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Feb 7th, 2025
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 Where do you find Axis Deer?
#693750
04/24/09 08:52 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 167
andyj9881
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 167 |
I am wondering where can you go to hunt Axis? I'm new to hunting, so there is a ton that I don't know. Are they only on ranches, or do they free range here in Texas? Is there any place relatively close to Dallas which has such opportunities? What counties are the best to look in?
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: andyj9881]
#693751
04/24/09 09:36 PM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,476
Driller
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,476 |
google exotic ranches in Texas and I am sure you will get tons of info 
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: Driller]
#693752
04/24/09 10:22 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,947
Curtis
THF Trophy Hunter
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Posts: 7,947 |
Yes there are free range Axis and in most of those areas you will also find many other free ranging exotics. There are some places like the Kerr Wildlife Management area that have a draw for some hunting. I think it is bow only? A lot of the free range places that I know of you still need land owner permission to hunt and you may have to get a year around lease from them. Most of the popular places are in the Hill Country around Kerrville, Junction, Sonora, San Angelo, Eden, Lampasas, Brownwood, Leakey. I have hunted in those areas before for free range before. You will commononly find, Aoudad, Sika, Fallow, Blackbuck, and Axis deer free ranging in Texas. In some places you may even get a few of the African plains game species running around. Get a shot opportunity on one of those and you better take it if your allowed to and got the $$$.
Double Arrow Bow Hunting www.doublearrowbowhunting.comBow hunters welcome! Whitetail-Axis-Blackbuck-Fallow-Barasingha-Scimitar Oryx Located in Gonzales County. Visit our Facebook page for current updates!
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: Driller]
#693753
04/24/09 10:23 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,487
ETXbuckman
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I've seen Axis deer "free ranging" typically in and around the Hill Country; thats where they got their start and where they seem to have proliferated the most. This is almost entirely private land, though, so you'd have to get on a lease or get set up with an outfitter. I've seen a huge explosion in their popularity as a trophy/meat animal the last few years so I wouldn't be surprised to see some game ranches in other areas pop up very soon. I've used www.huntingpages.com for finding leases in the past. It's a pay-site but the best one I've ever used, hands down. You can find a lease and probably an outfitter on there too. And by the way, welcome to the wonderful world of hunting!
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: ETXbuckman]
#693754
04/24/09 11:45 PM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 167
andyj9881
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Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 167 |
Thanks guys! Thanks also for the welcome to hunting, I love it. I only wish I would have started years ago. I'm glad I found this forum, this is an awesome site.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: andyj9881]
#693755
04/25/09 08:48 AM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 213
BChambers
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 213 |
Welcome Andy! Last fall was my first time hunting Axis, and I have to say they are a blast! I found them to be quite challenging-much more difficult to "pattern" than whitetail. I hunt a friend's ranch here in the southern Hill Country-the Axis are all free range, and very smart and wary (especially when they realize they're being hunted).
Once you get one you're in for a second treat at the table-they are the best wild game I've tasted! I took a fat forkhorn and a young doe, and now the family always looks forward to any and all meals that feature Axis....
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: BChambers]
#693756
04/25/09 09:08 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,774
cuzins8
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To me the BEST free range Axis hunting is anywhere around Leakey Tx. They are everywhere!
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: andyj9881]
#693757
04/25/09 04:27 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,896
DCS
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7,896 |
They are free ranging in our area which is just south of Junction. We often times see more axis then whitetail.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: cuzins8]
#693758
04/25/09 06:45 PM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,529
tannerlst
THF Trophy Hunter
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Quote:
To me the BEST free range Axis hunting is anywhere around Leakey Tx. They are everywhere!
this is so true, i'm grateful to have some in-laws that live in Leakey! 
last time i went they had just got their first rain in a while. holy crap were the animals out! saw some free range blackbuck too. it was NUTZ how many animals i saw that weekend. never got my buck though, only two axis does
i always see more axis than whitetail on most trips, i've so considered moving there!
Last edited by tannerlst; 04/25/09 06:47 PM.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: tannerlst]
#693759
04/25/09 07:40 PM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461
rifleman
Sparkly Pants
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Sparkly Pants
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461 |
Saw a lot around the Rocksprings area as well. Saw way more axis than whitetail and a few blackbuck and fallow as well. Simply amazing the maount of critters running around that general area, but I just have to wonder; what the heck is there for them to eat!
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: rifleman]
#693760
04/25/09 07:54 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 213
BChambers
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 213 |
Quote:
Saw a lot around the Rocksprings area as well. Saw way more axis than whitetail and a few blackbuck and fallow as well. Simply amazing the maount of critters running around that general area, but I just have to wonder; what the heck is there for them to eat!
The thing about Axis is that they can live on a much higher percentage of dry grasses in the diet than can whitetail. Around here you see the two species in about equal numbers, but the drought is really taking its toll on the whitetails-they look very scruffy and thin now. But the Axis are all fat and sleek, and the coats are in perfect condition. They definitely out-compete the native deer in dry years....
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: BChambers]
#693761
04/25/09 08:33 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 33,484
txtrophy85
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bchambers,
you are definatly right about the whitetail in the hill country looking scruffy, i live east of you in kendalia, and the whitetail here are a sad site.
personally, if the hill country whitetail were to go extinct, it would't bother me at all if the axis took its place
For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: txtrophy85]
#693762
04/25/09 08:41 PM
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,615
Wes70
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,615 |
I might be able to help you out on an axis hunt. I have a customer that owns some land west of junction and sells axis hunts.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: txtrophy85]
#693763
04/25/09 11:08 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 213
BChambers
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 213 |
Quote:
bchambers,
you are definatly right about the whitetail in the hill country looking scruffy, i live east of you in kendalia, and the whitetail here are a sad site.
personally, if the hill country whitetail were to go extinct, it would't bother me at all if the axis took its place
It's almost sacrilege to say, but I tend to agree with you-if the Axis taste better, get bigger, have fantastic antlers, and do better under the conditions, why not? Even in good years the antlers on most of the mature WT bucks around here are pretty pathetic compared to much of the rest of the state 
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: Wes70]
#693764
04/25/09 11:08 PM
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Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,942
BWRanch
Pro Tracker
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I can help you get on a great axis hunt. If you are still looking for one pm me or call 254.717.5797 and i can get you the info.
~Safari Club International (SCI) Official Measurer
~Texas Big Game Award (TBGR) Official Scorer
~Trophy Game Records (TGR) of the World Official Scorer
~Record Book of Exotic (ROE) Official Scorer
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: txtrophy85]
#693765
04/26/09 07:56 AM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461
rifleman
Sparkly Pants
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Sparkly Pants
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461 |
Quote:
bchambers,
you are definatly right about the whitetail in the hill country looking scruffy, i live east of you in kendalia, and the whitetail here are a sad site.
personally, if the hill country whitetail were to go extinct, it would't bother me at all if the axis took its place
I agree, the wt I saw were pretty sickly looking, but yet the axis were big and healthy and had alot of headgear. Granted those were the first ones I had ever seen "in the wild" and must say (since you just don't see many in deep e-tx), I was a lot more pumped up trying to put stalks on them than I remember being on a WT since I was in my early teens.  One will come home with me next trip, the bow is staying home and the 300wm is making the trip
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: rifleman]
#693766
04/26/09 04:37 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 15,181
don k
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Probably one reason the WT. look bad is that there are too many axis.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: don k]
#693767
04/26/09 05:15 PM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 213
BChambers
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 213 |
Quote:
Probably one reason the WT. look bad is that there are too many axis.
Might be some truth to that-but what can you do? WAY too late to try to eradicate the Axis, even if we wanted to. And after all, they obviously are better-adapted to our local conditions.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: BChambers]
#693768
04/26/09 08:30 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 15,181
don k
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There is a lot of truth to it. Check with Kerr Wildlife Management area and some of the studies they did with Whitetail and some of the different exotics. You are right about it being to late to do anything about it.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: don k]
#693769
04/27/09 08:05 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 33,484
txtrophy85
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imo the whitetail deer in the hill country are mediocre at best, axis or no axis.
the axis is mainly thick around boerne, bandera, leakey and kerrville area.
other areas that have none still have below average whitetails
For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: txtrophy85]
#693770
04/27/09 09:06 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,903
JJH
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
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txtrophy85: It's possible to grow nice WT's in the Hill Country. You just have to give them enough to eat and let them mature. 'Course, this usually means putting up a high fence, reducing the doe population substantially, and letting the bucks get a little age on them. But the problem is not genetics, it's age and nutrition.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: JJH]
#693771
04/27/09 10:39 PM
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 15,181
don k
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: don k]
#693772
04/28/09 01:53 AM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,745
CitySlickerHunter
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Get ahold of Clay Pope @ Pope Brother's Guide Service & Outfitting
"I can't be over gunned because the animal can't be over dead"-Elmer Keith
10/30/2012 I VOTED for The American
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: JJH]
#693773
04/28/09 02:21 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 33,484
txtrophy85
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Quote:
txtrophy85: It's possible to grow nice WT's in the Hill Country. You just have to give them enough to eat and let them mature. 'Course, this usually means putting up a high fence, reducing the doe population substantially, and letting the bucks get a little age on them. But the problem is not genetics, it's age and nutrition.
possible, but across 95% of the range, not likely. lack of food and over population takes a far bigger toll on body size and antler growth than a few herds of axis ever could.
For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
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Re: Where do you find Axis Deer?
[Re: txtrophy85]
#693774
04/28/09 03:43 AM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,903
JJH
Extreme Tracker
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Quote:
Quote:
txtrophy85: It's possible to grow nice WT's in the Hill Country. You just have to give them enough to eat and let them mature. 'Course, this usually means putting up a high fence, reducing the doe population substantially, and letting the bucks get a little age on them. But the problem is not genetics, it's age and nutrition.
possible, but across 95% of the range, not likely. lack of food and over population takes a far bigger toll on body size and antler growth than a few herds of axis ever could.
I am not disagreeing with that. Which is why I stated that to raise good deer in the HC, you generally have to put up a high fence in order to get the population down within the carrying capacity of the range, and let the bucks grow up.
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