At the Water Hole

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TEXAS IS A THIRSTY STATE! Rainfall at the right times and amounts will make anyone a fabulous wildlife manager!   This year, in spite of extremely hot temperatures we were blessed with rain, particularly during the critical times for wildlife and especially whitetail deer. As a wildlife biologist I could not have scheduled the timing or the amounts better.  The rains came early to produce late winter weeds and promote spring green up.  Ground vegetation in the form of weeds, or forbs, created not only excellent food for all varieties of wildlife, but also cover for new-born whitetail fawns.  Because of the increased nutrition does were in good body condition when their fawns were born and produced plenty of milk for their offspring.  Ground vegetation also kept fawns hidden from predators during their early days.

Bucks, many of which survived last year because of less than stellar antler development, recovered quickly because of early spring rains we have had in most areas.  Sufficient vegetation, in terms of forbs and woody browse, got them off to a great start in developing new sets of antlers.

During the summer I visited with numerous landowners and hunters about what they were seeing in terms of antlers.  Based on their reports and personal observations it looks like we are going to have a really good antler year throughout much of Texas!

During August and early September, I spent a fair amount of time watching waterholes.  I do most of my scouting personally, rather than using trail cameras.  While I appreciate their value, I like being surprised when hunting season arrives rather than having photos of many of the bucks on the property I hunt.  I use trail cameras very rarely, and then only if I am trying to capture an image of a buck I hope will be passed by other hunters, so I can show them what he looks like. If other hunters want to scout with trail cameras, more power to them. I seldom even look at trail camera photos that others procure on the properties I hunt.    Again, I like being surprised.

In early September once dove season arrives as it did this year, I took my .410 Mossberg Silver Over/Under, found a remote waterhole and set up there, away from others.  Then, rather than shoot doves, which may be plentiful in the area, I watched for whitetails.

I am not a bowhunter, although I greatly appreciate archery hunters or those who hunt with a crossbow.  Being a bowhunter has its advantages. The best time to take a really good buck, if you have “intel” on him, is the earliest legal opportunity.  In many areas that means bowhunting, or, being on MLD Permit.

Come October the bucks in most areas of Texas have not yet started rutting, although there are some regional exceptions.  That means most of the bucks are still in their late summer patterns; eating and drinking in the same basic areas.  Once the rut begins bucks may move quite a distance, or, not.  Whitetails are just as individual as you and I when it comes to how we do things!

Thank goodness it is again our time of the year!

 

Email Larry Weishuhn at ContactUs@fishgame.com

 

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