Finally got a deer (dead deer content)

hlee

hlee

Joined
Dec 5, 2005
Messages
2,018
Well, I went to see the family in Texas over the holidays. I've been hunting pretty hard up here in CT and NY, but had not had a deer come into bow range. Bought a TX hunting license Sunday (Dec 23) evening and Monday (Dec 24) morning this guy was dumb enough to come into rifle range. I don't know what he weighed on the hoof, but we got about 70 lb of boned out meat from him. He's the largest buck that I've ever seen taken from this particular piece of property, both body size and antler size. If we can find a affordable way to ship the meat back, we should be set for a while. Otherwise, my dad will really be set for a while. The wife is driving down to VA to see the sister in law, and the mother in law is flying there, so we may have her put it on the plane, and give her the cash for the extra bags. Sorry about the lousy pic, but I didn't have a camera when I really needed it.

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The wife convinced me to leave my expensive knives here in CT and not expose them to potentially sticky fingered bagage screeners and handlers. I went along with it in a much as I figured that my dad would have at least a couple decent knives laying around. That's a mistake I'll not make again. The only knife with an edge in the whole house was a custom that I gave him, and it was in his gun safe. It does cut well. This is the one knife that I really wanted to work out this season, and it stayed at home. It no longer has the lanyard, as I figured it would get bloody and be a hinderance anyway.

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Just because not enough people have seen it, this is the deer that my uncle shot in the same county last year. This county has not in the past been known for large antlers, but due to a recent restrictin put on buck harvests (minimum 13 inch inside spread) the bucks have been given the chance to grow more into their potential. It is the second largest pope and young buck taken in this county ever.

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Both beauties. I've never taken one that big.
 
Dang I would loved to have seen some bloody game warden in action pics
 
According to my table that's about 150 live weight ,a big deer for TX !
 
Nice job, Hlee! You can ship it back if you freeze it hard and pack it with dry ice.

-- FLIX
 
nice deer! its good to have some one from CT on the forum. i havent seen many deer in CT either.
 
It's frozen hard, just looking for the most cost effective method of getting it back. Looks like USPS Priority 2 day is the winner. I've seen deer in CT and NY, it is just a matter of getting them to come into bow range. I've not ventured out into the woods during the general gun season... with a gun anyway. Too many people in the general public hunting areas for me. I prefer to stay in the bow only areas.
 
Tell me about this 13-inch restriction: does it cover all of Texas, or just that county? And is the 13 inches measured at the greatest distance between the antlers, or somewhere else?

Just now measured the rack of one I took in Kimble County years back--nice little 9-pointer that struck a convenient "Challenge Butter" pose 190 yards off. Great deer, but I can't find any 13 inches between the antlers!
 
Measure the widest distance between the inside edges of the left and right antler. This has to be greater than 13 inches across. The field judging guideline is: if ears when alert (but not forward facing) are within the inside spread of the antlers then it is legal. However, if it is marginal, they say not to shoot, as you will be held to the 13 inch rule even if the ears are within the inside spread. There is also a provision that allows one to take a spike. In this county you can take a spike deer and a deer that falls within the parameters of the antler restriction. This restriction does not cover all of Texas. About 6 years ago this went into effect in some counties that had less than stellar antler production, and in counties where the average buck was less than 2.5 years old at the time of harvest. The restriction is in place in order to allow deer to mature some before they are harvested. TPWD did some studies and determined that an average deer at least 2.5 years old would have at least a 13 inch inside spread. It seems to be working, as the counties covered by the restriction have grown from the original "pilot program", and counties are petitioning to be included within this program. In my experience the deer are being allowed to mature and this is having a positive effect on antler development. If you were to take either of these deer (or any of the three others that have been shot from the same stand as the first deer, in the past 3 years) and climb into a time machine and go back 5 years or so and tell me that these deer were shot in this county, I would call you a bold faced liar. Five years ago, anything with antlers was considered a good buck. Now, people are passing on legal deer (13 inch inside) in hopes of something bigger.

My wife shot this deer three years ago out of the same stand as the one in the first pic. She was 8 months pregnant withour son.

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I shot this deer out of that same stand two years ago.

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My dad shot one last year that was as good or better than this one out of this stand as well, as did my cousin earlier this year.
 
Whats the calibre on that Remington. I have a 7MM that looks just like it.
 
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