I am just wandering what the best "big" deer county in Texas. I have hunted tons of county's and have not found the huge deer. I have been on a lot of leases where a trophy is 125 to 130 don't get me wrong that's a good deer but I was just wandering where all the free range 140 150's are. Thanks for any inputs.

They're all over the state.

X2

Southern Duval County. Was at the Muy
Grande store 2 weeks ago and saw a
very nice 18 point taken from a small
acre, low fenced lease. Scored 178

Okay thanks guys I knew there were a lot of them but I just couldn't find them.

Frio,Webb, are primo area for huge free range if you can find a lease.

Deep south or far north.

La Salle works for me..

You mean east no deer north

Thanks guys. If any of you have an opening or know of an opening somewhere far south just let me know.

I think the most massive/characteristic are in east Texas, the tallest/widest are in south, the MOST deer are in hill country. Thats not to say there arent exceptions, but just seems to be that way. Can't say for far north or west. Never been there.

As HWY_MAN says..."there ain't no deer in West Texas"

Collin

low fence, big deer......frio, la salle, webb, western duval, maverick.

maverick and webb have always been great country. so is frio.

what makes you say that?

The one I hunt in.

Gillespie

Dimmit

I guess just the breeding down south is geared towards really wide and tall racks. If they are not being fed straight protein, it seems like most of their growth goes into length. This is not a downfall by any means. It is the main reason that South Texas deer are brought to East Texas to breed, so the width and length can mix with the mass in the East tx deer. Why do deer in east tx have more mass? I couldn't say for sure because I'm not a biologist, but I would infer that it's the ready availability of browse, mass crops, and grasses. Just a lot of variety in their diet and more food available throughout the year. Why mass and not width? You got me. Genetics I assume. I just know that I've seen some VERY large east tx bucks, and a lot of their inches come from mass at the bases. When you have that much mass it tends to turn into stickers and forks. South tx buck are huge in their own right. Wide bucks with tall tines=AWESOME! Just minerals growing in different ways.

AR's are gonna fix everything though...

Webb.

I kind of thought it was opposite, east texas bucks have allways looked thinner in the bases than west or south texas deer?

I'm talking about a mature east Texas buck 4.5 and older. Most that are shot are not mature as you know. Seems like its easier for a big mature buck to hide in pine thickets than shrub cedars or mesquite. East tx deer also seem way more nocturnal. Anyone that has hunted east tx will tell you it is not easy. My FIL has a mainframe 12 pt that scored 162 and change on his wall that makes me sick every time I look at it! It's amazing! Mass and character and tine length. Just to know something that big can exist around here, but the one next to it is my favorite. It's a main frame 10 I believe. It's main beams are like cow horns. Just so obvious that both were mature deer who had nothing else to do, but grow antlers. All they did was make the mistake of showing themselves in the daylight hours. I'm not by any means saying south tx bucks aren't massive, but it just isnt the same kind of mass that carries thru the horn.

For pure numbers of big deer, I gotta go with South Texas. Yes, big deer occur all over the state but your greatest chance to connect with one will be in South Texas.

This^^^^

A lot depends on how hard you want to hunt...