# Is it slow in East Texas?



## RATLTRAP (Sep 16, 2009)

I hunt property in Angelina county. This bow season has been terrible so far for us. In the first three weekends we have seen little to no deer. In the past we usually a have pretty good bow season in which we see a lot of deer. Is anyone experiencing the same scenarios in East Texas? Even the cameras are not showing any deer!


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## jspeights (Feb 5, 2010)

It doesn't seem slow. My BIL and nephew are hunting somewhere between Henderson and Nac. They have taken a doe and a spike. Several small bucks were seen both last weekend and opening weekend. 

What type of cover is on your property? It may be time to re-scout, and figure out what they are doing. The rut is picking up, so hang in there.


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## RATLTRAP (Sep 16, 2009)

We hunt a small 70 acre track of land in Didoll. The property consist of Pines and Oaks. It is true about the rut getting close. The scrapes are starting to show up.


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## jspeights (Feb 5, 2010)

I have noticed that the deer are holding tight to dense cover where I hunt. You might try finding a spot to hang a camera where several trails exit dense cover. I like to hunt small gaps between the thick stuff. I don't know. Just thinking here.

Good luck, man!


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## Chunky (Oct 15, 2006)

I played golf this morning at Fish Creek on the north side of Houston. I saw at least 15 deer, including a two bucks mixing it up. If I would have had my bow with me I might have gotten several...then again I might have sliced the arrow into the woods.


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## mchildress (Jul 11, 2009)

It should be starting to get busy. I took a buck and my son a doe opening weekend in Polk county. We were hunting trails in the creek bottoms.


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

I do not hunt anymore but I still keep an eye on them.
The number of "pet deer" that wonder around close to the house and garden are still here same as every year.
But I sure believe the ones in the woods are holding tight to cover or have declined in numbers. I have to drive about 16 miles to town. It is not uncommon to see a new road kill at least once a week during summer and fall.
A friend ask me 3 months ago to get him a deer tail for fly tying if i see one in the ditch. But I have not seen one in that time.
The deer are still around they have certainly learned to stay of the paved roads.


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## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

I've got 100 acres over near Hanks Creek in Angelina and the first few days weren't bad, but now not a lot of movement in the light of day. I'm getting a lot of pictures at night but not a lot during the day either. So it is slow for me as well, but not as slow as it was last year.


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## Gunslinger (Jul 29, 2008)

I've got 2 different places in Jasper Co. and one hasn't shown anything. I put up a game camera on that particular one and haven't seen much. I will be hunting the other larger (120 acres) property next weekend in hopes of some better luck. It usually is my go to spot. Other than that it has been slow so far.


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## SKs Crappie Fishing (Mar 24, 2008)

in san augustine it's like my bucks have disappeared but with all the new oil wells being put up in the area i hunt i'm thinking the noise & all the hogs that have showed up in the past couple years have ran them out. i've only gotten one buck [small 4 point] pic since july night or day. usually i'd have several bucks coming to the feeders & i usually around this time would start seeing rubs & scraps. from looking at my pics there's only three does thats been to any of my feeders & i killed one so i've only been getting pics of the two does & 50,000,00,000 hog pics.


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## redduck (Jul 26, 2006)

Tyler County near Woodville has been slow. Lot of hogs. Not as many deer at cameras this year.


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## Quackerbox (Feb 6, 2006)

Prolly have 4000 pics since the first of september. Mostly does a few hogs and alot of the same bucks. Some legal some not. Appears average for us....near madisonville


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## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

Quackerbox said:


> Prolly have 4000 pics since the first of september. Mostly does a few hogs and alot of the same bucks. Some legal some not. Appears average for us....near madisonville


My pictures are different. No hogs, very few of does and a bunch of bucks. Most of the bucks are illegal, but there are many spikes and then this guy showed up last week.


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

If you are depending on your feeders bringing in huge amounts of deer this early in the year, there is your mistake.

East Texas has so much forage that they dont need to hit feeders like they do in other parts of the state.... combine that with increased travel in that sector of the state and you are going to have nocturnal deer that do not venture far from their bedding areas.... why leave when you can eat where you sleep.

The rut is your diamond.


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## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

Actually this year I'm getting a lot more pictures at the feeders due to the lack of rain. Last year there was a lot of forage, but not so this year. It also doesn't look like there are going to be many acorns either this year. As has been in the past, most of the pictures are at night, but a lot more this year.


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## Gunslinger (Jul 29, 2008)

bountyhunter said:


> *Actually this year I'm getting a lot more pictures at the feeders due to the lack of rain. Last year there was a lot of forage, but not so this year. It also doesn't look like there are going to be many acorns either this year.* As has been in the past, most of the pictures are at night, but a lot more this year.


It is the same where I am at. The oaks were dropping their buds 2 months ago and there isn't much on the ground or in the trees. My next hunt will be near water and a food source in hopes of better action.


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## profishman (Oct 12, 2005)

I hunt up towards Center, tx. we have so many hogs , I think that is why we are seeing less this year.


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

profishman said:


> I hunt up towards Center, tx. we have so many hogs , I think that is why we are seeing less this year.


I have hunted on 96 between Center and San Augustine all my life and you know I have only seen TWO hogs while deer hunting up there.... and I hunted ALOT because I lived up there from 2000-2005. I may have a dozen game cam pics of hogs in the last 5 years....

My sister killed one 2 years ago, and thats been all that have been on that place.... Not sure why they arent on there, but they have always just stayed away.... Plenty of water and larger than normal bucks. All of our neighbors were filled to the brim with hogs and a guy that stayed on the southern edge of the lease caught a bunch in his traps.

I got off that property this year due to the increased traffic (they put rock on our roads and now EVERYBODY wants to drive down them, which resulted in lots of trespassing and poaching) and headed further North to the Red River to chase some of those bruisers.

Good cheap lease that produced some nice decorations on the wall. Shame that its no good now.


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## pngndn (Jun 19, 2009)

*east texas*

i am hunting in montgomery county and have only seen one doe while bow hunting. there is alot of hog activity but nothing in the daylight hours. i hope it changes soon. good luck this year


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## A Draper (Aug 14, 2007)

Yes, slow....but deer hunting east texas always seems slow to me. Deer are eating corn just rarely in the day light. There is enough forage out that they will not throw out caution for a mouthful. I saw deer the last three times I've gone but nothing has panned out. I could have shot a 6 pt last night except for antler restrictions. I've got one more weekend with the bow. After that we open up rifle season on our managed place.


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

I'm about to leave in a few, gonna climb today and sit on a trail leading to and from a feeder, have only been 1 other time (another stand) and got busted rite away. A day later I find out that someone else had tried to hunt out of a ladder stand 2 days before in same loco and doe spotted him, now I know why she came in looking up. I'm gonna shank the first one that shows today>unless its a buck, then its gonna have to be P&Y. Deer are cleaning up the corn at all of our feeders and I have a few set for a 7:00 along with 8:30 feeding....WW


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

Went this morn, ran several off that were close to climber 45 min before daylite, BIG brite moon....stayed till 9:45 NO DEER, went back to the woods about noon to pull cam cards, nether cam had a pic of a deer this morn...hogs but no deer...WW


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## nhampton (Aug 8, 2007)

I hunted Goliad Co opening weekend, Medina Co 3rd weekend and didn't see a deer at either one. The guy I hunted with in Medina Co. hunted in some heavier cover and saw many deer and got a nice 8 pt that was fat as a pen fed hog. I think they've got plenty of food now and won't move much until the rut kicks in or the natural food dries up. The hot weather dosen't help daylight movement either.


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## headed south 2 (Sep 7, 2009)

Are there alot of oak trees where your hunting? Because it's been slow for us also thinking it's because of all the acorns on the ground.


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