Stephens County Reports????

What is everyone seeing?

Seeing lots of slicks and young Bucks...No real sign of rut that I've seen but it's usually started by now. Young bucks are running Does a little but not much. Not see any older Bucks.

Interesting with the weather I would expect rut in full swing!
I attended opening weekend however missed this weekend.

We are also seeing lots of young bucks. Not seeing many does but the ones we have seen have had bucks following them. A few have had bucks chasing them hard. Have seen bucks out cruising all day. Not much activity at the feeders. Lots of acorns on the ground and still falling.

Saturday there was some chasing going on. Mostly young bucks and mostly in the morning/noon. By evening hardly anything moving.

Same, Saturday morning was busy but Saturday afternoon was fairly slow. Lots of acorns here too.

We are seeing tons of deer, have not seen many mature deer chasing but lots of young bucks wanting to chase every thing in sight! My son shot a nice 5.5 year old 8 point yesterday evening probably had already seen 12-15 doe and 7-10 young bucks when he shot him at 5pm!

Hey Chester!!!

I hunted Sat morning and evening, and between both hunts, I only saw one small spike. Everyone on our place was seeing low numbers. I spoke with the game warden, and he said things were really slow right now. I plan to not hunt the feeder next time I go, and find a draw and maybe do some walking around a little.

we're to the north in young county, part of our lease is Stephens county too, and it was a really slow weekend. I'm usually covered up in doe, sometimes as many as 11 at one feeder...saw a mother and 2 yearlings on one hunt, another was being pursued by really young 4pt. Not even the hogs are hanging around, saw one but he moved through before I could put my cross hairs on him. Our place is usually in high gear by early-mid December.

Heading out in the morning! They have been chasing since opening. Wonder if this front will have any effect on them. Bring on the cold weather!

Been hunting all week, pretty slow.

Just got home, spent noon to dark Tuesday, all but lunchtime yesterday, and half of today in my stand. It's on the PK waterline and looking east has a 200 yard peek at anything moving north-south and another hundred yards towards a stock tank. In all those hours I saw one (1) scrawny no-shooter 4-pointer. No other deer to be seen. If there's a rut going on its somewhere else in the county. Did see a grey fox, a really nice bobcat and a coyote. Lots of puddle ducks on the tank. No turkey, no hogs. So, the 'yote became my next shoulder mount.

The chasing I saw were all really young bucks including a couple of nubbins!?! I really wish the cold would get here. Not just to get the deer moving but also because I just love being out there when it's frosty.

Walking around is a good idea, especially Saturday since the gusty wind will cover up sound really well.

Same story over in Shackelford Co. Lots of young bucks. Some chasing, others marking trees.

Finally saw a Buck tending a Doe this morning, he wasn't leaving her side and she wasn't running from him. Have hunted every day except 3 since season opened and have not seen a mature Buck yet. Had some on camera but they disappeared just before season started. Very little shooting from anywhere so far this season. Very strange year so far.

You ever wonder if a lot of our bucks that eat year around or late Summer on leave each year and go to a winter hang out?
I tend to get different ones most ever fall than I feed.

I believe that's the case with some bucks. I'm seeing a lot of deer just very little rut activity compared to past years. Had 4 Does out just a bit ago with no buck around. Before season I had 7 bucks that were 3-4 yr olds, have only seen one of those bucks since season started. Been jumping around hunting all over the ranch and have 4 cameras out...no sign of them.

20 years here and it maybe the worst start to a season I've had. Hopefully it turns around.

I hear you, Stompy. My season started out like gangbusters, now, with warmer weather it has slowed things dramatically. It's gonna' get better, I'm sure. I'm watching young bucks sparring but really no heavy rut. Record high temp has kind of thrown them off balance.

We had a very slow weekend as well. I didn't see a deer until this morning. Had five does come in, then saw a nice buck but he was on the other side of the fence. Everyone else seeing young bucks here and there.

Saturday from dawn to dusk I saw exactly two deer, both juvenile bucks. One visited right at sunrise and the other about an hour before sunset. No does and no turkeys. However, about the same time the second deer had a snack at the feeder eight hogs walked through. Only seven got away.

The wind was just brutal though.

I'm about a mile or two north of the Stephens line in Young county. This morning is perfect and nada. I'm almost 100 % mesquite the deer have just disappeared. It has to be acorns as corn is untouched, no deer in the wheat and protein untouched. Got a friends 9 year old on his first hunt and no deer. Really frustrating.

I slept in this morning, hit it again this afternoon. Sat in my 35 acre wheat field yesterday afternoon. 26 deer in the field..6 bucks all 1-2yr old. Only one of the 2yr old appeared to be locked up with a Doe. The rest of the bucks were eating and chasing.
Very good fawn crop this year too.

That's interesting Stompy we glassed 3 wheat fields pm yesterday one of which is ours and nothing. Can't get a more perfect morning for deer movement than today. Thanks bud

Talked to my neighbor (been neighbors 20 years), he owns and hunts his ranch also. He protein feeds year round, 5 guys on 1550 acres. His story is just like mine, had good bucks before season but only 1 good buck seen since season started. They've killed 4 spikes and 2 hogs. He told me he sat in his stand yesterday morning and never saw a deer. Checked my 4 cameras again today and still only young bucks.
Man what a strange year.

7 Doe, 8 fawns, two 2yr old bucks and a 1yr old buck this afternoon. Still no size or age.

I'm in central Stephens County and my story the same as everyone else's. Saw young bucks chasing first weekend in November, this weekend we've seen absolutely nothing.

We've been having the same thing young bucks and does, but they're already even going to the feeders still. When we see them it'll just be for a brief glimpse in opening area and then they're gone or they'll just walk right by the feeder without even stopping. Pictures on the cameras are still way down compared to before bow season. There's still a lot of acorns on the ground so I'm guessing they're still on them instead of the corn.

Lot's of acorns also, but we had definite rut activity on Sunday morning. Saw several big bucks running the does.

It is on at my place south of Breckenridge.

Back at it this afternoon. No activity yet. Yotes are making noise. Anyone seeing anything?

We'll be back in the stands in the morning, but not expecting much. Still need to take out a couple of Does.

One thing I have not seen is rain

Buddy got blanked tonight south of Breck.

So far this morning I have seen 6 doe and 7 bucks 3 were mature deer but no older than 4.5 they all three ate beside each other in the road! Out of the 13 deer not 1 went to the feeders all eating corn out of the road!

Last night saw 19 deer all within the last 30 minutes of light but only 1 mature buck who didn't act to interested in the doe but that same buck did follow one in this morning but didn't act to crazy about her.

Thanks for the report man, I have begun corning my roads again.

Anyone been hunting the last few days? Heading out soon to enjoy this nice cold weather.

I'll be just north of Stephens County in Woodson for a few days starting on the 14th, hopefully get a deer or two in the freezer.

Perfect morning. Cold and calm. Seen 4 bucks and a doe. One decent 8 and three small ones.

Had a good three day hunt. The deer were very active. Hitting the feeders much harder now than before. All doe and young bucks though. Looks like the secondary rut kicked in around the 9th. Had pics of some mature bucks with does. Saw some chasing this weekend but it was the younger ones harassing them a bit.

Anybody hunting? And what are you seeing?
Still not seeing a lot of activity by Lake Daniels.

Not far from you. Moving good here.

Have a friend showed me a picture of 150" plus ( 22' spread ) big deer that he killed in Lake Daniels area about 2 weeks ago running a doe. Biggest one I have seen in a few years.

Been in stand since 250. Had a four point come through at 3 then a doe and fawn come through at 330. Looks like they are up and moving. Wind blowing pretty good. Supposed to lay down around dark. I think tomorrow will be really good with this arctic front on the way.

Hunted New Yaers day from 6 till 11. Very cold 10 degrees. Didn’t see anything. I know evenings would be better but that doesn’t work for my schedule. Still surprised nothing came to feeder.