Deer Hunting - South Texas Style

[gunslinger1911ACP]

http://www.loscuernos.com/Marrs%20Bowman%20111504.JPG

or go to:

http://www.loscuernos.com/2004%202005%20Adult%20Categories.htm and scroll down to the "Best Wome's Buck - Adult" and check out the 2nd place winner.

[fisherman66]

I can't see the deer in the picture. One heck of a rack though.

[FirstFreedom]

Makes me wanna chase does - the 2-legged kind. It would almost be a pleasure being shot by her.

So is hers a ranch buck or free range?

[Art Eatman]

FirstFreedom, the wildlife biologists have found that whitetail deer live in an area of about one square mile, or 640 acres. They won't leave unless driven (dogs, etc.) but will return. They are known to die of starvation or thirst before they'll quit the home range.

So: For you, how big a pasture is needed for a deer to be called "free range"?

:), Art

[armedtotheteeth]

+1 freedom, Uhm, Nice UHM "rack"

[gunslinger1911ACP]

This buck was taken on the 11,000 acre McClean-Bowman Ranch near Carrizo Springs, TX (approx 2 hrs SW of San Antonio). The shooter, Marrs Bowman, bagged this deer, which scored 184 5/8, on her family's ranch.

http://www.mcleanbowmanranch.com/

[FirstFreedom]

good point, Art. I guess 11K acres oughtta be plenty to make them free range as a practical matter, esp if you're not hunting the edges of the ranch.

[Art Eatman]

FF, many of these Texas ranches given to commercial trophy-rack hunting are four- or five- on up to over 20,000 acres. High fence is very expensive. the owners don't high-fence small pieces. The primary purpose of the high fence is to keep deer out, not in, since a lot of effort goes into not having more deer than the carrying capacity of the land will allow. Also consider the effort gone into in order that the buck-doe ratio is biologically sound.

These ranches have a lot of habitat enhancement efforts made on them. Brush clearing (partial), restoration of native plants, and water supply, among other efforts. There is commonly a use of mineral supplements as advised by wildlife biologists. So, to deer from neighboring, unimproved habitat, it's Smorgasbord! time--and you wind up with too many deer, which is bad for the habitat. :) So, high fence.

Shifting emphasis--and terrain/vegetation: The State of Michigan once high-fenced a 100-acre, heavily-wooded tract. This was maybe 40 years ago. It was known that there were over fifty deer within this tract. Hunters were allowed to try their luck (I don't recall the number of hunters at any one time.) The success rate was near zero. Size of tract, as such, is not necessarily the criterion.

Art

[shureshot0471]

HUUUUUUUUUHUUUUUUHUUUUUU She is beautiful:D :D :D

[armedtotheteeth]

WE all know she is beuatiful yes yes, somebody finally said it. Glad it wasnt me . I prefer brunnettes though., just me i guess

[taralon]

I've gotta say, I wouldn't mind seeing either of those either from, or in my treestand....

[FirstFreedom]

If she was my hunting bud, I'd not leave camp. Would give a new meaning to doing a morning 'drive'. Having a gal like that in deer camp would prevent some guys from going brokeback mountain. Is that a stabilizer for your bow in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? ...the jokes are endless. :)