Well, here I sit back in camp waiting for the hunters to come in.
I didn't see any big bucks this morning. They just aren't moving yet, but I did use my little 260 to kill a hog for Mike G and a coyote for Kdub.
These little wireless internet devices are pretty neat.

We'll see if anything else is brought in this morning.
Good Luck to all

We are further South. I watched the does and fawns this morning. My neihbor shot something.
I came in early and we went to the Daughters of the British Empire Tea. The food is great! They hold every year on the opening day of deer season. Our season is long and the tea is only once a year so my tummy always wins out! I love the bakewell tart, the sausgae rolls and the short bread!

We are further South. I watched the does and fawns this morning. My neihbor shot something.
I came in early and we went to the Daughters of the British Empire Tea. The food is great! They hold every year on the opening day of deer season. Our season is long and the tea is only once a year so my tummy always wins out! I love the bakewell tart, the sausgae rolls and the short bread!

My wife is English. She loves all that stuff.
All the hunters came in and no bucks this morning. Now its nearly 80 degrees. I'll hunt this afternoon and Sunday morning( the pope gave me special dispensation to miss Mass during hunting season)

On a better note, the lakes are full of ducks. Hundreds of Widgeon, Pintail, Mallard have taken over.

I checked some of the fallen acorns and they are still eatible for the deer, so it might be another week before we see seriuos buck activity.
Anyway, good luck to all

You got some good trigger time tpv! Good shooting. I hope the buck hunters have some luck.

Just leave that dog where he lays, Tom!

MikeG will probably want the hawg for sausage.

Warm here, too. Upper 80's, low 90's out at the range. Most of the erstwhile hunters are in the woods banging away. Only heard of one cow elk and a calf being shot so far.

With the hunter's being mainly sighted in, leaves only the dummy recreational weekend shooters to come enmass to the range. My vocal cords are really strained after 3 consecutive days of yelling at people to put firearms down with folks down range and to keep their stupid muzzles pointed that way when handling them. Sheeech!!! :eek:

Just leave that dog where he lays, Tom!

MikeG will probably want the hawg for sausage.

Warm here, too. Upper 80's, low 90's out at the range. Most of the erstwhile hunters are in the woods banging away. Only heard of one cow elk and a calf being shot so far.

With the hunter's being mainly sighted in, leaves only the dummy recreational weekend shooters to come enmass to the range. My vocal cords are really strained after 3 consecutive days of yelling at people to put firearms down with folks down range and to keep their stupid muzzles pointed that way when handling them. Sheeech!!! :eek:

Sunday morning I spread corn out about 60 yards in front of this pop up blind. I was sitting in the pop-up right by the schrub oaks. While will it was still dark, I heard a bunch of hogs coming into not the corn, but the same oak thicket I was in.
There wasn't room for both of us. The hair on my arms was standing on end while I tried to get my rifle out of the window. The whole time they were grunting and carrying on. Finally, one of them found the corn and grunted to the others, so they left me alone and headed for the corn. I shot this one off of the corn.

This was not a safe thing to do, and I don't want to be that close to a pack of hogs again. They might know who I am and take it out on me!

You guys be careful.

No big bucks yet. Too hot and too early!

You better go ahead and eat that hog, Tom - think it'll spoil before I can claim it!!! :p

Killed one myself, weekend before last. Need to make another batch of sausage....

I'll bring the Ruger BH .41 mag for a lap gun, Tom! Guess that's the pop-up you have planned for the grandson and me, eh?

Dang, Mike - you passing up free porkies? :D

I'll bring the Ruger BH .41 mag for a lap gun, Tom! Guess that's the pop-up you have planned for the grandson and me, eh?

Dang, Mike - you passing up free porkies? :D
Yep, that's it. Never thought they would come that close.
Good area for bucks
One guy shot a 145 Monday morning. I don't have a picture.
I understand that the Remington Hevi-shot can be used with your gun for ducks. The lakes are wall to wall!

That 145 sounds like a weiner!

Sure got the bug to go. Gonna be a long wait 'til the holidays. Heading out to the range on my free day Thursday to blow some lead downrange just to satisfy the itch a bit.

Still haven't heard any war stories from returning hunters around here. Might still be out chasing the game. Quail look pretty marginal this year due to the drought. Think the high country got enough moisture to provide for the elk and deer, though.

And further South... Warm and humid. 100% humidity with the thickest fog I've seen on Saturday. I hunted on drainages in oak thickets that lead to a dense hill top, full camo and scent control and saw two bucks on Saturday and one on Sunday. Nothing either evening. No does or hogs but I'm not hunting were you would find them. I'm hunting close in to the buck bedding areas and trying to be smart about it so I don't bugger them. The thick fog had the bucks going to bed late, saw them after 9:00 am. One might have been a shooter but two tines were busted off from fighting. He was at 18-yards and never knew I was there! Looking for one 150+. Last three days I've been visiting an aunt and uncle in the Rio Grande Valley but will start hitting it again tomorrow morning.

And further South... Warm and humid. 100% humidity with the thickest fog I've seen on Saturday. I hunted on drainages in oak thickets that lead to a dense hill top, full camo and scent control and saw two bucks on Saturday and one on Sunday. Nothing either evening. No does or hogs but I'm not hunting were you would find them. I'm hunting close in to the buck bedding areas and trying to be smart about it so I don't bugger them. The thick fog had the bucks going to bed late, saw them after 9:00 am. One might have been a shooter but two tines were busted off from fighting. He was at 18-yards and never knew I was there! Looking for one 150+. Last three days I've been visiting an aunt and uncle in the Rio Grande Valley but will start hitting it again tomorrow morning.

That's about right.
I've got hunters saying that they aren't rutting yet. I think they are. A lot of it is done at night around here since its so hot during the day. PLaces that I have taken ground stands in the past and rattled, I now can't even see over the grass.
I went out to fix a feeder/ timer yesterday morning , with no gun, and saw two big ones running a doe. These were big bucks with big bodies. 20 inch or so with lotsa points. I wouldn't of had a shot but it was encouraging.

Leave for NM tonight, the guide said it was also hot there, 70 degrees during the day, so I don't know how we'll do. We're excited about it anyway. They are seeing deer but nothing big so far.

Maybe things will settle down around Thanksgiving.
Good Luck Mike

Had a great time hunting in New Mexico. Had to cut a 5 day hunt down to two days because both me and my son were having business problems. We both saw lots of elk,antelope and mule deer. But the real big bucks just weren't seen. Great time anyway. We will definitely go back next year.

Came back to Texas and shot a good ten point this morning. Here's a picture of it and a beautiful 13 point 148 BC that Berry Godwin shot with a two bladed Muzzy in another pasture. He doesn't worry about FPS or B.C., just penetration. That one will make Pope & Young.

Bucks have just started to get active. Good Luck to all.
I have more pigs kill, plus doe and ducks.

Good Luck to all

Two great looking bucks tpv. Wish you would have gotten to hunt out your allotted time in NM.

I got out after some chukars with my geriatric dogs this morning, but got rained on and didn't jump any up.

Two great looking bucks tpv. Wish you would have gotten to hunt out your allotted time in NM.

I got out after some chukars with my geriatric dogs this morning, but got rained on and didn't jump any up.
Hey Shawn,
How are you.

I always hate to kill my buck because there is so much season left. But the way works been going, it's probably best that I do.
I envy you guys. I never knew an Elk was that big. I might need to go to my big rifle next year, a 30-06. We drove by one stock pond and had some Elk drinking in amongst the cattle.
I also got to see my first black bear.
I consider myself a pretty experienced hunter down here, but don't know much about where we were.I was sitting on a hill with our guide glassing an area. I told him they had some real big crows in NM. There's one over there. Well, he said, "that's a black bear about 300 yards away". The way he was sitting on his haunches, I thought he was a crow sitting in a tree branch.
Needless to say, whatever he though of me as a hunter probably dropped a peg after the crow sighting.

We all had a good laugh.

You need an experienced NM hunter to follow you around next time, Tom! :D

That's a dandy buck your leasee got - hope his brother or dad is still hanging around next month.

Sorry to hear your business is crimping your hunting time. Just gotta get your priorities in order! :p

Nice deer, Tom!!!!

I'm surprised you didn't assume any black blob on a far hillside, was a pig... :D

I was sitting on a hill with our guide glassing an area. I told him they had some real big crows in NM. There's one over there. Well, he said, "that's a black bear about 300 yards away". The way he was sitting on his haunches, I thought he was a crow sitting in a tree branch.
Needless to say, whatever he though of me as a hunter probably dropped a peg after the crow sighting.

We all had a good laugh.

:D Well, we've probably all been there to some degree or another. I ranged a couple hillsides this fall out elk hunting, thinking I might make a shot to them if an elk showed. Readings in the 500-700 yard arena humbled me! Unfamiliar country, when you don't know the scale of trees, or missing that there's an intermediate draw in between, sure whacks out your sense of scale.

I plugged an antelope a few years ago in the first minutes of shooting light on opening day, and kicked myself for 'ruining' the makings of a good hunting season after I'd realized what I'd done. :p

Nice deer, Tom!!!!

I'm surprised you didn't assume any black blob on a far hillside, was a pig... :D
Got another 100 lb hog Saturday evening. The 260 Rem again, but with a 200 yd heart shot, it ran about 100 yards spraying blood everywhere.
That seems to be a common occurance with heart shots.
Hey I'm 7 for 7 with that little gun.

Good for you Tom! Oink!!!!

Save some for seed, Tom! :p (Oink!)

...it ran about 100 yards spraying blood everywhere.
That seems to be a common occurance with heart shots.
Hey I'm 7 for 7 with that little gun.

Yeah, that pic does look like it was a gusher! You're getting some trigger time, Tom. ;)

Yeah, that pic does look like it was a gusher! You're getting some trigger time, Tom. ;)
Hope you'll don't mind the pictures. Pigs shooting can be a real bullet performance experiment.
I know Ken is worried about there being enough left until he gets here, but right now, at this moment, some sow is creating more piglets faster than I can respond.

I booked another mule deer hunt for next year up in the Texas panhandle. I took a lease up there in the Palo Duro canyon area. I'm hooked on mulies. Our desert variety don't have as big a body on them as yours, but the horns are still big.
Anyway, by the last two weeks of our season, I get to know most of the bucks real well.
Time to try somewhere else. If you'll want to try something different, I need about 6 serious guys for next years hunt.

Take it easy and enjoy the rest of the season.

I sure don't mind the bloody pics Tom; they help tell the story!

Thank you much for the muley hunt invite. Next year is probably out for me as I booked a caribou hunt in Northern Quebec, sometime in the Sept 15-25 timeframe, and then after that, hope to be hunting muleys and elk in Idaho. Probably wear out the welcome of my absence at both home and work by then. :rolleyes: If you're still at the lease in following years, I'd sure be interested if the opportunity still exists.

I'm hooked on muleys too, so I know the addiction! I'm still after that elusive 30-incher. What kind of country is that Palo Duro - rolling canyons, or more rugged? And, what's your season there? I sure liked hunting muleys in the steep Salmon River breaks when I lived farther north in Idaho. The ones here in south Idaho are more cagey, like whitetails.

Good luck to you and kdub and MikeG on your hunts.

Steve Raulerson with two more from this evening. 270 Win was used .He got one more not in the picture.
We do have a few hogs out there.

Tom, glad to see that you are getting some action. We got on another lease but still in the Breckenridge area and we have not seen a deer yet! We have been down there 3 different weekends and nobody has seen any at their stands either. I hope some really cold weather and rain comes in as the acorns were all over and still viable as of the 17th. This has been a tough year so far and my kids are learning the definitions of patience and preserverance. I actually had to make some chili with hamburger the other night!!! Oh, well, keep posting pics as that is all I have to look at .

Tom, glad to see that you are getting some action. We got on another lease but still in the Breckenridge area and we have not seen a deer yet! We have been down there 3 different weekends and nobody has seen any at their stands either. I hope some really cold weather and rain comes in as the acorns were all over and still viable as of the 17th. This has been a tough year so far and my kids are learning the definitions of patience and preserverance. I actually had to make some chili with hamburger the other night!!! Oh, well, keep posting pics as that is all I have to look at .
Hey there Pete,
It 'll get better now with the acorns turning sour. The bucks are now in full rut where we are. But for me its down to duck hunting, which I like to do anyway.
Tell the boys everything can change in one minute. All you need is a hot doe. Have you tried rattling???

Knock it off, Tom - I'm already tuned to a fine pitch and champing at the bit to head that way! :p

Tom, we need to catch a little pig and tie on a set of shed horns, and turn it loose in front of Ken's stand. :D :D :D

Tom, we need to catch a little pig and tie on a set of shed horns, and turn it loose in front of Ken's stand. :D :D :Dthat's a good idea!
Guess I need to stock plenty of propane bottles in his stand for the heater plus his lucky seat cushion,also

Hey - venison/pork sausage prepared to go - what a deal, Lucille!!!! :D

Hey Tom and all,

We tried rattling, spot and stalk, and they just aren't around our lease yet. We only have 400 acres and nobody has seen anything except one lone doe. Even the locals are saying that this is a weird year in that area as they are not seeing very many deer either. By the way, a guy in my church said that someone in Jacksboro killed a new county record recently. Scored around 205 B&C if I remember right. We probably won't get a chance to get down to our lease till Christmas break so hopefully we can get something then.

Pete,

Yep, its a very strange year.

We are seeing more bucks than doe right now. This full moon got them going pretty good.

I know of three bucks over 160 in Jack County and one over 185 that I heard about. All low fenced ranches.

There is a ranch that is on Buckmasters every year that some 180-190 were killed this year. It is high-fenced.

I'm in Houston right now, wishing I was back up at the lease.

Good Luck

Hey Tom,

You know if you need any help with those hogs, my (and my wife's) services are available :)

Where in North TX do you hunt?

Here's two more good ones already at the taxidermist. Dave and Ed Clemens shot these. A 9 and 11 point. The 11 was 142 7/8.
Ed shoots a 7X57 Model 70, David shoots a 270 WSM

You guys sure are growing some nice deer on that lease Tom!

If you look, you can see some differences in color. Oe of them was working a scrap line and working his horns on cedar bushes with a lot of tanic acid in the leaves. His horns were darker. The other had a scrap line in a mesquite flat, and used those bushes to rub his horns on. They were lighter in color. I love deer! I don't think I've ever seen two pair of horns alike. They are an amazing animal!

Hey Tom,

You know if you need any help with those hogs, my (and my wife's) services are available :)

Where in North TX do you hunt?
About 50 miles south of you-

My friend Steve took this picture this evening of a real nice ten point with another buck under his feeder. They're still rutting some.
This one is gonna be nice next year.

My friend, Bob, shot this 128 lb Axis doe yesterday.
This is our "Texas Elk" because the meat is the best I've had.
Bob gave me some tenderloin cured and smoked and it was the best I've ever had.
7mm mag at 140 yds.