As per request I have contacted a number of folks about the projection for the upcoming whitetail deer season.
I realize that the early teal season is here on Sept. 9 through the 24th.
It is also the consensus that there are a lot of teal already in the area. Flooded rice and marsh areas are holding lots of teal. Shawn Loiacano, owner of the Broken L Hunting Lodge (409-454-7390) told me that he has a flooded rice field with about 5000 blue wing teal in it.
There is also some dove hunting going on and we are not very far from archery deer season and then rifle deer season.Yes, it is a good idea to know what to expect when you head afield.
The ranches that offer deer hunting in the hill country are reporting continued dry conditions.
I realize that doesn't sound encouraging, but historically that area is normally dry.
The deer do very well on the forbs that don't seem to be effected by dry weather. So long as there is a stock tank or spring around the animals do fine.
In fact, I've conversed with a couple whitetail deer biologists and they said that the deer can survive from the moisture in green plants.
It seems that the spring rains came at a perfect time for the fawn crop. The does and bucks are in really good shape in most areas.
Areas with overpopulation will have animals showing the effects of that coupled with the dry weather.
Antler growth is at least as good as it was last season according to the ranch foremen. There are, as always, some really outstanding bucks around.
These deer are of a mature age because they don't make themselves readily available to hunters.
It takes some really cunning hunters to find one in most cases.
The acorn crop seems to be fairly heavy in most areas. Since the acorn crop is controlled by nature it's difficult to predict their effect on the deer's feeding schedule.
Besides the deer there are too many feral hogs around in most ranches.
These animals are super prolific and they do compete with the deer in some cases.
The whitetails simply do not like to be around hogs. Rio Grande turkeys are also in good numbers from the hill country down into the brush country of South Texas. The hilly areas around Sonora that contain live water sources are the top turkey producers.
There doesn't seem to be a shortage of them anywhere there is water in the hill and brush country. I have not gotten a report on the quail as of this article, but I'll have one soon. The report from East Texas are also of dry conditions.
There are plenty creeks, spring branches, and lakes to support the really populace whitetail deer herd that has now become East Texas.
There is an ongoing problem of when to go deer hunting in East Texas. The first couple weeks of the gun season usually occurs during the end of the mating season.
That's when the hunters see the large numbers of deer. Both bucks and does move around then.
After that time it's a chore to even see the deer at all. Here, also, there are lots of acorns and even more feral hogs to help clean them up.
All in all most of the East Texas deer areas are in good shape. I'll have more on this as we get nearer to deer season.
Billy Halfin can be heard on KOLE FOX Radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings
For discount sporting goods visit: http://www.rifles-n-rods.com
I realize that the early teal season is here on Sept. 9 through the 24th.
It is also the consensus that there are a lot of teal already in the area. Flooded rice and marsh areas are holding lots of teal. Shawn Loiacano, owner of the Broken L Hunting Lodge (409-454-7390) told me that he has a flooded rice field with about 5000 blue wing teal in it.
There is also some dove hunting going on and we are not very far from archery deer season and then rifle deer season.Yes, it is a good idea to know what to expect when you head afield.
The ranches that offer deer hunting in the hill country are reporting continued dry conditions.
I realize that doesn't sound encouraging, but historically that area is normally dry.
The deer do very well on the forbs that don't seem to be effected by dry weather. So long as there is a stock tank or spring around the animals do fine.
In fact, I've conversed with a couple whitetail deer biologists and they said that the deer can survive from the moisture in green plants.
It seems that the spring rains came at a perfect time for the fawn crop. The does and bucks are in really good shape in most areas.
Areas with overpopulation will have animals showing the effects of that coupled with the dry weather.
Antler growth is at least as good as it was last season according to the ranch foremen. There are, as always, some really outstanding bucks around.
These deer are of a mature age because they don't make themselves readily available to hunters.
It takes some really cunning hunters to find one in most cases.
The acorn crop seems to be fairly heavy in most areas. Since the acorn crop is controlled by nature it's difficult to predict their effect on the deer's feeding schedule.
Besides the deer there are too many feral hogs around in most ranches.
These animals are super prolific and they do compete with the deer in some cases.
The whitetails simply do not like to be around hogs. Rio Grande turkeys are also in good numbers from the hill country down into the brush country of South Texas. The hilly areas around Sonora that contain live water sources are the top turkey producers.
There doesn't seem to be a shortage of them anywhere there is water in the hill and brush country. I have not gotten a report on the quail as of this article, but I'll have one soon. The report from East Texas are also of dry conditions.
There are plenty creeks, spring branches, and lakes to support the really populace whitetail deer herd that has now become East Texas.
There is an ongoing problem of when to go deer hunting in East Texas. The first couple weeks of the gun season usually occurs during the end of the mating season.
That's when the hunters see the large numbers of deer. Both bucks and does move around then.
After that time it's a chore to even see the deer at all. Here, also, there are lots of acorns and even more feral hogs to help clean them up.
All in all most of the East Texas deer areas are in good shape. I'll have more on this as we get nearer to deer season.
Billy Halfin can be heard on KOLE FOX Radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings
For discount sporting goods visit: http://www.rifles-n-rods.com