Sutton county axis

[bloodtrailer28]

Maybe I’m overthinking it also. Maybe they are just roaming and not with us at the moment.

I'm sure they have put a dent in the numbers with the traps but i would imagine there's still some around. Hell we have a hard time trapping ours on a small hf place where we can shut down all the other feeders. We hire guys to do it when our numbers get to high but after they drop the gate a few times they have hell trying to get more.

[PondPopper]

Yes sir I completely get it. There isn't anything cheap about buying land improving it maintaining ect. If they are going into small traps for feed then one would assume you could keep some of them from going over there by feeding more. I do find it hard to believe they can trap every single one out of a LF place.

The more you comment, the more you are showing your complete ignorance on this particular subject..

[bloodtrailer28]

The more you comment, the more you are showing your complete ignorance on this particular subject..

Lol of course. I look off my back porch and see a herd of exotics every day but hey what would I know about em?! Keep on asking for more government oversight on everything you don't agree with.

[Bucknaked]

Lol of course. I look off my back porch and see a herd of exotics every day but hey what would I know about em?! Keep on asking for more government oversight on everything you don't agree with.

lol ! I don’t know if what PondPopper is trying to push is an Oxymoron Or Hypocritical! I’m not throwing punches at you PP but you are one of the loudest ones who screams against government over reach and I Applaud you for that ! But your pulling a 180 on wanting it now that you aren’t getting to see many axis. Them ole axis will be back, your fresh green alfalfa is just as good as anyone else’s . In 4 years you could be seeing Nothing but Axis- cycles and they breed quickly

Op- sorry for the Derail!

[bloodtrailer28]

lol ! I don’t know if what PondPopper is trying to push is an Oxymoron Or Hypocritical! I’m not throwing punches at you PP but you are one of the loudest ones who screams against government over reach and I Applaud you for that ! But your pulling a 180 on wanting it now that you aren’t getting to see many axis. Them ole axis will be back, your fresh green alfalfa is just as good as anyone else’s . In 4 years you could be seeing Nothing but Axis- cycles and they breed quickly

Op- sorry for the Derail!

Nailed it

[Stolle]

I haven't seen a decrease in numbers, but I do see a decrease in activity depending on the conditions. If it is really green we will see them but they will not pay any attention to the feeders. If conditions are really dry then we are seeing them at the feeders regularly. Unfortunately its been really green out there lately.

[TexasTrophyBowhunter]

I haven't seen a decrease in numbers, but I do see a decrease in activity depending on the conditions. If it is really green we will see them but they will not pay any attention to the feeders. If conditions are really dry then we are seeing them at the feeders regularly. Unfortunately its been really green out there lately.

Hey I’m ready for the axis killing threads!

[bloodtrailer28]

I haven't seen a decrease in numbers, but I do see a decrease in activity depending on the conditions. If it is really green we will see them but they will not pay any attention to the feeders. If conditions are really dry then we are seeing them at the feeders regularly. Unfortunately its been really green out there lately.

Yes sir. Same thing for the WT. Went from seeing 15 or so almost every evening to not seeing but one or 2 in weeks at the lease. I will say I love not having to spend a fortune on feed with all the native browse this year.

[donpablo]

Ringnecks weren’t native either?

Good point, but I'd argue that they shouldn't regulate ringnecks rather than that this supports regulating other non-native species. I like the idea of all non-native species being fair game year-round. Because let's be honest, the public places you can hunt ring-necks can set seasons/limits regardless and private places that have them can (for a really small fee) get a permit allowing them to hunt them year-round.

Good for those who want to hunt them, but maybe not great for the whitetail and other native browsers that have to compete with a sudden influx of them.

^This! And TPWD is well aware of the detrimental impact of axis on the WT population. Only way I could ever see them regulating this is if too many axis were escaping to LF ranches and/or they were being moved from CWD areas to non-CWD areas. In TPWD's opinion (because they look at sound science with the main focus on native deer), transplanting axis from LF ranches to HF ranches is a win/win.

[EastTexasMan]

I mean they've been around the hill country for decades now, you'd think they'd no longer be "exotic". Why not regulate hunting them and grow the herd to have even more wildlife to hunt in the future, instead of trapping every exotic until they dont exist in the free range anymore.....Just a thought.

[brokeno]

Trappers and guides. The regular hunter doesn’t have a chance.

[Bucknaked]

I mean they've been around the hill country for decades now, you'd think they'd no longer be "exotic". Why not regulate hunting them and grow the herd to have even more wildlife to hunt in the future, instead of trapping every exotic until they dont exist in the free range anymore.....Just a thought.

Really?

[donpablo]

I mean they've been around the hill country for decades now, you'd think they'd no longer be "exotic". Why not regulate hunting them and grow the herd to have even more wildlife to hunt in the future, instead of trapping every exotic until they dont exist in the free range anymore.....Just a thought.

The day will never come when there are no free-ranging axis unless that happens to be the same day there are no LF ranchers left in TX. Elk and buffalo have been in TX before the Spanish came and they're still considered exotic. Of course all free ranging bison are HF escapees (or their progeny) but there are herds of elk in WTX that have always been LF. I will say though that this is one area where science/history have taken a backseat to politics. That being said, left unchecked axis are detrimental to WT and other native cervids. In other words, the more axis Texans kill/capture, the better. Now if we could only get TPWD to require the killing/trapping of aoudad out west (at least on University lands), that would be ideal.

[PondPopper]

The day will never come when there are no free-ranging axis unless that happens to be the same day there are no LF ranchers left in TX. Elk and buffalo have been in TX before the Spanish came and they're still considered exotic. Of course all free ranging bison are HF escapees (or their progeny) but there are herds of elk in WTX that have always been LF. I will say though that this is one area where science/history have taken a backseat to politics. That being said, left unchecked axis are detrimental to WT and other native cervids. In other words, the more axis Texans kill/capture, the better. Now if we could only get TPWD to require the killing/trapping of aoudad out west (at least on University lands), that would be ideal.

With the amount of revenue axis bring, and as many hunters there are in Texas, do you really believe that they have ever been, or will ever be, "left unchecked"? Will never happen.
ALSO, If they are that "detrimental" then why are they being trapped so heavily and relocated to high fence ranches were they can't escape? I personally do not believe that they are detrimental at all. I believe they have deemed as such ONLY to allow/justify all of the nonsense taking place in this state with all of these traps. There is a reason so many LO's want them and if they were truly that detrimental that wouldn't be the case.
As far as Aoudad go, they were stocked by TPWD. I don't think they will ever call for their eradication for numerous reasons.

[trophy8]

Good point, but I'd argue that they shouldn't regulate ringnecks rather than that this supports regulating other non-native species. I like the idea of all non-native species being fair game year-round. Because let's be honest, the public places you can hunt ring-necks can set seasons/limits regardless and private places that have them can (for a really small fee) get a permit allowing them to hunt them year-round.



^This! And TPWD is well aware of the detrimental impact of axis on the WT population. Only way I could ever see them regulating this is if too many axis were escaping to LF ranches and/or they were being moved from CWD areas to non-CWD areas. In TPWD's opinion (because they look at sound science with the main focus on native deer), transplanting axis from LF ranches to HF ranches is a win/win.

They ARE moving free and clear from all areas. Including CWD zones. But those bad ole WT breeders are causing all the harm!


I don’t think axis are detrimental to white tail. I’ve been on ranches with extremely healthy populations of both. With no to minimal feed program in place.

Also. TPWD are a bunch of idiots.