Just wondering what the deer hunting was like in South texas brush country during early to mid Janruary.
I found a Free Range ranch that hunts them during that time. (they have some state program)
Pretty good shot at a 150 + class buck.
Just wondering,
Thanks,
W.

The best time in the brush country is from about Christmas through the end of the season into mid January. Go and you won't regret it!!!

The rut generally starts around the 16th of December but sometimes a little later into X-mas. During the rut, the bucks will loose alot of body mass, especially if there is a close buck to doe ratio as they also have to fight more males for the breeding rights. The later it gets in January the more likely a freeze has hit and has knocked all of the green vegatation down. The bucks will then be roaming much more in search of food as well as coming across a doe or two that did not get bred during the first heat cycles.

If you put a little corn down the senderos you will see some nice bucks often by themselves after the other younger deer have left, sometimes before shooting hours, around mid-day and after sundown. Remember the bucks are starting to get pretty wary by this time of the year. They are especially sensative as to when things are settled and when they are not. Also will probably see alot of broken tines due to fighting. The more bucks the more fighting the more broken tines. If there are alot of doe then not so much.
It's a great time to be there! My favorite time of the year.

quote:

Originally posted by Topgun 30-06:
The best time in the brush country is from about Christmas through the end of the season into mid January. Go and you won't regret it!!!

+1

That is a good time to hunt if the ranch is well managed. The downside it that most bucks will have broken antlers. I'd prefer mid-december or earlier. I like to hunt october and november. When you find a good buck they are easier to pattern and kill that time of year. Once the rut starts they may be miles away.

I'm not a "trophy" hunter per se, but I have spent a lot of time hunting Texas, that time of year. Seeing as how you are from the north, as am I, I can tell you, any deer hunting is good deer hunting when you can do it with out freezing you ass off

Thanks everyone.
The place I was looking at is apparently not as big as I thought it was. (4400 acres) Just seems too small to not be shot out and spooky by the end of the year.
Does anybody know of any larger acres wise free range whitetail outfitters that offer hunts in South Texas.
W.

Might look up killamranchcompany.com

It depends on the amount of hunting pressure whether the place will be "shot out" or not by January. If they manage their hunting it won't be a problem. If it is a day hunting place beware! What county is it located or what is a nearby town?

quote:

Originally posted by woodsie:
Thanks everyone.
The place I was looking at is apparently not as big as I thought it was. (4400 acres) Just seems too small to not be shot out and spooky by the end of the year.
Does anybody know of any larger acres wise free range whitetail outfitters that offer hunts in South Texas.
W.

Not necessarily.
As M-16 said stay away from a day lease. If it is a MLD ranch then there should be a good management plan.

If you are going for a trophy buck then there should not be more than 4 to 5 tropy deer taken per year on a 4400 acre tract. Please explain more. Location of said ranch would be interesting also.
(South Texas is larger than Maryland)

Are you possibly looking for a year round trophy lease or just a in-and-out weekend/5day thing?
Send me a PM and I can hook you up with a outfitter in Webb/Dimmit and maybe LaSalle county. Don't know what he has booked with the current drought.

4400 acres down there is a decent amount of property if they are running the place properly and my guess is that they are. Deer are a big money maker in Texas and it's to their benefit to have a proper management program for trophy deer, management bucks, as well as a taking a decent number of does to make good hunting year to year.

You can give John Austin a call and see what he has available. Low fence, and no guarantees, unless something has changed since I last spoke to him.

http://www.cochinahuntingclub.com/hunts.htm

Not sure how current the web page is, so the prices may not be accurate. If you can't reach him, let me know as I probably have some other numbers.

Carlton McCain at La Atravesada has fantastic animals at unbelieveable prices. One thing you will have to get over real quick though is the size of his operation. His property is only 170 acres...BUT, it is low-fenced in the middle of over 200,000acres that is not hunted. Recently I discussed with him the claims of others about hunting nearby. His property is the only place where whitetails are hunted in this expanse. Last year his prices were $500/day with 2 day minimum and $1500 for a buck upto 160 and $100 per inch over. I saw a buck still in velvet saturday evening probably in the high 160s low 170s and it was a little one! We also saw 6-8 Nilgai, some monster pigs and a buttload of turkey.

Not questioning but if one can pick out a 200 class whitetail for $6500 one should be all over that deal! Provided you get past the 170 acre dealy! My math can be questioned but don't anyone tell the AICPA about my problem!!