Anyone ever hunted in Runnels County near San Angelo, Ballinger, Winters area? Any info about this area would be great!

Thank you
Steve

Your asking about a large area. What is closest town?

Ballinger is the closest town

Ive hunted out by Ivie to SE of ballinger and it was pretty good but was a large ranch. Some areas around there are broke up pretty small and hunting is tough. A lot would depend on size of ranch and type of neighbors. Varies a lot in that area.

I've killed some decent deer near Ballinger in the past. My cousin said the bird hunting was great down there this year. Did anyone else get into the quail this year in large numbers?

My place is about 20 miles or so south of Ballinger. I have been on properties all around Ballinger and San Angelo over the last 20+ years. Quail numbers have been good on our place, even through the drought but this year there were more birds than in the last 5-6 years. Dove hunting has always been good. Overall, deer numbers are typically pretty good in the area. As was said above, quality will depend on ranch size and neighbors but the area can produce some good quality deer. On average, a mature deer will be between 125-135 with some exceptions in both directions. There are ranches that produce 150"+ every year, but they are the exception in that area and are highly managed.

Good luck

Thanks everyone for the input I really appreciate it. The size of the place isn't very large only 300 acres w 3 hunters on it? Is that enough space for three hunters you think?

Any place in that area near the Colorado River should produce good #s.

1 per 100 in that area isn't out of the norm. Can get a little crowded and if you all killed your limit, might put a damper on the upcoming seasons depending on the selection of the harvest.

It would have to be managed for sure on a place that small

Highway 83 can be fun late at night, north of Ballinger to about Winters there have been many a deer killed on the highway. That is one stretch of highway that during deer season we take our time. Ballinger to San Angelo on highway 67 isn't as bad after dark, I can't say about east toward Brownwood, we rarely travel that road.

Deer can vary all through the area, some parts get hunted real heavy, others not so much. A lot of the locals hunt their own places, these places can be managed or literally shot out each year. Not much on high fences in the area, so most of the deer are literally free range, on one place today and chase to another pasture tomorrow. If you are on the Ballinger to Winters line, there are some pretty nice areas out there, both east and west of highway 83.

I hunt the NE corner of Coke County, next door to Runnels. Large quantities of deer, but no monsters...

I think the genetics for trophy racks are there, but so are the trigger happy neighbors

In the treeline background is Runnels county, we back right up to it in Talpa from Coleman county. Her buck is on the 400 acres of low fence property not our HF side. My wifes 14 she shot this past season. Saw lots of good deer 8-10pt but young. This was a 4.5 that if we didnt have such trigger happy neighbors I probably would have let walk. Every now and then we get lucky.