texashuntingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
nmmuledeerhunter, Dzia-Dzia, TraeMartin, Beatixre, MooseSteed
71989 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
dogcatcher 110,788
bill oxner 91,416
SnakeWrangler 65,416
stxranchman 60,296
Gravytrain 46,950
RKHarm24 44,585
rifleman 44,461
Stub 43,769
Forum Statistics
Forums46
Topics537,030
Posts9,719,592
Members86,989
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
Print Thread
Quiet before the storm #8008221 10/13/20 02:16 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,210
T
Texas Dan Offline OP
THF Celebrity
OP Offline
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,210
Anyone else like to limit activity in the area where they hunt during the days or weeks leading up to the season opener? While some leases treat this period like any other time of the year or season, I've seen leases where no ATV traffic is allowed, meaning hunters have to get everything done before the quiet period begins.

Of course I'm sure there are some of you who have seen it more than once when a guy shows up on Opening Day with corn and everything else to get his feeder up and running. Such things can make you smile and shake your head.

Last edited by Texas Dan; 10/13/20 02:22 PM.

"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Texas Dan] #8008236 10/13/20 02:30 PM
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 620
S
Sparta Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
S
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 620
Our place is a working cattle ranch so the deer are used to lots of activity. We do stop dove hunting on bow open but that's about it. I can see where it would be necessary in deep woods where the wildlife isn't conditioned to human activity.

I hear you on the opening day corn guys. I'm always surprised at how many trailers I see loaded with stands, feeders, and corn on my drive to the ranch opening weekend. Maybe they are on ranches that don't allow year round access confused2

Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Texas Dan] #8008251 10/13/20 02:42 PM
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,612
Q
QuitShootinYoungBucks Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
Q
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 15,612
I'm with Sparta-the only reason to limit activity is if there is already little activity. We run stock and there's a windmill easement road through our place-there is already a fair amount of activity.

I also crack up at the guys rolling out on Friday Nov 6th will all their gear. Good luck to 'em! I particularly appreciate it when I'm in my stand and they run deer my way while they're knocking around at 9am trying to set it all up.


[Linked Image]

https://web.archive.org/web/20170223065011/http:/www.rrdvegas.com/silencer-cleaning.html
Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Texas Dan] #8008286 10/13/20 03:15 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 783
Gringocazador Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 783
Our lease is very well managaged. Its owned by a timber company, very different for me than the typcial Texas/Mexico working cattle ranch deer lease.

We have no cows and very little traffic for the most part. Sometimes they cut timber, but so far not often.

The weekend before bow season is the last weekend for heavy work, moving stands, feeders etc. After that its 12 to 2 if you need to fill a feeder, check a trail cam etc. We do not have all that many bow hunters, not sure I saw anybody else besides myself during bow season last year or year before. We have three sections that total just south of 6k acres. May be hunters out I don't see.

East Texas Deer are skidish by nature, its East Texas, is what it is. Much different than other part of the state I've hunted in.

I think the month of Oct. with very little traffic does not hurt. I bow hunt, but I'm not hard core. I use bow season to set a stand just to get out and also see what I can see prior to rifle season.


Thanks, Billy
Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Texas Dan] #8008291 10/13/20 03:19 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,210
T
Texas Dan Offline OP
THF Celebrity
OP Offline
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,210
Good discussion.


"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Texas Dan] #8008348 10/13/20 04:11 PM
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14,027
H
Hudbone Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
H
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14,027
get 'em used to it, I say.

Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Texas Dan] #8008567 10/13/20 07:35 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,001
J
jhunter77 Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
J
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,001
We run cattle and for the most part we leave the gates to our hunting areas open until the weekend before youth weekend so the cows have free reign of the place. We only hunting maybe 2 weekends in dove season and nobody really bow hunts on our place. I drive all over the our farm and the deer "spook" just off the road and hide in the brush and trees. There is one guy that gets out of his blind every morning and walks all over the place. Last year I was looking at 2 nice deer and he sent a text saying he was looking at my blind from the woods 15 yard to my left. I wasn't happy. But as for noise the deer don't seem to mind us moving around on the roads and they don't seem to mind the cows much.

Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Texas Dan] #8008653 10/13/20 08:36 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 25,138
Creekrunner Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 25,138
Was the end to daylight savings time later a few years ago? I was on a lease just one year and the old guy next to me ran himself ragged running around on his 4-wheeler, changing times on his feeder, filling it, etc., at the beginning of rifle season. roflmao He was always shocked that I saw a lot of deer at my spot, especially bucks. I wasn't paranoid about activity, I just didn't make an off-road race track out of the road to my blind once the season started. We also had mule deer available. This guy made it clear that if it had antlers, it was down. (Cross-over country north of Sanderson.) That was one shot-out, crazy arse place. The game wardens made it a regular stop.


...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Texas Dan] #8008662 10/13/20 08:42 PM
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 65
R
richard-ssv Offline
Outdoorsman
Offline
Outdoorsman
R
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 65
Sometimes, despite the best plans for early preparation, life throws you curve balls. I had my feeder up and running by early June. I was out opening morning of bow season only to find that the hogs had broken into my pen and destroyed my feeder beyond repair. Thus, I was one of those guys last weekend heading out with a trailer full of corn and a new feeder.

You never know though, last season I hunted on a buddy's property where they didn't do much of any preparation during the summer. The day we got there they were mowing, trimming trees, and filling feeders. I shot a nice 8 point later that evening.

Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: jhunter77] #8008663 10/13/20 08:42 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 783
Gringocazador Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 783
Originally Posted by jhunter77
We run cattle and for the most part we leave the gates to our hunting areas open until the weekend before youth weekend so the cows have free reign of the place. We only hunting maybe 2 weekends in dove season and nobody really bow hunts on our place. I drive all over the our farm and the deer "spook" just off the road and hide in the brush and trees. There is one guy that gets out of his blind every morning and walks all over the place. Last year I was looking at 2 nice deer and he sent a text saying he was looking at my blind from the woods 15 yard to my left. I wasn't happy. But as for noise the deer don't seem to mind us moving around on the roads and they don't seem to mind the cows much.


I hate those guys that get out and walk around when they know they are not supposed too. We had a guy on a lease in Catarina, Dimmit Co. that would get out of his blind and walk around. One morning I looked down the sendero there he was hidding behind a patch of pear looking at me with his binos. He ran all the does off under my feeder. I ended up busy with a new Job, sold my box blind and tripod to one of the guys and never went back.


Thanks, Billy
Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Texas Dan] #8008733 10/13/20 09:32 PM
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14,027
H
Hudbone Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
H
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 14,027
Few reasons allowable to get mad at deer lease, but hat certainly would be a valid one.

Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Gringocazador] #8008750 10/13/20 09:44 PM
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 620
S
Sparta Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
S
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 620

Originally Posted by Gringocazador
Originally Posted by jhunter77
We run cattle and for the most part we leave the gates to our hunting areas open until the weekend before youth weekend so the cows have free reign of the place. We only hunting maybe 2 weekends in dove season and nobody really bow hunts on our place. I drive all over the our farm and the deer "spook" just off the road and hide in the brush and trees. There is one guy that gets out of his blind every morning and walks all over the place. Last year I was looking at 2 nice deer and he sent a text saying he was looking at my blind from the woods 15 yard to my left. I wasn't happy. But as for noise the deer don't seem to mind us moving around on the roads and they don't seem to mind the cows much.


I hate those guys that get out and walk around when they know they are not supposed too. We had a guy on a lease in Catarina, Dimmit Co. that would get out of his blind and walk around. One morning I looked down the sendero there he was hidding behind a patch of pear looking at me with his binos. He ran all the does off under my feeder. I ended up busy with a new Job, sold my box blind and tripod to one of the guys and never went back.



That's an easy way to get shot. I do get out of my blind to spot and stalk but I have a designated area to do so. Even then, I don't do it if we have three or more hunters in camp. I would never mess with someone else's hunt or put myself in a situation we're I could get shot. That's just crazy

Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Hudbone] #8008753 10/13/20 09:44 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 5,883
Ol Thumper Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 5,883
Originally Posted by Hudbone
get 'em used to it, I say.


I agree, if it’s pin drop quiet for a month and on opening day the woods fire up I’d leave the country if I were a deer. I do understand thr are some idiots out thr screwing it up for the common sense guys so I can’t blame anyone for the rules.

Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Hudbone] #8009484 10/14/20 01:29 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,210
T
Texas Dan Offline OP
THF Celebrity
OP Offline
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,210
Originally Posted by Hudbone
get 'em used to it, I say.


I'm a firm believer that deer will often bed near homes, barns, and sheds for the safety they provide from predators. They seem to learn that the day-to-day sights, smells and sounds of human activity are more a threat to their predators than they are to them. However, they usually return to their normal, wary selves once they're back in their more normal surroundings that are visited far less often by humans.

I also believe that given the option, mature bucks will choose core areas where humans seldom if ever tread. It's why many recommend creating "safe zones" and only hunting their edges.

Last edited by Texas Dan; 10/14/20 01:43 PM.

"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: Sparta] #8009532 10/14/20 02:06 PM
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,001
J
jhunter77 Offline
Pro Tracker
Offline
Pro Tracker
J
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,001
Originally Posted by Sparta

Originally Posted by Gringocazador
Originally Posted by jhunter77
We run cattle and for the most part we leave the gates to our hunting areas open until the weekend before youth weekend so the cows have free reign of the place. We only hunting maybe 2 weekends in dove season and nobody really bow hunts on our place. I drive all over the our farm and the deer "spook" just off the road and hide in the brush and trees. There is one guy that gets out of his blind every morning and walks all over the place. Last year I was looking at 2 nice deer and he sent a text saying he was looking at my blind from the woods 15 yard to my left. I wasn't happy. But as for noise the deer don't seem to mind us moving around on the roads and they don't seem to mind the cows much.


I hate those guys that get out and walk around when they know they are not supposed too. We had a guy on a lease in Catarina, Dimmit Co. that would get out of his blind and walk around. One morning I looked down the sendero there he was hidding behind a patch of pear looking at me with his binos. He ran all the does off under my feeder. I ended up busy with a new Job, sold my box blind and tripod to one of the guys and never went back.



That's an easy way to get shot. I do get out of my blind to spot and stalk but I have a designated area to do so. Even then, I don't do it if we have three or more hunters in camp. I would never mess with someone else's hunt or put myself in a situation we're I could get shot. That's just crazy



I agree with you guys. I don't like it and it's dangerous as hell. I will say this we're the only 2 that hunt this piece of property, we both take our kids out there and my wife goes with me too, I've tried to teach my girls that they need to be able to identify anything beyond their target but if someone's walking around during a hunt in your area there could be a deadly accident. I couldn't live with myself if that ever happened. My concern is the lack of safety in this situation.

Re: Quiet before the storm [Re: jhunter77] #8009658 10/14/20 03:29 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,210
T
Texas Dan Offline OP
THF Celebrity
OP Offline
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,210
Originally Posted by jhunter77
I agree with you guys. I don't like it and it's dangerous as hell. I will say this we're the only 2 that hunt this piece of property, we both take our kids out there and my wife goes with me too, I've tried to teach my girls that they need to be able to identify anything beyond their target but if someone's walking around during a hunt in your area there could be a deadly accident. I couldn't live with myself if that ever happened. My concern is the lack of safety in this situation.


An image that I shared earlier with humor in mind in another thread brought to light how people can see a deer where there is none. I can remember the time my wife and I noticed what we were both sure was a doe standing in front of a shed. As it turns out, it was just some very tall feeds that gave the appearance of being a doe. All of this brings to mind the point at which someone can say without any doubt that what they seeing is in fact a deer. In my opinion, it's always best to wait until you see clear movement of multiple body parts in motion.

Last edited by Texas Dan; 10/14/20 03:36 PM.

"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 2004-2024 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3