Texas Hunting Forum

Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year

Posted By: pmnitro

Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/24/17 06:57 PM

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???
Posted By: BOBO the Clown

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/24/17 07:06 PM

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
Posted By: majekman

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/24/17 08:28 PM

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
Posted By: huntincoach

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/24/17 08:47 PM

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.
Posted By: QuitShootinYoungBucks

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/24/17 10:18 PM

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.
Posted By: Deerhunter61

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/24/17 11:04 PM

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!
Posted By: jmh004

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/25/17 01:03 AM

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.
Posted By: TAT

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/25/17 04:24 AM

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!
Posted By: jmh004

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/25/17 04:46 AM

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.
Posted By: jmh004

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/25/17 04:59 AM



Kids were super pumped about me bringing home a deer.
Posted By: Wilhunt

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/25/17 02:21 PM

We hunt north of llano and it has been disappointing. Too many young deer.
Posted By: majekman

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/25/17 02:34 PM

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.
Posted By: TAT

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/25/17 02:56 PM

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!
Posted By: jmh004

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/25/17 03:00 PM

Thanks a lot.
Posted By: REALKILLER

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/25/17 03:38 PM

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.
Posted By: Txhunter65

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/25/17 09:45 PM

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.
Posted By: crooked horn

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/26/17 04:38 AM

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.
Posted By: Buck25-06

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/26/17 04:23 PM

Originally Posted By: jmh004


Kids were super pumped about me bringing home a deer.
nice buck congrats
Posted By: Hunter Daddy

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/26/17 04:40 PM

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.
Posted By: Pitchfork Predator

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/26/17 05:01 PM

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.
Posted By: kdkane1971

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/27/17 02:40 PM

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.


Posted By: Bucks and Ducks

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/27/17 05:38 PM

Im in Llano too and its been tough, culled a crazy spike last week to get some meat.
Posted By: BQM88

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/27/17 06:47 PM

Tough here
Posted By: copperhead

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 12/29/17 12:56 PM

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.
Posted By: Plainview

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 01/04/18 10:19 PM

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!!!!!
Posted By: Erathkid

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 01/05/18 02:07 AM

Originally Posted By: jmh004


Kids were super pumped about me bringing home a deer.
That is such a great picture. up
Posted By: jmh004

Re: Hunting the Hill country - a bust this year - 01/05/18 02:32 AM

Thanks a lot. It's my screen saver now. Between the two of us, we got 5 deer this year. I guess it's hard to call the year a bust when you come home with 5 deer, but I see what others are saying about a lack of mature bucks.
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