Texas Legal Buck

Bob, the best strategy in the field is to use earplugs as a guide. Even the TPWD guide shows/suggests that a goat is 13 inches from the tip of the ear to the end of the ear when the ears are in the alarm position. In my experience, this is usually a good rule of thumb for 2-3 year olds. Older males and deer with larger bodies found in managed areas usually have greater spread from ear to ear, so using the measurement between the ears as a guide can trick a hunter into thinking the male is too small. The Piney Woods and Post Oak Savannah ecoregions have the lowest percentage of their mature male crop. Sometimes only 15% of the crop is 4.5 years old or older. I actually have land in Polk County (Piney Woods) and I know for sure that hunters don`t pass much on there. It`s also because they don`t see much. Most importantly, the data is broken down by age structure for each hunting season, so we can see trends in the situation of each region. We generally want the average age to age in every region. This would mean that we would allow these beloved woods to be raised longer and more stable populations. A Virginia male stands in a meadow with an autumn-colored slope in the distance White-tailed deer produce their second antlers at the age of 2.5 years. This year tends to be a leading indicator of the antler size of this deer.

I will say that during drought years, a male focuses on redirecting his diet towards metabolism rather than growing antlers, so this is NOT always a sure thing. Check out this article on white-tailed deer diet and diets if you want to learn more. The following data shows boone and crockett values for the Texas Bucks over 5.5 years. These are the big pot-bellied dads of the native range. Indigenous genetics is certainly a factor, but nutrition is the other key element here. The brush species in the region provide protein-rich nutrients all year round. Basically, a hunter can shoot up to 3 males with an internal gap between the main bars of more than 13 inches in 3 different timber restriction districts during the same hunting season. The fact that this option exists is why there is a harvest log on the back of a deer hunting license in Texas. Jesse Oetgen, biologist with Cross Timbers` technical guide: TPWD, says hunters can expect average to below-average antlers on males and fewer fawns on the ground due to a severe summer drought that has limited food production. Oetgen said the good news is that deer populations have remained stable in recent years, with above-average numbers of surviving fawns. This should mean that this season, a good number of mature males are available for harvesting on plots where hunters tend to release young deer. Fattening production appears to be average, with many acorns falling to the ground as early as early October, which could impact success around early-season corn feeders.

Question: « I hunt deer in Texas in areas where antler restrictions apply to white-tailed males. Can I take more than a dollar of 13 inches or more (spread) in Texas? » What is the best way to determine if a male`s antlers are 13 inches or larger? I hunt in the Pineywoods, where the males are large, but the sprawl of the antlers is questionable whether it is 13 inches or not. Texas` general white-tailed deer season begins Saturday nationwide. You can`t legally shoot a deer until 30 minutes before sunrise, but most Texas hunters will be in the woods long before darkness gives way to the first dim light of dawn. An annual hunting license contains 3 tags that can be used on antlerless deer or deer. Since the pocket limit for white-tailed deer is set by Texas County, a hunter can shoot 3 males over 13 inches in 3 different counties with timber restriction regulations. In these counties, the pocket limit is $2 (legal), but no more than $1 can have an internal gap between the main bars of 13 inches or more. A hunter also has the opportunity to shoot 2 unbranched antlers in these counties. Probably more than many of you needed to know? Even if you know there are gaps, the best way is to use earrest for earplugs. I have also seen males with small ears, but if the antlers are at least as wide as the ears, then at least you have a chance to fight with the gamekeeper if the inner gap is insufficient (since TPWD says to use them as a reference). A deer with hardened antlers protruding through the skin. Deer with antlers completely covered with velvet (protruding through the skin) are also considered deer.

A deer must be marked with a deer tag or an appropriate tag or permit. For marking purposes, all other deer are antlerless deer, regardless of gender.