Gillespie County - Fredricksburg

I drive through here regularly and can't think of the last time I saw deer.

Anyone hunt/hunted in Gillespie around Fredricksburg anytime recently have any input on deer presence, quality/numbers?

I drove around Gillespie County on Saturday afternoon and saw a lot of deer. From Doss to Harper back over to Comfort then back across to Sisterdale into Kendall and back to Fredericksburg. Saw herds of does in some locations along with a few herds of young bucks. This was from 1:30 till 5:30 that afternoon. Not many deer in barditches feeding nor did I see many dead deer carcasses on the sides of the roads. That leads me to believe they are getting enough to eat in the pastures. Did see a few axis and blackbuck also.

i live in Fredericksburg and also put together a brag board in my parish as a competition for all my parishioners and had over 40 deer submitted, including a 14 point low fence deer that scored 181 from near Stonewall. I think that the numbers are good to high as far as hill country goes and agree with the above poster that there has been a good amount of rain and that has allowed the deer to stay more in the pastures and off the roads to eat and drink.

Good to hear. I probably need to slow down when I'm passing through. Thanks for the input.

I don't think there are too many places in Texas where I've seen more deer then around Fburg.

Here is a link to the 182 buck killed.
http://www.texasbiggameawards.org/images/large/IMG_2665_20478.jpg

wow

Here is another 180 gross typical that netted book killed up towards Llano in Gillespie County in 2011-12
http://www.texasbiggameawards.org/images/large/SeanHeep11_15532.jpg

I hunt outside of Fredericksburg in numerous places and there are tons of deer.

One of the places on the way to Enchanted Rock, I'd guess the density around 1 deer per 2 acres. It's insane.

My place is between Luckenbach and Grapetown, in the southern part of the county. 'Can't kill enough deer to make a dent in them. Lots of axis too. (Low fence.)

Took a drive from Castell to Mason down to Doss and back through Loyal valley. (corners of Llano, Mason, and Gillespie counties). Saw heaps of deer along the way. Have friends with a couple thousand acres towards Doss. Their pre-season densities run around 1 deer per 4 acres. No shortage.

Probably the same as around here. A whole lot of deer but very few that if you are into scoring score big. If they do then be suspicious. I have lived around here for over 50 years and when my parents bought the ranch in 1963 the deer populations have gotten bigger but not a whole lot. The size of the LF Bucks about the same.

My Father in laws old deer lease was on grape creek near Luckenbach. He had it from the time he was 17 yo 'till he was about 50 yo. He even knew Hondo Crouch and drank many a beer with him. But, I digress

Only hunted it 30 years but have seen and measured a good number of 150+ deer. Hill country and try county area of mason, llano and gilliespie has really jumped in the last 15 years

I see lots of deer driving through those areas. My heart aches for that country right now.

I have a client that wants to lease a 50 acre pasture with 3 tanks and a barndominium south of Fredericksburg on the Pedernales. He told me to make him an offer. I wouldn't know where to start...

$1 and let him counter

. That's what I was thinking stxranchman.

Year round access? Turkey? Fishing? Dove hunting? Possible Axis? Use of the housing? All that adds up to a lot if any or all of them apply. All will drive the value up a lot. Just WT alone in that area and close to town should drive the price up a bit.

I agree. I couldn't have said it better, ranchman.

All of that applies. It butts up to a 45 acre peach orchard too.

All you can eat peaches included?

My son was on a Texas Youth Hunting hunt in Cave Creek last weekend. We hunted low fence ranches. Just guessing I'd say we saw 100-150 deer. It was unreal. He got a WT doe and an Axis doe. There was 55 kids hunting 14 ranches. They got over 40 deer. It was the worlds largest youth hunting event.

I have only hunted this area for 51 years and I have never seen a LF WT Buck that big dead or alive.

One of the biggest bucks I've ever seen live on the hoof was just north of Fredericksburg, near Willow City. Would've easily been in the 160 - 180 range.....

I saw a lf buck outside of kendalia that would have gone 160's

Saw two around sandy in blanco county that would bump 160" as well

BS

I've hunted on the Willow City Loop for the last 25 years. Gillespie county has an unreal amount of WT and most seem to be in pretty good condition. 15 years ago I would've said your not gonna kill anything over 120 or so. Now we typically kill 3-4 130's a year with the chance of getting a true Hill Country Trophy over 140. Lease record scores 148 and #2 comes in at 144. This is on 700 acres

How many pics you want? There was a 150 killed a few years ago in town. Best friend dad killed a 155 on his place on Harper hwy by the vineyard... I can keep going and have pics of most of them. Measured 150" deer from Mason, Brady and llano also.

Don't know what to tell you, get out more maybe.

BS

Grew up hunting outside of Harper in the 70's and 80's. Hopefully that area is better managed now. 30 does could come to your area and not one get shot, a basket 4 could walk in and wouldn't make it 5 yards.

So which one of us in this thread is a lair: Myself, stxrancher or the preacher?

Let's do one better, bet me a thousand dollars it's BS.

I suppose Bandera has all of the big deer

I guess you did not read earlier where I stated I had never seen a deer that large any where around this area.

Clown man you are the one that started saying there are a good number of 150" bucks around. I can show you a bunch of ones larger than that within 10 miles of here They are not running around on LF places or eating in the bar ditch on the side of the road. They are behind a HF eating all the protein they want or they are running around with a tag in their ear behind a HF. So I still say BS to there being a good number of them running around LF.

Hunted LF in Doss, This weekend. Took 7 kids from the Foster Home to hunt. Every kid had an opportunity. We saw several deer, inculding some good bucks. They took a 178 and a 160 off that ranch this year.

The buck I mentioned was on Willow City Loop. We used to pile in the back of a truck and cruise the loop on the Friday before opening day to see how the deer were moving. Most years back then the rut was in pretty much in full swing on opening day in that area. We'd usually see a lot of deer, but that buck still stands out. We stopped and cut the engine off to watch him and a doe at about 75-80 yards. We could hear people talking beyond where the deer were, and we assumed that the deer were right behind someones camp! In the 80's we didn't have cell phone or small "pocket" cameras, but I still have a clear picture imprinted in my mind

Well, don't know what to tell you.. Guess your hunting the wrong ranch, or your surrounded by a bunch of gunners.

I don't hunt HF down there and I'm normally chasing 150 or better. My buddies that live there are the same way. Most are hunting 150" deer.

No they aren't behind every tree, but you get on a ranch that lets them get some age you can have them.

You're very short sighted or blind if you don't think they exist.

Like I said for a 1000 bucks i'll prove it.

Apparently I'm not the only one that says it in this thread

Easy pinky... Don is going to call you a lair

if he wants to see my board, he or any of yall are free to stop by the office for St. Marys in Fredericksburg and i willl show off the wall......for the first year doing this we had over 40 deer, high and low fence brought in that looked great....just call ahead and see if Fr. Scott is in the office or drop by Tues thru Fri and i will be there to show it off. I can only imagine what kind of deer i will have in the future with this board since it was only the first year.

High Fence Youth Winner: scored 168+-...not in office so will be exact tomorrow
Low Fence Youth Winner: 137
High Fence Mens: 229
Low Fence Mens: 181
High Fence Womens: 157
Low Fence Womens: 128

any of yall are free to stop by and ask to take a look at the board.

It don't take much to get your panties in a wad does it clown man?

I'm in 19 degree weather in a pit blind in Maryland goose hunting and you called me a lair. I'm not found of being called a lair.

That's OK BOBO.... I have been called worse things by better people... I know what I saw and don't have to convince anyone.. I was just glad to get the Kids on some deer. Their smiles were awe-inspiring..

That shows how smart you are. I rest my case. Bye clown man.

That hurts coming from a goat farmer.

I don't mean to stir the pot anymore on this particular worm wrestle, but I'll say this:

A fair percentage of the truly big deer killed in this area that are killed LF don't get posted or passed around much and the reason is simple: Unless you are the land owner doing that is a good way to ensure that folks with deeper pockets move into your area and price you out of it.

There are no LF big deer in the Hill Co. They are all in S. TX and Grayson Co. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

If you are the landowner, it's a good way to ensure poachers in the future. Them square heads know when to keep their mouths shut, as opposed to all them wannabe cowboys in that tourist trap south of Kerrville.

You only wish you were farming Goats like this.

Unless you have a hard time reading I stated that we "Did Not Have" deer like that around here. Also unless I am mistaken you don't get much more Kraut or Square head than Koenig.

Lol you are a hill country German for sure.

One of my buddy's families owns land all over Gillespie County - old school German family. Sold WalMart the land in Fredericksburg off 290 and then sold Super Walmart the land when they upsized. Has a place on the Pedernales, near Enchanted Rock, near Grapetown, and in Doss. Another place in Willow City, and a couple hundred acres right outside downtown Fredericksburg where I dove hunt.

I've never heard any of the extended family mention deer that big in Gillespie, but obviously it could just be an issue of improperly managing neighbors, etc.

Have seen some great bucks, but they're usually in the 130 range.

Anyhow, good for yall that see them. Wish I did when I hunt their places.

What does one do with goats like these? Must be some kind of southern hill country thing. There's not much you can grow on the rock and dirt in that pic, so I'm guessing they must eat cedar?