Last two seasons in west tx, compared two past years?

[KactusKiller]

Me and hunting partner have hunted three different leases in the last three years in different parts ft mckavit, eden and Tom green this year. All three seasons have been disappointing and everyone I talk at each location say the hunting has not been as good as it has in the past. The place we are on now is good for the price, hunters/acre, accomidations and we
have the support of the landowner and a decent deer herd to create a great lease in a few years if everyone will stick with it. A couple guys are ready to jump ship and I have mixed feelings on looking else where or stick it out. I know the Irion Co area has been pretty hot this year and the Brady is pretty
consistant but I am wondering how most of you feel about the hunting the last two years in the menard, schliecher, concho, Tom green and runnels co areas compared to past years. I believe that like all things deer hunting runs in cycles with good and bad years. Thanks for the input guys.

[Chew]

Schleicher County has sucked for me the last three years. May just be my particular property. I"m looking for something new. Every year there is an excuse why the hunting is bad in around Ft McKavett/Eldorado (no rut, too much rut, weird rut, acorns, drought, too much rain, etc). There are some big deer in the area but the only ones I'd like to see on the wall are on other properties or come in at midnight and aren't seen again.

[KingsX]

Depends on your lease I guess and that's important!
I have been tempted to go further away from home to hunt but have always found something to keep me around here another year.
For me it gone fairly good from 2002 on with a couple bad years due to drought conditions.

Good Luck Jack!

[quarterback]

Our lease in San Saba has been exceptionally bad the last two years or so. We've been there 13 years and it has never been quite this bad.

[pickles]

If you have a good deer herd, good accommodations, fair price, and the most important landowner support. I would try and stick it out.

You know we hunted those two ranches in Melvin in 2008 and 2009. The first year was great the second year was terrible but I believe we would all still be hunting there if we had landowner support.

I have heard from several people that still hunt down there that the hunting is just as slow this season.

IMO I would give it another year Jack.

[KingsX]

I will agree that it has cycles and I haven't put my finger on that yet. I do believe these past few years have been worse then 2007 which was one of the best years for most....i Didn't fair that well in 2007 like others did.
I do however believe and have seen places recently go down in horn growth in the past 3 years compared to 2007. I don't have a explanation for that other then the lack of rains at the right times. Been on places that 170-180" bucks have been taken 6 or so years ago but not recently.....or imo will one be taken anytime soon.
Some ranches the brush has been pushed as have the surrounding ranches changing the travel routes to some of these deer,leaving some places never to be the same again or at least it appears that way for now.
I don't have the answer but it has been tougher to find good horn growth these past few years across the board in the counties you mentioned.

[KactusKiller]

I'm just tired of moving but I don't want to waste any more
money or time. Time to spend at the lease setting up
and scouting is getting be at a premium as my girls get older and more involved in activities. I wanted my next ace to be my last for a few years this past season but now I am having to think about it even though I want to stick it out and see what we can do with it. Just wanting some experienced thoughts from all of you who have been on leases for multiple seasons in this area. Another question is, are we growing our expectations beyond what 80-90% of properties can produce. Except for those few
exceptional years 2 out of every 10 years on a property, is what we have come to look at as a disappointing year actually the norm for that area. This is what I am starting to believe is true and if it is the only way to meet our expectations is to change leases every 2-3 years or quit looking for the golden goose and just enjoy each lease for what it is and just really take advantage of those couple great years and understand that you may not have an opportunity at a monster every year. I love hunting for "the
hunt" and not so much the trophy but just knowing that there is potential for a true trophy during a reasonable time period is all I'm looking for.

Just wondering if it's just me or if everyone else is feeling the same way.

[pickles]

I feel ya man. Changing leases every two years really sucks. Costs a lot of time and money. Real pain in the rear.

Wish I had more experience in that area to give you a better educated answer. I only hunted that area for 2 season so I can't really give you a good answer.

I do know this. My good friends that turned me on to that area went to south texas this year. Found a VERY nice lease in the golden triangle. Out of all of them one has taken a buck. I think it was a cull and it was only 130". But thats it. They are very disappointed this season.

[coach_stew]

Finishing my third year on a place in western Schleicher County, and absolutely love it!
It takes me 6.5 hours to drive 409 miles and this is what I get…
o Good people
o Tons of deer
o Acre/Hunter is incredible
o Management program is working
o Price is right
o Awesome rancher
o Never have to worry about the acorn crop

The chance for one of us to shoot a 150 plus are good, will it happen every year no, has it happened no, are they there yes.

I just enjoy to hunt and if I shoot something in the 150 plus is a bonus.

[Eric Pence]

This is my 12th year in Sutton County(Sonora) right on the Schleicher county line..This Year was as bad as it has ever been on our 9500 acres..I have shot one 150+ deer in those 12 yrs and a lot of 120-140 every year Except the last 3 yrs ...This year was BAD for the entire ranch.I have not seen a deer that will break 120 ..The drought and the range conditions are what is killing us..Right now me and my family are debating moving all our stuff to the Panhandle.I have seen bigger and Better deer the last 2 yrs (I have a small 850ac lease in Quanah)..There are some Great Advantages to Sutton but at this time I think we are moving maybe not this Year but if it doesnt get better we will Next Yr...

[Concho Man]

We've hunted the same ranch in Irion county since 1999 and have definitely seen some major cycles. Like Jeremy eluded to, brush clearing and drought have been our major hurdles. Our first 5 years on the ranch (what seems to be the good old days in this thread) were great with multiple high 140s and 150s killed each year. Looking back, this was all due to 4 years of good rainfall from 2000-2004 as we did not feed protein like we do now. In 2004, they began clearing our brush and cleared 60% of the ranch. Although the deer remained, their habits (mature deer sightings) definitely changed in the open areas. We still killed 2-3 mid-140 class deer each year (with exception of the 2007 wet year we killed a couple 150s) from 2004-2008. But 2009 and 2010 have been more like the first 5 years. I think this is mainly due to two factors: 1) we began a strict protein program in 2008 and 2) our deer that were young when the land was cleared have grown up with it and are used to showing themselves now that they are mature. Sorry I was so long winded, but that's what we've noticed on our place over the last 10-12 years.

[KactusKiller]

Thanks for the input guys, anybody else?
It seems that most people refer to the "good old days" as years past but very few consider the past few years as the "goods days".

[Flame-Tamer]

We've hunted the same ranch in Irion county since 1999 and have definitely seen some major cycles. Like Jeremy eluded to, brush clearing and drought have been our major hurdles. Our first 5 years on the ranch (what seems to be the good old days in this thread) were great with multiple high 140s and 150s killed each year. Looking back, this was all due to 4 years of good rainfall from 2000-2004 as we did not feed protein like we do now. In 2004, they began clearing our brush and cleared 60% of the ranch. Although the deer remained, their habits (mature deer sightings) definitely changed in the open areas. We still killed 2-3 mid-140 class deer each year (with exception of the 2007 wet year we killed a couple 150s) from 2004-2008. But 2009 and 2010 have been more like the first 5 years. I think this is mainly due to two factors: 1) we began a strict protein program in 2008 and 2) our deer that were young when the land was cleared have grown up with it and are used to showing themselves now that they are mature. Sorry I was so long winded, but that's what we've noticed on our place over the last 10-12 years.

Hunt right down from Concho Man and it was weak this year for us?? Dunno why..

[Bone Thug]

Last year was a drought year and the horns were down in most areas. I think some places may still be recovering.

[dozer]

Hunt right down from Concho Man and it was weak this year for us?? Dunno why..

We have been hammering the mature deer with inferior genetics as well as the decided number of does and trying to the let good deer get some age on them. But like CM said this placed has been leased by the same group for many years. Not alotta places you can walk onto and hammer big deer off the bat. Takes time and, in our case, protein and rainfall.