I have been hunting in Comanche County for the past six years. I thought it might be helpful if others that hunt in or around Comanche County have an topic area to talk about there hunting success or issues.

We have been fortunate to be at our lease the past weekends since opening of the deer season. We took a 10 point on opening weekend and another cull buck this past weekend.

From my observations - I am not sure rut has occurred there yet. Neither the necks were swollen or tarsal glands were dark yet, nor stinky for that matter.

I spoke with the folks at Cox Processing and he said that it depends on who you ask but he thought that out of the 600 or more deer received, that only three looked like they were in rut.

A late RUT going on in Comanche maybe?

I heard from the rancher today that this cold spell might have brought on some activity as he saw a buck chasing a doe this afternoon.

Man I hope so....it really has been dead as far as deer are concerned...got tons of turkeys though! Last Sunday morning sounded like I was in the middle of a turkey farm!

Haven't seen anything but young bucks during the day so far...and one big spike that I took two weeks ago ....11" on one side.... 8" on the other!

The only indication that things are about to liven up....saw more does hit by cars on the roads this past weekend. I'm about half-way between Comanche and Mullin.

I hunted between Comanche and Mullin on some property the Gore Bros. owned. I got a nice 8pt that scored 129 and my brother got a 9pt that scored 134. If you can, save a part of the lease that you do not put stands on. Creep and stalk during the day using the wind. That's how we scored. Old smart deer don't hit food plots till after dark, for the most part. The year I hunted there, the rut was in full swing Thanksgiving weekend. I got mine chewing on a licking branch in the middle of his scrape routine. Good Luck and keep at it. This cold weather should get them up out of their beds.

Hate to tell yall but the rut is over in Commanche!

You may still see a few bucks chasing does, but the peak is long gone!

JCB - I hope you are wrong - when do you think it happened? I was there the past 5 weekends into bow season. I have talked to a lot of folks and most don't think it happened.

It maybe the case where it started on a Monday (the day I leave)and ended at 5:00 on Friday (the day I returned)

That would suck!

From my experience with Commanche county the rut should have peaked around the very late part of October to the very early part of November!

In parts of the state where the rut occured during that time period it was not a very visable rut due to the hot weather! Even where I hunt in Coke county the rut would have been very easy to miss if I didnt spend so much time on the lease!

in coyrell county sunday I saw 5 does and no bucks were with them...saw 2 4 point bucks later but they werent shooters.

I hunt in northern Comanche County. I saw bucks chasing does opening weekend and even got to see a couple of bucks fight for the first time but it's been slow ever since. Most years the rut seems to peak from around opening weekend to the second or third week of the season on our place. After Thanksgiving weekend things seem to really slow down.

Yeah, unfortunately that has been my experience as well (late October early November). We just never saw rut or any signs of it at all. The guy from Cox who sees a lot of deer, did not seem to think it had happened.

We had bucks chasing does in late bow season. Unfortunately they wouldn't come close enough for a shot. My B-I-L shot a buck that was bedded with a doe the second week of gun season. We spooked them and the doe stayed laying down. The buck wouldn't leave her until he shot.

I still had buck groups as of Nov. 6 & 7...does were still in groups then also. Most of the feeding is still during the night and very early morning, and nothing but single bucks the past two weeks. Last weekend I jumped two monster bucks at 6AM when going to my stand!

So....IMO.....the rut around our lease had not started!

We hunt near Duster (Northern Comanche County) and we have experienced close to what jdickey says. Where do you hunt stinkbelly?

One more observation - this past weekend my camera took a picture of a spike with an 8 point eating during the night.

I do have (maybe I should say HAD?) two monster bucks on our lease that we have been trying to get, but have not seen or taken pictures of them in over two months.

I shot a nice 8 on Nov. 7th he was in full rut. Sorry to tell yall the rut is over

Well let's hope the second rut will be more impressive with the COLD air moving in this weekend.

We do hunt very close to Deleon and Comanche near Duster. Comanche Country has been a tough place to hunt. This time of year, they will not come to the feeders. What we have found the best, is to spread corn on the road, sendero, trail or path. Then, always watching the wind and I may sit on the ground in the brush with full camo 30 to 50 yards from where I spread the corn. Get ready to spend some time out there.

Comanche has some very nice bucks, just have to hunt hard and long.

Even though this is our sixth year, this will be our first complete year protein feeding the deer. I hope it improves the bucks from good to trophies over the next few years. I have two on camera that I have been trying to get - hope someone else did not get them already.

Having been in Comanche County already six years, we have grown found of the area. It was great to hear/read your recollection of the area. Our rancher (the owner of the properties) is great and we have developed a good friendship with them.

Our place is closer to Beattie but he has property near Duster that is better hunting and he lets us hunt there as well. This is the only part of his ranches that he does not run cattle. We have had more hunts ruined by cattle than I care to tell on his Beattie property. The Duster property has no fence and is used for growing coastal. We usually see deer, pigs, coyotes & bobcats on that property which makes it fun to hunt.

Still, even though we could take as many as 12 deer based on our lease numbers, we usually take only 1 or 2 between the three of us in our family. Most of the time they have just been spike or forky deer. We leave the doe since three seems to be so little deer.

Two and three years ago, although I have plenty of pictures to prove they (deer) are there, I saw 0 deer on the Beattie property and a few at the Duster property. I am happy to say, I actually have seen more deer this year . Still I do not plan on harvesting does yet in hopes of really getting some deer going up there.

I know people say we should take does but I still believe that is for areas that have an abundance of deer.

Another tough weekend - the RUT is definetely over in Comanche.

It has always been tough hunting here and our deer are back to their annual "do not come out except at night routine". Forget about hunting feeders, you need to get scent free, hunt the wind, hunt the trails and maybe you will see a spike or doe like I did this weekend. Pretty disappointing weekend again.

What is weird - I have three cameras there - all three cameras show activity at night and different deer. I really believe, since we have not taken many deer over the six years, we have more deer than we have ever had in this lease. What I find is weird, is that the deer are rarely together on camera.

On top of that, when I do see one live and in person, there is never several of deer together.

I go to friends properties and sit in the blinds and see 10 to 20 deer.

ITCHY TRIGGER FINGER IN COMANCHE COUNTY

I think that in general, people must shoot any deer they see because they know this might be the only deer they see all season. So instead of letting a deer mature, they shoot.

I don't know - I scratch my head on why the deer population seems to stink in Comanche.

I must say, that I often feel that way, but I always let the does, live and usually just take the cull bucks. This year, I did let two spikes live, because they looked very young.

What I don't understand yet is why, when I let all these does live over the years, do they still not come out during the day?

My cameras show more deer but mostly at night.

Okay - I am planning my last trip to Comanche for this hunting season after Christmas. Rut happened in early November and so I am now hoping that the deer are going back to their regular feeding pattern. I did get a 10 point buck during rut, but really his antlers left a lot to be desired.

I had seen two nice bucks on the cameras early in the year, never saw them while hunting and hope they are still there.

im leaving in the mourning.

Good Luck!

I can tell you the rut was in full swing in Brown County (Early) over Thanksgiving. Saw a lot of rut action and the buck I shot had very stinky tarsal glands.

Well I wrapped up the year hunting in Comanche from the 26-30th. I got to hunt with the SNOW falling - it was nice albiet cold. Saw a few deer (a few young bucks & does) but decided to let them live another year.

Hopefully it will pay off in some bigger deer next year. That is, if the neighbors beside me and in the area, pass on young bucks to let them mature.

I did help someone skin their deer with that SWING BLADE - got one for Christmas - it is a sweet knife. It does do a good job of cutting the skin without cutting the fur.

I can say that I saw a ton of bucks chasing on opening weekend. Only saw one little 8 chasing a yearling this weekend. This is out close to Duster.