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

[metalmangeorge]

I hunt with flametamer and it has been a weak few years. I hear about how great the deer use to be, but I have not seen any thing that would get close to 150. And we feed protein and have multiple year round water tanks. So I feel our deer stay close to home. Our only problem is our straw boss and land owner believe in old school management, kill all the spikes. And we are not able to cull inferior deer as they age. It is a good lease, but there will never be great deer in my opinion. I just don’t think the area has the big antler genes any more.

[Robert R]

I have hunted in Coke County for the last 14 years ,i would have to say that this year is the worst i have seen we have hunted since October and have seen very few deer. Headed back tomorow for one last try for this season

[DamonJ]

It has been a tough two seasons. This season has been way better than last for us, but I have seen it a lot better in the years previous. I hunt in McCulloch county and last season '09 was the worst I have ever seen. I have been hunting the same property for quite a few years and had NEVER sat on a stand and not see at least 1 deer, until '09. It happened over a dozen times to me last year. It was my 7th sit before I even saw a deer. Depressing yes, but nothing to make me want to pack my gear and head out. It is hunting and sometimes mother nature puts a buffet out in the woods that we can't compete with. I can't focus on the ACORNS, the entire property is loaded with live oaks.

From what you described and with the Landowner being supportive, I would grow roots there and in a year or two you will be more than pleased...

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you nothing but success..

Oh yeah and a Merry Christmas!!!

[Todd-ty729]

Jack, I was going to post almost the exact same thing as Concho Man.

We have been on the same lease in Irion County since 2000 and have seen some definate cycles.

I am ready to blame the last few years on crummy corn or something. Maybe the protein is hurting antler growth! I'd believe and try anything different at this point except for wanting to move.

Our lease is very similar to yours as far as price and acres per hunter and ranch owner support. I will take those 3 over a chance at better hunting just about any day. I hunted on 4 different ranches in a 5 year period prior to this place looking for a better arrangement regarding the 3 things mentioned above. I figured I would try to manage for the deer quality once I found a good situation.

I think your lease is pretty good and would definately give it a few more years before considering a move. I personally would have taken a spot if I was in the market at the time.

Relax and try not to take it too seriouosly as it will drive you nutz!

As long as the beer is cold and the fire is warm.....

[Wayne Meuir]

I hunt on a lease in Runnels County and this year has been the worst I have seen in the 5 years I have been on the lease. The biggest deer we have had even on our camera was a 115 ten point, and he has not been seen since September. There has not been a buck killed on the lease this year, and only 5 does. Two of us are bow hunters and have really been trying to get some meat. Thus far, I have had only one shot and missed and my buddy has killed two does way back early in bow season. There are no hogs on the place at all up to now.

Good news is that the lease is almost free, and the landowners are my buddies family friends, so we have a really good relationship with them. We see deer almost every time we go out, just not any shooters, just a bunch of young bucks and babies.

Wayne

[Concho Man]

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.

Figured I'd add a little on our average annual harvest numbers. We are not MLD, but from about 2004 on, we have killed the following each year:

- 20 to 25 bucks (3 to 4 being trophy quality).

- 25 to 35 does.

- We never shoot a single spike.

This is on about 3000 acres.

[esp]

I hunt in Schleicher and Irion Counties and the last 2 years have been real slow for everyone except my wife who always seems to be lucky.Seen plenty of nice bucks on camera in September but once hunting started they seemed to vanish, gonna try one more time Newe Years.

[KingsX]

Our Mertzon ranch is on MLD but they rarely ever take the given quota. Even with MLD the members collectively suggest numbers that we feel could be taken on does/culls as the season progresses. I think that is the best management you can do and the surveys are just a tool to get ya started. Now if your surveys come back weak and you don't get the number of tags you know you'll need come November that's when it gets touchy! The past 2 years have been bad for horn growth around the Angelo area and very strange deer movement to top it off. I would stick it out and give it one more try Jack before rushing to search for something else. Most ranches can barely produce 1 trophy buck for every 1000 acres and the definition of a "trophy" depends on the genetics you have at the current time,we look at 140+" trophies on our lease in Irion county and 120+" bucks trophies in Tom Green county. We've taken 12 trophies on 10,000 acres this year thus far in Irion co and now working on all the does/management bucks. Some guys haven' killed a trophy yet and at this time of year they get hard to find too....not everyone will kill a trophy every year,even on really good ranches. Ironically 2008/09 was one of our best years "per lease members opinions"' with the ranches biggest buck taken that season...a 188" and 3rd buck over 180 in 10 years at that time! The group I'm with have been on since 1999 and it does go in cycles as to what are your better seasons. I bet if you stick around long enough you'll see it develop into better then this years crop. Bottom line is natural vegetation,genetics,age,large acreage,"RAIN" and balanced numbers that should be standard to be able to produce numerous trophy quality animals. All these analogies are standard deer management practices that we all believe in but its harder to get it and easy to talk about it. In the area you hunt Jack it has been tough about 3 years straight now and I do expect it to pick back up soon......like others have said with the landowner working with you and you liking the ranch itself its just a matter of time with a little selective management before yall start seeing better bucks.

Again good luck Jack and I hope it works out for ya.

[KactusKiller]

Thanks to all the responses, for all but one man the group is new and these aren't just questions I have but the group as well. I think we could make it and excellent lease with some time as this will be about the fourth year it has been managed. The first few years they hammered the does and trash bucks, now the b/d ratio is pretty close an we are about 18-20 acres per deer. There are a few deer that we have seen that might touch 130-140 next year and I am sure there are others we have not seen, only time will tell.
Have a Merry Christmas everybody!

[KactusKiller]

Another problem has come up that needs to be addressed. We basically have three landowners living on the property. Two brothers that own 2500 and another man that owns 500 acres. It did not happen much to me but on several occations one of them or family memebers have driven by a stand during hunting times or be driving around "checking water". Sometimes they have even waved as they went by and then came back by on return trips. I addressed it this weekend but i need some advise from others witht the same problem. All of us have different schedules and hunt different days of the week so it is hard for them to tell me they are coming and then me to let all three landowners know as well. Some stands need to be moved from heavy travel road ways which will help but it drives me nuts when my hunt is disrupted.
Any thoughts?

[raiderelkhunter]

Another problem has come up that needs to be addressed. We basically have three landowners living on the property. Two brothers that own 2500 and another man that owns 500 acres. It did not happen much to me but on several occations one of them or family memebers have driven by a stand during hunting times or be driving around "checking water". Sometimes they have even waved as they went by and then came back by on return trips. I addressed it this weekend but i need some advise from others witht the same problem. All of us have different schedules and hunt different days of the week so it is hard for them to tell me they are coming and then me to let all three landowners know as well. Some stands need to be moved from heavy travel road ways which will help but it drives me nuts when my hunt is disrupted.
Any thoughts?

I have had this happen several times this year. I am wondering what to say to the landowner myself....

[KactusKiller]

ttt, how did everyones season end up?

[Txnrog]

I think that it's worth keeping in mind that we're still in a 3-4 year drought out west. 2007 was an incredible year for moisture, but we've been below normal every year since. We've had small spurts of moisture that keep things going, but if you look at the brush in most places, it's hurtin - alot is caged (growth on the inside, but just sticks where the deer can easily reach). Most of the moisture has just resulted in enough growth to feed for a while, but no real improvement in overall food availability.

We used to loose fence gaps across creeks about once a year, if not more. We haven't had to fix a gap with water damage in 4 years.

You have deer now that have spent their whole lives in drought-like conditions, and that will negatively effect their upper end potential. Let's pray for a super wet year, followed by a couple 'average' years.

[Eric Pence]

Mine was the Best and Worst...Best in the Panhandle...Worst Season since 2005 in Sonora,My son shot a Dink (Inferior) 9 pt but other than that I never saw anything close to 140" saw some yng 10s but Very Thin Tines...And how was Yours Kactus Killer ??

[KactusKiller]

I shot an old 8 110s and he was the biggest shot. We never saw anything else different than what we saw earlier in the year. Plenty of young deer but nothing new. The best was a mid 130 ten and half a dozen others in the 120's. Decided to stay and we are going to start offseason feeding. I believe we can make it a quality lease just need another 2 yrs. We had some good young deer as well and should have an out standing 3-4 yr old group this year. we took 13 does, 3 eights and 3 spikes. Next year we are not going to kill any bucks below 3.5 regardless of antlers. I am filling 2 maybe three spots for next year. The landowner is excited about what we are trying to do. We'll see.