I've been on a lease on FM 573, southwest of town, for 7 years. The overall quality and quantity of bucks and does has remained above average. However, the pattern has changed due to some massive high fencing that has been going on by the GFG Land Development Company out of Odessa! Most of their acquisitions have been on the east side of 573, except for one ranch that just happens to border our south fence line.
This year we took a heavy horn 10pt, 9pt. with good mass, a 9pt point with moderate mass, and a 8pt with moderate mass. We had hogs up until this year; we feel like they have been trapped out as we have not seen a hog since bow season started. There is a good flyway for ducks and a decent dove population. We also have a good flock of turkeys.
Our lease has been up for sale since 2006. We thought this year it would have been bought by GFG since they bought the place south of us, but the and owner wanted to keep the mineral rights, so GFG backed off.
GFG is part of a conglomerate of companies owned by Frosty Gilliam, an oil billionaire from Odessa and he's a big time Aggie!
Also to our wet, the giant wind mills went in this past spring, going southwest to just about Zephyr. On a quiet day, we can hear them turning, so I can imagine what the deer are hearing! We still have a good deal of deer activity, but I feel this next year will determine if the quality will be as good, prior to the high fencing and the windmills!
This is my 8pt I took the weekend before Christmas -
This 9pt was taken this weekend -