Where would I go to find the records on white tail for each county? Ex. The largest white tail ever kill in Coke County?

bump for a good Q.

I would say there is someone who has that info just not sure who...might try and run down John Stein from San Antonio as he used to be up on all of that info when he was compiling books years ago. Local newspaper archives would be a starting place also. Recent years since the Texas Big Game Awards started you can check on their website and email them for some help or info.

no really what you are looking for but some interesting info
http://www.texasbiggameawards.com/pdfs/TBGA%20Annual%20Report%202010.pdf

I've asked this question before, but I don't think I ever got the answer I was looking for.

Dang, All the know-it-alls on this forum and no good answer? j/k.... yeah I'm sure the information is out there I just havent found it and Ive look the internet over...

Heck I would check out and ask some questions at the barber shop first, feed store next, sale barn, lumber yard, post office and the coffee shop after that. You may not find out what the biggest one was but you will get lots of stories about the one that got away.

I doubt anyone is really keeping track. My Great-Uncle was foreman of the March Ranch in Coke/Tom Green Co's for 55 years. There was an old mesquite tree in front of the headquarters that probably had a dozen racks hanging in it that ranged from 140's to 160's. Those old ranchers like Uncle Bill just didn't give a darn about the racks. The only reason he shot any deer was to feed the ranch hands.

My Daddy had the best sayin in the world,
"No matter how I grill em, bake em, or boil em, horns just don't taste good!!!!!

This is actually kind of surprising...and sad. Almost every "deer state" I can think of maintains their own deer registry or records book. It's hard to imagine Texas not having one.

I know of lots of deer that qualify for the Texas Big Game Awards. I'm aware of several that make the B&C book but the hunters that took them have no interest in entering them.

All Texas records are purely voluntary by the hunter. If the hunter doesn't want to participate then that is certainly his choice. I dang sure don't want the gov't telling me that I have to "register" every deer I kill. It's none of their business.

+1

My bosses son has taken 2 180+ class WT within the last 5 years(low fence). They do not enter them because they are afraid the poachers will start showing up.

I pass by his office every day and just stare at those 2 monsters.

I would like to know the answer as well.

I have hunted Coke for 6 years on two different leases and the biggest buck I have seen so far was on the side of the road. He was 140ish. Not many big deer in that county for sure but lots of good deer.

Not always good to advertise killing a good deer...I've been fortunate to kill some pretty good deer over the years, two of which have been entered in contests (one by me, the other TBGA by the landowner), both resulting in the loss of the lease. A lot of good deer taken every year that don't get out.

after living and hunting there for over forty years, a 140 is dang good around the bronte robert lee area. there are a few "pods" of deer here and there that are decent. north of bronte hs a few good one, south along the river ther are lots of deer but not many wall hangers. every 10 or so years a freak is killed. last one a few years back had something like 23 points and scored 160-170 ish. not o throphy county by any means but a place to see a lot of deer

i got the record in coke, shot him right outside bronte city limits, scored 121

Over the years my family and I hunted a LARGGGGGE ranch in Coke Co. and we took a number of deer over 140. Saw plenty of others that were pushing 160. The area is capable of growing big deer if the weather is right and hunting pressure is low.

Why am I struggling to believe this???

if you were hunting the Chadborne Racnh north of Bronte or the Matador south of Robert Lee then maybe so, there are a few highfence-managed ranches that will grow big deer, but free range 160 class deer are not very common. Ive stepped on most every rock in the county and have seen very few of this nature.

Nope...March Ranch, Low Fence, 117 Sections. At the time, my uncle had been the ranch foreman for about 50 years. In that time none of the ranch had ever been leased for hunting of anykind.

March Ranch-What part of the county is that in not familiar with that name

All the way to the end of March Ranch Rd. off of 87, out of Grape Creek. Partially in Tom Green and Coke Co.

My understanding is that the ranch is now split up among the various heirs. When the old man was still alive it was so large that it had two headquarters, one north and one south.

They made their money strictly off of oil/gas, sheep and cattle. They never leased any of it. I don't know how it is nowadays. My uncle died the day after Christmas '91 and was in his 55th year as the foreman. He was driving around the ranch busting ice out of the water troughs when he died of a heart attack at 79.

i stand corrected- their are some good bucks in that part- one of the "pockets" i mentioned before, thats about the only area in the county that i havent been on. quite different deer there than bronte rl area

Old thread, but this is exactly what we're trying to do at Texas Buck Registry. wwww.Texasbuckregistry.com

The more you and your friends and family add to the Registry, the more useful / interesting it will be.