Hunting ‘23/‘24: Bag ‘em and Tag ‘em

[Cajun 11,705]

Damned good looking deer.

[BabaYaga 15,295]

17 hours ago, HOOKEM4 said:

Wife in the school pickup line saw this horny fucker. 5 min later and it could have been disaster if kids were walking that strip like normal. 

 

 

Pretty sure I'd die after jumping out of the truck, wrestling him to the ground, and getting impaled through the face

Worth it

[686 3,449]

Out for mulies yesterday afternoon and again this AM in different spots. Didn’t see any last night, saw a little forky this morning that was at 320 yards that my partner decided to let walk, probably a good call.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

Beautiful setting, and I appreciate the “hunt”.  Still though, if I want some meat I can just walk outside and Kevin this guy upside the head with a Jack Daniels bottle and toss it in the recycling bin.

[HOOKEM4 5,036]

I was out for a walk in my neighborhood the other day and saw some dumbassery. Noticed some deer back behind a house and then realized they were eating out of a protein feeder that was tucked into the trees. These are around 0.2 acre lots in a subdivision. No way this guy is shooting anything with where it was located, not even bow. Just feeding city deer protein. Insanity.

[BabaYaga 15,295]

35 minutes ago, HOOKEM4 said:

I was out for a walk in my neighborhood the other day and saw some dumbassery. Noticed some deer back behind a house and then realized they were eating out of a protein feeder that was tucked into the trees. These are around 0.2 acre lots in a subdivision. No way this guy is shooting anything with where it was located, not even bow. Just feeding city deer protein. Insanity.

Lots of hill country B&Bs do this to enhance the scenery.  I woke up early one morning and hand fed a bunch of does Doritos until I ran out.  Could have beaned any number of them with a rock.   

[Storm the Field 5,294]

On 11/6/2023 at 11:03 AM, Storm the Field said:

Not great photo quality, but here's the 8 I saw Saturday morning.

 

Well, proud to report that our hard work over the Summer getting the lease into shape paid off this past weekend....for one of the other members that only spends 1 night a year out at the lease. Guy shot a nice, big body 8 on Sunday morning. Best buck taken on the property in several years. 

Don't think it was the same deer I saw on Opening Morning, because the pics he sent looked like a much bigger body. Still, the thought keeps nagging at me.

Gonna head up again the day before Thanksgiving and get in a hunt that evening and next morning before joining family. I really want to take a 3+ day trip at some point, but just hasn't been working with my schedule lately, so have to settle for quick trips. Might try and block out some time at very end of season in that space between Xmas and NYE.

Edited November 16, 2023 by Storm the Field

[686 3,449]

My partner tagged a good meat buck yesterday. This thing had an inch of fat on his lower back. Pack out was a little tough for us, 3.5 miles with 1000’ of elevation change. His pack was 65#, mine was 60#. Pretty country though and good weather. His first shot wasn’t great, hit in the spine, but that anchored him and then a good follow up ended things. It all happened quickly, we were slowly stalking into the spot where we wanted to be, and some hunters across the valley shot at something and three bucks came busting out of the brush in front of us. This is the first year we’ve been able to both tag animals, so that was great. Lots to be thankful for. Capped off the night with a big cigar and a little too much bourbon. Clean up/pack up today.

[fattyflattie 4,639]

1 hour ago, 686 said:

and a little too much bourbon

Explain this? 

[Cajun 11,705]

This dude just showed up in my front yard.

Not real big and not a shitload of points, but an interesting set of antlers with those main beams almost touching…

Edited November 16, 2023 by Cajun

[cknight 184]

5 hours ago, Cajun said:

This dude just showed up in my front yard.

Not real big and not a shitload of points, but an interesting set of antlers with those main beams almost touching…

He’s got an old looking face too

[686 3,449]

Explain this? 

Serious answer to a rhetorical question: My hunting partner hasn’t been able to find his wallet all day (Haha). He Doesn’t remember what happened to it after his second drink at the Mexican restaurant we stopped at last night on the way back through town after packing out his buck. A potentially related topic: He can’t sleep on the ground as well as I can. I’m no Mick Dundee, but I like to take naps during hunting days when we’re out in the wilderness. He can’t. After a pack lunch, I like to find a spot with the appropriate sun/shade blend for the air temp and get a good nap. Keeps me able to function on short sleep at night for several days in a row, and puts me in a focused place for the evening hunt. Ruark had a line in The Old Man and the Boy about “taking an afternoon nap in the shade when anything in it’s right mind would be laying low out of the heat” or something similar. There aren’t any fire ants, chiggers, ticks, etc. where we hunt in the mountains, so my favorite naps of all time look like this:

[BabaYaga 15,295]

16 hours ago, Cajun said:

This dude just showed up in my front yard.

Not real big and not a shitload of points, but an interesting set of antlers with those main beams almost touching…

Big enough!

[BabaYaga 15,295]

19 hours ago, 686 said:

and a little too much bourbon

No such thing.....;)

[deadshank 24,652]

My wife took this goofy bastard out of the herd this morning.  177 lbs.  

[686 3,449]

@deadshank that’s the best cull I’ve ever seen. Congrats to her.

[deadshank 24,652]

31 minutes ago, 686 said:

@deadshank that’s the best cull I’ve ever seen. Congrats to her.

Thanks.  
 

How about this 5.5 year old corn hog sex maniac from a few years ago?

We have some nice bucks in our neck of the woods.   Some real goofballs, too. 

[hookemATL 11,725]

Fuck yea, hail Satan!

[williemackgarza 1,826]

Made it up to the panhsndle this past week. Weather was warm and rut was slow. Saw this old dude dropping into a creek bed. Set up and rattled him back to us. Crazy he was only 13.5” wide with 16 scorable points. Old dude with no teeth left.

[williemackgarza 1,826]

Also up in the panhandle, caught this guy out in the open chasing does. Set up on a ridge overlooking the mesquite flat he went in to. He ran off and sat behind a pushed over cedar. I could only see his head and 1/2 his rack. We waited 3 hours for him to stand up. Finslly did and I dropped him right there. 28 Nosler with 180gr VLD-H did the trick.
He was a toad. Sorry for the bloody pic. We cut the tounge and wiped him up but he was still bleefing at pic time as we were trying to beat the darkness.

[deadshank 24,652]

Sitting in #6 this morn.   Sunrise is always something to behold.  

[deadshank 24,652]

7 hours ago, williemackgarza said:

Also up in the panhandle, caught this guy out in the open chasing does. Set up on a ridge overlooking the mesquite flat he went in to. He ran off and sat behind a pushed over cedar. I could only see his head and 1/2 his rack. We waited 3 hours for him to stand up. Finslly did and I dropped him right there. 28 Nosler with 180gr VLD-H did the trick.
He was a toad. Sorry for the bloody pic. We cut the tounge and wiped him up but he was still bleefing at pic time as we were trying to beat the darkness.

That is a great buck.  Please post close up pics of his antlers so we can see the character and nuance. 
 

Also, guts-in weight?   Age?   Wet score?

[fattyflattie 4,639]

@williemackgarza it’s like Christmas waiting for your panhandle (and Mexico, really) posts every year.   What a great couple of areas to spend time. 

[Anastasis 23,469]

First real sit this season. Saw a young 8 pt and let him live to get some doe pussy. Not much in the way of any other movement. Oh well. Peace and quiet and crickets starting to chirp up atm. 

[williemackgarza 1,826]

Thanks Fattie.
Shank, we dont weigh them anymore but both were prolly close to 190-200 pounds pre dressed weight.
They have big red whitetail which are similar in size to northern deer ala kansas. These were red deer. The smaller gray deer we have are more like big texas whitetails.
The smaller compact 10 with all the trash scored right at 148 with only a 13” spread. His terth were ground down to nubs. He was we figured 10+.
Big deer scored 163 and change. His teeth showed alot of wear. We thought he was 7 years old.
No feeders on this ranch. Just spot and stalk. You see one you like you gotta figure out how to go and get him. Pretty cool way to hunt.
With this big country you gotta be ready for 50 yard to 400 yard plus shots, if your comfortable with tjose long shots. The narrow 10 we rattled back to 50 yards and put on thru the base if his neck.
That wide buck we spotted him bedding down next to a cedar pile around 790 yards aeay. We hiked in behind stop a ridge. We could only see his head and part of his rack. Set up prone at 420 yards. We waited 3 hours for him to stand. He got up facing straight away from me. Had a decision to make as he looked like he was gonna bolt. The 28 nosler with 180gr vld-h did the trick as he dropped in his tracks.

[deadshank 24,652]

1 hour ago, williemackgarza said:

Thanks Fattie.
Shank, we dont weigh them anymore but both were prolly close to 190-200 pounds pre dressed weight.
They have big red whitetail which are similar in size to northern deer ala kansas. These were red deer. The smaller gray deer we have are more like big texas whitetails.
The smaller compact 10 with all the trash scored right at 148 with only a 13” spread. His terth were ground down to nubs. He was we figured 10+.
Big deer scored 163 and change. His teeth showed alot of wear. We thought he was 7 years old.
No feeders on this ranch. Just spot and stalk. You see one you like you gotta figure out how to go and get him. Pretty cool way to hunt.
With this big country you gotta be ready for 50 yard to 400 yard plus shots, if your comfortable with tjose long shots. The narrow 10 we rattled back to 50 yards and put on thru the base if his neck.
That wide buck we spotted him bedding down next to a cedar pile around 790 yards aeay. We hiked in behind stop a ridge. We could only see his head and part of his rack. Set up prone at 420 yards. We waited 3 hours for him to stand. He got up facing straight away from me. Had a decision to make as he looked like he was gonna bolt. The 28 nosler with 180gr vld-h did the trick as he dropped in his tracks.

Thanks for the report.  You earned it. 

[deadshank 24,652]

Out refilling corn feeders and ran across this.  The guilty party copped to it.  It was a member’s guest that knew his rifle wasn’t sighted in very well (not at all apparently) but decided to give it a go anyhow and shoot at a pig right next to the feeder. 
 

Maintenance will fix it over Tday weekend.  
 

Big dummy.  

[DalTxHornFan 3,101]

2 hours ago, deadshank said:

Out refilling corn feeders and ran across this.  The guilty party copped to it.  It was a member’s guest that knew his rifle wasn’t sighted in very well (not at all apparently) but decided to give it a go anyhow and shoot at a pig right next to the feeder. 
 

Maintenance will fix it over Tday weekend.  
 

Big dummy.  

Not the worst guest story I've heard.  We had one that decided it would be cool to try and shoot some doves off of a high power line that crossed our lease.  (Narrator:  It was not cool, and he ended up writing a big check.)

[fattyflattie 4,639]

3 hours ago, deadshank said:

Out refilling corn feeders and ran across this.  The guilty party copped to it.  It was a member’s guest that knew his rifle wasn’t sighted in very well (not at all apparently) but decided to give it a go anyhow and shoot at a pig right next to the feeder. 
 

Maintenance will fix it over Tday weekend.  
 

Big dummy.  

Looks like a second hole on that seam.  Good thing about dumb steel feeders, nothing a 7018 can’t patch right up. I have same feeders, yet to put a hole thru one tho…

Worst thing that’s been hit on our place was a gas pipeline riser by one of the members kids.  Oof. 

[ChickenNuggets 1,626]

Shot this cull buck Saturday morning.. great day of hunting and football. 

Caracara flew in to see about stealing it... 

gutted, skinned, and butchered before 9... good day

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by ChickenNuggets

[fattyflattie 4,639]

3 hours ago, ChickenNuggets said:

Shot this cull buck Saturday morning.. great day of hunting and football. 

Caracara flew in to see about stealing it... 

gutted, skinned, and butchered before 9... good day

 

Cool little acorn on that 2.  Nice cull.  That’s a solid mgt for us (and similar to one I took opening weekend) 

Edited November 22, 2023 by fattyflattie

[Izhmash 563]

On 11/12/2023 at 5:26 PM, Izhmash said:

Big boy taken yesterday morning on our property in Tally Bottoms, just southeast of Longview, TX. Hoping to get some more photos soon.

Back from the taxidermist already. Better picture of the horns.

[686 3,449]

Back from the taxidermist already. Better picture of the horns.

This is a fantastic buck man. I’m assuming high fence? If this is low fence, really need to get it officially scored. Did the taxi score it?

[Izhmash 563]

4 minutes ago, 686 said:

This is a fantastic buck man. I’m assuming high fence? If this is low fence, really need to get it officially scored. Did the taxi score it?

100% low fence / free range. Deep woods bottom land along the Saline River. These bucks are super secretive and show up about every 5 years or so…

Waiting on dry time to officially score.

[Anastasis 23,469]

Well now there is no way in hell I am posting my buck from yesterday, lol. I’ll hold out for one of the food threads. 
 

 

[Spaulding Smails 1,552]

On 11/19/2023 at 3:34 PM, deadshank said:

Out refilling corn feeders and ran across this.  The guilty party copped to it.  It was a member’s guest that knew his rifle wasn’t sighted in very well (not at all apparently) but decided to give it a go anyhow and shoot at a pig right next to the feeder. 
 

Maintenance will fix it over Tday weekend.  
 

Big dummy.  

The first year we had our place, I took my son (who was about 9 at the time) out for a sit a week or two before deer season.  We had just filled the brand new feeders a few weeks prior.  Atascosa stand-and-feed feeders.  So, this was the maiden voyage hunting in the blind.  I had him bring his 223 in case we saw pigs.

Not 30 minutes after climbing in the blind, a sounder of about 4-5 pigs walked out.  He'd shot a few doe prior to that, so I felt good about him behind the scope.  The shot was about 80 yds.  We waited a few minutes as they were milling around, and I gave him the green light to shoot a little brown sow that was camped out to the right of the feeder.  Well, I should have been more specific because evidently he was locked in on a slightly larger sow that was brown with black spots.  His sow had now moved directly behind the feeder.  Oops.

He shot straight through the feeder motor box.  Somehow, it missed the cage, the motor and the battery.  And obviously the pig.  I got down and checked the feeder.  No issues.  Threw some duct tape over the entry hole and the exit hole.  Still works like a champ.  I had a buddy fab a little mini feeder out of some scrap sheet metal that we mounted to a plaque and gave to him as his mount for the first "kill" of the new ranch.  

[686 3,449]

100% low fence / free range. Deep woods bottom land along the Saline River. These bucks are super secretive and show up about every 5 years or so…
Waiting on dry time to officially score.

That’s awesome! Very cool

[fattyflattie 4,639]

5 hours ago, Anastasis said:

Well now there is no way in hell I am posting my buck from yesterday, lol. I’ll hold out for one of the food threads. 
 

 

No shit. I just got time to edit a few pics and got the euro back etc.   May just have to hold on for a cold spell or when we’re jonesing out of season or something.  

[HOOKEM4 5,036]

My oldest finally caught the bug I think. He is 11 and shot a pig but never wanted to shoot a deer. This trip he changed course and on his third sit with me he shot at a solid 8pt. He missed. Shot between his legs. Nerves or just a new gun I don't know. I consoled him and told him about the biggest deer I will ever get an chance to shoot and how I missed twice. Forget it. About 30 min later a deer came out and he said it was a doe at first, wait dad why does he have horns and not antlers? He ended up with a spike for his first deer. It was not a small spike for our area. Made him wear the blood for his first kill.  Proud of him for sticking it out after missing his first shot. He needs to work on his shooting still, shoulder shot and dad had to finish the job but it is a start.

 

[686 3,449]

Good stuff @HOOKEM4

I got the 13y.o. In the blind tonight and we saw some good eating pigs, but she got worked up and missed the shot on one of them

[HOOKEM4 5,036]

16 hours ago, 686 said:

Good stuff @HOOKEM4

I got the 13y.o. In the blind tonight and we saw some good eating pigs, but she got worked up and missed the shot on one of them

My kids know dad misses most piggies. That's what they say atleast.  I have killed a bunch but I'll be damned if I  dont miss my fair share at 11pm 5 hours of drinking later. 🤣 

I am just glad kids are out trying. I worry about this generation. I guess I am just old man yelling at clouds, but we need less tic tok and more people learning to live off the land. 

I had the best week. My boys helped me dig a waterline by hand in sloppy soil, we got two deer, they helped stoke the fire on a pork shoulder for 12 hours and I can't remember one complaint. They did beat the shit out of each other playing basketball/football/baseball all week, but hell that is expected. I have hope they can be stewards when I am gone. 

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

LETS FUCK UP TCEH.

Hook'em!

[Anastasis 23,469]

18 hours ago, 686 said:

Good stuff @HOOKEM4

I got the 13y.o. In the blind tonight and we saw some good eating pigs, but she got worked up and missed the shot on one of them

Is your blind on top of a skyscraper?

[686 3,449]

Is your blind on top of a skyscraper?

That blind is on a 12’ tower and is set on a limestone knob overlooking a hillside and a pond. The ranch is on a high spot in general - rain that falls on the east side of the ranch runs to the Brazos, and that which falls on the west runs to the Colorado.

Things have really greened up, my food plots have sprouted and the deer would rather be in the fields than at the feeders.

[Anastasis 23,469]

7 minutes ago, 686 said:

That blind is on a 12’ tower and is set on a limestone knob overlooking a hillside and a pond. The ranch is on a high spot in general - rain that falls on the east side of the ranch runs to the Brazos, and that which falls on the west runs to the Colorado.

Things have really greened up, my food plots have sprouted and the deer would rather be in the fields than at the feeders.

 

May I have the pleasure of introducing my similar aged son to your daughter when the time is right? 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Anastasis

[686 3,449]

 
May I have the pleasure of introducing my similar aged son to your daughter when the time is right? 

Haha hell yeah. I was just thinking earlier today that I need some more bros out there. My dad and I are outnumbered 4-2 typically. My 11 y.o. daughter was complaining tonight that I “made” her drive the skid steer loader awhile back to help me with some stuff, and I couldn’t help think to myself, “if I had sons I wouldn’t be able to get them off of this equipment/to stop doing ranch work…”

Hopefully they bring some decent boyfriends/sons in law around that are interested in what I do.

[hookemATL 11,725]

With the absolute tornado of my life (wife getting masters, kids sick as fuck last 2 weeks, work kicking my ass with executions of upcoming projects/travel), I’ve had next to no time to get out and fill feeders and generally scout my hunting area. I was finally able to go a check on things since I was out for thanksgiving, and far as I can tell the deer population on our little section of Bastrop County has done remarkably well despite a ridiculous summer.

I have a long stretch of time off coming up from mid dec thru the first week of jan so I am hoping to make up for lost time and finally bag a buck for the first time in several years. 
 

for you experts, any idea on age of this one?  I’m low fence and not a huge tract of land, so this is about as good as it gets out my way. Apologies for the shit photo, didn’t get chance to put images to my desktop. 

[DalTxHornFan 3,101]

21 minutes ago, hookemATL said:

With the absolute tornado of my life (wife getting masters, kids sick as fuck last 2 weeks, work kicking my ass with executions of upcoming projects/travel), I’ve had next to no time to get out and fill feeders and generally scout my hunting area. I was finally able to go a check on things since I was out for thanksgiving, and far as I can tell the deer population on our little section of Bastrop County has done remarkably well despite a ridiculous summer.

I have a long stretch of time off coming up from mid dec thru the first week of jan so I am hoping to make up for lost time and finally bag a buck for the first time in several years. 
 

for you experts, any idea on age of this one?  I’m low fence and not a huge tract of land, so this is about as good as it gets out my way. Apologies for the shit photo, didn’t get chance to put images to my desktop. 

Nice deer.  The head looks pretty old.  IDK if it is just the pic, but he doesn't seem to have the belly sag that our lease looks for before we take out a trophy deer.  You know your ranch better than I do,  but I'd most likely pull the trigger on this guy in Bastrop County.

[hookemATL 11,725]

28 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

Nice deer.  The head looks pretty old.  IDK if it is just the pic, but he doesn't seem to have the belly sag that our lease looks for before we take out a trophy deer.  You know your ranch better than I do,  but I'd most likely pull the trigger on this guy in Bastrop County.

Thanks!  I’m trying to get my Aussie buddy on a deer as well but I don’t think I can pass this one up for myself if I get a chance. 

[deadshank 24,652]

Good morning, meatheads. 

[Anastasis 23,469]

9 hours ago, hookemATL said:

With the absolute tornado of my life (wife getting masters, kids sick as fuck last 2 weeks, work kicking my ass with executions of upcoming projects/travel), I’ve had next to no time to get out and fill feeders and generally scout my hunting area. I was finally able to go a check on things since I was out for thanksgiving, and far as I can tell the deer population on our little section of Bastrop County has done remarkably well despite a ridiculous summer.

I have a long stretch of time off coming up from mid dec thru the first week of jan so I am hoping to make up for lost time and finally bag a buck for the first time in several years. 
 

for you experts, any idea on age of this one?  I’m low fence and not a huge tract of land, so this is about as good as it gets out my way. Apologies for the shit photo, didn’t get chance to put images to my desktop. 

I’d like to hear what posters more experienced put out in age, but that deer would get got on sight on my low fence small acreage tract.