Back in 2010 I purchased some land in Fannin Co that showed promise of year round pig hunting and some occasional deer. Every year we see some bucks but outside of the rut, they are few and far between. I have some resident does and my goal every year is to keep them fed and happy so that when the rut rolls around, they will turn into harlots and lure in the bucks from miles around.


Taste like farm raised


There are some big ones out there

In the last 5 years, my Dad took a 14 ptr ([URL="http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=423109"]click here to read[/URL]) but Ive only passed on bucks. Ive seen some decent up and comers but I keep waiting for that monster that I know is out there.

So this weekend I took Friday off so my Dad could meet me down there to do some work. I needed to replace a feeder that decided to stop working last week and we needed to trim up some shooting lanes for our bow and rifle stands. Normally I would have had this done a long time ago, but this is my first year being married and between that and travel for work, I just lost track of time leading up to the season.

So we get our work done and go corn a spot on the west side of the property and are driving back to camp to get changed and ready to hunt when I see my Dad stop in the middle of the road. He then backs up, stops for a bit, and starts heading back to camp. Once we are a bit away, he stops the truck and comes running up...

"There is a shooter laying in the trail back there" was the first words he said.

I laughed because I thought he was joking, but he was adamant he saw a big buck bedded up back there. I've caught bucks bedded up before during the rut, but not on my property! Dad and I made a game plan and I figured the buck was laid up with a doe and wouldn't move unless the doe got spooked.



After getting loaded up and ready, we eased our way back there and unfortunately we were looking right into the sun. About the the we reached the trail the "buck" was at, a deer trotted down the fence line perpendicular to our path. We eased up a bit more and when I looked down the trail I about dropped my gun. He had stood up, but was standing still and looking right at me. I could tell his frame was big and his neck was thick and I decided after 5 years of waiting, this was the buck.

I put my crosshairs on the buck and put some pressure on the trigger and BOOM! I forgot how sensitive the trigger was on my rifle after shooting my AR for the last year or so. The buck turned and bounded off like he wasn't hit. CRAP!!! We backed out and watched a clearing in the direction he was headed but never saw him. At this point, I felt like the shot was good, but the bucks behavior after the shot indicated otherwise. Grreeeeeat!

We let him sit for a bit and then slowly stalked up to where we saw him last. Just as we got even with the area he was in, another doe bounded off. This had to be the doe he was with. Its crazy she just sat there even after I fired. These are wild freaking deer that will spot you moving your head in a stand! My harlots were doing their job well

I scoot forward another 5 yards and that is where the blood trail (bath) began. I instantly knew we would find that buck in NO TIME! We followed the trail and the buck was there not 30 yards away.


"Do you see whats up there?!?!?"



I haven't aged or scored him yet, but he was 170 lbs and in full rut. My initial guess is 4.5 and I don't even care what he scores. Its a great feeling taking a buck on your own land. I only have 130 acres so "managing" it is an exercise in futility, but the cool thing is I remember this buck from 2 years ago when I passed him while I was hunting with a pistol. Maybe next time I can pass one at 4.5 so I can see the potential at 6.5.









Oh... and there are still a TON of pigs. That season never ends!

DANG you do have pigs.
Congrats on the buck

Great story.
I used to hunt turtles on lake Fannin and am slightly familiar with the area.
I now have acres in Cass county and that's where I am hunting but have seen nothing like your buck on my place.

Well done, congrats!

Very well done!

Congratulations! I'm sure it's a thrill to reap the fruits of your labor.

Thats a nice Buck anywhere!!!!

At first I thought you were speaking sarcastically about the pig in the upper pictures. Then I saw you were talking about your very nice deer further down. It always adds a little bit to the fun if you hunt on your own property. Well done.

Congratulations!

Nice Buck! But you need to thin out those hogs so your deer can eat more. Bob

Hell of a deal, just a kid yet and have your own place, am happy for you.
Dandy buck. Keep in practice on those pigs.
Not sure I have a map that shows counties, where is that compared to??

Thanks and congrats,
George

quote:

Originally posted by georgeld:
Hell of a deal, just a kid yet and have your own place, am happy for you.
Dandy buck. Keep in practice on those pigs.
Not sure I have a map that shows counties, where is that compared to??

Thanks and congrats,
George

Considering I paid my way though college and still help my parents out with bills, I think I'm doing pretty well for myself. Thankfully, God blessed me with a brain and some luck.

It's North East of Dalls about 2 hrs near the town of Bonham.

Way to go. It's a special feeling to get your first deer on your own place.

Nice buck! It looks like you got a nice piece of the Texas dream in that property.

I can remember when you seldom saw a hog in Texas unless it was a Javalina, now they own the state..Many of my family members ranch in Texas and the hogs have taken over..They shoot them year around on sight and out of helecopters, trap them, snare them, and they still breed like cockroaches and cause a awesome amount of financial damage..I saw over 30 in a trap on one ranch. they hauled them off to the Saturday sale in Klondike I think.

Great story, thanks for sharing.

That's great, just don't get over confident like a lot of us older guys have. Life pulls some rotten stuff on us at times. I refer to it as just like being in a whore house. Soon as you get the notion YOU have the world by the short hairs, she's gonna ________! Put some back and never hock the place and you'll be much better off. AND keep up on plenty of insurance too! Especially: income protection ins.! That alone undoes a lot of folks plans.

Have a near life long buddy from Gilmer, I've driven thru the area a bit, and down the big double ribbon a couple hundred times. Thanks for the info. Best of luck, you're doing mighty well.
George