So my landowner loves her critters and wont let me shoot any deer unless they are "mutants." Well I finally found one that qualifies. He has a few really handsome friends too. I've been fairly successful at lowering the hog numbers. i have 5 more that keep showing up on cams to remove, then the deer will have free run of the whole property. damn pigs keep runnin em away from my feeder. (pens coming next year when $$ is available) I'll also start protein this winter so I'm curious what these guys do after months of double down...
mutant1 by Levi White, on Flickr

yup by Levi White, on Flickr

don't feed double down, you wont have any mutants left to shoot...

Yep nice ones there.

Jj

Some great bucks there.

Good looking bucks

Why are you worried about feeding protein if you can't shoot the big boys anyways?

Nice bunch of targets.

Long game- i cant hunt the older boys YET. As they age and the health of the herd progresses i may get permission to take one.

Feeding protein is good for deer. Period. Not JUST antler growth. I want to hunt deer for meat, and a great rack for the wall would just be gravy on top.

Are these North Central Texas deer? Healthy herd. Good luck getting "Poker" this season.

I see a couple of nasty mutant bucks I understand where she is coming from though and it's great she trust you to be a steward.

BTW, may not work in your area right now, but my deer, especially does, are hitting the salt mineral blocks I get at the feed store on every feeder visit, a few times they have been on TC just getting the salt/mineral, may be another thing that is cheap to offer.

Just under an hour from Dallas. Ive only seen 2 does on camera though. But these gangsters are out running things daily.

nice bunch

looking good

So you are paying for a lease that you cant shoot anything but "mutants"? Am I missing something?

Not paying for the lease. Trade of service through my business with a high school friends parents. I get to hunt pigs and fish and i do a small amount of work for access to the land. Im very happy with the arrangement as without it, i would.be forking over a loy of money to have such a place that i can take my 2 and 4yr old son's to.

Exactly. Don't waist money when you can't reap the rewards

Couple of nice ones

Nice bucks

They all look like mutants to me. Big racks put a strain the neck and could injure a poor deer. The big ones need to be shot out of sympathy.

But seriously, I get as much enjoyment out of watching them and taking photographs as I do out of shooting them. Sounds like you've got a nice deal going.....keep good relations with the landowner and slowly educate her on deer herd management.