The Deer that I've been seeing this year have been in very good shape considering the drought. I think all the rain that we got during Feb and March got them off to a good start along with the milder summer temps compared to last year. Now the browse is starting to burn up so we need some good soaking rains to liven things up a bit. Most people run their feeders year around so the supplement they are getting helps out tons. There is a couple of neighborhood deer around my house that could be in trouble by a broad head this year. In the area Big Buck contest I bet you'll have to have a Buck that pushes 160 to win this season. I know of 1 that could be close that got by on a technicality due to Spike and Does season only. It was tempting to let the arrow go when he was standing less than 20 yds at the feeder, he was pushing 140 easy as a 10 pt 3 1/2 yrs old.

Where are you hunting? I got on a lease earlier this year in thrifty. Havent seen many deer, but we have hogs out the arse. What do you think about that area, since you live there I am sure you know more than me.??

I hunted in Grosvenor the last 3 years just a few miles from Thrifty. Lower numbers but pretty good quality deer.

me too. Got deer at the feeders when hogs aren't there. I'm a mile or so from Grosvenor. Haven't seen a lot of size yet but they were growing when we checked cameras last .

Brew 0216
I've hunted in that area all my life. The deer numbers are different every square mile around that area of Brown county. Thrifty has a more higher deer count than Grosvenor but less than on the lake side of Hwy 279. Once you get to the FM 1850 then back towards Colman county the deer numbers go down a little. The average mature buck 5.5 years old and older in your area will field dress at 120 to 160 lbs and score between 135 and 180. There has been a deer killed at thrifty in 2009 that scored 210 with right at 26 score-able points. That same year 3 miles to the north east I killed a 150 2/8th 10 point that was 8+ years old and that was the best age they could get due to being older than 7 years. Your Hog problem will deter your deer at a feeder and you will be lucky to see deer at those feeders during daylight hours. The main problem with that area of Brown county is the small acres of leases due to the amount of people living in the area and the people presence along with the hunting pressure pushes the mature deer to becoming nocturnal. To consistently kill a good mature buck in that area take a special way of hunting. To get the odds in your favor use a scouting camera, limit the days and time you spend disturbing the property, hunt weird hours during the rut(peaks from Nov 9th thru the 20th) and last thing KILL EVERY HOG YOU CAN GET A SHOT AT NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT YOU ARE THERE. I killed a record book hog in the Tusk category then started getting covered up with them. There is no way you can kill enough hogs on your lease or anyone out in the our area. My best year in seeing deer during shooting light was before the hogs took over but I didn't know what kind of buck population I had until I put up game cameras then OH BOY what an eye opener. I had 9 different bucks coming to the feeders at night along with the monster that I finally got to kill 3 years later. They are out there but you are in a area that is just plain hard to hunt but could get a buck of a lifetime so good luck. Here is some of the proof.

The Thrifty Buck


My Hog



My ghost buck before. His right side shed scored nearly 75 inches

My ghost buck after 3 more years and he lost nearly 20 inches from his prime


Some Prospects

A friend of mine was the game wardedn in Brown County 20 years ago... he said... North end of Brown County had bigger antlers bigger bodies... South part of county had more derr, higher quantity...

Joe I just got on a 450 acre lease just off 183 about two miles south of Rising Star and the northern countyline. What can you tell me about the area. I joined the lease due to having the opportunity to hunt deer and turkey. Have a new feeder and game cam up since last month will be checking cam on dove opener. Thanks for info on that area.

Ditto what TakeMeLord says. I have talked to land owners in northern Brown county and they say the same thing. Numbers in the south and size in the North. Grosvenor being in the middle seems like you would have some pretty decent chances at some big ones.

kamolaw
Your in the land of giants, those deer are protein fed by way of peanut farmers. The deer body weight wise can field dress out at 200 lbs on a mature animal before the end of the rut and they get wore down chasing. You have a good chance on taking a true monster in all aspects, body and horns to boot. The numbers are kinda sketchy with a hit or miss. If your next to the irrigated farms then the numbers go up but the farther you get from the good fields the lower the numbers.

This buck was killed at May a couple years back

I am 2 miles south west of Lake brownwood, texas.

Thanks for the info JoeDogg it is encouraging! Can't wait until dove opener to check my camera. Am really looking forward to deer season have opening weekend off and opening week. I had the numbers in Fredericksburg for the past three seasons and it was fun to get to see so much deer activity but am looking forward to bigger bucks this year.