East Texas hunting 2022-‘23 season

[Anvilheadtexas]

I know, it seems like the opposite would be true.

I read a few articles recently that discussed the relationship between deer numbers and available food. Basically, range conditions get better when deer numbers go down. Then when the deer that are born in that area grow up with plenty of food, they grow bigger and more healthy.

If an area gets over grazed for too long it takes longer for range conditions to recover. So yes, especially in a drought year, hammer the does.

Yes, but in general is there any part of east Texas (specifically deep east texas) that is over grazed by deer? There are some areas of poor habitat…think dog-hair thick plantation, but in general?

[Preacher Man]

I don’t know about all of deep ETX. Just my little slice of it. I’ve been hunting the same piece of ground for 43 years now. I’ve watched our numbers ebb and flow all that time. After I read those articles it finally hit me that we needed to more closely manager our numbers based on availability of food in order to avoid our numbers crashing and staying very low for a while.

The last 3-4 years in a row we’ve had excellent range conditions and numbers have increased. Now that we have below average conditions, we’re going to be hammering doe.

For my place it’s all about trying to keep the numbers consistent and avoid the big ups and downs.

[Greenheadless]

Keeping numbers slightly below carrying capacity if what we focus on. Unfortunately, we have exceeded this.

If you don’t know what your carrying capacity is, you might want to start working with your local biologist to start understanding this. As previously mentioned, each property is different. Large stand of homogenous pines would be different than a mast bearing property or clear cut/lots of edge habitat.

[Etxbuckman]

I guess maybe it’s a silly notion but I just kinda thought maybe having too many deer, or too many of a certain age class maybe, might cause the deer to spread out in search of more room.

[Landrover]

Great thread just catching back up however!!!

[Low Fence]

I’m no where near capacity. Not even close and have cover and food. The doe my son shot yesterday had no fawn and weighed 112 pounds! Kidneys and backstraps were covered in fat

They just ain’t raising fawns for whatever reason is what I’ve seen for years

[Capt.Bryan]

I would be curious to see how many fawns get eaten by the hogs. Earlier in year I had at least 10 does that should have had fawns and only saw 3 fawns and now only 2. Few coyotes in area and hogs are horrible. Still see same amount of does and buck numbers have fallen the last few years which would coincide with reduced fawn survival as well.

[Anvilheadtexas]

The end of the season wrap up will be interesting. Seems as if some guys are experiencing my challenge (lower deer numbers). Meanwhile, my evening sit yesterday was cut short due to a painful yellow jacket sting to my trigger finger (ouch)! How does such a little insect create such agony?? Todays rain will make tonight and tomorrow fire cracker hot… and I will be working. These next few days will be good

[bloodstick]

The end of the season wrap up will be interesting. Seems as if some guys are experiencing my challenge (lower deer numbers). Meanwhile, my evening sit yesterday was cut short due to a painful yellow jacket sting to my trigger finger (ouch)! How does such a little insect create such agony?? Todays rain will make tonight and tomorrow fire cracker hot… and I will be working. These next few days will be good

I thought the rain and cooler temps over the weekend would help but we got skunked.
If my son didn’t have a baseball game tonight, i’d be in a tree


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[tbgascorer]

The end of the season wrap up will be interesting. Seems as if some guys are experiencing my challenge (lower deer numbers). Meanwhile, my evening sit yesterday was cut short due to a painful yellow jacket sting to my trigger finger (ouch)! How does such a little insect create such agony?? Todays rain will make tonight and tomorrow fire cracker hot… and I will be working. These next few days will be good

Haha you get stung more than anyone I know!!!

[JhuntsAlot]

The end of the season wrap up will be interesting. Seems as if some guys are experiencing my challenge (lower deer numbers). Meanwhile, my evening sit yesterday was cut short due to a painful yellow jacket sting to my trigger finger (ouch)! How does such a little insect create such agony?? Todays rain will make tonight and tomorrow fire cracker hot… and I will be working. These next few days will be good

Hoping the next front on Fri/Sat gets them moving also.

Going to be taking a long 4 day weekend to sit in the woods at a new place for this year in Madison county.

Havent seen any good bucks on camera, but been a lot of doe's that need to be thinned.

Oh.....and supposed to be a blood moon on the 8th. Not sure if thats good or bad this year. Haha



J

[Anvilheadtexas]

Haha you get stung more than anyone I know!!!

Right! I have taken sone hits up there! Usually it’s the red wasps! Yesterday the yellow jackets.

[Anvilheadtexas]

I thought the rain and cooler temps over the weekend would help but we got skunked.
If my son didn’t have a baseball game tonight, i’d be in a tree


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I sat Sunday evening and Monday am and it was quiet as well.

[EastTexasTiger]

I have standing corn under a couple of my feeders for the first time in years. i only run them twice a day for 2 seconds. Must have been a monster acorn crop.

[Quackerbox]

Does and yearlings are on the feeders. I only have one cell cam and 3 or 4 deer are there at every spin.

Like someone else said, i know this dirt. Its the only property I've hunted my entire life.

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