Archer, Baylor, Throckmorton and Young Counties

How have the first two weekends been for y'all? This is my first season on my lease in northern central Archer County. I just got back from the lease after leaving home on Tuesday night. I've hunted 11 mornings/evenings and sat out a little during the middle of the day, and its been pretty slow for me so far.

I've seen a few does on some of the evening hunts, but they didn't come in until a few minutes before legal shooting light. These were all at one stand with the other stand being completely unproductive. I hadn't seen a deer in the morning until today. At the previously unproductive stand, I saw a lone doe and about 15 minutes later a decent buck came in and spent 20 minutes under the feeder. He was probably 4.5 years old. I've been seeing more deer than all but one of the other 8 guys on my lease, but one guy did shot a nice, fully mature 10 point on Saturday morning. He was one of two bucks he saw chasing the same doe. We haven't seen any other activity that points to the peak rut or chasing phase.

I'm just curious how its been so far for you guys at your place. Thanks for sharing.

I own a small hunk of land in 2 miles out of Archer City. I was there opening weekend and saw 13 deer total in 3 hunts and 3 raccoons. Im pretty sure they were starting to pre-rut pretty hard. 4 point chased a doe around in front of me for about 5 min until he finally ran her out.

Mixed bag in Baylor county. Does, fawns, pigs, coyote and a tons of Yellowjackets.

Several guys saw some nice bucks. No chasing yet.

I hunted NE Throckmorton County the past five years. That's pretty typical. Sat MANY weekends and never saw a single animal yet there were lots of shootable deer showing up at night on the cameras. Very Frustrating.

I'm west of Throckmorton and been seeing a lot of deer on the wheat field. I had these two buck come in Sat afternoon, the young 10 would chase does around and the bigger 8 would run him off, then he'd come right back. The buck are trying but the does are having none of it yet. I think the next couple of weeks will be good!

Little bit of doe chasing on our place just outside A.C but not much. I watched a few nice bucks this weekend that were more interested in corn than females.

Seeing less because of the weeds but we have killed a few nice, big healthy deer though already.

We are slow (as usual this time of year) but we have had some really good bucks make mistakes. Three of our hunters have already tagged out (bucks) and two of those bucks are the best we've ever taken. It's strange because in all three cases the bucks were the only deer to come in during the day's hunt. Still not seeing much rut sign. You're right, the weeds are tall, tall. Archer County near Dundee

Archer County is a strange animal depending on which part your hunting. The deer density isn't high in most places and the drought really took its toll. However if you put your time in there are opportunities to kill some really good bucks. Our place has always been strange but this year our most productive stand over the last 5 years has only seen 1 deer. At my stand I saw a really nice 9pt cruising Saturday morning but he had no interest in corn which is typical. Most of our feeders have corn on the ground year around and our wheat fields don't get used either.

I saw a two other yearling bucks, spike & 3pt and they were cruising as well. Just not in as big of a hurry as the mature 9. I also had a doe with a nubbin buck come feed for a little while and nothing came in behind her. I will say in years past the second weekend of season has usually been the most productive based on the rutting/prerut.

Only advice I have is put your time in and the opportunity will be there.

Thanks guys. It sounds like most of y'all are seeing the same things I have as far as the timing of the rut goes. The bucks are ready, and a random doe may be coming into estrous but the peak/serious-chasing phase of the rut still hasn't kicked off. I expect to be pretty good for the next 2 weeks, hopefully next weekend I can get a crack at a mature deer because I won't be able to hunt again until the first weekend in December.

Leonardo, I agree about Archer County. I'm not seeing a lot of deer, but there are some big, mature bucks out there. You just got to spend the time in the stand to get a chance at one. I grew up hunting the hill country for 15 years and am new to north Texas deer hunting, I'm not going to see anywhere close to the numbers of deer I saw down in the hill country but I feel I've got a much better chance at a nice, mature buck. I'd go years without seeing a buck over 3.5 years old in Blanco County. In 15 years I killed two deer in the 120" range and those were by far the two biggest deer I ever saw on that ranch. Archer County is a lot different than that, but I am optimistic this lease will be a good one for me.

I have one place in Jack around Bryson and one in Young north of Loving...very slow for me so far this year. I guess they can't all be like last year when I dropped a big 10 opening morning in Jack and passed on another 10 Opening evening in Young. A lot of cover this year, water everywhere, and acorns on top of acorns..not to mention I have more pressure around me at my spot in Young than I've had in 9 years (some buttnugget put a feeder a few feet off my damn fenceline)...I'll hunt hard this weekend and into early next week. Hopefully the rut will have kicked in. I've seen some young bucks and some does. The big ones at least are still on the cameras but have gone from showing up in the daytime hours to being nocturnal (thank you neighbor).

Earl

I expect now thru the end of Thanksgiving weekend to be good rut activity with the full moon coming and some decent cold fronts pushing temps into the low to mid 30's for lows and highs in the low 50's. I'm going to try to spend as much time as possible in the field, go back to camp late morning/noonish and eat a big meal than get back out there. It only takes one big, mature buck to cruise thru to make the otherwise uneventful midday hunts worth it. Unfortunately, travel for family obligations will keep me from hunting any over the thanksgiving break.

I'm headed out Friday late. Will hunt Saturday - Wednesday AM, then back in the stand Friday morning after Thanksgiving for the weekend. Hope the rut kicks off real good and the biguns are on their feet! Time is draggin!!! Archer Co. Near Dundee

I'm headed out Friday late. Will hunt Saturday - Wednesday AM, then back in the stand Friday morning after Thanksgiving for the weekend. Hope the rut kicks off real good and the biguns are on their feet! Time is draggin!!! Archer Co. Near Dundee

Luckily my wife is from Throckmoton, and we have a house there so she loves going back. Means more hunting for me.