and Little Man

Great looking bucks

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4965]

On 11/13/2021 at 10:35 AM, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

Good stuff.
How far was the shot with the 300?
I don’t use my BO for deer so just curious.

It looks like it was a goo 100 yards or so. I would have sworn it was closer that night, but I was also watching her through the binoculars. The round was a barnes Tac-Tx on top of nineteen or twenty grains of H110 if I recall correctly. I'd have to dig my reloading press and junk out from storage to say definitively. 

[USCATX 1067]

2 hours ago, Speedtrucker said:

Yeah just a light colored slender hog.

Has the same rear view like this one:

Yeah, that makes it more obvious.  They both have that stripe thing going on the right hock, too.  
 

For a minutes I thought it was my red heeler who’s never been out to this ranch.  It mostly threw me off because 95% of our hogs on this place are black with about 5% spotted Jersey cow style. 

[cknight 184]

Shot this good sized boar from the veranda at 310 yards. We are just covered up in them. Saw them almost every sit


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