2022-2023 Hunting Thread

[HollidayHorn 274]

Just got back from a Wyoming bear hunt. No luck on that end but this young mountain lion ran right across the road in front of us. Pretty sure that mom was back under that rock ledge.

[CleverNickname 1,345]

First camera evidence at our place since we bought the place in 2007. Mills County. 

[Speedtrucker 2,097]

This little guy never comes out in daylight and it’s usually only on camera once maybe twice a month at most.

[RMac5 1,557]

Hope if you have em that you are wanting them. What part of the county are you in? We are in the NE part of the county, Priddy area and Mt Olive cemetery. I never see any pigs, really don’t want any either.

[CleverNickname 1,345]

22 minutes ago, RMac5 said:

Hope if you have em that you are wanting them. What part of the county are you in? We are in the NE part of the county, Priddy area and Mt Olive cemetery. I never see any pigs, really don’t want any either.

Near Mullin, west of 183. Never saw pigs as roadkill on 183 until the last year or two. I know a neighbor just a mile or so west on 573 that has been fighting them for years, so it was always inevitable. We have a wet weather creek, but no tank. I think they've just missed us until now.

Don't really want em, but I don't like venison so I don't really pull a deer license most years. But as owner I can hunt em year round (right?). 

[RMac5 1,557]

Yeah I don’t see em DOA on 183 either, I’m through Mullin every other week. You ever been to the Duren Hotel in Mullin? We used to rent it out for family reunions, it’s a great place to have a reunion. We haven’t rented it in 4-5 years, I would love to have that place.

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4,999]

I saw this guy lots on the cam at this location...

I have a nice sequence of his stalking his way across the frame from left to right and then running back the other way, but I apparently selected my file management app as the default app for selecting pictures to upload and the previews are way to small to select anything and not sorted in any redeemable order, so you will just have to use your imagination. 

[686 3,461]

But as owner I can hunt em year round (right?). 

Yes, no rules on pigs. Wild pig breakfast sausage is my favorite.

[fattyflattie 4,640]

11 hours ago, 686 said:

 

 

Yes, no rules on pigs. Wild pig breakfast sausage is my favorite.

 

 

Great protein for hole digging activities, as well. 

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4,999]

Couple candidates coming up...

[williemackgarza 1,826]

Went up to the panhandle for last week of turkey chasin.
Was a great time. Hot as hell but birds moving all day.
Shot a hog and 2 birds

[RMac5 1,557]

Congrats on the birds! What part of the panhandle?  Love my Chipps, already two rattler bites up here.

[williemackgarza 1,826]

Congrats on the birds! What part of the panhandle?  Love my Chipps, already two rattler bites up here.

Out near mclean. South of pampa. We saw a few snakes. No rattlers though

[deadshank 24,654]

On 5/12/2023 at 11:10 PM, NotActuallyALonghorn said:

Couple candidates coming up...

What  is that green stuff on the ground?

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,860]

Quote

 South of pampa.

That was the saddest porn movie I ever saw.

[fattyflattie 4,640]

3 hours ago, deadshank said:

What  is that green stuff on the ground?

Shit that’s the way we look just after prime antler growing season. But definitely not during  

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4,999]

East Texas never has much problem with green stuff on the ground, but we definitely don't have near the number of deer as y’all do out further west. And getting them to survive long enough to be worth shooting can be a challenge. I'm thinking the one in the second picture may have been this guy I saw crossing the oilfield road on our place last year about 300 yards out when I was hunting with my flintlock.

 

[deadshank 24,654]

Finally a week + of rain.   The river is still not flowing but everything has returned to green.    
 

Washed my truck for the first time in 2 months and will now be pleased to cover it in mud while crossing the Frio and the rest of the 4.5 miles out to the highway.  
 

 

[fattyflattie 4,640]

10 hours ago, deadshank said:

crossing the Frio and the rest of the 4.5 miles out to the highway.  

This is my favorite part about your place. Would give my left nut for that. 

[Reagan1k 3,042]

Five inches of rain in a week and +10 inches for the year (on Hwy 16 north of Fredericksburg) has to eclipse all of 2022 rainfall.

Setting up to be a better year.  Just having some grass will help immensely with fawn survival.  They didn't have a chance last year between the tough browse conditions and zero cover to hide from the coyotes.

We didn't shoot any mature bucks last year.  If things continue like they are trending, we should have a better year.  How much better will depend on the non-hunting mortality of and ability to bounce back better in that 5-7 yr old class.

[Armybrat 41,391]

Saw this on Texas Gun Talk

 

[Speedtrucker 2,097]

Yeah saw that on Reddit. Good shot

[HOOKEM4 5,176]

I need a new blind. Need to be able to get it from fredrickburg, Kerrville, Mason, junction area... or between Austin and there. I want to get something quality that can fit 2 grown men or me and 2 kids. The perfect blind imo was at a lease in South Texas but from what I can see they are 5 hours away and I am too lazy to go that far to spend 6k for the thing. Thinking 4'-6' base, but with the wind I get, 4' may be smartest. Caveat, I need to be able to get it here and setup with a 16' trailer & 28hp tractor. 

Edited May 28, 2023 by HOOKEM4
ousux

[HOOKEM4 5,176]

I guess I should also say....I am looking for recs or stay away from this one... etc..

[fattyflattie 4,640]

https://awsblinds.com/deer-blind-and-deer-feeder-specials/
 

Their 5x7 are legit.   I’m also very happy with my Texas Wildlife supply blind.  Wouldn’t hesitate with either. 

[Lazarus Bocanegra 312]

We’ve been very satisfied with our Texas Wildlife Supply blinds. Only thing I would do differently would be full length shelves

[HOOKEM4 5,176]

24 minutes ago, Lazarus Bocanegra said:

We’ve been very satisfied with our Texas Wildlife Supply blinds. Only thing I would do differently would be full length shelves

Looks like they are out of Brady. What's their markup to come set it up? Do you know?

Cazadores has the aws blinds I could grab and do myself but if it makes sense, I love being lazy and letting someone else do the work.

[DalTxHornFan 3,130]

38 minutes ago, HOOKEM4 said:

Looks like they are out of Brady. What's their markup to come set it up? Do you know?

Cazadores has the aws blinds I could grab and do myself but if it makes sense, I love being lazy and letting someone else do the work.

That's me.  We have people that have people.  We just always ending up writing big checks.

[RMac5 1,557]

Check out Krivoman blinds. 
 

https://krivomanoutdoors.com/product/blinds/

[Spaulding Smails 1,610]

8 hours ago, HOOKEM4 said:

Looks like they are out of Brady. What's their markup to come set it up? Do you know?

Cazadores has the aws blinds I could grab and do myself but if it makes sense, I love being lazy and letting someone else do the work.

We bought three of the AWS blinds plus three of their stand-and-fill feeders about five years ago.  Another vote here for AWS.  We have two 5' off the ground and one ground blind.  All 5x5.  Fit two adults comfortably.  I think it was in the $500 range to have them delivered and set up west of Junction.  

[deadshank 24,654]

TX Wildlife Supply is what you want.  They have a specially designed trailer for transport and lift for erecting the blind.   Their crew will dig a hole, pour concrete and hang a dead man anchor for you.   The Kubacaks (TWS owners) are friends of mine.   Good folks.  
 

When they delivered our first 6 (10 footers) we set the blinds ourselves.  We then got 2 15 footers and TWS brought them out on the special trailer and erected them.  

Edited May 28, 2023 by deadshank

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,779]

I’ll toss in a vote for Redneck Blinds.
We have the big country and it easily fits 3 adults. https://redneckblinds.com/products/big-country-6x7-360-blind

I see now they have a bigger one that is 6x8.

[686 3,461]

Saw the first fawn of the year yesterday. Couldn’t catch a pic but he was laid down between the protein feeder and the road. Lots more pregnant does around.

[DalTxHornFan 3,130]

15 minutes ago, 686 said:

Saw the first fawn of the year yesterday. Couldn’t catch a pic but he was laid down between the protein feeder and the road. Lots more pregnant does around.

Yep.  We had one drop in our backyard in Williamson County on Saturday morning.  Cute little critters!

[deadshank 24,654]

Was out running traps this morning and the  deer were out enjoying the cool morning and the freshly minted green stuff.  It’s been a long spell of dust and little to eat.   

(The pic is from yesterday afternoon.)

Edited May 29, 2023 by deadshank

[RMac5 1,557]

Looks awesome! Ton of rain in the panhandle as well. I need to go check tanks at Mills County, hope they are getting some much needed rain.

[deadshank 24,654]

Got another 1/2” of rain just now.  Had quite a nice ending. 

[Herbie Hancock 7,489]

Been cutting since 830 this morning. Diced up a a fawn this morning. Never saw it, only noticed when the mower bogged down and shot a bunch of blood and guts out the tail. Need to mow most of tomorrow too and then roll it all Thursday and Friday. Gonna set up tomorrow night and try to get some yotes looking for a cheap lunch with the shorter grass.

[BabaYaga 15,623]

16 hours ago, Herbie Hancock said:

Been cutting since 830 this morning. Diced up a a fawn this morning. Never saw it, only noticed when the mower bogged down and shot a bunch of blood and guts out the tail. Need to mow most of tomorrow too and then roll it all Thursday and Friday. Gonna set up tomorrow night and try to get some yotes looking for a cheap lunch with the shorter grass.

Ever seen a field after it's mowed/harvested for big-scale ag?  It's a bloodbath and vultures and crows start circling almost immediately.  Every little critter with fur gets chewed up and decimated.  

[davidg 4,057]

If you consider yourself handy, my buddy has been making or converting his blinds to portable ones to drag around different spots on his hunting land with a buggy. 

Find yourself a $100 trailer.  Sometimes they come with a free boat for the pond along with it

Add a supporting frame for the floorboards.  This one might or might not have held fiber optic cable at one point and was left along the road for a week or so too long

 

Finish your floor and ad some uprights to hold the top

 

Add some sheetmetal around the outside and on the roof.  Put in some shooting ports while your at it.

 

Just needs paint.   Then make a few more variations

[CycleTex87 3,026]

So the dude snagged a fiber-optic cable trailer that was left along side the road, and converted it to a deer blind?

[deadshank 24,654]

3 minutes ago, CycleTex87 said:

So the dude snagged a fiber-optic cable trailer that was left along side the road, and converted it to a deer blind?

That is what makes America great.

[Kennythetiger 9,621]

6 minutes ago, deadshank said:

That is what makes America great.

That, and green chile cheeseburgers. 

[Kennythetiger 9,621]

2 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

Ever seen a field after it's mowed/harvested for big-scale ag?  It's a bloodbath and vultures and crows start circling almost immediately.  Every little critter with fur gets chewed up and decimated.  

Buddy of mine ran his wife’s dog through the swather some years ago. Wife filed for divorce within the week. Buddy said things had been rocky for a while, dog incident was the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

[BabaYaga 15,623]

4 minutes ago, Kennythetiger said:

Buddy of mine ran his wife’s dog through the swather some years ago. Wife filed for divorce within the week. Buddy said things had been rocky for a while, dog incident was the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

Damn, not the dog.  Accident?  Claimed accident?  Can't believe someone would intentionally run over a dog to get back at a spouse.  JFC.  

[Kennythetiger 9,621]

3 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Damn, not the dog.  Accident?  Claimed accident?  Can't believe someone would intentionally run over a dog to get back at a spouse.  JFC.  

Absolute accident. Short dog in tall alfalfa. Hell, he treated the dog better than he did his wife. 

[RMac5 1,557]

Maybe she thought she was next in the swather.

[RMac5 1,557]

3 hours ago, Kennythetiger said:

That, and green chile cheeseburgers. 

Cheese is out of view but it’s coming.

[Kennythetiger 9,621]

10 minutes ago, RMac5 said:

Maybe she thought she was next in the swather.

Choked on my tea. 

[General Specific 3,507]

A man has to face some tough choices in life…