Deer Hunting in Texas

I think Texas gets a bad rap when it comes to deer hunting. For some reason, hunters from all over the country seem to bash what we do here in the Lone Star State. Maybe it is because we do things different here. Maybe it is because they simply don’t know how or why we do certain things. I tend to think it is because they are not educated in regards to whitetail management practices. But there is one thing for sure, Texas has the best whitetail deer herd in the United States and in my opinion it is no accident.

Long ago, Texans realized the value of whitetail deer and have managed accordingly. It is a good thing because the cattle business has been nothing to brag about for many years. Let’s face it, ranchers need to make a living off their land and hunting for deer has proven to pay big dividends.

I recently had the pleasure of hosting two Northern hunters on a whitetail hunt in South Central Texas. One of the hunters was from Connecticut and the other from Pennsylvania. My Marketing Manager and I schooled these incoming hunters as to what to expect. Their firearm of choice was a new inline black powder muzzleloader called The Evolution by Traditions. When they first heard we would be hunting mature management bucks on a high fence ranch they commented…”at least let’s make it a little challenging!” One of the hunters even had a spot picked out on their wall for the mount they would surely bring home.

Upon their arrival into San Antonio, we ventured East to the ranch to set up filming and hunting. That is when the frustration started. They had never seen so many deer on one ranch and every deer looked like a “shooter” to them. One of the hunters commented that in Pennsylvania if it had horns, it went down.

Our hunting guests were pleased to see so many deer but most of them were out of range. During the two days they hunted they both received a valuable lesson in wildlife and game management. They now realize that deer hunting in Texas is the greatest in the world. They also know that it can be some of the most challenging. I explained that the high fence surrounding the property was not an enclosure at all but rather an “out closure.” At first they chuckled, but after seeing the number of deer of the property, they agreed.

It took some time to explain how to determine the age of a deer on the hoof and the reasoning for letting them walk if not mature. Both of them were serious deer hunters and had never seen a mature buck. I explained how they would be able to recognize on the instant it showed up. They did. The big deep chested body with a sagging belly and neck give it away immediately. “Where we come from it is almost impossible to see a mature deer because they never live that long,” said one of them.

The two hunters did have a good time as they managed to bag two feral hogs, two does and a seven-point buck (at 143 yards) all with their muzzleloaders. They left with lot of meat and some fantastic memories. But the most important thing I think they left with was a different attitude towards deer hunting in Texas. “Guess that place on my wall will stay empty for now. But you can bet, I’ll be back to Texas next season. This is the best deer hunt I have ever been on,” said one of the hunters.