Hunting ‘23/‘24: Bag ‘em and Tag ‘em

[deadshank 24,652]

21 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

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. 

Yes, that deer would be shot on sight on a small tract place and by most deer hunters.   

Aging bucks on the hoof is an art based on key elements to look for and not a science.  
 

I’ve been doing it all morning    

That said, I surmise  he’s a 4.5 year old buck.   Flat back, firm non-sagging gut, normal sized brisket, firm neck, etc.  

 

@hookemATL might never have a better chance than now.  Certainly if this buck hops a fence some other guy may take him without pause or reservation.
 

  It is a cruel and frustrating game.  

[deadshank 24,652]

@hookemATL where is your place?  How large?  How many hunters?

Are the neighbors’ greedy gun mofos that blast everything for mere bragging rights?
 

All this fits into the equation (when it shouldn’t).  

[hookemATL 11,733]

35 minutes ago, deadshank said:

@hookemATL where is your place?  How large?  How many hunters?

Are the neighbors’ greedy gun mofos that blast everything for mere bragging rights?
 

All this fits into the equation (when it shouldn’t).  

Bastrop County

40+ acres

Just me hunting

Immediate neighbors on three sides are non hunters (one annoying old bag that once ratted me out to my folks for speeding on the highway / hippy chick with “rescue” farm / undeveloped raw land that I sometimes see folks on but no shooting). Neighbor to the east does quite a bit of shooting and I know they take deer/hogs, but they have a pretty large tract in comparison. 
 

id say about as low a hunting pressure as possible. I’ve just been way out of practice/routine when it comes to preparation, so I’ll have to get a bit lucky. Still, we have water cache and after only 2 weeks of feeding I have counted 5-6 different bucks and numerous does. 

[deadshank 24,652]

8 minutes ago, hookemATL said:

Bastrop County

40+ acres

Just me hunting

Immediate neighbors on three sides are non hunters (one annoying old bag that once ratted me out to my folks for speeding on the highway / hippy chick with “rescue” farm / undeveloped raw land that I sometimes see folks on but no shooting). Neighbor to the east does quite a bit of shooting and I know they take deer/hogs, but they have a pretty large tract in comparison. 
 

id say about as low a hunting pressure as possible. I’ve just been way out of practice/routine when it comes to preparation, so I’ll have to get a bit lucky. Still, we have water cache and after only 2 weeks of feeding I have counted 5-6 different bucks and numerous does. 

OK.  In my opinion and at my place (south Texas brush country) we’d let that buck go for two more years.  
 

Under normal circumstances his body will grow a bit more and then food energy will transfer to his antlers once his body is satisfied.   Also, he’s got two more years as the dominate buck around the doe.   
 

No doubt he is mature but could “be better” and do some great gene spreading for you.   
 

I know you’re hard-pressed to pass on him.   You’re in Bastrop County on 40 acres (and a mule) and he may be the best thing for miles. 
 

There would be no shame in taking him.  

[hookemATL 11,733]

Really appreciate the help here, and for all the inspiration from everyone’s posts. Easily a top 5 thread for me every year🤘
 

I think I have cull options as well so I would not feel bad about letting the dude walk. Fairly certain he has been on cams the past 2-3 years at least so it would be very cool to see if he could really stretch out. 

[HOOKEM4 5,036]

3 hours ago, Anastasis said:

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. 

This year has been rough. We have neighbors killing everything. I had two doe that both had twins for two years in a row. One of the neighbors shot one of them. It is frustrating. They stay on my place but I guess she decided to jump onto the neighbors place. There are a bunch of doe, dumbasses shot the one reproducing like crazy. 

If we see a 4yo buck, it is going down. Everytime I let deer walk they get shot by the neighbors. Last year we did get lucky and a 6yo buck came through but that is very rare. He only made it that long because he had a terrible rack.

It sucks but that is the down side of not having a large place. We are low fence on about 80% of the boundary and 150 acres. One of the neighbors high fenced his 200 acre place so he could have axis. Just baffling.

Edited November 24, 2023 by HOOKEM4
ousux

[ChickenNuggets 1,626]

5 hours ago, deadshank said:

Yes, that deer would be shot on sight on a small tract place and by most deer hunters.   

Aging bucks on the hoof is an art based on key elements to look for and not a science.  
 

I’ve been doing it all morning    

That said, I surmise  he’s a 4.5 year old buck.   Flat back, firm non-sagging gut, normal sized brisket, firm neck, etc.  

 

@hookemATL might never have a better chance than now.  Certainly if this buck hops a fence some other guy may take him without pause or reservation.
 

  It is a cruel and frustrating game.  

4.5 was my thinking as well (but I'm far, far from an expert)... he'll probably peak in the next two years if he lasts that long. 

Edited November 24, 2023 by ChickenNuggets

[Da Fino 2,783]

3 hours ago, HOOKEM4 said:

If we see a 4yo buck, it is going down. Everytime I let deer walk they get shot by the neighbors.

It’s a shitty dilemma. Once you start getting into shooting 4 year olds, you become the neighbor that shoots everything before they can grow old. 
 

@hookemATL I also think that deer is 4.5. Definitely not younger, possibly 5.5 but probably not. 

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

My best buddy brought his 11yo nephew out to my place to take a doe, his first deer.  We decided to make some lollipops for a pre-thanksgiving meal.

[Anastasis 23,469]

32 minutes ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

My best buddy brought his 11yo nephew out to my place to take a doe, his first deer.  We decided to make some lollipops for a pre-thanksgiving meal.

Yessir!

[deadshank 24,652]

Developmental squad. 

[williemackgarza 1,826]

For a central texas buck that guy looks older to me. Short block head. Thick neck and body. No round pot belly but “filled out” thick. Most central texas bucks i see around here are skinny lankey methheads. Id say over 5.5. But I dont hunt much around here.
So Texas, panhandle or mex is a different story.

[HOOKEM4 5,036]

On 11/24/2023 at 3:10 PM, Da Fino said:

It’s a shitty dilemma. Once you start getting into shooting 4 year olds, you become the neighbor that shoots everything before they can grow old. 
 

@hookemATL I also think that deer is 4.5. Definitely not younger, possibly 5.5 but probably not. 

Agree. I basically wait till as late as I can to hope for an older deer. I have several young deer I saw this past week and let them all walk. I am hoping they survive. I am fine with the meat we have. I have a blind getting delivered Wednesday from TWS so I am going to head out Tuesday night and hunt Wednesday morning. Hoping an older dude walks out. It is just a terrible position to be put in when everyone around you is letting it fly.

Two years ago I let what I guess was a 5yo buck walk on the last Sunday of season. He was run down af and I just didn't feel like cleaning a deer. He ended up getting shot by my neighbor the next year somehow. He texted me a pic and I knew it was the same deer bc he was almost red in color. It pissed me off but what are you gonna do. I would live to own another thousand acres. Shits expensive yo.

Edited November 26, 2023 by HOOKEM4
ousux

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

Just for fun here was the young man with his doe.  Lung shot her, but helped his uncle track and drag her back up around 200 yards to the fence.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

My friend is much better at butchering than I am.  Can turn this into that in a few minutes.   I’d say I could hope to learn but I’m too old to learn that kind of skill, and use it.

[Storm the Field 5,294]

Made it out to the lease Wednesday despite getting sick earlier in the week. Wasn't fully recovered but needed to get out of the house and was gonna be heading that direction on Thursday anyways. Almost passed on heading out to the stand that afternoon but sacked up and dragged myself out. Ended up getting my first kill at this place. 

Didn't get a chance to actually weigh him, but this grungy SOB had to be at least 150 lbs just based off how much of bitch he was to drag off into the woods by myself. Coyotes got quite a little Thanksgiving dinner courtesy of me. Most of him was already gone when I stopped by again Thursday morning. 

Edited November 26, 2023 by Storm the Field

[ChickenNuggets 1,626]

For those in the Austin area, is Hudson's Meat Market on S. Congress a decent place? Anyone have a fav. butcher in central texas to have their deer processed?

 

[DalTxHornFan 3,101]

3 hours ago, ChickenNuggets said:

For those in the Austin area, is Hudson's Meat Market on S. Congress a decent place? Anyone have a fav. butcher in central texas to have their deer processed?

 

I've always heard that that Hudson's has a good reputation, though I've never used them. 

I've been using Hunter's Creek near Liberty Hill for a while.  Very clean, professional (and apparently successful) operation.  I like their automated 24-hour drop off since I come back in from the lease on Hwy 29, often late nights.  

https://www.hunterscreekprocessing.com/

[williemackgarza 1,826]

I've always heard that that Hudson's has a good reputation, though I've never used them. 
I've been using Hunter's Creek near Liberty Hill for a while.  Very clean, professional (and apparently successful) operation.  I like their automated 24-hour drop off since I come back in from the lease on Hwy 29, often late nights.  
https://www.hunterscreekprocessing.com/

Yes Cole and the hunters creek guys are good people. Dropped my rack and capebiff for a shoulder mount 2 weeks ago. Tjeir buck sticks/slim jims are pretty good too.

[Al Czervik 1,229]

4 hours ago, ChickenNuggets said:

For those in the Austin area, is Hudson's Meat Market on S. Congress a decent place? Anyone have a fav. butcher in central texas to have their deer processed?

 

Harvest Farms in Johnson City. 

[hornmpa96 2,618]

18 hours ago, ChickenNuggets said:

For those in the Austin area, is Hudson's Meat Market on S. Congress a decent place? Anyone have a fav. butcher in central texas to have their deer processed?

 

Hudson’s sausage is really good. You wouldn’t go wrong with having them process your deer.

[CHIEF 5,086]

Had a buddy that watched this buck a few times earlier in the season, he finally pulled the trigger on him last night. Pushing 160 B&C. That is a 180 lb. deer on the hoof, but doesn't look like it, as there is no one to reference him to in the picture.

CHIEF

[DalTxHornFan 3,101]

6 hours ago, CHIEF said:

Had a buddy that watched this buck a few times earlier in the season, he finally pulled the trigger on him last night. Pushing 160 B&C. That is a 180 lb. deer on the hoof, but doesn't look like it, as there is no one to reference him to in the picture.

CHIEF

Cool horns.  Location?

[CHIEF 5,086]

25 minutes ago, DalTxHornFan said:

Cool horns.  Location?

Between Benjamin and Guthrie, TX.

Most of the guys on the lease (good scorers) guessed him at around 160. Apparently he was over 200 lbs. on the hoof and scored a bit better:

CHIEF

[deadshank 24,652]

13 hours ago, CHIEF said:

Between Benjamin and Guthrie, TX.

Most of the guys on the lease (good scorers) guessed him at around 160. Apparently he was over 200 lbs. on the hoof and scored a bit better:

CHIEF

That is fantastic!  How hold was he?  Pull a jaw to look at teefs?

[Anastasis 23,469]

Best I've seen on camera this season. 

 

[Anastasis 23,469]

[HOOKEM4 5,036]

I am living the dream right now. Had to sneak out to the ranch (by myself 🙌) so I could be here for my new TWS blind to be delivered tomorrow. I get a free hunt tomorrow morning. Not sure when I can get back out till Christmas (hunting and kids sports don't mix!) and the deer are running hard at my place. If it doesn't align, fuckit, I am drinking a whiskey and preparing for tomorrow either way. I am going to visualize an old ass m'fer walking out tomorrow morning. Cheers gents! Wish me luck!

[deadshank 24,652]

9 minutes ago, HOOKEM4 said:

I am living the dream right now. Had to sneak out to the ranch (by myself 🙌) so I could be here for my new TWS blind to be delivered tomorrow. I get a free hunt tomorrow morning. Not sure when I can get back out till Christmas (hunting and kids sports don't mix!) and the deer are running hard at my place. If it doesn't align, fuckit, I am drinking a whiskey and preparing for tomorrow either way. I am going to visualize an old ass m'fer walking out tomorrow morning. Cheers gents! Wish me luck!

Post pics of your, uh, er, erection….blind going up.   Are they setting it for you?

[HOOKEM4 5,036]

5 minutes ago, deadshank said:

Post pics of your, uh, er, erection….blind going up.   Are they setting it for you?

Yeah. I will post em of the blind, if you look west tonight you can see my erection glowing in the moonlight. I hope the fuckers bring a good rock drill. I told the driver and he said he would. We will see. Woodford double oak and blazing saddles right now. Damn near lost a 400 dollar hand cart.

[Herbie Hancock 7,347]

Idk why, but when I'm at the farm by myself I always end up watching Lonesome Dove. Probably because I'm far enough from civilization and other people that I feel like a modern day Gus; enjoying the finer things in life like good whiskey, guns, and a scarcity of people.

[DalTxHornFan 3,101]

11 minutes ago, Herbie Hancock said:

Idk why, but when I'm at the farm by myself I always end up watching Lonesome Dove. Probably because I'm far enough from civilization and other people that I feel like a modern day Gus; enjoying the finer things in life like good whiskey, guns, and a scarcity of people.

Not that you are wrong, but what Gus actually said was:

"The only healthy way to live life is to learn to like all the little everyday things – like a sip of good whiskey in the evening, a soft bed, a glass of buttermilk, or a feisty gentleman like myself.”

[Herbie Hancock 7,347]

I know quite well what he said as I've watched that movie/series well over 100 times. I was making my own list to fit the topic at hand.

[fattyflattie 4,639]

3 hours ago, HOOKEM4 said:

Yeah. I will post em of the blind, if you look west tonight you can see my erection glowing in the moonlight. I hope the fuckers bring a good rock drill. I told the driver and he said he would. We will see. Woodford double oak and blazing saddles right now. Damn near lost a 400 dollar hand cart.

What setup did you get.  I’ve been rocking the 5x7 on 12’ stand.  First owner didn’t anchor it and it fell. I bought it for 20% of retail, took it completely apart and rebuilt  it all, and it has been a great blind. Comfortable, dry, insect proof, etc.     5x9 or 7x10 on a 15’ would be a lifetime blind for me, but wife ain’t playing that shit.  

[HOOKEM4 5,036]

I got a 5x7 on a 6'. Wanted something my mother could still get into as she likes to sit and watch the deer when she is up alone. She doesn't hunt, just scouts. Anything higher I would worry about her getting in and out of. Plus we are flat and you can see plenty far from our exiting 5' high blind.

[deadshank 24,652]

TWS has steadily improved their blinds.  The new magnet windows are much better than the old up-sliders with the catches left and right that were quite loud and particular. 
 

Also, their new Lucky Buck corn broadcaster is intriguing.

 

[CHIEF 5,086]

21 hours ago, deadshank said:

That is fantastic!  How hold was he?  Pull a jaw to look at teefs?

I haven't heard or seen anything yet. He was killed on an evening hunt taken straight to the ranch HQ gutted and hung in a walk-in cooler. Will probably find out this weekend.

CHIEF

[BabaYaga 15,296]

18 hours ago, Herbie Hancock said:

Idk why, but when I'm at the farm by myself I always end up watching Lonesome Dove. Probably because I'm far enough from civilization and other people that I feel like a modern day Gus; enjoying the finer things in life like good whiskey, guns, and a scarcity of people.

We used to have it on a loop at the cabin

[BabaYaga 15,296]

19 hours ago, HOOKEM4 said:

hunting and kids sports don't mix!

Amen to this.  Wife taking the girl out of town, so me and the boy will have the ranch to ourselves this weekend!

[HOOKEM4 5,036]

Well I saw 2-3.5yr 8pt this morning. They looked like twins. Beautiful baskets on them. Hope they survive the neighbors. 

Blind delivery was fun with how sloppy it still is, but it's done and ready to sit in. It is even better than I expected. Quiet, and draft free. Old blind comes down when I get back out. That pos can rot in hell.

Edited November 29, 2023 by HOOKEM4
ousux

[deadshank 24,652]

One member at camp went out this morning and aged this buck at 4.5 years old and qualified for the no shoot list.   He’s got some real potential with the right conditions and a few more years.  

[RMac5 1,551]

Lonesome Dove is the greatest movie ever!  

[T’Boo Ted Marshall 2,732]

Well I saw 2-3.5yr 8pt this morning. They looked like twins. Beautiful baskets on them. Hope they survive the neighbors. 
Blind delivery was fun with how sloppy it still is, but it's done and ready to sit in. It is even better than I expected. Quiet, and draft free. Old blind comes down when I get back out. That pos can rot in hell.

Nice office.

[fattyflattie 4,639]

14 hours ago, HOOKEM4 said:

I got a 5x7 on a 6'. Wanted something my mother could still get into as she likes to sit and watch the deer when she is up alone. She doesn't hunt, just scouts. Anything higher I would worry about her getting in and out of. Plus we are flat and you can see plenty far from our exiting 5' high blind.

Yeah, the walk up the ladder on the 12’ is something. Actually, the only complaint I have in the entire deal is I wish they had made the ladder 6” wider.  Contrary to my username, I am not (mostly not) a fat ass, but the narrow ladder hangs my backpack, etc.  Feel like I’m in a squeeze chute. I took mine down off of 4’ wood legs, assembled, and raised it back up on the 12’ stand mid October, solo.   It was..an undertaking.  Almost posted pics here when I did it, but was too damn exhausted. Enjoy it, great blind.  We are flat as a pancake where I am too, I think I can damn near see Kingsville from the blind now. 

[Anastasis 23,469]

I moved over to an elevated 8-10' blind for a couple sits so far, and that is like a third world country situation compared to either one of those blinds. The view is much superior though to the ground blind situation at the other spot. 

Edited November 30, 2023 by Anastasis

[HOOKEM4 5,036]

1 hour ago, fattyflattie said:

Yeah, the walk up the ladder on the 12’ is something. Actually, the only complaint I have in the entire deal is I wish they had made the ladder 6” wider.  Contrary to my username, I am not (mostly not) a fat ass, but the narrow ladder hangs my backpack, etc.  Feel like I’m in a squeeze chute. I took mine down off of 4’ wood legs, assembled, and raised it back up on the 12’ stand mid October, solo.   It was..an undertaking.  Almost posted pics here when I did it, but was too damn exhausted. Enjoy it, great blind.  We are flat as a pancake where I am too, I think I can damn near see Kingsville from the blind now. 

Another reason I didn't want to go higher. I take way too much shit to the blind. I can set it on the porch and just walk up with my gun then collect all my shit when I am up there. I may end up buying another much taller one for a spot that does have a bunch of topography. Maybe next year. Not sure when I can get back up but I am excited to hunt it. 

I texted my mom the pics and she is very excited she can go sit right outside of camp again. She sorta fell off the old blind 2 years ago and hasn't sat there again. Worth it for an old double widower to have something to look forward to. She loves watching the wildlife.

[Da Fino 2,783]

I thought I had posted this back in Sept/Oct but I guess I forgot. My wife's colleague shot this towards the end of the season in September.  He was brand new to hunting a few years ago when we first went dove hunting. 

 

[deadshank 24,652]

1 hour ago, Da Fino said:

I thought I had posted this back in Sept/Oct but I guess I forgot. My wife's colleague shot this towards the end of the season in September.  He was brand new to hunting a few years ago when we first went dove hunting. 

 

 

[Lazarus Bocanegra 305]

Got down to Whitsett the weekend before Thanksgiving.  I was able to bring one of my best friends who is currently fighting stage 4 colon cancer and his treatment schedule finally aligned.  I've spent a ton of time at his family's place in East Texas but he hasn't been to our ranch since we got it in 2021.  If the theme of the weekend was to do as much South Texas stuff as possible in the event he never gets back, we 100% checked that box.  He's not too mobile in the mornings, so I sat Saturday AM by myself, saw a big 8 point and some smaller 8s.  There is a freakshow (8pt) I've seen on cameras that is on my target list this year, but I have a ton of meat in the freezer and I told Mrs. Laz I likely won't soot a deer this year.  Well, freakshow showed up and I let him walk.  Hard to describe him - his left antler is a typical 4 point, but his right is like two long points kind of twisted together.  I don't really care about trophies, but I'm a sucker for weirdos.  To be determined.  

Saturday to the feed store, then we took a detour to Choke Canyon SP where we took a short hike along the shoreline, jumped a 6' gator, and then--owing to a misguided shortcut attempt--wound up low crawling through pig tunnels in the brush with me using bare hands to open the way so he wouldn't snag his chemo port.  Lunch at Max's, yardwork, then an evening sit.  Not too much in the way of deer coming to the feeders.  It's pretty green and I watched a small buck browsing on granjeno for a good bit of time that morning.  Towards sunset, a group of Javelina showed up and we watched them for a while until sunset.  

Sunday morning, I went back out and the deer were similarly sparse and unremarkable.   In the almost three years we've owned the place, I've only seen pigs in daylight once.  I was on foot and rushed the shot, and they escaped unharmed.  I'd put a 0800 hard stop in order to clean up and break camp before noon.  Well, lo and behold, about 0750 a sounder of 6 pigs shows up at one of the feeders.  I lined up on a good eating black pig and took the shot.  Didn't see it drop, but a brown one went down kicking.  When the dust settled, I approached and found that the black one dropped like a rock DRT, and the 168gr .308 brained the brown one too.  I processed one, left the other for the coyotes.  Cooked up the backstrap and Mrs. Laz, despite her initial misgivings, cleaned her plate.  

/CSB

 

[Izhmash 563]

On 9/29/2023 at 7:30 PM, T’Boo Ted Marshall said:

Going to give this one a go.
Local company and I talked to the owner who was very helpful.

Just realized these are made in Austin. Do they sell factory seconds, by chance? I could care less about paint jobs. Also - I'm curious about maintenance. Is the system easily accessible (or do you have to take apart the whole plate system on the bottom to do any work? How is yours working out for you now? Did you end up with a 500? Thanks in advance! We primarily use All Seasons, but considering the Monarch for a new deployment.