rut in the hill country

[xtrm-hunter]

Last weekend was wierd in Fredricksburg...I saw 5 bucks and 3 does....did not see them at the same times....It's usually closer to Thanksgiving....my feeder was useless...they were moving at random times no where near my feeder...

[Burntorange Bowhunter]

Yeah, those are some big boys for sure.

Life in the Texas Hills.......unbeatable.

[skeeter]

Last weekend was wierd in Fredricksburg...I saw 5 bucks and 3 does....did not see them at the same times....It's usually closer to Thanksgiving....my feeder was useless...they were moving at random times no where near my feeder...

That has been my experience this year in Junction. Nothing coming to the feeders.

I've see more and better deer in Colorado County than Kimble this year. Never thought I would say that.

[skeeter]

Yeah, those are some big boys for sure.

Life in the Texas Hills.......unbeatable.

you said it! I envy yall. You guys are blessed to live in Gods Country... Sure wish I could move away from the concrete jungle of H Town!

[AtTheWall]

Thanks Skeeter and yes, I would love to have that last buck in an LDP but....I wouldn't have something to look forward to next year to cover the TBH Brother/Sisterhood Hill Country Buck rut report

I am finding after the years roll along, I have to leverage what I've learned as a hunter to seal the deal with these photos. It's the same challenge with a few other harder aspects than hunting, light, angles and clear views into the animals so I can click. I have killed these guys over and over and over with the lens. Now it's gotten to a point, I probably couldn't kill any of them now. I want to see how big they go and then watch them slide off into old age.

I watched a huge wide buck I've watched for literally 4 years the other evening. He barely moves now, it's sad, very much like an old lab in his last year...hobbling with both back legs hitting each other as he stumbles along. He's 7 or 8 now, still about 22 inches wide with decent tine length P&Y + but, he's an old man now. I wished I could put him down just to take him out of his condition but......I'm learning the life cycle first hand. Where he lives, where he ruts, where he feeds and as he ages, where he prefers to live life easier, without the pressure of fighting younger deer. He's not chasing does now, he's gotten to a point he can only scent the ground and follow them thinking of yester year. Any doe can simply out walk him now. I've learned so much without making a kill.

[skeeter]

Thanks Skeeter and yes, I would love to have that last buck in an LDP but....I wouldn't have something to look forward to next year to cover the TBH Brother/Sisterhood Hill Country Buck rut report

I am finding after the years roll along, I have to leverage what I've learned as a hunter to seal the deal with these photos. It's the same challenge with a few other harder aspects than hunting, light, angles and clear views into the animals so I can click. I have killed these guys over and over and over with the lens. Now it's gotten to a point, I probably couldn't kill any of them now. I want to see how big they go and then watch them slide off into old age.

I watched a huge wide buck I've watched for literally 4 years the other evening. He barely moves now, it's sad, very much like an old lab in his last year...hobbling with both back legs hitting each other as he stumbles along. He's 7 or 8 now, still about 22 inches wide with decent tine length P&Y + but, he's an old man now. I wished I could put him down just to take him out of his condition but......I'm learning the life cycle first hand. Where he lives, where he ruts, where he feeds and as he ages, where he prefers to live life easier, without the pressure of fighting younger deer. He's not chasing does now, he's gotten to a point he can only scent the ground and follow them thinking of yester year. Any doe can simply out walk him now. I've learned so much without making a kill.

well said, brother! I can tell from just the pix I've seen here on TBH you have MANY trophies! I truly believe that memories are the real trpohy. Long after the freezer is empty and the trill of the hunt is gone, the memories remain. And pix like yours keep memories alive! Thanks for sharing!

[slingingarrows]

I am a little further North in Dickens County and did not see much going on the past 4 days.

[Cur_Dog]

Thanks for the info ATW.

[Duke51]

Stuck an nice eight in San Saba 2 weeks ago, he was chasing, swollen and smelled mighty fine.

[Duke51]

Some chasing two weeks ago in San Saba Co.

[huntsynapse]

Today north of Boerne my mom watched two bucks chasing a doe all over the place

[skeeter]

Stuck an nice eight in San Saba 2 weeks ago, he was chasing, swollen and smelled mighty fine.

Some chasing two weeks ago in San Saba Co.

Today north of Boerne my mom watched two bucks chasing a doe all over the place

were these mature bucks chasin?

[bruzer30]

rut is starting

[ttu1997]

I hunt in Blanco County and the rut was hot and heavy the week prior to Halloween. I watched every buck (nubbins and 5.5 yr olds) chasing like crazy. This is very very early, it typically is around Thanksgiving. Old timers say that the heavy cooling rains early in the fall can and have in the past triggered does to go into heat. Opening weekend there was a little rutting but not to the degree it was before Halloween.

[KZ]

Bucks were still together and not interested in does yet this past weekend in hondo/sabinal area.