deer season

[TallinaBoyz]

Any tips to get the big one this year? Share any tips or tricks ya got

[tvc184]

Bow or gun hunting?

[TallinaBoyz]

Gun

[tvc184]

Do some scouting to get off the beaten paths to find some good scrape lines, put out a feeder if at possible where you can see the scrapes but it does not interfere with their usual paths, get far enough away that you aren't as likely to spook the big one, practice good scent and wind control.

Should be no problem. [IMG]http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j108/tvc184/Smileys/sHa_thumb2.gif[/img]

I almost always bow hunt now so I usually a lot more up close and personal. I love getting within 10 yards of a deer and not spooking them.

[TallinaBoyz]

What about feed? Of course corn is going to be coming from the feeder but should protein be in the mix? Or mineral rocks on the ground?

[tvc184]

[quote name="Buccaneer#3" post="1286166" timestamp="1348931613"]
What about feed? Of course corn is going to be coming from the feeder but should protein be in the mix? Or mineral rocks on the ground?
[/quote]

Just my opinion, the deer love corn like it is ice cream for a child. It has very little protein compared to other foods. BUT.... the antlers have grown and are out of velvet. Proteins and minerals helps horn growth during the growing season but that has passed. Now we are only talking about getting the deer to show themselves. When a deer has the choice of chomping on leaves and twigs and a big bunch of corn, it will choose the corn. They can also smell it fairly easily and you can go to an area that holds deer and hand scatter a few pounds of corn where no feeder has been and there is a decent chance that deer will show up at some time during that day. For a good attractant it is just that good. Although protein may not help at this time of the year, in some areas a mineral block or rocks or salt might attract them. Where I hunt it seems not to get or hold deer very well but I have talked to others that say a mineral block will help hold deer in an area. It is probably worth a shot to see if it works. I have hunted east Texas, the hill country and south Texas and what will work in some areas will not always work in another and even two areas in east Texas might be different.

But, for this time of the year if it was my lease, I would be working on attracting the deer and not worrying about protein unless you just happen to know that the protein attracts them as much as corn. On my last east Texas lease in Tyler County, the first year that I was on the lease I didn't have much time or money to put out feeders or build stands. I found a good spot that had tracks near a creek with a couple of scrapes in the area. I built a ground blind of cut down small trees and limbs. Opening day I hand tossed out (never pile up) a few pounds of corn before daylight and by about 15 minutes before shooting time, I had deer in the corn and killed my first buck on the lease that morning. Of course that area held a good population of deer but with one day of scouting and hand tossing corn, I was able to score. If you have time to get out feeders in a good area, you should be bringing some deer in. About the only thing that I have seen that will hurt them at feeders if there is a good crop of acorns on the ground at that particular time. Also if it is in east Texas, I haven't seen as many big bucks come out into big open spaces to eat corn and in my experience the more secluded or hidden the feeder, the more likely they will come in. Your experience may be different and when I have hunted in south Texas or the Hill County, they would walk into to the middle of a field to eat corn.

For short range plans, I would put out corn and "maybe" minerals/salt. For long range plans like helping the deer during the growing season, I would lean more toward the protein mixed with corn to get them to the protein, at least in the beginning.

[TallinaBoyz]

I'm hunting in sour lake so I bet its a lot different than south or east or west texas

[tvc184]

[quote name="Buccaneer#3" post="1286515" timestamp="1348948719"]
I'm hunting in sour lake so I bet its a lot different than south or east or west texas
[/quote]

But probably not a lot different than when I hunt near Woodville which is where I hand tossed corn opening day only and killed a decent buck.

In south Texas and the Hill Country I have seen big bucks walk in the open all the time to come to corn. Maybe it has to do with the conditions there and not nearly as much browse as in the heavily wooded east Texas. The only time that I have seen big bucks in east Texas is deeper in the woods or crossing an open area but not stopping to eat.

I think a lot depends on the area that you are hunting and you have to play to their game.

[bullets13]

Curious to see how my season goes.  All of the trees that burnt last year have been clear cut, so there's not nearly as much cover, but we've put in about 10 food plots

[tvc184]

[quote name="bullets13" post="1286629" timestamp="1348956730"]
Curious to see how my season goes.  All of the trees that burnt last year have been clear cut, so there's not nearly as much cover, but we've put in about 10 food plots
[/quote]

I love clear cuts if they have good wooded areas nearby.

[Texasminuteman]

[quote name="Buccaneer#3" post="1283549" timestamp="1348780610"]
Any tips to get the big one this year? Share any tips or tricks ya got
[/quote]A 50,000 candle light spot light works well :D Jk

[tvc184]

[quote name="TexasMinuteman" post="1287294" timestamp="1349032993"]
[quote author=Buccaneer#3 link=topic=103777.msg1283549#msg1283549 date=1348780610]
Any tips to get the big one this year? Share any tips or tricks ya got
[/quote]A 50,000 candle light spot light works well :D Jk
[/quote]

.... and a .22 Long in the ear.

[TallinaBoyz]

.Anything on scent blockers (doe pee, sprays etc..) or calls (antlers rattling or buck call etc..)?

[tvc184]

[quote name="Buccaneer#3" post="1287608" timestamp="1349059774"]
.Anything on scent blockers (doe pee, sprays etc..) or calls (antlers rattling or buck call etc..)?
[/quote]

I have mixed feelings about the effectiveness of scent blockers or eliminators but I still use them. I think if the wind is wrong where you are setting up it won't matter and if the wind is right, it also won't matter. It makes me feel better to use them sometimes though.

As far as calls, they can work at the right time or they can be no help or they can hurt by scaring deer off. It all depends on location and timing. Deer seem to be curious and noises attract them many times. The real deal though is when the deer are in their rut.

I have called in deer a couple of times but not often. I saw a pretty good big buck walking about 40 from my bow stand. He was checking out the feeder that I was near but kept on walking into the thick brush, walking away from me. I grabbed one of those doe bleat cans and hit is a couple of times. I sat in the ladder stand about 18 feet up and thought that I wouldn't see him again. A few minutes later I heard a twig snap. I looked below me and that buck was directly under my stand. He managed to come back to the exact spot of the sound of a (probably what he thought was) hot doe.

Another time I was hunting in south Texas in a ground blind on a bow hunting day lease. I saw a buck walking away from me and rattles some horns a few times and then stopped. That buck stopped almost in his tracks and looked back my way. He then walked into the bush where I had a hard time seeing him but he made his way near my ground blind to see which bucks had invaded his territory.

Those two times, I was in the right place at the right time that those sounds draw the bucks back in. Maybe other times it worked and the deer just came from an area that I never saw them. I will never know but those two times it was obvious. I think there are times that if the deer are not in the right mood, the sounds might scare them away if they are too close when you use them.

I also think the buck to doe ratio might make a big difference also. If there are 6 does to every buck like on my east Texas lease for a good while (until we really thinned out the does) I believe the sounds of does in heat or fighting bucks is less effective. In other areas where it is close to 1 to 1 or 2 to 1, there is huge competition between bucks and the sound of fighting will bring them running.

It just depends...........

[TallinaBoyz]

I think the type of scent blocker you use should be taken into consideration as well

[tvc184]

[quote name="Buccaneer#3" post="1288623" timestamp="1349180348"]
I think the type of scent blocker you use should be taken into consideration as well
[/quote]

I have used all kinds of ideas and gimmicks and I don't usually notice much difference in the results. I won't say that they don't work but I have done just as good when I did not use cover scents or scent blockers as when I have. I think at the very least they make us feel more confident.

[TallinaBoyz]

It does make me feel better lol but any other tips? Feed, calls, set-ups, camos, brands of feed or scent blockers? Anything post it

[tvc184]

I just like to do my own scouting and find some fairly thick cover (near water if possible but not needed) with good trails and lots of scrapes and rubs. I have more big and mature bucks in more hidden areas rather than in the open. Does will go almost anywhere and during the ruts, does nearby usually means bucks nearby but that is a short lived anomaly.

Then I try to find a place to set up to see that area where I don't cross the path(s) where the deer get into it, preferably downwind from the prevailing wind. 

[jimmyw]

I am in an area where their are alot of hogs so I use about 1/4 of a bale of Alfafa. some deer love it and other places, it might ruin. anyway hogs don't like it and crows,doves and raccoons seem not to bother with it either. I have had some good luck with it anyway.

[marshman]

When is the rut in SETX? I just moved back after being gone nearly 20 years and when I did live here I didn't deer hunt.  I hunt now of HWY 62 between Mauriceville and Buna in South Jasper County.

[tvc184]

[quote name="marshman" post="1294412" timestamp="1349670599"]
When is the rut in SETX? I just moved back after being gone nearly 20 years and when I did live here I didn't deer hunt.  I hunt now of HWY 62 between Mauriceville and Buna in South Jasper County.
[/quote]

The "peak" in my opinion is about the middle to late November in the east Texas woods.

[westend1]

This weekend.

http://s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/lock2040/?action=view&current=turkry12.jpg

[IMG]http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/lock2040/turkry12.jpg[/img]

[mat]

Nice. I was waiting on some pictures.

[bullets13]

[quote name="westend1" post="1295434" timestamp="1349796641"]
This weekend.

http://s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/lock2040/?action=view&current=turkry12.jpg
[/quote]

you look like you could use another son to take along with you from time to time... i'm just saying.

[tvc184]

[quote name="westend1" post="1295434" timestamp="1349796641"]
This weekend.

http://s955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/lock2040/?action=view&current=turkry12.jpg
[/quote]

Tried to kill the turkey attacking the Axis but it was too late?