Well, it was a tough season in the Hill Country of Texas. This weekend was our last trip for the year. Even though we are on MLD level 3.....the landowner would not let anyone hunt after Jan. 9 so I took this buck at the last minute. He's nothing special, but he was the best buck I had a chance at this weekend. He's 4.5 years old with a 17" inside spread. He broke both of his brow tines and won't score well, but who cares. He was worn down from the rut and it was a quick, one shot kill. An appropriate end to another wonderful season of whitetail hunting in the Lonestar State.....I thank God every day that I live here.

quote:

Originally posted by Eland Slayer:
...He broke both of his brow tines ... and it was a quick, one shot kill. ...

The broken Tines gives them character. And a clean 1-shot Kill is what it is all about.

I see nothing to appologize for(except not sending me some backstrap ).

beautiful coloration and facial marking
on them Texas deer.
add him to the graveyard you been showing us
over the last couple yrs.
nice work

Congrats on filling your tag.

Deer hunting seems to have been slow all over the state this year. Game cams run by myself and friends in both Central Texas and Northwest Texas showed considerably less traffic than last year.

However, those bucks that were taken were generally good ones. In fact, the buck I took on New Year's day is the first one I've bothered to shoulder mount in over twenty years.



I don't think there has been any reduction in deer population; no die-off, no mass migrations, etc. It's just that the circumstances this year, whether it was weather, browse, sunspots, or the poor performance of the Dallas Cowboys, deer just didn't move the way they normally do.

I agree, it was a crazy year. I blame the weather. As warm as it's been (not now though, it's freezing cold!!!) the deer just haven't been moving much in the Hill Country. Seems the only time I've been seeing much of anything is the morning hunt. Afternoons are spooky quiet and my cameras are showing a lot of nighttime traffic. Headed down this weekend but as is typical for me this year, I'll miss this cold front and with the warmer weather they'll be acting funny again.

Congrats on the buck!

Regards,
Scott

Stonecreek,

That is a heck of a nice buck.....I'd have him mounted too!!

We saw lots of buck early, live and on game cam. As the season wore on, we saw fewer and fewer.
I'm convinced that bucks have a seasonal range that differs from spring/summer and fall/winter.
GWB