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Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year #7010089 12/24/17 06:57 PM
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pmnitro Offline OP
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We hunt SW of Llano, our 8th year. Quality of deer and antlers getting better each year. We took the credit for it. Letting better bucks mature, year round feed. Free choice protein, discussing with surrounding hunter with same practices.
We left good bucks the last weekend, and knowing this year will be even better.

Fast forward to this year = can't find a deer past 3 years old. Nothing seen to make any of us to sit up, much less take the gun from the corner of the stand. Lots off deer on the place, just no good horn or mature deer.

We are mostly mesquite with scattered large live oak trees. Some trees loaded with acorns - some with none.

No good buck on any game cameras. Any of you hunting the same area and experiencing the same results???


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Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010097 12/24/17 07:06 PM
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kind of a big deal
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Ive seen a very good upper age class representation but this year mass is way down for some reason. Lots of pencil horns. I hunt the Mason border


Donate to TX Youth hunting program.... better to donate then to waste it in taxes

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Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010161 12/24/17 08:28 PM
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majekman Offline
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My Cuz has a place near Cherry Springs in Llano co. He thought he was gonna have some good mature ️️deer and that simply hasn't been the case. He's had the place 20yrs and says this may be worst year ever for mature deer. Had some good uns on cameras and they all went POOF in Oct

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010180 12/24/17 08:47 PM
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huntincoach Offline
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I think it's a low fence mid to upper State problem this year. Drought of 2011 decreased this yrs 5-6.5 yo deer. We left some good ones walk last yr and can't find any as well.

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010312 12/24/17 10:18 PM
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Mills county here, we have a ton that are a 1-2 years away. I haven't seen one yet I thought was older than 4.5. I shot a doe and a spike and will likely take another doe next week.


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Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010358 12/24/17 11:04 PM
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Deerhunter61 Offline
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As I stated before...it's been an off year this year for sure! In the mornings I usually see 15-20 bucks but they are all young and a lot of them are culls. I've shot 1 cull but might shoot another if I don't see a decent buck in the closing weekends!

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010488 12/25/17 01:03 AM
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jmh004 Offline
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I hunt in Mills County. I've seen a few mature bucks, but nothing to write home about. Ended up taking an old 9 point that never grew any eye guards, and a couple doe. Will take one more doe this week, then start getting ready for turkey season.

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: jmh004] #7010666 12/25/17 04:24 AM
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Originally Posted By: jmh004
I hunt in Mills County. I've seen a few mature bucks, but nothing to write home about. Ended up taking an old 9 point that never grew any eye guards, and a couple doe. Will take one more doe this week, then start getting ready for turkey season.



I would like to see that deer! Sounds like a awesome cull/trophy to take!


It's not how you fall, It's how you get up.
Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010680 12/25/17 04:46 AM
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jmh004 Offline
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He was a main frame 10, but with no eye guards. He had a little nub that was scoreable where a G1 should have been, but it wasn't a true eye guard. It was a cool looking deer, I'll try to post later.

Last edited by jmh004; 12/25/17 05:00 AM.
Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010689 12/25/17 04:59 AM
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Kids were super pumped about me bringing home a deer.

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010884 12/25/17 02:21 PM
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Wilhunt Offline
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We hunt north of llano and it has been disappointing. Too many young deer.

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: jmh004] #7010892 12/25/17 02:34 PM
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majekman Offline
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Originally Posted By: jmh004


Kids were super pumped about me bringing home a deer.

Fine looking buck and even better looking family. Congrats! You are a blessed man.

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: jmh004] #7010903 12/25/17 02:56 PM
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Originally Posted By: jmh004


Kids were super pumped about me bringing home a deer.



Awesome all the way around! You have some rifles to buy in the future!


It's not how you fall, It's how you get up.
Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010908 12/25/17 03:00 PM
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jmh004 Offline
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Thanks a lot.

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7010946 12/25/17 03:38 PM
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If I may, I cant find a 5 yr old to save my life in east Tx. Good news is that I have seen a lot of 4 and under bucks. Been waitin on the heavy 10 with points all over his bases to come out that I saw last Febuary, no deal yet. Had him at 10 yards last year in Jan. Passed him for B&C hopes.


Recently got a gym membership, strange folks! I like to show up the roid zombies with my full motion curls with the 55lb. bells. Not their cheater short stroked light weights. It's holarious.
Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7011256 12/25/17 09:45 PM
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I know one reason there aren’t many 5.5 and 6.5 is because of how sever the summer and drought was in 2011 and 2012.

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7011596 12/26/17 04:38 AM
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crooked horn Offline
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Same on my place. Did not have a single sighting, or trail cam photo, of a mature deer. First time since I've had cameras, 12 years or so, that I didn't even get a pic of a "good" deer.


Thank you...thank you very much
Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: jmh004] #7011915 12/26/17 04:23 PM
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Originally Posted By: jmh004


Kids were super pumped about me bringing home a deer.
nice buck congrats


I know allot about everything-Everything about nothing!!!!
Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7011949 12/26/17 04:40 PM
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Hunter Daddy Offline
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I know how your feeling Pmnitro. I hunt south of San Antonio and we let go many 3.5 - 5.5 year old deer last year. Had them on camera, mostly at night about 8 mature bucks. We have not seen them yet this season. I spoke with an area biologist and he said that Atascosa county had received good rains in November and the deer just don't want to move. Too much to eat. Our protein feeders and corn feeders have very little use from the deer up until around December 20th. We just need more cold weather to get them moving. Perhaps now is the time for the bigger bucks to move.

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7011977 12/26/17 05:01 PM
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Hunting conditions like we have been experiencing are the primary reason for MLD extended seasons. That's why I told my brother, and all members hunting MLD to be patient. Our season is only at the halfway mark and the cold weather will improve buck sightings in the age classes that have been missing on camera.

The drought has been felt no doubt. But there are 5 year olds that were passed last season that are still out there.


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Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7012984 12/27/17 02:40 PM
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Lack of mature bucks for us in Concho County as well. Ton of 3.5 & 4.5 year old bucks with great potential, but 5.5+ were almost non-existent. In fact, I saw a total of (2) bucks which were 5.5+, one of which a 7.5 yo 8-point which was more management deer than trophy that I killed in November. I watched him bully every buck that came within 40 yards of his doe for several hours one afternoon, including chasing one buck for 400 yards and off the wheat field at the end of the evening hunt. Bad genes had to go, so I made a plan to find him and kill him the next day.



Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7013281 12/27/17 05:38 PM
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Im in Llano too and its been tough, culled a crazy spike last week to get some meat.

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7013366 12/27/17 06:47 PM
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Tough here

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7015478 12/29/17 12:56 PM
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I live on the Burnet/Llano county line. Lot's of mature bucks here in the city limits of HSB. That seems to be where I see the older deer now.

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year [Re: pmnitro] #7025050 01/04/18 10:19 PM
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I have a Ranch in Edwards county SW of Rocksprings. Hunting started very slow until after Thanksgiving and the cold Weather. After the Snow hit, the Rut was on!!!!! Deer started coming to feeders and chasing like crazy.

Rut continued through end of December. Killed some nice deer, but none of the Big Mature Deer have shown their face at feeders or cameras all season.

Can't wait til next Season!!!!!

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