“But, but they are not a native species.”

[Gumbo Man]

You boys gonna get the drizzles if y’all don’t calm down a little.

[Quackerbox]

Good grief

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[JayBay3405]

I have a lease in the hill country that has a Nueces river frontage. A huge whitetail on our place is a 7 year old 125 inch 8 point buck. I have been leasing my place for 7 years, and own 11 acres across the street from my lease. When our feeders go off in dry years with no acorn crop, we have at least 15 axis under every feeder within 5 minutes of it going off. The whitetail do not have a chance at our feeders, they get the few kernels the axis miss on occasion. My axis will eat with pigs and try to gore them with their horns if they get close. My neighbor next door has trapped close to 200 axis in the last three years and sold them, I have not seen a decline at all in the population. I say all that to say this, it's hard for me to get my hunters to even kill WT they have an unlimited supply of axis meat and do not want to eat the WT anymore. I would love to kill a rack Whitetail on my place but it's just not going to happen. The amount of axis we have definetly affects our WT heard. I will say all of that to say this if I had to pick having one or the other I would take the axis, and I don't think you can eradicate them in my neck of the woods.

[Grand Passage]

I’ll gladly feed unwanted axis until they feed me.


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[Philip-TX]

I’ve heard some folks say this in regards to Exotics in Texas. Primarily referring to Axis deer. I mentioned it on another thread when someone compared them to hogs taking over Texas. Imo that was a ridiculous comparison. Hogs are invasive and destructive. I agree they are a problem for land owners. Axis are just delicious.

What say you? Do you want escaped exotics exterminated in Texas because they are not native?

I personally have no issues at all with most exotics that are typically kept in high fences accidentally escaping and giving us hunters something new to hunt and enjoy. Axis, Fallow, Blackbuck, Sika, etc. are all welcome to come over to my hunting areas and stay.

Seems to me the Axis are the ones that have escaped fences and been the most successful free range exotic so far.

I would rather eat Axis over whitetails anyway. I have seen Axis bully whitetails off feeders, but at least where I hunt they manage to coexist.

I assumed most folks thought like me. I’m curious if exotics in Texas is really an issue for some of y’all.

Ask the BIG HORN Guy$ about Aoudad, too.

[bloodtrailer28]

Except in areas where invasive species have pushed them out, like the example given in the post you quoted.


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Example stated there's not many of either out there anymore.... so it's because of exotics taking over there's not many of either wt or axis. You'd think if it was axis taking over there would be a ton of them?

Is there a county in the state of Texas that doesn't have wt?

[camoclad]

I just keep waiting on the collard doves to push out the natives. But then the white wings seems to be spreading (invasive)? So ... yea... unlimited bags year round seems cool

[bloodtrailer28]

Everything???? Do expound, elaborate... Can't wait to hear this..
And yes I do value my own opinion..

Just a couple from recently. Livescope should be illegal and banned from tournaments then trapping exotics should be illegal as well. Shouldn't be able to trap exotics off your private property.


Just a few off the top of my head.

[AntlerCollector]

Ask the BIG HORN Guy$ about Aoudad, too.

Yep. Aoudad should be killed. IMO.

[PondPopper]

Good grief

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Exactly.. It's easy to understand how the American Bison where shot and killed to near extinction..... After reading this thread there should be no question as to why we have the game laws that we now have.. Game Laws I am thankful for..
Some humans, when left unchecked, can sure do serious damage JUST BECAUSE ITS LEGAL AND THEY CAN..

[Evolver]

I wouldn’t let the pope sit by himself in my deer blinds. Not worth it.

Now that's funny! Completely understand what you guys are saying about not opening your land to gen pop, the guest mistake thread, and everything of that nature. I'm a small time landowner and have all the same reservations. But that is not really my point. Being such a landowner I don't whine to potential hunters about hog and predator control or turkey numbers at my feeders if I'm not willing to let that audience hunt. Seems nobody really hates the nuisances "that" much.

I've known some big time landowners who'd complain about such nuisance species but still declined for me or others like me to hunt for free (or at all) even though they've known me my entire life, competed in shooting competitions with me, trusted me to work alone on their properties, operate high dollar equipment, train and handle high dollar livestock, and supervise their children from babies to teens. Some just flat deny, some want crazy money, but many are just blowing smoke. In these particular cases it is not about money/trust/liability, just an ironic contradiction of words vs actions. Human nature I suppose.

[Radar]

Exactly.. It's easy to understand how the American Bison where shot and killed to near extinction..... After reading this thread there should be no question as to why we have the game laws that we now have.. Game Laws I am thankful for..
Some humans, when left unchecked, can sure do serious damage JUST BECAUSE ITS LEGAL AND THEY CAN..

This is an incorrect statement.

The American Bison was wiped out because the US Army wanted to eliminate the Native American food source and force them to move to reservations. The Army could not get it done alone and let the Buffalo Hunters finish them off without any treaties from the government. Railroads were also being built at the time and the railroad companies did not want bison destroying their trains, so commercial hunters were brought in.

[Southernhunters]

I’ve heard some folks say this in regards to Exotics in Texas. Primarily referring to Axis deer. I mentioned it on another thread when someone compared them to hogs taking over Texas. Imo that was a ridiculous comparison. Hogs are invasive and destructive. I agree they are a problem for land owners. Axis are just delicious.

What say you? Do you want escaped exotics exterminated in Texas because they are not native?

I personally have no issues at all with most exotics that are typically kept in high fences accidentally escaping and giving us hunters something new to hunt and enjoy. Axis, Fallow, Blackbuck, Sika, etc. are all welcome to come over to my hunting areas and stay.

Seems to me the Axis are the ones that have escaped fences and been the most successful free range exotic so far.

I would rather eat Axis over whitetails anyway. I have seen Axis bully whitetails off feeders, but at least where I hunt they manage to coexist.

I assumed most folks thought like me. I’m curious if exotics in Texas is really an issue for some of y’all.

Axis is one of the main reasons we have our Hill Country lease!


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[PondPopper]

This is an incorrect statement.

The American Bison was wiped out because the US Army wanted to eliminate the Native American food source and force them to move to reservations. The Army could not get it done alone and let the Buffalo Hunters finish them off without any treaties from the government. Railroads were also being built at the time and the railroad companies did not want bison destroying their trains, so commercial hunters were brought in.

I realize all of that but You missed the point completely..

My point: Humans, when left unchecked, have no problems wiping a species off of the planet.. History proves this.. This is exactly why we need laws. They keep people in check. Some need it.

[Radar]

I realize all of that but You missed the point completely..

My point: Humans, when left unchecked, have no problems wiping a species off of the planet.. History proves this..

I am sorry but your comparison of the American Bison against a non native species does not align up.

Axis was introduced into this country by man , bison was introduced into this country by God.