Oh what a difference a year makes... 60+"

[bentman]

I like HF ranches, a few anyway. There are two HF ranches 1 south & 1 north of me about 1 1/2 miles each way as the crow flies. About 3 weeks ago I saw 4 blackbuck doe on my place. The same day about 1/2 mile from my place a saw 5 whitetail doe with ear tags, on the side of the road they were a good mile from HF ranch. I hope they make it my way or at least have some fawns over the next 2 or 3 yrs.

[FreakHorn]

1.5 in the first pic's and 2.5 in the second.

It was 110 degrees when his 2yr old pic's were taken. And he was about to shed his velvet. All bucks go through a "sinking" period just as they shed their velvet. As you can see in the pictures as a 1.5yr old he still had some growing to do (the antlers are still bulb on the ends) and the picture was taken early morning in 80 degree weather

Seems like people can't always tell a lot from just looking at picture or two... If you think he was 2.5 and 3.5 in those pic's

The deer's tag is Orange 823, The 8 stands for the year he was born and the 23 stand for being the 23 buck fawn of 2008. The # 14 is a way we can identify his Sire. The picture was taken in 2010 whitch makes him 2yr old

So it was the heat and the "sinking" period...I knew that there was something that didn't make him look right in the 2.5 year old pic. He is a great looking deer no doubt about it but just didn't look like himself. I'll have to say, regarding the age question, you obviously have the knowledge of when that buck was actually born. I was making an educated guess and merely asking the question for you to confirm. I'll bet you that if you polled everyone on TBH the majority would say the pics are of 2.5 and 3.5 yr old deer...again, just my guess. Can't wait to see pics of him when he is 6.5!

[stxhunter]

Congrats on a job well done!

[Archermike2605]

When you breed an animal that is not native to texas... that is bred to mature much earlier and be MUCH bigger body at an earlier age... that is born in MAY you can understand the confusion.

I think, if all the deer in 823's pedigree are texas genetics, it's still a texas deer. When the Sire & Dam was bred to produce this deer it wasn't to have a deer mature much earlier and have a bigger body at an earlier age. It was just putting 200" genetics on top of 200"+ genetics to hopefully get a big 200"+ typical buck etc... If you put the best on the best your outcome should be better than the parents. etc..

He wasn't "out-crossed" and he wasn't born in MAY. We don't A.I. our deer till late Nov. The earlier you A.I. to get earlier births, your mortality rates increase as well, so we don't do it for that reason. I would like our fawns to be weaned by Sept. that would definitely be nice

[GR5]

Good looking livestock

[Archermike2605]

Good looking livestock

I wish TPWD would look as it being livestock like they do all the exotics

[DR.OLDS]

nice

[theboydoutdoors]

I spent my whole life hunting and fishing, usually on the cheapest lease I could find or public land in NM, CO, Az, . Gonna be retiring soon and if I have the money I'm going to hunt as many high fence ranches and go on as many guided hunts as i can.

If all I have left to leave the kids is a bunch of truphy mounts then so be it. So keep breeding the big boys and building those high fences. I will be there soon

[Encinal]

I think, if all the deer in 823's pedigree are texas genetics, it's still a texas deer. When the Sire & Dam was bred to produce this deer it wasn't to have a deer mature much earlier and have a bigger body at an earlier age. It was just putting 200" genetics on top of 200"+ genetics to hopefully get a big 200"+ typical buck etc... If you put the best on the best your outcome should be better than the parents. etc..

He wasn't "out-crossed" and he wasn't born in MAY. We don't A.I. our deer till late Nov. The earlier you A.I. to get earlier births, your mortality rates increase as well, so we don't do it for that reason. I would like our fawns to be weaned by Sept. that would definitely be nice

you Hold off and don't AI until late november... but most south texas deer don't go into their FIRST cycle until december 15th.

[kyle1974]

you Hold off and don't AI until late november... but most south texas deer don't go into their FIRST cycle until december 15th.

if I'm nto mistaken, this place is in east texas.... they have a much earlier cycle up there.

[Encinal]

That is true.

[gwellstx]

Great lookin deer.

[d_e_smith]

Deer from VCR?

[JStrickland]

nice deer if your ranch was in south texas I would love to view it.