Derrick | Whitetail Hunting

Deer Rut in Brown County Texas

Question: “Got a new deer hunting lease in Brown County, Texas, this year and am looking forward to chasing whitetail. I will be getting to head to my deer lease this coming weekend for the very first time this year. Not familiar with rut activity up there, so looking for a little help. Has there been any rut activity seen, or did I already miss it being that it’s late November? Thanks for any hunting help you can give me.”

Response: I work with several ranches in Callahan, Taylor, and a few others counties up that way. Most of the whitetail rutting activity is usually observed around the last week of October or the first week of November. We actually saw a lot of bucks chasing earlier in the month, so the primary rut is, unfortunately, over in that part of Texas. But don’t let that stop you from getting in the field. Continue reading Deer Rut in Brown County Texas

CWD in Pennsylvania Whitetail Deer

Question: “I have been deer hunting in north central Pennsylvania for almost 15 years. I know that whitetail deer are susceptible to many different types of diseases found in Pennsylvania, but I heard that chronic wasting disease was recently found in the state. I know the deer population can drop dramatically if CWD spreads, so what can you tell me about CWD in Pennsylvania whitetail deer? Will the deer hunting take an immediate hit?”

Whitetail Hunting: First, let me say that you are right on with all of your statements. CWD was found in October 2012 in Adams County, Pennsylvania, in a captive deer population. The disease will cause the deer population to decline, but the rate at which is does will depend on many variables. The local deer density and habitat conditions will impact the spread of CWD in Pennsylvania the most. Fewer deer and/or better conditions with more water will slow the spread and the impact on whitetail hunting. Continue reading CWD in Pennsylvania Whitetail Deer

Deer Hunting in Atascosa County, Texas

Question: “My family has the opportunity to get on a deer lease in Atascosa County. We are not very familiar with this part of Texas, but hear that the whitetail deer hunting can be good down there. We currently live in Austin and are trying to decide if this lease could be a good deal for us, or if we should keep looking in the Hill Country. Would you happen to know how the deer hunting in the Atascosa County fairs compared to other parts of Texas? Thanks for your time.”

Deer Hunting Pros: One of my uncles lives in Atascosa County and has about 65 acres of land. Like any area, the hunting on any particular property depends on the habitat, the land management practices and the local deer population. If the deer lease you are considering is anything like my unlce’s place then the whitetail hunting should be really good. If you have a creek or draw running through your lease then it will be even better. Continue reading Deer Hunting in Atascosa County, Texas

Deer Age: Aging Whitetail Deer by Teeth

Question: “I’ve grown up deer hunting in Louisiana and we mostly shot deer to eat. After college, I moved to North Texas and ended up getting on a deer lease several years later. The guys out there try to manage the deer, but I’m no pro when it comes to aging deer on the hoof or by their teeth. This is my second year on the lease and although I’m getting better at determining a deer’s age, I want another opinion on the age of the jawbones in the attached photos. Thanks.”

Continue reading Deer Age: Aging Whitetail Deer by Teeth

Deer Antler Scoring Classes – Antler Score Sheet

Question: “Do you know of any programs that a hunter could take on whitetail deer antler scoring classes anywhere in Central Texas? We have a ranch that we are going to start selling buck hunts on next year and I would like to learn how to score a whitetail deer correctly. It will also help to be official since we will be charging by the inch. We want to make sure we know what we are doing.” Continue reading Deer Antler Scoring Classes – Antler Score Sheet

Turnips for Food Plots

Question: “I am interested in better whitetail hunting on my Texas property and always try to provide supplemental foods for deer. I typically plant food plots in the fall, but this year I tried turnips for food plots in the spring. I planted turnips in a very small area, about 1/2 acre in size. The ground was firm, but after preparing the soil, and some rain, the turnips look good. They look great, but the deer have not touched them. My question is, do whitetail usually eat the turnip bulb or stick to the leafy greens?”

Answer: When it comes to whitetail deer management, food plots are a good tool. They are not the only way to provide supplemental forage for whitetail, but they can work great over much of the whitetail’s range, including Texas. The eastern half of Texas has better soil for food plots, but good soils can be found over much of the state, even further west if they are located along creeks, rivers and other riparian areas. Continue reading Turnips for Food Plots

Whitetail Deer Hunting in Lampasas County Texas

Question: “I have been whitetail hunting for years, but recently got on a deer lease located in Central Texas, actually in Lampasas County. The ranch is about 7 miles north of the town of Lampasas on 183. I know the center of the state has quite a few deer, but am not familiar with Lampasas County. The property looked good and the other hunters say the hunting is good. They have been feeding protein and selectively harvesting bucks. Any ideas on deer hunting in Lampasas County?”

Response: Deer hunting can vary quite a bit in different parts of a county, but Lampasas County has good numbers of deer over most of it. The west-central part of the county can have some open areas, but even the wooded areas hold deer. Good bucks have come out of every county in Texas. The biggest factor for deer management is food availability and bucks that are allowed to get old. Take care of these two things and your deer lease will be great. Continue reading Whitetail Deer Hunting in Lampasas County Texas

Feeding Deer Cottonseed as Supplemental Protein

Question: “We are trying to manager the deer on our property to provide better whitetail deer hunting. For those that are feeding cottonseed, do livestock try to eat it? I had enormous problems in a couple of pastures trying to keep the cows out of the protein feeders last year. I was thinking of trying whole cottonseed instead of protein pellets this year in those pastures, but if they are going to try and get at the cottonseed as much as they do the protein pellets, I’m going to stay the course with the pellets. Let me hear about your cottonseed for deer management experiences.”

Response: Cottonseed can be used as a supplemental protein source for whitetail, but my experience with it is it is labor intensive unless your are setup to handle it. Feeding cottonseed is very demanding during high heat and humidity. You will need a covered shed to store it under, tractor with front end loader to move it around or load onto trailer/truck to move around ranch to put in feeders. Continue reading Feeding Deer Cottonseed as Supplemental Protein