New to East Texas Hunting

Just got on a lease in Rusk county, I have hunted most of my life in South Texas. Two different worlds lol, any pointers to help me be a little more successful would be great. The guys on the lease before me protein fed year round, so that always a plus. I will be setting my stuff up in the next couple weeks.

Pen your feeders, have good varmint cages, expect most of your deer activity to be at night. Food plots help a lot if you have the resources, fence the food plots also.

I also live in the Houston area, I hunt north of you in Cass county

Your gona hate Nov-Dec lol

Yup. You should also be aware that east Texas turns into a war zone on opening weekend

Thanks fellas..

I've gone and hunted in Pennsylvania on opening weekend for shot gun season, that was a war zone!! I imagine it will be the same where I'm at.

I made the mistake of leaving my feeder open to the hogs and it didn't take long until I wasn't seeing any deer at all. Just hogs. I shot plenty of hogs, but wanted more deer, any deer to show up. After putting a fence around my feeder, the hogs went away and the deer came back.

Run

We put pens around most of our feeders in south Texas..well I did, I was the oldest of all the boys so I got to work year round, dont mind though. I will be penning any feeders/food plots I put out.

90% of the harvest happens during the first two weeks of the season. If you can, take time off and hunt during the middle of the week during the later half of the season. Walk more and ride the ATV less because it doesn't take the deer long to learn that everyone's after them.

Thanks Dan, will be walking a lot, only 88 acres, walked the property last week when I was looking at it.

The stuff that works in central and south TX by and large does not apply nearly as well to east TX. Deer have plenty to eat most years in east TX. Mature bucks won't waltz into a feeder pen like they do elsewhere. Deer in general don't readily jump into feeder pens like they do elsewhere. Some will, but many won't. Some bucks (even mature bucks) will check feeders during the rut for does or even follow a hot doe to a feeder - but those are the exceptions. I can't get my deer on protein. I know many might disagree and even post up pics of big bucks eating from under a feeder, but it just doesn't happen on my place. And IMO for every nice buck that might eat under a feeder there are three avoiding the area entirely because it tells them hunters are there.

Food plots and corn on the ground are far and away the better approach in east TX.

I agree with Dan 100% on the 4 wheeler and midweek hunting. I see 3-4x more deer by walking everywhere and hunting midweek than on the weekends when my buddies are riding and hunting. Especially mature deer. Most of the mature bucks I have taken on my place are taken: 1)without a 4 wheeler ever cranking up, 2)during the week, and 3)nowhere near a feeder.

Learn your place. Learn your deer. Hunt travel areas, locate foodplots and hand corn accordingly.

Don't put out high dollar camera's till you know the people around you. Most of all, NO BIG DEER in East TX!!:)

Rusk is the best area for deer hunting in east Texas in my opinion. I always saw plenty of deer in that area compared to anywhere else in the pine trees. That's just from running around every day calling on compressor stations.

I wouldn't however drive all the way from Houston to hunt there if it were free.

Don't leave anything out there that you don't want stolen.

Get you a Thermacell or 2. You'll need 'em!

I have hunted East Texas for 7-8 years now, and I love it. All these guys are gonna tell you that it sucks, all your stuff will get stolen, no deer, small deer, etc. The fact is you actually have to hunt in East Texas. Your not going to have 40 deer walk out when your feeder goes off! But if you get in the stand and hunt enough like we do. You will get your 2-3 deer a year no problem.
As far as pointers... Put out a protein/corn mix at first, and then you can move to more protein after they get use to it. I wouldn't waste time on a feed pen. If the hogs come out (and they will), after you shoot at them once they usually won't come back.

East Texas is not easy hunting. You have to put in your chair time, but sit back and enjoy the woods... And your 2-3 hour drive!

I only have 47 acres but agree with some of the guys on here.The 4 wheeler stays put and the bucks will hardley ever come to a feeder unless its after a hot doe. I dont put up feeder pens cause i like to kill a pig or two every chance i get. Killed my best buck ever this year but see fewer deer every year. Have owned the land for 30yrs and kill a deer every year so dont let anybody tell u there aint any.

Will be walking for sure unless I'me filling feeders are picking up a dead animal..I will be putting plenty of time in the stand, I've been deprived of my right to hunt thanks to the military lol. I have a lot of time to make up!!

I tend to not put feeders where I expect to see deer.