Axis Deer hunting vs Whitetail

How different is Axis hunting be whitetail? Is it just as challenging or not?

On my place, whitetails are a lot easier. I think axis overall are more nocturnal than whitetail. Axis seem to be more predictable to go into open fields. For a rifle hunter I don't see a lot of difference. For a bow hunter, I think axis can be harder to get on than whitetail.

I would give the axis a slight degree of difficulty more than whitetail. Other good points are they are often bigger, taste wayyyy better, are better looking to my eye, and at least for the visiting hunter, cheaper to hunt.

I personally like the Axis taste and price and hunt over WT .

Had Axis for the first time the other day. Delicious.

Axis is more challenging than whitetail. On a 65 acre high fence place, they didn't stop long enough for hunters to straighten their guns. I've spent 7 hours hunting axis safari style on 3 ranches in Mountain Home/Hunt. Next day, we shot 2 WT doe in 20 minutes on the first ranch.

I killed two just a few weeks ago, both free range. They taste so good it's worth it regardless the difficulty.

I've never killed an axis and would like to. I had a hunt booked for one but switched it back to whitetail. I'm addicted to hunting whitetail. This year i am limited to not much whitetail hunting. That is why I switched. Now I'm questioning if I should call and switch back to Axis hunting. I know, I'm acting like a wishy washy idiot on this but I just can't make up my mind.

So let me tell you my situation. I have 2500 dollars to spend not counting licensing and gratuity on this hunt. That gives me an opportunity to harvest 2 8 or 9 points up to 129 inches and a doe or 1 whitetail up to 140 inches with a doe or one trophy axis buck. So with that being said, my brain is twisted up like a pretzel and I'm struggling to make a decision. 😂😂😂😂😂😂

You can kill a 30+" axis for the money you have allotted. In my opinion it's money better spent.

Axis all day

I wouldn't spend $2500 to kill 2 120" whitetails, but that's me. For a 140" deer if given the choice I would pick the axis if the trophy quality was there.



If your in a blind, it's all gonna be the same challenge wise

Spot and stalk is the way to go for axis.

I'm compound bow hunting

I'd select axis for many of the reasons above.

You can usually pattern WT. Axis I can't.

Isn't it legal to hunt Axis with a spotlight? I would assume that would make it much easier. No Axis where I hunt. If there were I'd never shoot another whitetail.

Since your trophy hunting, the meat added from a second buck is worth nothing, as the rack is smaller. I'd go axis, because I like axis more.

If you have the opportunity to take a Trophy 30"+ axis with a bow that is a far bigger feat than a whitetail. Axis have been tougher to hunt over the almost 2 decades I've been outfitting. Like others have mentioned Axis is way better table fare than any whitetail.

Pop up or tripod?


Bow adds a different element. Personally I think axis are smarter and more wary than a whitetail, plus they are herd animals so you have to deal with avoiding detection by multiple sets of eyes/ears&noses.

Without knowing anything else, I would say the axis will probably be more difficult.


Do you have to chose the game now?

Why not just go hunt and if you see a 140" whitetail shoot it and if you see a trophy axis, shoot that.

At our place you're more likely to shoot a trophy (silver or gold SCI) axis buck than a mature whitetail buck. We have a lot of whitetail and axis but the axis seem to thrive.

Or thermal night hunt Axis?

Why would you want to? Blinding something with a spotlight or using thermal takes all the sport out of it

If your doing control work or are starving and need the meat it's a different story but what fun is it shooting a trophy animal at night?

100% agree.

I trophy hunt Jackrabbits at night. It's plenty fun.

Axis

I would never hunt at night

Axis is way to go

65-acre high fence, huh? Why didn't they just walk over there and grab 'em?

Lmfao

They can both be a challenge. This guy was a tough hunt even 25 years ago.[/URL]

Hunter(S)
Gun(S)

I'm fairly confident in saying Axis are harder to bow hunt (their senses seem to be better and they certainly respond to a released arrow faster)

Even kill with a rifle

I do believe 30+ Axis are "a dime a dozen" in any decent high fence or low fence low fence place for that matter.

160-180+ inch WT are "few and far between" in comparison

My BIL lived with me for a few years and after moving our he decided to get his various shoulder/euro mounts from my garage. He took all his shoulder mounted WT (all in the 140's), but he didn't come back for his 34" axis euro mount till a year later (I had to remind him it was there)

I love WT deer hunting but unfortunately chasing them is becoming cost prohibitive for me. And when you consider the time/money invested in lease or hunts specific to good WT it looks like there could be a better ROI with Axis. I do mainly hunt for meat so that is also a big factor.

Haven't taken an Axis myself yet but have been on safari style hunt for them which is a lot of fun, quite different from the WT hunting I've done.

As far as more Challenging I don't know, My challenge is getting enough time away from my business to go hunting. . .

For all the reasons stated above-Axis

Really big, old WT bucks can be very challenging. But compared to the typical mature axis buck, the typical mature WT buck is stupid.

I prefer Axis meat to whitetail and the way Axis can be hunted vs whitetail. WT typically go to bed at daylight and come back out right at dark vs Axis being grazers, they are typically on their feet till mid morning and back up grazing by mid afternoon....even in the heat. This allows you to spot and stalk more, which I greatly prefer to sitting in a blind.

My brother offers a free axis doe with any hunt at his place, no one has ever been able to find one, they are some elusive buggers. It seems the bigger older axis bucks tend to get more bold and will come out more.
Whitetail are very easy to hunt.

I certainly prefer to eat Axis over WT and I do believe Axis are more wary day in and day out but both can be incredibly stupid if the right doe shows up!!

This is a very nice buck. Well done sir!