Photo Gallery & Stories | Deer Hunting & Management

Opening Weekend Slow, Bucks Still Out There

Texas’ General Deer Hunting Season opened over the past weekend to warm weather. As expected, hunters that took to the field reported seeing fewer white-tailed deer than expected and very little rutting activity. For hunters with more than a few seasons under are belts, a warm opener with limited deer movement is not unusual.

I reported that deer were interested in rutting in the Hill Country early last week, and they still are, but the increase in temperature has really slowed the deer down. Like us, deer can not be as active (for very long) when the mercury is trending upward.

Bucks will readily respond to cooler weather and even yesterday morning, with temperatures 10 degrees cooler than over the weekend, I spotted a buck chasing a doe — and the patient hunter above did, too.

The peak of the Hill Country rut usually occurs just before mid-November, so expect the next good cold front to really set the deer on fire. But, if you have yet to see many deer in your area you are not alone. Many deer processors reported lower numbers of deer being dropped off for processing over opening weekend.

To make matters worse, in those areas that received lower than average rainfall this year, hunters are reported bucks average to below average antler conditions with respect to age. Cooler weather may not increase antler quality or the total number of deer in your area, but it will help you see them.

The 8-point buck below was harvested on November 3 at 8:00 am in the eastern portion of the Hill Country and the hunter reported that the buck was chasing a doe. The 4 1/2 year old whitetail buck had an 18-inch inside spread, gross scored 130 Boone and Crockett points, and had a live weight of 169 pounds.

When Whitetail Bucks Lock Antlers

Each fall, as testosterone levels rise in white-tailed bucks they begin working off aggression by working rubs and building up much needed shoulder and neck muscles. It’s not an accident and if you’ve ever noticed the changes that a buck’s body undergoes between late August and late October, it really is amazing. However, as the breeding season — known as the rut by hunters — begins, whitetail bucks that were friendly towards one another during the antler growing period quickly become rivals. It’s all about a battle for space and access to receptive does.

The rut really takes its toll on bucks. Not only do bucks lose a substantial percentage of their body weight over the course of the breeding season, but buck to buck combat can lead to both direct and indirect mortality. Indirect mortality can come from wounds that become infected or even internal damage from fighting. Direct mortality, although more infrequent, can occur when two or three bucks’ antlers become locked together causing one or both animals to die.

This is the case today for one deer. I received these photos of two locked up white-tailed bucks from Minnesota. The guys that stumbled upon the bucks actually found them while one of the bucks was still alive. Instead of shooting the locked up buck, they managed to separate the two and send one lucky deer on his way. Here is the story: Continue reading “When Whitetail Bucks Lock Antlers”

Game Camera Catches Bowhunter’s Shot!

Hunters that spend any amount of time in the woods get to see some really awesome things, sometimes events you don’t quite believe yourself! The same can be said of some game camera photos and that is the case today. I received these photos via email and the story is simple, but one photo in particular is really quite amazing!

The photo I am referring to is the middle picture below, which captures a white-tailed buck in flight just a split-second after being shot by a bowhunter. As far as can tell, the photo appears to be real despite looking surreal.

The two biggest factors that make the photo unbelievable are first that the buck appears transparent towards the back of the body and then secondly that the game camera photo actually captures the buck in mid-flight, with an arrow in its side, and blood coming out. Cuddeback camera users know that transparent or ghostly deer photos are not uncommon, so I think this photo is simply luck — and a good shot!

More on These Photos

My 15 year old cousin (Logan) shot this buck. The next day he want back and pulled this photo off of the camera. He was as stunned as many are. I can tell you that I was supposed to get a copy of the picture last week but they wrote my email address down incorrectly. I sent this post website link to Logan’s Dad (Brian)and sure enough this is his picture. We can not believe that the picture found its way to a South Carolina website when Brian said he has only sent it via email to a few friends. Brian just forwarded me me the email that he sent Cuddeback with the original photo so this picture can be validated by either Cuddeback or my cousin.

They had not showed it to anyone (outside of a printed picture to local friends) until they contacted Cuddeback. Cuddeback thought the picture was incredible however it was to graphic for them to use as in the past – they said anything such as this has had the PETA people in an uproar.

White-tailed Deer Fawns

Television seems to glamorize keeping wild animals as pets, but the reality is really is far less pleasant — especially for the wildlife involved. Would-be rescuers are usually not aware of what it takes to properly care for wildlife and this means nothing but bad news. Most hunters are familiar with the following concept: Bringing a wild animal home is effectively kidnapping it from the environment to which it is best adapted.

We talked about the abandoned fawn I saw on the road last week, and if an unknowing person had picked up that deer fawn, they would have been condemning it to an unnatural and probably short life. Of course, that same deer fawn could have died on the road had it ran out in front of me or some other vehicle, but the best assumption was that she was going to make it. Sure, white-tailed deer can be “tamed” to an extent, but they are born to survive in the wild.

And a critical part of their life is making it through the first few months as a fawn, particularly their first few weeks. It comes as no surprise that deer do quite well in close proximity to people and suburban areas, so that means they really do not need our help. If we want to help deer in our area, let’s convince hunters to cut back on the harvest of young bucks! Fawns aren’t just dropped in rural areas. People often find deer fawns in tall grass, areas of shrubs and brush, and in wooded areas within towns and cities. They are almost too well adapted to suburban areas.

This, however, was not the case last Friday when I stumbled (not literally) across this young doe fawn. She was tucked away in a safe haven of mid-sized grass, within a semi-barbed-wire cage, and miles from the nearest town. She was sleepy, so I snapped a couple photos and was on my way. As easy as it looks, this is the safest thing she can do right now!

Watch Out for “Abandoned” Fawns

Much of the deer habitat in Texas and the rest of the southern US is in fair to good condition as we head into the summer period. Central Texas’ spring forbs and wildflowers are taking a hit with the heat, but that’s a given once the typical spring rains fall off. Much of the south has been relatively dry since winter, but vegetation still looks good, thanks to sporadic precipitation, as white-tailed fawns hit the ground.

And speaking of fawns — I was driving through Burnet County this afternoon and spotted something running on the road about 1/4 mile ahead. As I approached, I slowed down and realized that it was indeed what I suspected it was — a fawn! Once my truck was within about 40-yards, the fawn dropped to the road (as in the photo above) and remained motionless. I grabbed my camera and snapped a photo to mark the occassion since this was only the third (second of the day) fawn I’ve seen this fawning season, all of which were spotted over the last 5 days.

I then jumped out of the truck to get a close-up, but the doe fawn jumped up and ran towards me as I approached, then she realized I was not mamma and ran towards the roadside grass, where she hunkered down. The wobbly-legged critter hit the grass, dropped down on her stomach, and didn’t budge. I then snapped the photos seen below. She couldn’t walk very well and probably wasn’t more than 48-ours old, but her natural instincts took over and she did only what her genes told her to do — be still! Continue reading “Watch Out for “Abandoned” Fawns”