Deer Hunting after Hurricane Rita
10-30-2005, 07:05 PM
#1
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Kountze, Texas
Posts: 5,400
Deer Hunting after Hurricane Rita
Ok, I have just spent 4 days with a chainsaw getting to my deer stands. Today, I finally broke through and found I will not be sitting in two of my stands because they are both damaged. Almost all of the very large hardwood trees around these two stands are uprooted, and the visability is nonexistant without getting up in the air to see over downed trees. I have a few other stands, but I spent all my time cutting to get to these two because these are the ones I really wanted to hunt.
Deer seasonopens this nextweekend, and I am trying to comeup with some kind ofalternate game plan. I can't wait to scout out our 500 acres after season, because I think I can use this situation to my advantage by finding funnels and forced trails around all the downed trees, butseason opens nextSat. Nov. 5th, and I am wondering if any one has been through a situation like this?
Any suggestions?
C. Davis
Deer seasonopens this nextweekend, and I am trying to comeup with some kind ofalternate game plan. I can't wait to scout out our 500 acres after season, because I think I can use this situation to my advantage by finding funnels and forced trails around all the downed trees, butseason opens nextSat. Nov. 5th, and I am wondering if any one has been through a situation like this?
Any suggestions?
C. Davis
10-30-2005, 08:58 PM
#3
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Port Neches, Texas
Posts: 5,514
RE: Deer Hunting after Hurricane Rita
CD, I've pretty much got your same problems, along with most of the Gulf Coast! Compounding this problem is that we've all lost about a month of critical scouting, and preparation time! I noticed quite a few trucks carrying stands out to the woods today.
Idid not get out to my stands until yesterday! Fortunately for me, one of the guys I hunt with, lives practically on our lease. He, and a couple of other members put out a stand for me! (Iwasputting a stand together the week that Rita blew through!)
As far as my site looks, some of the trails have trees acrossthem, but it doesn't look like the trails are completely cutoff.
About your place, you mentioned that visability is going to be a problem. If your spots were really good before, I'd just pick a spot in the same area, and count on hunting closer than we normally do! I've noticed a pretty good acorn crop this year, so the trees that have fallen should still be holding some acorns, and the surviving trees, especially White Oaks are dropping "deer candy" like rain!
Good luck on openning weekend! I'll be working
, so Tuesday evening will be my earliest hunt!
Idid not get out to my stands until yesterday! Fortunately for me, one of the guys I hunt with, lives practically on our lease. He, and a couple of other members put out a stand for me! (Iwasputting a stand together the week that Rita blew through!)
As far as my site looks, some of the trails have trees acrossthem, but it doesn't look like the trails are completely cutoff.
About your place, you mentioned that visability is going to be a problem. If your spots were really good before, I'd just pick a spot in the same area, and count on hunting closer than we normally do! I've noticed a pretty good acorn crop this year, so the trees that have fallen should still be holding some acorns, and the surviving trees, especially White Oaks are dropping "deer candy" like rain!
Good luck on openning weekend! I'll be working
, so Tuesday evening will be my earliest hunt!
10-30-2005, 09:16 PM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Kountze, Texas
Posts: 5,400
RE: Deer Hunting after Hurricane Rita
ORIGINAL: JagMagMan
About your place, you mentioned that visability is going to be a problem. If your spots were really good before, I'd just pick a spot in the same area, and count on hunting closer than we normally do! I've noticed a pretty good acorn crop this year, so the trees that have fallen should still be holding some acorns, and the surviving trees, especially White Oaks are dropping "deer candy" like rain!
About your place, you mentioned that visability is going to be a problem. If your spots were really good before, I'd just pick a spot in the same area, and count on hunting closer than we normally do! I've noticed a pretty good acorn crop this year, so the trees that have fallen should still be holding some acorns, and the surviving trees, especially White Oaks are dropping "deer candy" like rain!
Frank,
I am kinda thinking along that same line. I walked to the good trail that I watch from my now battered stand and stood at the salt block I sat out 2 months ago.Standing there, I couldsee my severely leaning box stand.I think that if I can get a ladder stand about the same heighth as my box stand I bet I cancatch one of the bucks that has left the rubs along that trail. I spent all of my free time working the Stihl, and maybe I can cheat the last hour of a day at work and get a stand set up. One thing about it. I will be concealed to the hilt.
I'm not used to this much work a week before the first saturday. I'm usually deep into daydreaming about this time.
C. Davis
10-31-2005, 01:04 AM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: florida
Posts: 972
RE: Deer Hunting after Hurricane Rita
thankfullywilma onlybrought a bunch of rain and not much damage around my stands...at least not the ones i've seen so far....i know you probably would rather hunt from a treestand but there's always pop up blinds.
on a different note: after the hurricanes last year and now rita i seem to be wondering if the trees i pick are going to be alright or not...i have this fear that i'll climb one that looks healthy only to have it fall over once i'm all the up and settled....does that concern y'all as well or am i the only one?
on a different note: after the hurricanes last year and now rita i seem to be wondering if the trees i pick are going to be alright or not...i have this fear that i'll climb one that looks healthy only to have it fall over once i'm all the up and settled....does that concern y'all as well or am i the only one?
10-31-2005, 02:49 AM
#6
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Port Neches, Texas
Posts: 5,514
RE: Deer Hunting after Hurricane Rita
CD, where are you hunting? The last few years I've been hunting between Woodville, and Chester. It was a darn good area, but the timber company sold it, so we got booted! This will be my first year hunting southwest of Jasper. It looks pretty good, but I doubt that it will be as good as we had before!
Huntress, if all Rita gave you was rain, you've come out good, but ya'll have had more than your share of storms the last couple of years! With all the damage that Rita brought us, she didn't drop much rain, and it has only rained once since then! It is BONE dry here right now, but we are supposed to get some rain tommorrow!
As for the tree damage, if theres not a bunch of cracked branches to fall on you, and the tree is still anchored good, you should have no problems climbing them!
I'm curious about the effects that these storms had on your deer herd the last couple of years. Did ya'll experience any big deer kills from the storms, or die offs after the fact?
Huntress, if all Rita gave you was rain, you've come out good, but ya'll have had more than your share of storms the last couple of years! With all the damage that Rita brought us, she didn't drop much rain, and it has only rained once since then! It is BONE dry here right now, but we are supposed to get some rain tommorrow!
As for the tree damage, if theres not a bunch of cracked branches to fall on you, and the tree is still anchored good, you should have no problems climbing them!
I'm curious about the effects that these storms had on your deer herd the last couple of years. Did ya'll experience any big deer kills from the storms, or die offs after the fact?
10-31-2005, 03:47 AM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Southeast Missouri
Posts: 968
RE: Deer Hunting after Hurricane Rita
CD
I can't determine the amount of damage you have there, but one thing to keep in mind: deer browse more and more as the season progresses. I know in my home state of missouri, some of my best hunts have come in areas that were in the process of being logged off. The treetops provide a bonanza of good browse as well as the "deer candy" and great cover! It may be harder to get a shot, but I'd be willing to bet that trees downed won't deter deer from the area much if at all. Another thing to remember, when those bigger trees fall, it opens up the canopy and all kinds of stuff ends up getting a boost in growth. In missouri, floral sumac grows abundantly in areas where tornados pass through. Deer will browse the heck outta the stuff.
Good luck!
GH
I can't determine the amount of damage you have there, but one thing to keep in mind: deer browse more and more as the season progresses. I know in my home state of missouri, some of my best hunts have come in areas that were in the process of being logged off. The treetops provide a bonanza of good browse as well as the "deer candy" and great cover! It may be harder to get a shot, but I'd be willing to bet that trees downed won't deter deer from the area much if at all. Another thing to remember, when those bigger trees fall, it opens up the canopy and all kinds of stuff ends up getting a boost in growth. In missouri, floral sumac grows abundantly in areas where tornados pass through. Deer will browse the heck outta the stuff.
Good luck!
GH
10-31-2005, 07:00 PM
#8
Giant Nontypical
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Kountze, Texas
Posts: 5,400
RE: Deer Hunting after Hurricane Rita
Frank,
Our land is in between Kountze and Sour Lake on Hwy. 326. It is pretty close to the outer edge of the Big Thickett. It is mostly thick hardwoods, and thickets. It is some pretty hard hunting and any shooting lanes you have are the ones you have cut in the past, or the ones you are going to cut. It's probably why my favorite gun is a 30-30. I am usually able to get about two deer a year. There are a lot better places to hunt around the area as you probably know, but it is 500 acres that is close to the house, and I like the challenge.
I have noticed that with many of the big trees uprooted, there are many open places that were not there before. I can't wait to do a full scout of the land, but I just feel like I need to be setting down on opening morning.
GH,
Your are right about the endless browse for the deer. Many of the trees that are down are white oaks, and If the acorns are not already on the ground they are at a deers nose level. It is a shame to see these big trees laying on the ground, but I see a lot of future opportunity in they way it will change my hunting.
C. Davis
Our land is in between Kountze and Sour Lake on Hwy. 326. It is pretty close to the outer edge of the Big Thickett. It is mostly thick hardwoods, and thickets. It is some pretty hard hunting and any shooting lanes you have are the ones you have cut in the past, or the ones you are going to cut. It's probably why my favorite gun is a 30-30. I am usually able to get about two deer a year. There are a lot better places to hunt around the area as you probably know, but it is 500 acres that is close to the house, and I like the challenge.
I have noticed that with many of the big trees uprooted, there are many open places that were not there before. I can't wait to do a full scout of the land, but I just feel like I need to be setting down on opening morning.
GH,
Your are right about the endless browse for the deer. Many of the trees that are down are white oaks, and If the acorns are not already on the ground they are at a deers nose level. It is a shame to see these big trees laying on the ground, but I see a lot of future opportunity in they way it will change my hunting.
C. Davis
11-01-2005, 07:41 PM
#9
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Port Neches, Texas
Posts: 5,514
RE: Deer Hunting after Hurricane Rita
CD, As Isaid, my new place is 500 acres,about 5 miles SW of Jasper. I'd be very surprised if this place turns out to be half as good as what we had near Chester! Most of this land is clear cut, that has grown just enough that you can't see deer anymore. It should not be a problem to take a deer or two,IF I get the chance to hunt enough.
One thing that I have doubts about is the whole area, not just this 500 acres in particular.
Just last night I got a lead on 900 acres, for next year! I am hoping that it will still be available!. This land is private property, and is priced lower than timber company land! Itis just north of Chester!
If you ever get a chance to get another place,the area from Warren, to Zavallais about the best hunting in our part of East Texas!
Anyway, good luck! The season is here, and who knows, we might just get a good surprise!
One thing that I have doubts about is the whole area, not just this 500 acres in particular.
Just last night I got a lead on 900 acres, for next year! I am hoping that it will still be available!. This land is private property, and is priced lower than timber company land! Itis just north of Chester!
If you ever get a chance to get another place,the area from Warren, to Zavallais about the best hunting in our part of East Texas!
Anyway, good luck! The season is here, and who knows, we might just get a good surprise!
