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Thanksging Deer Hunts
Each year I go out to my folks who live on a ranch outside Schulenburg 'bout halfway between San Antone and Houston. Not big deer country to begin with but us and most of the neighbors have been participating in the West Navidad Wildlife Association...pretty much harvesting only older bucks and it is a one buck county. Voluntary participation of course but we are seeing results. Many of you saw my rant last week about the ONE GUY who doesn't play nice taking the 20" 12 point I had scouted. Anyway, I had to start over.
Worked three main pastures and one deeply wooded river bottom both mornings and afternoons for five days. Saw mostly one and two year old bucks. Some of them have potential... Also saw a young 8 I nicknamed Lefty as he has 4 points on the right and knocked off everything but the main one on the left...kind of funny looking. Twice ran into a couple of bucks I guess to be 3 years old...one a nice 9 and the other a very symetrical ten. Good deer but still too young...antlers were still real thin and both spreads were inside the ears maybe 15"-16".
Was feeling kind of disappointed this morning as my expectations were awefully high after last years 13 pointer I dropped and seeing very few mature deer this year. About 9:30 this morning I saw a real nice buck in the distance with four doe. One of those you know is nice without any glass on them. Sat behind a tree and watched him work his way behind the does toward me. Once I was able I got a good look at him through the binocs. He was 10 or 11 with just at the ears spread. he was also much thicker at the base and had that darker antler look that they sometimes develope. I grabbed the rifle and put the scope on him at 150 yards. He was facing me and not offering a decent shot so I waited for it. He was right on the property line and I knew my shot would have to be quick. Finally, he turned his head so I could get a better look at his antlers. He was really borderline. He then turned and gave me the broadside. I placed the crosshairs on him, paused, clicked off the safety...and did nothing. I decided to give this boy one more year. I really hope he makes it as he will be an outstanding buck next year guessing to go 12 with 20" spread if we get enough rain this year.
So I didn't get a back BUT I can go to bed knowing that I hunted hard all week, had one dead to rights, and let him go. That just feels different than being shut out.
So I have a few more weekends left to see if I can find anyone older and bigger. If not, then I just will have to get ready for the big trout tourney coming up. Looking forward to getting back out on the bay soon...
Worked three main pastures and one deeply wooded river bottom both mornings and afternoons for five days. Saw mostly one and two year old bucks. Some of them have potential... Also saw a young 8 I nicknamed Lefty as he has 4 points on the right and knocked off everything but the main one on the left...kind of funny looking. Twice ran into a couple of bucks I guess to be 3 years old...one a nice 9 and the other a very symetrical ten. Good deer but still too young...antlers were still real thin and both spreads were inside the ears maybe 15"-16".
Was feeling kind of disappointed this morning as my expectations were awefully high after last years 13 pointer I dropped and seeing very few mature deer this year. About 9:30 this morning I saw a real nice buck in the distance with four doe. One of those you know is nice without any glass on them. Sat behind a tree and watched him work his way behind the does toward me. Once I was able I got a good look at him through the binocs. He was 10 or 11 with just at the ears spread. he was also much thicker at the base and had that darker antler look that they sometimes develope. I grabbed the rifle and put the scope on him at 150 yards. He was facing me and not offering a decent shot so I waited for it. He was right on the property line and I knew my shot would have to be quick. Finally, he turned his head so I could get a better look at his antlers. He was really borderline. He then turned and gave me the broadside. I placed the crosshairs on him, paused, clicked off the safety...and did nothing. I decided to give this boy one more year. I really hope he makes it as he will be an outstanding buck next year guessing to go 12 with 20" spread if we get enough rain this year.
So I didn't get a back BUT I can go to bed knowing that I hunted hard all week, had one dead to rights, and let him go. That just feels different than being shut out.
So I have a few more weekends left to see if I can find anyone older and bigger. If not, then I just will have to get ready for the big trout tourney coming up. Looking forward to getting back out on the bay soon...
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