Deer genes in Dilley vs Nixon/Smiley

I'm in the process of finding a place to hunt and I've found a pretty cool place near Dilley and another near Nixon/Smiley. Curious anyone who hunts in these areas has any insight to the deer genes/populations.

The places I've found don't have game camera pictures and of course if I google it just monster bucks from high fenced ranches.

I do realize that the deer herds from one ranch to the next could vary depending on the hunters, but just trying to get a roundabout idea if my efforts in either of these areas would produce anything quality.

Thanks

Nixon/Smiley area can produce good bucks if they're allowed to age. I have a friend with a small ranch in that area and he produces good bucks. However, he is very, very selective. Down side is that there's tons and tons and tons of hogs. Other down side is Antler Restrictions and Does are MLD only. So you can only shoot Does in archery or if the place is under MLD management.

Dilley will be more like South Texas and has potential for big bucks on the right place. It could also be over hunted or be surrounded by "ranchettes" and the whole are around you is shot out. It all depends on the place. No such antler/Doe restrictions in Dilley.

There have been book deer killed on LF in the Dilley area. The downside is going to be location, there are some areas with lot of smaller tracts of land that get hunted very hard. Size of the place you are going to hunt and the location or what is around it is the key. The river area with farmland close is a great location with some big bucks taken annually. There are big deer taken that are not talked about or entered in any contests.
I have seen some big deer killed in the Nixon-Smiley areas also in the peanut farmland area and then on the larger well managed ranches. Some really big deer killed that are never reported or talked about.
If the location is a very small piece of land surrounded but other small tracts I would be very hesitant to lease in that situation. I would ask my self- "why is this place in this location not leased right now?"

Well I have hunted around smiley for the last 10 yrs until our family ranch was sold. Our place was low fence the greatest place in the world to hunt. The biggest buck taken was my 150 class 8. Now I hunt right down the road on the Dewitt Co line.
Where exactly is the property your looking to get on and hunt, we were off hwy 108. Still off 108 just down on the other side in Dewitt Co. Feel free to ask any questions.

Hey TxBuck, good to see you back in the area!

My comments are like those of the other fellows, just depends on the pressure. Doe permits are not difficult to obtain, all you need to do is join the Wildlife Management Association that represents your area. Your landowner must sign a form that allows them to be sent to you and that is usually not a problem. You will be issued Type I permits that are valid for the Archery & General seasons.

I'm in southwest DeWitt county about 5 miles SW of the intersection of US 183 & 87.

All things being equal, I'd take Dilley over Smiley.

Yes sir, its good to be back. I love that area, how have you been.

I had 1,000 low fence acres about 15 miles NW of Dilley several years ago. In 7 years we killed 2 bucks. Had plenty of opportunities at 120-130 class bucks but passed on them. No offense to anybody who hasn't hunted that area but you're not going to see B&C deer every time you head to the stand. They're there but rare on any place that isn't intensely managed. This is just my own personal experience. Others might have a different opinion of the area.

That's my experience anywhere in S. Texas. Many have the opinion that there's a 160 hiding in every other busy, but it isn't so. Even on well managed ranches, the big boys are few and far between, with lots of common bucks in between. But if you're patient and hunt smart, you just might find one of the big boys.

Agree with this, hunted LF ranches in Starr county, Webb and Zapata counties for 35+ years on fairly selective properties and 160"+ are not running in every open field and hiding behind every bush out there. On HF much easier to manage herds to these expectations. That said, I will say that about every 5+ years during that time hunting down there, I would catch a sighting of a deer in that 160"+ range usually at a farther distance or on the move and sad to say, missing a shot on one in my younger years. Had many 120-150" bucks down there yearly though.

I've hunted also in the Dilley area and I'd be careful about leasing there this late in the game.
A lot of small late leases pop up in that area because a lot of those places are shot out due to over hunting over many years.
I hunted out there on a friends place, and about the only brown we saw was a lot of coyotes. They are fun to shoot though.
It's been years since I hunted there though and I'm sure the hogs are thicker than they used to be so just be aware.