Story by Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News. Photo by Nate Skinner.
This story originally appeared in the Texas Hunting Annual by LSON.
Seeing bucks in velvet, even when it’s just a trail camera image, gets hunters excited a few months ahead of the season.
Will he look that big after the velvet drops?
More experienced hunters know not to predict the deer’s look in fall after seeing the buck in velvet — but it doesn’t stop the heart from pumping a little quicker.
Antler size depends a lot on spring rains, and this year, the rains were pretty sparse in much of the state. Body size and fawn recruitment depends on rains all year, and the near-record drought, especially west of Interstate 35, is expected to have an effect.
Supplemental feeding helps keep hopes positive, as do available water sources.
This season, East Texas hunters may see the better body and antler growth results.
“There is a kind-of pocket of habitat from College Station north and back to the east toward the Red River and Arkansas and Louisiana that’s received some reasonable rain,” said Alan Cain, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s deer program leader. “Habitat conditions are in fair shape, so they’re actually seeing a little bit better quality this year.”
Cain told the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network that hunters in two-thirds of the state can expect to see average or below-average antler quality, lighter body weights and a smaller white-tailed deer fawn crop.
“The hot, dry weather affects the plant community out there, which ultimately provides the nutrition that deer need,” he said. “As plants become stressed, and in some cases you see defoliation of plants, there’s not the nutritional level that bucks really need to maximize their antler growth or that does need to keep up their body reserves to be able to nurse the fawns and help them survive into the fall.”
When it comes to hunting, hunters can expect to see the deer this season. With distressed habitat, the whitetails are more likely to stop by a feeder which means more opportunity for the perfect shot.
