buckmine

I understand how deer can obtain bigger antler size. I have read many magazines.

But how do southern deer get antlers like that compared to Mn deer?

Do we in Mn have way to many" brown its down" here?

kevin1

More a matter of selective genetics and nutrition . QDM is very big down there . Take comfort in the fact that the Northern subspecies gets much larger . Those Texas racks are bound to look larger on a 125 lb. frame .

buckmine

I know but the racks have the width to surpass the ears and they have tine length.

I know there are big bucks on our land. Every year my game cam pics up some nice bucks but you rarely see them. It amazes me on hunting videos how those big racks show themselves in the open in the daytime. And yes I know it takes many hours afield and some are hunts within high fences and bait areas, but some videos don't seem to use those luring tactics.

lhook7

QDM definately plays a large part in the quality of the deer here in Texas. In South Texas killing a young large buck is just not acceptable. A hunter will be kicked off a lease for doing so, or, if it is a package hunt, have to pay a hefty fine. Not all parts of the state take QDM as seriously as South Texas, but that is why, year after year, the majority of the big bucks come from South Texas.

I do believe that if some of the northern states followed the same path as South Texas, they would have much larger deer than Texas.

Carpmaster

IMO every state has areas that produce big bucks and have potential to produce big bucks but in general too many 1.5 year deer are killed, to enable this to happen on a large scale. QDM is effective anywhere where used properly but many hunters do not care as to what size of a buck they harvest.

TXhighrack

Since I'm the one who posted that thread I guess I should reponsed to this one. The reason why south Texas produces so many large bucks year after year is because the hunters & landowners take deer management very seriously. Of all the pictures that I posted on that thread, not a single one of those bucks were younger then 5 1/2, most are probably 6 1/2 years old. The northern & the eastern states would produce alot more monster bucks each year if the hunters in that area would cure that "itchy finger" disease that they have. In this area taking a 150"+ buck each year is not rare, and this would be the case in other areas if you guys would simply allow the bucks to reach maturity. AGE is the key to producing trophy bucks. Take a look at the same website that I posted in the "big texas bucks post", they update it every time another buck is brought into the contest. There are a couple dozen bucks already entered and not one of them score less then 150", and our rifle season dosent even start until this Sat. This is going to be the greatest year ever for South Texas.


Kevin1:


Comments like those always crack me up. I dont know what kinda math they teach up in Indiana, but I was taught that 180" of antler is 180" of antler no matter where you go. In Texas 12" is a foot, I'm assuming that in Indiana 12" equals a foot as well, am I right? It really dosent matter if a deer weights 100# or 300#.

cardeer

Well I lived in South Texas in Duval county ,near freer. And the bucks do get biig there.I seen 180 Lb deer along with huge racks at the muyGrande deer contest. Yep you shoot a dink buck down there and your neighbors could hang you up.

TXhighrack

cardeer.

Muy grande dosent have a website ( I wish they did) but los cazadores does. Check out www.loscazadores.com the bucks taken so far this year are huge. The last two years we have gotten rain at the important times of year, and you can really see the benefits that "wet gold" has.

Stump_MN_Hunter

buckmine....QDM is where it's at. MN does and will always produce big, big deer, but certainly not the extent that it could. We have the food, cover, genetics and herd size to do so but there are far too many guys that have a run and gun attitude or the attitude that "If I don't shot it...the next guy down the road would" mentality. Not to mention, there are some guys still hunting with the same management idea that the guys in the 60's and 70's had. The idea that you don't shoot doe because they are the ones that produce all the deer. The whole idea should be long gone and out the door. Our deer population(in most parts of the state) is too high and the mentality should be reversed. But you can't tell nor do those older guys even listen to you about the whole QDM idea. They won't listen. It won't get a whole lot better until that "state" tells us what we can shoot and what we can't. Just wait for the uproar about that if it ever happens. Should be interesting.

lhook7

I'm heading for Hebbronville in a few hours. I'm hoping to have to take the long way home through Pearsall on my way back to check one in.