slow year?

We have seen many young bucks right at the ears from 6 to 8 and a couple tens but we pass on them to let them grow to mature trophy bucks. We have 5 hunters and each has bagged 2 trophy bucks each the last 3 years but this year we saw less trophy bucks. Few of us have bagged one trophy. Even neighbors and friends that hunt in other ranches and counties reported its been a slow season and we have felt that its a slow season as well. Has the same issue happening with you guys as well?

We saw something similar in Stephens County this year. We had about borderline bucks we passed on last year, this wouldve been the year to take them. All but one has disappeared. It is possible that they where shot on a neiboring lease, but it seem unlikely that they where all killed. It was a frustrating year.

I got a nice one opening week but that was the only thing I got....not complaining but we had hoped to take a few culls, big ones, but they absolutely disappeared once the season began. It was kind of a weird year.

In Stephens county also and only one mature buck taken. Very slow year for us. Drought in 2010-2012 we had very low fawn crop, I suspect that's the reason.

30 Trophy bucks over the last 3 years? How many acres are you hunting?

my first thought. Why would you need to kill 2 trophy bucks a piece to start with?

Maybe you misunderstood my meaning of "trophy" meaning as shooters, 8 points or more plus an inch or more outside the ears is what we shoot here. We don't shoot bucks that are right at the ears or smaller like most people do. It's why many deer leases are not good or great places to hunt because everyone shoots small bucks and they never have chances to grow into big mature deer. Here are a few pics of shooters that we have here. Plus we don't shoot does either. Plus only 2 hogs can be harvested as well.

350 acres low fenced that borders big ranches like Jones and a few others. One of our 5 hunters is hunting on another section outside of our 350 acres, he is allowed to by owner's permission. So its 4 hunters in 350 acres.

It was definitely a slow year for me. Normally I see plenty nice bucks, but this year I only saw a couple. I just put it down to a big acorn year and the deer didn't need to move around much. I hope that's the reason.

We had a lot of young bucks and only a few mature ones. It's because of the drought. I got lucky and shot a pre-drought 10 that was a real nice deer for us. I probably only shoot a buck every five years or so. Try to put kids on deer and fill the freezer unless I'm gonna hang one on the wall.

I could be wrong,but it sounds like way too many mature deer being taken off a smaller size place,large neighbors or not.I would think that's why you are not seeing the deer.JMO

we hunt on 3100 acres in Stephens and Eastland and it was a great year. Had 2 ten points and 4 eight point taken that were all at least 4.5 years old. Passed on numerous younger bucks. Not enough doe taken off though which we hope to do the next 2 weeks.

It was slow as far as mature up an coming bucks. I got a 164" and buddy on lease got 174". Which is good. Only saw few deer that will be good in next couple years.

You have killed way too many bucks is the problem.

^^^ This and shoot more hogs

350 acres, regardless of where you are, or what you border, probably can't support more than 3-4 bucks taken a year. And that's pushing it.

Do you age your deer when you shoot them? We try to shoot 5.5 yo and older. My 3.5 yo bucks can get 15+ spreads and most would consider them too young to harvest. We always shoot as many does as we do bucks. On 500 acres we average about 5 bucks a year and 1-2 are what we consider trophies.

If you're shooting 5.5 or older, I don't see an issue shooting that many deer because that means the neighbors aren't shooting them. If the age isn't there, don't shoot. I'd watch the buck-doe ratio. 5 shooters aren't going to throw it off for the area but everyone needs to do their part to keep it in check.

I would switch to 1 trophy and 1 cull.

Who came up with the 2 hog rule? That needs to be switched to unlimited.

Lots of 2.5 year old deer can be 14" wide.

Thats really pushing it, sounds like you have a honey hole and I guess the neighbors are OK with you because in alot of places in the state if your shooting buck #'s like that they will high fence you out, it happens...

This yr was terrible at my place in TX and even worse in KS. We didnt see hardly any deer all year. With that being said, I shot my biggest TX buck to date this yr

Pitchfork is right, you guys have killed all the deer, expect your seasons to suck for a while. 350 acres isn't enough to take 2 trophy bucks from.

If I were a buck, I'd vacate that premises as well and quickly!

I also had a slow year. Last year me and all my family members took our 5 deer limit on our 100 acres. Not that many people. Only 12 or 13. Barely saw any deer this year.

I think you can attribute the lack of shooter bucks this year to the drought conditions in the years preceding 2011. We noticed the same thing on our lease. We have lots of bucks that are just nearly shooters, but they are too young and need another year or so. It bodes well for next year, but it did not make this year much fun.

Its a limited resource guys, just because the state says you can shoot X number of deer per person doesn't necessarily mean you should, especially on a small acreage with alot of hunters.

Me or the group of hunters? We have seen lots of young bucks with racks up to 10 points but right at the ears, which we don't shoot at which lots of others who would, that we passed on, they should be good in the next year or two. It's not just because we killed too many bigger bucks, we lacked the freeze which destroys green / foraging food for the deer which in turn come to feed on protein and corn, but they have been feeding mostly on forage because we had a pretty steady rainfall this year, plus competition with other ranches where deer travel to and fro. Our bucks aren't disappearing, there are lots of them in there, but the trophy bucks are coming out on cameras at night but not out to feed or coming out during days when we aren't there. If we don't get any bucks, we just grab a spike or two for the meat for the year on the spike season after buck season ends, its no big deal.

Stan, I think the point that some are attempting to make is that 30 trophy bucks harvested in a 3 year period on 350 acres, let alone 3,500 acres is a lot of trophy buck harvesting and you have quite possibly "shot out" that class of buck from the area for the most part or have at least driven them largely to nocturnal activities. Deer are smart, when under duress, they will vacate the area for less stress and pressured areas.

x2

Sounds like the exact reason so many places are HF'ing.

Stan, you guys need to re-assess your method.
1. way too many "trophy" bucks being shot. Doesn't matter your criteria for trophy buck vs other peoples definition, you guys have shot out the class of buck you said is missing this year...

2. shoot does. With too many doe and not enough bucks (see #1), the bucks don't need to move as they can breed and not compete for the abundant does out there.

3. Shoot more pigs. These are not any good for anyone other than target practice as they tear up land, drive off deer, and compete for resources the deer want. get rid of them all and your deer numbers will go up.

4. Develop an age structure to base "trophy buck" from rather than your current criteria. if you are worried about it enough to post on here, then develop criteria where only 4.5 yo or older bucks can be taken regardless of antler structure (as long as its legal) and let the young ones walk until older.

5. 4 guys hunting 350 acres is tight. Maybe lighten the load off the lease or agree that not everyone will shoot a buck or something, there is probably too many hunting that property and taking too many bucks. Rotate every year someone only shoots does. I don't know. But that's tight.

Just a couple of steps I would take to help your problem, and there is more if you want more. 30 bucks over 3 years is way too many though!

Slow year in Young County. Many small bucks and way to many doe.We're over run with doe and they cut our tags back to 2 doe. Figure that.

I meant all of y'all.

That's too many bucks for the amount of land your hunting. If I was one of the big neighbors you mentioned I would seriously consider high fencing your border if y'all continued to kill that many bucks.

When I was younger and we hunted 1000 acres in Young Co. there was 5 of us and we all understood we only killed mature bucks and that ended up being 2-3 a year. We shot plenty of does and hogs to keep the freezer full.

We had something we could afford and we took care of it and took really nice bucks every year. I wish y'all the best with your lease.