The rut is on in S. Tx brush country

[hps1]

Tuesday afternoon was hot and still as we drove out to a stand. On the way, spotted a 10 point buck, tall, 2" outside his ears, but not a lot of mass. He was pawing the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust. Stopped the truck, stepped out and started to rattle the horns. He looked at the (running) truck 175 yards away, then returned to his pawing. We figured he was making a scrape so watched a few minutes before noticing the tips of another buck's antlers back in the brush a ways.

This 12 pointer was a bit more promising, but could only see the tips, so shut the engine off and climbed up on the truck for a better look. Still could only see a couple of inches of antlers, though. My hunting partner picked up the horns and began to rattle as the 10 pointer eased off into the brush and the 2nd rack disappeared.

We watched a few minutes and were about to give up when the 2nd buck's antlers re-appeared behind the same brush where we first saw him, then took a couple of steps forward and stretched his neck to peer over a short bush at the truck. Could only see about 8-10" of his neck but that was enough.

Nothin' like the rut in the brush country!

Have a blessed Christmas and prosperous New Year, all.

Regards,
hps

 

[Cindog]

HPS1,

That's a beauty, congrats on a job well done. It was also interesting to hear that the rut was on in Texas. Here in PA, the rut has been long gone and I am left hoping for a second, late season rut to make the cold, second archery season a lot more fune. Congratulations again! Have a merry Christmas.

Scott

 

[Matt G]

Just finally got cold enough for the rut. (Looking at the temp) At 19 degrees, it's cold enough for about anything, to us Texicans!

 

[hps1]

Thanks, Cindog, hope your late season hunt goes well. Will be looking for pics.


Matt:
Sure wish you'd get that durn barbed wire fence fixed up there in the panhandle. It's lettin' an awful lot of cold slip on down south. Had a 1 1/2 ft. of snow in Victoria and even had 2" of snow in Brownsville Christmas eve. Pretty bad when it's a three dog night and ya only got two dogs.

Regards,
hps

 

[Matt G]

Speaking of mending fences, I've gotta apologize to my in-laws, after having called 'em liars!

Christmas day, I'm watching my kids unwrap presents, and the phone rings. I answer to my mother in-law, who asks what I'm doing, and I tell her. I respond in kind and she tells me that she and her husband are surveying the blanket of snow on the ground in front of their house... in Corpus Christi, TX!! I laughed and said something to the effect of "Yeah, right." They persist in the joke. I check NOAA. Surprise! Turns out that they had an honest-to-Gawd white Christmas! Their neighbors may have lost their lime tree! They've got tomato plants with stalks as thick as your wrist from having born fruit year 'round for 4 years that died!

Crazy stuff.

I'll make it up with pics of the grandkids opening presents. (In the mail of course-- they've heard of the Information Age and want no part of it!)

 

[El Tejon]

A handsome animal, sir.

Matt, best way to stay warm is to stay active. Go hunting. "Honey, I have to go. Some Yankee on the net says I have to go hunting to stay warm and you don't want me to freeze to death."

 

[Matt G]

Leaving tomorrow morning for a coupla days. Friend says that the ground is thick with hog on his ranch, and that there's a few nice deer there. Gonzales Co, TX.

 

[hps1]

Just got back from a 5 day hunt with my 14 year old Grandson. Looks like we had a false start on the rut; not much moving this past week. Maybe these S. Tx. deer just don't know what to make of that 4" snowfall (first time in 100 yrs.) and are not getting far from the heavy brush and not the least bit interested in the horns??? Still seeing does w/yearlings, so it's not over yet. Grandson did manage to get a doe yesterday just before sunset.

Sure didn't slow down the rattlesnakes, though. Killed one four footer and another five footer. Unfortunately, let 3 get away.

Thanks, El Tejon. BTW, that's good advice and looks like Matt is taking it!

Good luck on your hunt, Matt.

Regards,
hps

 

[Matt G]

Bah. 2 days of hunting, and saw all kinds of sign and only one doe (who almost stepped on me). Main quarry was pig, which I've had good luck with there. Saw tracks on our tracks, and heard 'em once, but never saw any.

Too bad, too-- I had a .35 Whelen that I haven't blooded but have carried for a few seasons. I had a 1953 vintage .243 that is new to me that I hadn't blooded. I had on a custom-shortened Super Blackhawk (4 5/8") .44 Mag that I've carried for years but haven't blooded yet. I mostly carried the .243 with the Blackhawk worn crossdraw.

Dad carried his Guide Gun with his .45-70 400g Speer JSP handloads and AO sights. Damn I wish he could have found a pig with that setup. He also had his Mountain Revolver .45 Colt with some hardcast 275g LSWC's loaded warm.

I didn't much care what we got, but neither one of us so much as cut hair.

Had a good time