Category: Non-typical Stuff

Giant Buck in LA

Another BBD (big buck down), this time just to the east of me in the state of Louisiana. The state known as the Sportsman’s Paradise is living up to its name, at least for one persistent hunter that was able to scout deer, big deer, right from his office.

It’s just about prime time for white-tailed deer hunting in my part of the world and all the recent photos of giant, hunter-harvested bucks are getting my pumped up. And even though it’s Monday, the temperatures, which were in the 40’s this morning, are telling me I need to be spending more time outside right now… much more time.

Hunter Arrows Big Buck in Louisiana

The Big Buck’s Story

Louisiana Sportsman: A St. Francisville dentist on Oct. 5 arrowed what could be the largest Louisiana non-typical deer to be killed with a bow — and he was hunting pretty much where he works.

“I killed the deer inside the city limits — behind my dentist office,” Dr. Frank Sullivan said of the 18-pointer that grossed between 220 and 230 points.

Sullivan said he and buddy Dr. Travis Links, who killed a 190-inch buck last season, couldn’t narrow down the score any more than that because of the craziness of the rack, which includes three drop tines and a third main beam.

“I truly don’t even know how to score a non-typical like this,” Sullivan said. “I tried to be conservative.”

The buck, which has 11 points and two main beams on the left side and 7 points on the right, can be officially scored after the rack dries 60 days. Former state Deer Study Leader Dave Moreland saw photos of the massive deer and told Louisiana Sportsman that there’s no doubt it will make the Pope & Young record books.

The current state record non-typical bow buck was killed by Vicki Husted in Tensas Parish in 2010 and measured 227 6/8 inches. But Husted’s deer, along with the No. 2 buck on the state’s all-time Big Game Records, was measured in velvet.

Louisiana Tough Buck

The state of Louisiana is known for some tough, gumbo-powered dudes that take on everything from alligators to hurricanes. Apparently the white-tailed deer found living within the state are no different, taking on anything that bites… from mosquitoes to reptiles to arrows and even vehicles.

The impressive nontypical buck shot by Sullivan has also experienced his share of tough times, too. Last year, the buck was shot by a hunter on a neighboring property. Done deal, right? Wrong.

Then Sullivan, from inside his own office,  observed the massive buck get struck by a passing vehicle. This would have cut short a great hunting story… but the buck shook it off, got up and ran off… and continued to live! I guess when living in the city you either get tough or die trying.

Giant Buck is OK

One of the best things about white-tailed deer hunting is that you never know when or where a big buck could show up. Case in point: a big nontypical whitetail buck that was recently discovered in Oklahoma — the kind of buck that would keep you awake at night if it showed up in your game camera photos.

Unfortunately, deer hunters in the area will not be able to claim this giant whitetail and there is no doubt that a number of hunters have photos of this great animal. You see, the buck actually lived in close proximity to a neighborhood in Edmond, Oklahoma.

Big Buck Down

The buck was found in late September, just prior to the Oklahoma deer season opener. Turns out the animal was road-killed, found along the side of the road. Big bummer for area hunters, especially since this mature buck sported a whopping 28 points. I don’t know about you, but from where I come from that is the stuff that dreams are made of.

According to local news outlets the whitetail buck measured 236 3/8 inches using the Boone & Crockett antler scoring system.

Oklahoma on The Map

The state of Oklahoma has produces good deer year-in and year-out. But the OK state is not alone. A number of state’s have seen improvement in the age structure of bucks, with yearling bucks comprising the lowest percentage of buck harvest in the nation just last year.

That bodes well for hunters this season, especially other states in the region such as Texas. With two back-to-back seasons of amazing rainfall, white-tailed deer hunters in Texas have something special to look forward to this hunting season.

Lots of Good Bucks

Not only are bucks in great shape right now, but there will more older bucks in the herd this fall. Good habitat conditions in Okalahoma and Texas last year made deer hunting tough. An abundance of natural food resulted in lower deer movements, less visits to food plots and deer feeders.

This phenomenon allowed a lot more bucks to reach an additional year of age. Maybe this resulted in even fewer yearling bucks being harvested? Hard to say for sure, but I know that I am excited for the season because all those survivors will have even more antler growth this year. With the deer hunting season underway, hopefully you are reading this from your stand!

White-tailed Deer Antlers

Whitetail antlers are an amazing example of nature’s wonderful, yet functional, work. It’s amazing how fast buck deer grow these strong structures atop their head each and every year. Deer antlers range from tiny sharp spikes to amazing typical and non-typical racks.

Antlers develop into every size and shape although most whitetail bucks grow typical antlers . Antler size, growth and irregularities are often misunderstood by many deer hunters. A great deal of misinformation has been passed down over the years. One major misnomer that is commonly made by both hunters and non-hunters who don’t realize that antlers are not horns, and horns are not antlers.

Antlers are Bone

In Fact, a buck’s antlers are made of dead bone and are yearly growths that begin growing from a pair of pedicles on the buck’s head. Antler growth using kicks off in late winter to early spring depending on the age and physical condition of an individual buck. Antlers reach full growth in late summer usually October.

A whitetail bucks antlers are normally branched, except for spikes, and maturity, good nutrition, lack of stress and genetics determine antler size and formation. Bucks tend to develop larger antlers each successive year, with most never reaching their genetic potential; because they don’t live long enough. Most bucks reach peak antler growth at 6-8 years of age.

Bucks Only?

Generally, only male white-tailed deer grow antlers, but one doe out of several thousand females will grow antlers because of a hormone imbalance. So, it is possible for doe deer to grow antlers.

If you are a hunter that happens to have harvested such an animal then make sure you use a buck tag off of your hunting license to tag your deer. Most states in the U.S. define bucks as deer having antlers, while “doe” tags are for “ant;erless” deer, which also includes buck fawns (because they do not have hardened antlers). Confused yet?

More on Horns

Horns, rather than antlers, are living bone that is covered with hard layers of skin. They are typically unbranched and permanently established on the animal’s head. Wild sheep, for example, continue to grow horns throughout their lives. Horns also are found on bison, cows and goats in North America.

White-tailed deer have antlers they shed and grow each year. So the next time someone refers to a white-tailed buck’s antlers as horns, just smile — because you know better.

Deer Management in Texas

The Texas Deer Study Group will convene May 11-12 at the Kuykendall Events Center, 2200 RR 152 in Llano, Texas. This year’s event will focus on “Land Stewardship: The Basis for Good Deer Management.” Hunters, land owners and everyone with an interest in white-tailed deer and deer management is encouraged to attend.

Texas Deer Study Group Agenda: Day 1

The program starts at 8 a.m. the first day of the annual meeting with a wide array of topics, including Land Stewardship and Deer management, Brush Management for Deer, Prescribed Burning and Habitat Management, Deer Nutrition, Deer Energetics, and What a Deer Eats and Why.

That afternoon, the first day will also cover a History of Deer Management in the Hill Country, Deer Harvest Strategies, Effectiveness of Deer Survey Techniques, How Deer Populations Impact Other Wildlife Species, Native Genetics and Quality, plus up to date information about Changes to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Managed Lands Deer Program (MLDP), Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), and it will end with a Speaker Panel Discussion.

Deer Study Group Agenda: Day 2

On day two, the group will meet at a local ranch for a half-day of presentations covering Getting to Know Your Deer, habitat management techniques and native vegetation.

Sponsorship will be available for businesses and individuals to support the Texas Deer Study Group meeting in Llano. If interested in attending, early registration is $45 until May 4 and $60 after that date. Anyone can register online or get more information via the Texas Wildlife Association website, or contact Clint Faas at cfaas@texas-wildlife.org.

MLDP Program in Texas

The deer management and permit program offered by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is going to see some changes in 2017. According to TPWD, the Managed Lands Deer Permit (MLDP) Program looks to take advantage of available technologies in order to better serve its customers. A faster, leaner online system will ensure the program runs as efficiently as possible.

Landowners participating in the wildly-popular MLDP will be able to complete the enrollment process and print their tags online beginning this summer, thanks to a new automated system being implemented by the TPWD. The new online process is just one aspect of a much-needed overhaul of the MLDP, which began in 1996 and has become so successful that it outpaced the department’s manpower and resources.

MLDP Participation

According to TPWD, there are currently more than 10,000 farms and ranches covering about 26 million acres that are enrolled in the MLD program. The program is designed to foster and support sound management and stewardship of native wildlife and wildlife habitats on private lands in Texas. Participation is recognized through incentive-based deer tag issuance that provides extended hunting season lengths and liberalized harvest opportunities beyond what is allowed under the county deer hunting regulations.

Participants also have access to varying levels of technical assistance regarding wildlife and habitat management from department biologists.

New MLDP Options

TPWD has simplified the program down to two options — Harvest or Conservation — from the previous three levels of white-tailed deer MLD, mule deer MLD, and the Landowner Assisted Management Permits (LAMPS). Both options retain issuance of deer tags that can be used during an extended hunting season about October 1 through the end of February, but the Harvest Option does come with early season buck harvest restrictions (archery equipment only in October for branched-antlered bucks). Antlerless and unbranched antler bucks may still be harvested by any legal means during the entire MLDP season.

Program Enrollment

Landowners seeking to enroll their property in either the MLDP Harvest or Conservation Option must use the new Land Management Assistance online system when it becomes available to submit an application for participation. The application process will require the landowner to create an account and to draw a property boundary in the online system.

An email address is required for the landowner and any designated agents the landowner may assign to the account. Read more about Land Management Assistance in Texas.