Pressured Deer Are EASY To Pattern

[DimmitCo]

Something I’ve been thinking as of late:

There are 3 main hunting styles in Texas

1. “Bring deer to you”- basically sitting over some attractant/bait. If killing “a deer” is the goal hunting pressured deer, then this technique is proven. But has its cons; spooky, late/nocturnal, wind checkers, your pattern able approach and deer cutting your tracks

2. “Go to deer”- this is effective if you have done your homework and get a little lucky too. It also has major cons. It’s a one shot deal, no take backs. You go in to kill or nothing. Once your in there there’s no way out without bumping deer in there core safe zone. Once it’s compromised it’s done. On a small property you can ruin it for the season in one hunt... IF your onto mature deer. Some younger bucks and doe might tolerate it. I like this on big public land cause you got to break some eggs to make an omelette... I don’t want to run out of eggs

3. “Meet in the middle”- my favorite. Where did they come from and where are they going. Get on that path ( use TRAIL CAMERAS...on a TRAIL). Or burn a sit at a safe zone and observe movement. That’s where they want to be... without hunters influence. It’s how they survive! And you can hunt those areas safer and longer, with far more relaxed deer. Once I find a travel area I’ll use trees if I’m able, and drop them to force into a shorter “shooting lane”. If not they will pinch down somewhere

I’m curious to hear more about patterning pressured deer in the south Texas brush country with long senderos, and how tactics might differ, if at all, from the East Texas tactics discussed here.

[GarGuy]

My nephew, Lil David has grown up hunting with me and has been seen in the GS pretty often. He is 16 now and has become a real deer hunter. He helps me all year in return he gets to shoot a big deer of his liking.

Last year we had lots of deer coming early in the year including a nice 9pt . The deer was one we can't quite place. Not a large bodied deer but his hips turned in and looked old. His face looked like a baby. I was back and forth on the deers age but suspected he was an over the hill deer . the buck was coming regular when bow season hit and David decided he wanted to cross bow hunt.

Three days into season the wind got perfect so we sneaked into a tent blind 28yd from the corn pen at 2pm. By 3 we were covered up. Does and young bucks constantly grabbing a bite if corn. I had cut the wire down in one spot. Every deer cam there to jump in and stood broad side before hopping the wire. It started getting late and the nine hadn't shown.

Suddenly everything spooked and blew out. We got ready but it was a group of hogs instead of the buck. They circled the pen wishing for corn about ten minutes. Finally David decided to shoot one. SMACK! He drilled a big boar and they took off. We started gathering our stuff to get out when I caught a motion. Yep...the 9 had just hopped in the pen 60 seconds after we shot a hog. Problem was we had not recocked the cross bow yet and Da vid was really struggling with figuring it out in the dark tent blind. I got the crossbow and finally got it reloaded. As I handed it back I forgot about the shooting stick and whacked it hard and loud. The nine jumped out of the pen on the back side and looked around. No shot. Light was fading fast when he finally hopped back in the pen. David got on him but wasn't sure of he shot. I was proud of him when he said he wasn't going to shoot. A few minutes later another deer showed up. I could tell through the binos that it was a bigger deer that was also on the shoot list. We sat a full hour after dark until the corn crunch stopped.

He next evening was perfect and I picked him up from school at noon. We got in with deer in the pen and were covered up all afternoon. About 330 the deer all started looking north and I started glassing into the thicket. I found the nine standing stone still at 50yds. He watched the others a while and committed. When he got to the wire David was ready. The crossbow fired and he hit the deer right in the crease on our side. Maybe the deer rolled a little at the shot or maybe it was just a touch high but the spitfire caught the bottom of his spine and the deer dropped in his tracks with both lungs center punched.

We got it done and pics made before dark. I'm still not sure on age except he wasn't young. One jaw was worn to the gums. The other side looked 5.

[twosixteens]

Very nice deer

[JayB]

You trained a real smart hunter. He even made the tracking job easy on ya.

.....and God Bless America.

[GarGuy]

You trained a real smart hunter. He even made the tracking job easy on ya.

.....and God Bless America.

He's a good kid.

[GarGuy]

Pic of the setup when we got in that evening. Pine plantation on edge of dense thicket

[Johnny]

Great deer and beautiful spot right there.

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[Johnny]

Posting this for Garguy:

Y'all know I have hunted with me Father all my life. As a child he gave me outdoor opportunity of the highest quality. I mean he didn't have any money nor a high end lease. He just took me too the woods somewhere almost every day and shared an important heritage with me. Squirrels, ducks,doves, and sometimes even deer.

Now deer were not common in East Tx as I grew up. Any buck was a good one and celebrated yet I remember a dat when I was 7years old... Dad had put me on a stand sitting by a big post oak. He had slipped away but returned in a few minutes. He had located two bucks fighting in a blue haw flat. Instead of shooting he had returned to get me. We sneaked up on them still fighting. I missed at about 40yds.

We shared hundreds of hunts. All successful and sometimes we even killed something! As I became a man and he grew older, our hunting gradually changed. Now the quantity of deer is drastically improved. We have the ability to pass many nice bucks and let them mature. Along with the change in hunting came a gradual change of roles. Now its much more my turn to take the old man.

This brings us to last winter. I had a known 12 year old buck. He was a deer I called hi -5. For the last two years he had been a 5 pt. He just slipped through the cracks and never got shot. HUGE body deer. Last year he went back to a heavy 6pt frame about 19 wide. We were looking at pics of him and Dad said he would shoot that sucker. That's all I needed to hear.

The next evening the wind was right and I got dad situated in a tent blind with a hand corn pen at 60yds. We started seeing deer at 230. Several does in and out before a young 8pt took the pen. Perfect weather evening and Dad was having fun.

As dusk approached we had not seen Hi5 when a huge boar hog rolled in. He couldn't get in the corn pen but went around and around it making the deer jump out. Dad had decided to shoot him when I caught a glimpse of horns coming. It was him. Hi5 rolled in all swelled up. Horns down and challenging that big boar! I quickly told Dad it was him. It was getting late but still legal shooting hours and plenty light. Dad was having a little trouble getting on him though.

The back and forth with the hog continued with them going in circles. Hi5 constantly keeping his horns toward the hog. Finally they came around the front side of the pen and went behind a big tree. I told Dad to shoot him when he came out. The deer stopped broad side and the 280 roared. The deer just dashed into the cane break with no sign of being hit. I replayed it in my mind and just knew the shot had to be good. Dad said the criss hairs were right behind the shoulder.

I told him to sit tight and I walked out to get the truck. It was dark by the time I got back. A quick search for blood revealed nothing. No blood. No hair. I followed his tracks 20yds. Nothing. Now dads confidence was starting to waver. I searched for an hour the way he went. Nothing. I said a prayer and decided to try again."Lord give me a sign".

I went slowly down the splayed tracks until I got to the spot that I lost them. Suddenly the scent of tarsal glad was almost nose burning. A Sign??? The wind was from 90 degrees to the way the deer went. I reluctantly turned into the wind. 20 yds and another strong whiff. 50 more yds and A big broken down tree lay there. I worked around it and suddenly I was standing over a very dead Hi5!

Not one drop of blood as the bullet had stopped under the skin on his far side shoulder. Did I really smell him that far? I don't know. I just know I prayed for a sign and got one. Happy Fathers day Dad.





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[ethic1]

Pic of the setup when we got in that evening. Pine plantation on edge of dense thicket

Thanks for sharing! Love your stories and always wondered what your spots looked like. Just like I imagined.


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[GarGuy]

Pics for the above story

[JayB]

What a great story and a beautiful old deer.

.....and God Bless America.

[JamesM]

Thanks for sharing. I love the stories and have learned a lot.

[Etxbuckman]

What did thing weigh on the hoof? I'm guessing close to 250?

[MooseontheLoose]

Pics for the above story

Such a cool deer. Thanks for sharing the story and pics

[jjaimes]

Great Story! I'm in the process of setting up feeder pens at my place in E Texas. In order to hunt those pens, do you guys just throw handcorn in them? I was thinking handcorning or even a gravity feeder would be ideal. Deer at my place seem to not mind gravity feeders or handcorn. If it spins they will avoid at all cost until night fall