The staff at The Junction Eagle welcomes hunters and visitors to the best hunting country in the great state of Texas. While you’re here in the splendid “Land of Living Waters”, we want you to enjoy yourselves, forget about the shenanigans in Washington (Can they get any sillier?) and have the most successful hunting experience ever.
As always, Asia Happner did most of the heavy lifting on this guide. She is the daughter I never had and my friend. I am so fortunate that she has worked with me for 21 years.
Kimble County has a lot to offer hunters: whitetail deer, exotics, turkey, feral hogs (Please kill feral hogs!),
CONTENTS
Publisher’s Message - pg. 3
Welcome from KC Judge Hal Rose - pg. 3
Message from KC Game Warden - pgs. 5-6
Spring Creek Outdoors Contributors - pg. 9
Kimble County Hunting Forecast - pg. 11
Fawn Management - pg. 12
A2Z Taxidermy - pgs. 14-15
Debbie Cooper, age nine. Open sight target practice at turtle heads in the North Llano River.
quail, javelina, bobcats, coyotes, red fox, predator contests, welcoming free breakfasts and lunches; and there are some of the finest folks here that you’ll ever meet anywhere.
We encourage you to shop with our advertisers. The local merchants who advertise in our Hunter’s Guide demonstrate that they want, will work for, and appreciate your business. They have years of experience in
stocking what you need, and they will go out of their way, with typical Hill Country hospitality, to make sure you are well served.
We hope visitors to Kimble County will enjoy this publication. We’ve attempted to give you some hunting information and info about local services.
We are always grateful to the Spring Creek Outdoors and its wildlife biologists Macy Ledbetter, Matt Nuernberg and Wade Ledbetter for the wealth of information they provide each year. This year, we are also pleased to publish some works by Kendra McKinney and Ryan Murray. Enjoy the beautiful wildlife photography from the following: Macy Ledbetter, Wade Ledbetter and Matt Nuernberg. Other contributors include: Kendra McKinney, Colt Brandenberger, Chris Baker, Bethany Baker, Ginger Gladden Frizzell, Ryan Murray, Billy Leavings, Shelby Barron, Mike Zenner and Clay Sterrett.
Thank you for choosing to visit us. Be careful; have a great time while you’re here and come back soon!
Debbie Cooper Kistler, owner
Junction and Kimble county J Hunters Guide H
Coyote Control for Deer Hunters - pg. 20
Thermal Drone Surveys - pg. 21
Crafting a Turkey Haven - pgs. 22-23
Stand Placement is Critical - pgs. 28-29
Facts About Deer That You May Not Know - pgs. 32-33
What Are the Impacts of Recent Flooding on Local Hunting Wild
A W elcome from K imble c ounty J udge H A l r ose
On behalf of the Kimble County Commissioners Court and all of my friends and neighbors in Kimble County, I’d like to welcome you to Junction, on the banks of the beautiful North and South Llano Rivers. As someone who grew up here, I believe you have chosen to visit the finest 1,251 square miles Texas has to offer, and we are all very happy that you did. Our part of the Texas Hill Country is deeply important to the
multi-billion-dollar hunting, fishing and recreation industry. The opportunity to spend time surrounded by nature, with family and friends, proves to be a constant enticement for folks visiting our “Land of Living Waters.”
Once again, welcome to Kimble County. I hope your stay is pleasant and enjoyable, and that we will see you again in the years to come.
Texas Scratch Kitchen.......................29 The Honey Bean Coffee & Tea Co..10 The Jazzy Cowgirl..............................18 The Junction Eagle...............................6
Tillman
Traci
“buckdon’tget fever”.
Game Warden marcus WhitWorth,
county
As the crisp air of fall approaches and the familiar sound of gunfire will soon echo through the Texas Hill Country, I want to welcome back all our seasoned hunters and greet those new to Kimble County. The start of a new hunting season is an exciting time, but it is also a critical time to review the regulations and ensure a safe experience for everyone.
Here is a look at what you need to know for the upcoming 2025-2026 hunting season, covering important regulation changes, dates, CWD updates, and a crucial reminder about navigable waterways and wildlife pharmaceuticals. Key Regulation and Licensing Updates
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has implemented a few key changes for the 2025-2026 season you should be aware of:
Expanded Digital License Options: For convenience, TPWD is now offering fully digital license options for all recreational hunting, fishing, and combo licenses and tags. If you choose a digital license, digital tagging is mandatory through the Texas Hunt & Fish mobile app. You will not receive a printed license or tags, so keep your device charged and accessible in the field.
Non-Resident License Changes: Non-resident hunters should note a simplification of license options, moving from five types down to two.
To harvest any legal bird or game animal (including white-tailed deer, turkey, etc.), a Non-resident General Hunting license is required.
For those targeting only exotic animals, small game birds (except turkey), non-game animals, fur-bearers, squirrel, and javelina for five or less days, a Nonresident Special 5-Day Small Game/Exotic Hunting license is available. 2025-2026 Season Dates for Kimble County
Kimble County falls under the White-tailed Deer North Zone, the Wild Turkey North Zone, and Dove Central Zone. Mark these critical dates on your calendar:
Species Season Dates
General Season
White-tailed Deer
Wild Turkey
Dove
Nov. 1, 2025 – Jan. 4, 2026
Youth-Only (Early) Oct. 24 – 26, 2025
Youth-Only (Late) Jan. 5 – 18, 2026
Special Late Season Jan. 5 – 18, 2026
Fall Season Nov. 1, 2025 – Jan. 4, 2026
Spring Youth-Only Mar. 21 – 22, 2026
Spring Season Mar. 28 – May 10, 2026
Central Zone (Part 1) Sept. 1 – Oct. 26, 2025
Central Zone (Part 2) Dec. 12, 2025 – Jan. 14, 2026
Javelina Regular Season (South Zone) Sept. 1, 2025 – Aug. 31, 2026
For white-tailed deer hunters, predicting the rut is key. In the Edwards Plateau/ Hill Country region where Kimble County sits, the deer rut is typically timed as follows:
Pre-Rut Activity: Late October. Bucks begin rubbing and scraping.
Peak Rut: Early to mid-November. The peak of breeding is generally around the second week of November This is when buck movement is most erratic and daytime activity increases significantly.
Post-Rut: Late November and early December. Bucks are exhausted but still searching for any remaining receptive does.
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Update
Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance remains a high priority for TPWD. Hunters must be aware of the CWD Zones in Kimble County, as regulations differ depending on where you hunt.
Voluntary Sampling Zone (Surveillance Zone 5): The majority of Kimble County is within Surveillance Zone 5, which now utilizes a Voluntary Sampling approach, replacing the previous mandatory check station requirements for the general area.
Check Stations: TPWD is operating check stations and 24-hour drop boxes to collect voluntary samples.
A 24-hour Drop Box will be available from Sept. 27, 2025 – Feb. 28, 2026. Staffed check stations may operate on a modified or appointment-only schedule outside of peak weekends. Hunters are encouraged to call ahead for staffing hours.
I urge all hunters to voluntarily submit CWD samples. This testing is vital to our collective effort to monitor and contain this disease and protect our valuable deer herd. Please visit the TPWD CWD webpage for the exact boundaries of all zones and the most current check station details.
Wildlife & Weather Outlook for the Season
This season, hunters in Kimble County can expect a solid number of deer; but local populations are still recovering from past drought conditions. The Edwards Plateau historically holds a significant portion of the state’s deer, and while a statewide rebound is in progress, conditions in this specific region have made it a tougher environment recently. Statewide harvest success is expected to be average to above-average, and hunters should find plenty of opportunities to harvest both bucks and antlerless deer, especially since the statewide doe-to-buck ratio is trending slightly higher, indicating a need for antlerless harvest.
Antler Quality and Habitat Conditions
Antler quality in Kimble County this season is predicted to be average to belowaverage for many bucks. Although much of the state received timely spring rains that boosted vegetation and antler growth, the Edwards Plateau and South Texas were notable exceptions, with significant rainfall not arriving until the summer months. This late rainfall means the primary antler growing period had less optimal forage compared to other parts of the state. However, on well-managed properties that mitigate drought through supplemental feeding and habitat work, hunters can still expect to find quality, mature bucks. Biologists also suggest that numbers of older bucks (5.5 years and older) should be up, but middle-aged bucks might be fewer.
Hunting Strategy and Rut Influence
Successful hunting in the area this year will depend heavily on local habitat management and conditions. Due to recent tough conditions, hunters are advised to be conservative on high-quality bucks and focus instead on culling mature bucks with eight or fewer mainframe points, as well as aggressively harvesting antlerless deer early in the season, particularly older does without fawns. While the rut’s timing is primarily driven by daylight, periods of cold fronts and sharp temperature drops during the general season (starting Nov. 1st) are the best
times to catch bucks moving during the day. The scientific median breeding day for much of the county is around November 13th, which falls comfortably within the general season.
Prescription Medication and Wildlife
This past year saw a steep rise in cases related to illegal use of prescription medication in wildlife, particularly on ranch properties managing and/or transporting exotic or native species.
Prescription drugs, including tranquilizers, antibiotics, and dart-gun immobilization agents, are highly regulated. The use, purchase, and administration of these substances in animals, including wildlife and exotic game, is governed by state and federal law, specifically the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA).
The main takeaway for hunters and landowners is this: Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR): You must have a valid VCPR established with a licensed veterinarian to legally obtain and administer prescription or controlled pharmaceutical agents to any animal. Meaning no lowfence wild caught exotics.
“Extra-Label” Use: Most drugs used for wildlife are not specifically labeled for those species. This is called “extra-label” use and must be directed by a
veterinarian under a VCPR.
Controlled Substances: Immobilization drugs, such as potent opioids, are “Controlled Substances” and are subject to strict security, storage, and recordkeeping requirements enforced by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
The illegal possession or use of these drugs for unauthorized capture, hunting, or transport can result in serious state and federal violations.
If you are involved in any wildlife management activity that requires the use of pharmaceuticals, ensure all procedures are overseen and documented by a licensed veterinarian. When in doubt, consult your Game Warden or a licensed vet.
Be Safe, Be Legal, and Enjoy all that makes Kimble County the most scenic place in Texas!
Please remember to check the 2025-2026 Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual App for all fishing and hunting regulations. Be respectful of private property, safely handle all firearms, and ensure that all game is legally taken and tagged.
If you witness or suspect wildlife crime, please call myself @ (325) 280-5224 or the Operation Game Thief hotline immediately at (800) 792-GAME (4263) If I am unable to answer, please leave a detailed message and I will call you back as soon as possible.
Have a wonderful, safe, and productive season. I’ll see y’all out in the field.
All photos must be submitted at actual size. Please include information about the photo: Who is pictured in the photo, when and where it was taken and a brief description. All content submitted must be your content or content you have permission to use and share.
Macy Ledbetter
Macy Ledbetter is a professional wildlife biologist with a life-long passion for intensive wildlife and habitat management. Macy earned his degree from Texas A&M University and created the wildlife consulting business, Spring Creek Outdoors, based in central Texas on his historic family ranch. Macy is a fifth-generation rancher and actively manages his ranch for optimum cattle and wildlife production. His client list totals over 3 million acres in all eco-regions of Texas. He understands and explains wildlife management processes like few others and can make each individual step palatable and educational for his clients. When he is not surveying wildlife, hunting, or writing about game management, he may be found supporting legislative projects or working as an expert witness in a wide array of legal cases. Macy and his wife Cathy live on their family ranch in northern San Saba County, along with a variety of pets. You can reach Macy anytime at Macy.Ledbetter@gmail.com
Matt Nuernberg
Matt Nuernberg is a professional wildlife biologist and member of Spring Creek Outdoors, LLC team. He became interested in wildlife and habitat management at a young age and started working on helicopter captures, surveys, and with captive white tail deer while still in high school. Matt graduated Texas A&M--Kingsville in 2013 with a B.S. in Range and Wildlife Management and has worked as an assistant biologist and hunting guide on a King Ranch corporate hunting lease, and as manager, biologist, and guide on two large South Texas ranches and a North Texas exotic game operation. Matt and his family live near Poth, Texas. You can reach Matt anytime at Matthew.nuernberg@gmail.com
Wade Ledbetter
Wade Ledbetter is a professional wildlife biologist and member of the Spring Creek Outdoors, LLC team. He grew up both in the thornscrub of south Texas, and on his family’s historic ranch in San Saba County. Wade has spent years in the family business working directly with landowners, conducting helicopter surveys and wildlife captures and has more hands-on experience with intensive wildlife management than most professionals three times his age. As a sixth-generation landowner, he is intimately familiar with the responsibility of landownership and intensive wildlife management. Wade received his Wildlife and Fisheries Science degree from Texas A&M in 2020, was a member of Company E-1 in the Corps of Cadets, and a member of the Corps Marksmanship Unit, where he helped win seven collegiate national shooting championships. When he is not counting or catching wildlife, Wade continues to shoot competitively and conducts private, intensive shooting courses for individuals, law enforcement, and shooting industry representatives. With his wife Macie, Wade lives in Mason County and can be reached at any time at wadeledbetter@me.com
2025-26 Hunting Season Forecast for Kimble County
Macy Ledbetter
Kimble County wildlife is coming to the end of 2025 in very good overall condition. Despite the later winter and spring drought and mid-summer flood, the native wildlife made it through in pretty good condition. Starting in June, the rains were favorable for the most part and well timed with overall milder summer temperatures. The brush is currently in great shape; the grass is tall and local hay producers have been very busy.
As you likely know, I spend every single day in the field starting in August looking, counting, photographing, monitoring, measuring and judging wildlife and habitat conditions throughout my travels. The entire month of September finds me in a helicopter all over central Texas primarily counting deer, turkey, quail and shooting predators, so I get to see some incredible wildlife on incredible ranches up close and personal covering a very large area and many, many acres.
The native brush and trees are amazingly hardy; however, you will see many dead trees this year. The two ice storms a few years back, combined with back to back droughts really impacted our big trees---primarily Post Oak, Live Oak, Hackberry, Cedar Elm and Pecan and all are very important to our wildlife species.
The following are my 2025-2026 hunting season forecast for Kimble County based on our company’s recent helicopter and thermal drone surveys and landowner meetings throughout the county: Whitetail Deer: The county-wide fawn survival average this year is 50%. However, it ranges from 40-70% and that variable is grass in May. If you had good grass on your ranch back in May, you are in the high end of that range but if you saw more white rocks than grass, you are certainly on the lower end, despite the tall grass now. This means if your fawn survival is low, you need to make certain you know your herd dynamics before you start shooting deer this fall. And for sure you need to harvest the correct deer this fall to ensure production will continue next summer.
Antler quality and body condition are far above average this year. There is a strong cohort of three, four and five year old bucks this year and there are some very nice bucks out there. There are far fewer six plus year olds this year. Every buck photo you see in this years’ Guide was taken in September in this county by our Spring Creek Outdoors team of wildlife biologists. We saw above average numbers of kickers and forked tines this year and it is always fun to see those unique animals.
Turkey: For the second consecutive year, turkey production has increased. The freezes and droughts that impacted the trees nearly devastated the turkeys too. Last year was the first year in five years of positive gains and this year is another positive year, so the numbers are slowly increasing but nothing approaching historic levels. Turkey hunters looking for trophy long beards will have to hunt hard this year to be successful, but if simply harvesting a turkey is on your radar, you might have an opportunity this year due to all of the young birds available.
Quail: I was born and raised in San Saba County and I remember the 1980’s very well. We hunted quail often and success was very high. I am not sure if we can ever return to such quail densities as the 1980’s, however, quail are improving for the third consecutive year in a row now. Every ranch I have flown so far this year has increased quail numbers from last year and last year beat the year prior. Covey size is as large as in the 1980’s with 12-14 birds, however, most birds are young. There are two distinct age classes of birds, meaning two clutches were successfully raised this year. So I am not sure about huntable numbers in general terms, but some ranches certainly do have a lot of birds this year for the first time in a very, very long time.
Rabbits: Rabbits are a “boom or bust” species, meaning when times are good, they do good and when times are
hard, they don’t do as well. There are both cottontail and jackrabbits in surplus this year and you will certainly notice the increase of both. Rabbits do not over winter well and the migratory hawks are moving in right now, so their numbers will begin to drop weekly, but know it was a great year for both rabbit species. If you haven’t tasted a cottontail rabbit in a few years, this winter might be a good time to put it back on the menu and teach the kids in camp just how good they can be, especially with some gravy and mashed potatoes!
Feral hogs: Speaking in general terms once again, feral hogs did suffer from the spring drought conditions.
Sounder size is down this year as sows struggled to raise their normal litter size.
We conduct many feral hog aerial shoots after game surveys and what we observed and harvested was way down from a typical year. Continue to do your part to help the other wildlife and native grasses and shoot as many feral hogs, as often as you can this fall and winter.
Predators: Most predator species (coyote, bobcat, fox) had a very good year this year. Our surveys and aerial shoots show the numbers are up across the board, especially coyotes. There are many coyote pups out there this year, the female appeared to raise all three or four pups this summer so do your part this fall and harvest predators when and as often as you can. Raccoon numbers are up significantly too so reducing their numbers will help save you protein feed and minimize ground nest predation on quail and turkey nests.
If your property, lease hunters or you need assistance and you want to improve the wildlife herds and/or their habitat on the ranch, give us a call because that is all we do and what we do. We work in every eco-region in Texas, have trucks and will travel and we can make your ranch better. Enjoy this time with friends and family, never forget those that we have lost since last year’s campfire and do your best to introduce a child to hunting this year.
Fawn Management
You have read it here before—“Fawns are the engine that drives a deer herd.”
“Without fawns, you will have nothing to hunt in a few years.”
“Deer managers are really just fawn farmers.”
Those are common statements I make wherever I travel and when doing any type of interview. Those may be the most honest, and accurate, words ever spoken about deer management. I want to share some fawn production, and mortality, facts with you to show just how important fawn farming is to any deer herd.
Females 1.5 years of age and older in central Texas typically cycle into estrus for the first time around the last week in October thru the first week in November. If they are not successfully bred then, they will cycle 28 days later, or roughly the week of Thanksgiving. A third, and final, estrus cycle will follow right around Christmas. Gestation period ranges from 199 to 205 days, so the does successfully bred during their first estrus cycle will be fawning around late May to mid-June (peak is June 15). Second estrus-bred does will fawn in mid-July and late-bred does will fawn in mid-August. It is pretty obvious that the fawn survival of early-born fawns is far superior to late-born fawns in August when it is so terribly hot and dry, so please keep reading.
The breeding cycle described above is specifically for central Texas. It changes through the different ecological regions of Texas, so this article is dealing specifically with local, central Texas, breeding chronology. The reason a doe does not conceive during her first estrus cycle is typically one of two things—too many does or not enough bucks. It is desired to have all, or the vast majority, of your does bred during their first estrus cycle so that the fawns are born in June instead of later in the hot dry summer months. So adult sex ratio and the number of bucks in the pasture is paramount to ensuring the does conceive as early as possible and the
deer herd remains healthy.
Finally, that brings us to the fawns. As biologists, we purposefully wait until late August to begin conducting deer surveys so that we can count the fawns. We need them old enough to be mobile enough to be counted, so we wait until the end of August to get started. Otherwise, if we started any earlier, we would undercount the fawns and that would be detrimental to deer herd management.
There has been a ton of research on fawns in Texas over the decades and it remains accurate today. I have also conducted much research on fawns in many different ranch scenarios and my findings are consistent with the university research findings. For example, up to 85% of fawns that are born die before their first birthday! Read that again, 85% of all fawns born will die before they turn one year of age!!! Thankfully, healthy does that are bred early and live on quality habitat will produce twins and sometimes triplets and that is why the deer herd can grow so quickly if not held in check by managers. Another example is that 74% of all fawns will die within the first three months of age. And of those that do survive beyond three months, another 35% to 50% will die before reaching one year of age! There is a lot of mortality in fawns and that is exactly why deer managers must be successful “fawn farmers”. If you start out with 100 fawns born on your ranch this year, you will end up with 15 to 20 yearlings! And those fawns are not always born 50:50 sex ratio, it varies from year to year. For example, last year, my clients and I captured and tagged more than 150 newborn wild fawns. 60% of those fawns were male and 40% were female. This year, we captured and tagged 125 and 52% were male and 48% were female. Other research has shown that the ten year average leans more towards female than male, or the herds would begin to decline obviously; but in the past couple years,
the males have been more common and that brings us to the NEED for surveys and more intense monitoring and management.
What are some of the reasons fawns die you ask? The list is long, but the primary reasons include disease/ sickness (EHD, pneumonia); predation (coyotes/ bobcats/feral hogs); malnutrition; heat/dehydration and accidents. As deer managers, we can do a lot about most of these causes and so we must. We can stock and manage conservatively and spread animals out to help deter diseases and sickness; we can lower the total number of predators on our property; we can ensure the does are healthy and productive; and we can leave more grass on the ground and shade in the pastures. But we may not be able to avoid accidents such as fences, cattleguards, vehicles, snake bites, etc. So if we can control four out of the five leading causes of fawn mortalities, then we must do all of them to the best of our abilities and cross our fingers for the one single cause we cannot control.
Stockpiling, or “fawn farming”, is critical to a deer herd if you want to have mature bucks to hunt into the future. If you are interested in maximizing the number of fawns on your ranch, give our wildlife and habitat management company a call because the future of your deer herd success is in your hands and we want to help.
Macy Ledbetter
A2Z Taxidermy and the Art of Preservation
Every hunter knows that the hunt begins long before the trigger is pulled. From acquiring land and setting up feeders, to buying gear and honing their skill, months of hard work goes into the preparation and execution of a successful hunt. Even if skill, preparation, and a good dose of luck line up perfectly, a hunter still might be eluded all season by the caliber of animal they were dreaming of. A good trophy can be years in the making with commitment that borders on the obsessive. When a dream trophy crosses the hunter’s sight line, it may seem like the hard work is finally over, but for Holly Pope of A2Z Taxidermy, that’s when the hard work is just beginning.
Holly’s interest in taxidermy began at a young age, “I have always been interested in [taxidermy]. When I was eight years old, a taxidermist came and did a demonstration for our 4-H club, and I thought that it was just the most amazing career. Then…life happened. I got married and had kids.” It wasn’t until 2013 that her interest resurfaced and manifested into a business venture, growing organically as an extension of her family’s outfitting business, Global Hunting Destinations. Clients would often contact her for assistance and updates on their mounts at other taxidermy shops. Being so hands-on in the process made Holly consider opening a shop of her own. Holly hired a few experienced taxidermists and learned under them and self-taught the rest. Twelve years later, she and her team are handling 700 pieces a year from local walk-ins to exotic hunts from countries all over the globe. “I’m USDA certified so when we take clients internationally, their items can come from the country of origin, through the broker, directly to my shop
Long time family friend and fledgling taxidermist
Stephan Boone finishes stitching a Texas dall.
Kendra McKinney
here and I do the whole quarantine process and handle the paperwork. Since I’m USDA certified, we can just bring them home on the plane.” So far, she’s travelled with clients to Australia, Canada, Mexico, Caledonia, Africa, and England, and has trips to New Zealand and Serbia planned for 2026.
These international and local hunters have provided Holly with some interesting species to work her magic on. Most notably, Holly taxidermied a giraffe bust that stood thirteen feet tall upon completion, a life-sized bongo from the jungles of Africa, and an ostrich she acquired on a trip to Australia. “My most favorite piece I did was a Siberian ibex. The most peculiar piece [I’ve done] was when I had a fella ask me to mount a pair of gray foxes sitting up like cartoon style on their rear end with their arms around each other, holding bottles of alcohol.” Presumably, the adorable carousing pair were meant to guard the client’s personal liquor bar.
Regardless of the type of animal, and how humorous or serious the style, the taxidermy process follows the same general steps. Holly starts each piece by doing a series of carcass measurements on the animal. She then skins it and transports the hides off-site to a tannery. Once the tanned hide is returned, Holly does another round of measuring before ordering a mannequin to mount the hide on. She then either shaves down the mannequin or builds it up in order to get the perfect fit. From there, she gets to move on to the creative portion of her work by styling the animal. “I like to give my clients the option for character in the animal. If they want an aggressive look or an alert look, if they want the ears positioned offset or facing together forward,
or pointing back, I really let the client decide. Sometimes they just say, ‘You’re the artist, just run with it.’” According to Holly, the best and worst part of her job is mounting these custom pieces, “I get to let my imagination just run and I have a habit of biting off a lot more than I probably should. But in the end, it’s always so satisfying to see that organic creation to fruition. [Each] is a one-of-a-kind.”
Sometimes hunting can seem like an exercise in patience, with so much time and hard work for the chance of a great reward. Holly and her team at A2Z taxidermy take patience and meticulousness to the extreme to preserve that moment of triumph. With their help, the trophy and the memories will last a lifetime.
Pictured at right: Holly Pope poses with the a wild camel mount for her upcoming project.
Laws & Etiquette of Arrowhead & Artifact Collecting
By Ryan Murray
While you’re out hunting game this season, you might do another type of hunting: arrowheads. The Hill Country was home to prehistoric hunters for at least 13,000 years, and there are some indications that it might be many more thousands of years than that. They left behind countless stone artifacts like projectile and spear points, knives, scrapers, drills, and pottery. Many people enjoy the thrill of being the first person in hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of years to find a remnant from an ancient hunter who walked the same ground. This article aims to outline the laws and etiquette you should follow when collecting artifacts. Always keep in mind that there are different sets of rules for public and private land. In a nutshell, collecting is permitted on private property with the landowner’s permission, but it is not permitted on public property. Additionally, more consideration should be applied when digging for them.
Technically, a prehistoric “artifact” is any object made or modified by a human. The term “arrowhead” is a common misnomer for projectile and spear points. True arrowheads (sometimes referred to as bird points, although they could take down a large animal) fired from a bow are usually much smaller than spear tips and dart points that were launched from a throwing stick, or atlatl. The atlatl was used in what is now the Texas Hill Country for many thousands of years, whereas the true bow and arrow did not come along until about the year 700 AD. The difference in the time spans of their use means that there are a lot more atlatl points than true arrowheads. In our area, they were almost always made from flint or chert. “Surface collecting” means finding them as they lie on the ground.
PRIVATE PROPERTY
The landowner owns anything found on his or her property and has the sole discretion to decide what to do with it. If you plan on surface collecting artifacts, it’s best to make a written agreement with the property owner. They might not want you to take
A large atlatl dart point next to a small arrow point, both found in Central Texas.
an artifact, so your best course is to ask them up front what they would prefer you to do if you come across a prehistoric relic, and get it in writing. If you don’t know the property owner or have not spoken to them about collecting on their land, you’re not legally allowed to take an artifact—or anything else for that matter! And always be sure to know the boundaries of the property you have permission to be on.
PUBLIC LAND
Things have changed since the old days when collecting was mostly uninhibited. When I was a kid, I remember filling up a coffee can full of pottery on the shore of Lake Texoma. However, now it is unlawful to dig or collect artifacts on public land like national or state parks, federal, city, or county land, including on or around public waterways like rivers, lakes, and beaches. If you come across an artifact on public land, the law says to leave it in place. In national or state parks, you are required to leave it alone and notify a park ranger or other authority of its location. There is no collecting allowed at all on any land owned or controlled by the US government. You might be thinking about a spot on a lake or river you know of that has been hunted by crowds of people for years, even to this day. The key factor is the enforcement of the rule.
TPWD Game Wardens enforce antiquities laws
and breaking them could result in heavy fines and jail time. Benny Richards is a retired Texas State Game Warden of 25 years who starred in the Lone Star Law TV series on Animal Planet. An artifact enthusiast himself, I asked Johnson specifically about a time when I was fishing on the Colorado River and found a projectile point on a gravel bar in the middle of the river. Admittedly, I violated the law when I put it in my pocket and took it home. It seemed nonsensical to me to just let it wash away, never to be seen again. “When I came across somebody in that situation, I’d be more interested in taking a look at what they found,” he laughs. “Once they found out they weren’t in trouble, then their whole demeanor would change!” Luckily for them, Benny is a nice guy, but the Game Warden has the discretion to enforce the law or to be more lenient. Richards adds, “Collecting arrowheads can be an enjoyable and inexpensive hobby; however, if you are doing it for monetary reasons, you will probably run into problems along the way. Your quest for monetary gain may override your ethical better judgment. Folks shouldn’t be terrified that if they pick up a random arrowhead they find they are now in big trouble. Most Game Wardens use discretion and common sense when enforcing the law. It usually comes down to intent.”
I spoke with another retired Game Warden who said the law is the law, and added that digging (on public land) is a whole other situation that is prohibited and enforced. It’s always best not to take any chances on public property while being aware of the rules for using the land, and know that you could get in trouble for picking up artifacts, even in rivers and lakes and on beaches. You might be shaking your head right now, but that’s the code of conduct you are expected to abide by when you access public property!
DIGGING
Coming across an artifact on the ground is different from digging for them. Digging is not allowed on any public land without an archaeological permit. This includes “grubbing”, which is a method of
dredging a river or lakebed using a floating screen sifter. On private property, however, the landowner has the discretion to grant permission to dig. Never dig on public property at all, or on private property without full permission and cooperation with the landowner’s involvement. Commercial “pay digs” on private property allow an opportunity to legally obtain artifacts by hand or machine digging and screening, for a fee.
HUMAN REMAINS
It’s not uncommon to find ancient human bones while artifact hunting. Any human remains, no matter how old, must be reported to the local police. Ancient graves or human remains are subject to Chapter 711 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. A prehistoric cemetery falls under the same regulations as a modern cemetery, and digging or gathering items in a burial site is strictly prohibited, even with landowner permission. Let the landowner and local police know immediately if you come across human remains, and do not disturb the area.
I FOUND ONE! NOW WHAT?
As an avid hunter, I always present anything I find to the landowner for them to keep. It’s good etiquette, and sometimes they let me keep it; other times, they are excited to have it for their own collection. It’s a good practice to note the spot where you found it and give that information to the landowner, whether or not you keep the artifact. I usually stack a cairn of rocks next to the place where the artifact
was collected. A smartphone comes in handy, as you can snap a photo of the site and mark the location on a digital map with a pin. This can be particularly helpful, especially on large properties, as it provides a point of reference. It could also potentially lead to the discovery of a prehistoric occupation spot. Plus, gathering as much information about an artifact as possible is always helpful, and adds provenance (a documented history of ownership, location, etc.), which also adds value to the artifact. There are lots of collectors on online discussion forums and social media who will be happy to answer questions about your finds. Artifact shows are held all over Texas and are a good place to get a certificate of authenticity, which also adds value to the item.
You can also send photos and stories to Texas Cache Magazine, which is published by the author. The family-friendly magazine, established in 1994, features artifacts and history from all over the state, and readers of all ages are encouraged to showcase their finds. For contact info and how to subscribe, visit texascachemagazine.com.
For a full reading of the law regarding artifact collecting in Texas, you can read the Antiquities Code of Texas, Chapter 191. It’s available online at https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/NR/htm/ NR.191.htm
Contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept (TPWD) with any questions you have by visiting
https://tpwd.texas.gov or calling (800) 792-1112. Ryan Murray is a lifelong rockhound and artifact hunter and native Texan who write, edits, and publishes Texas Cache Magazine in Briggs, Texas. His contributions have been published in the Texas Archaeologcal Society (TAS) Journal, Meateater’s Campfire Stories, the Official Overstreet Arrowheads and Indian Artifacts Identification and Price Guide, Zilker Nature and Science Center, and numerous books and podcasts.
Contact info: 512-867-5070
texascachemag@gmail.com PO Box 324, Briggs, TX 78608 https://texascachemagazine.com
The land isn’t just made for working. It’s ripe for playing, too. Whether you’re a hunter, fisherman, four-wheeler or simply a nature lover, there’s land all around suited for those pursuits. At Capital Farm Credit, we’re here to finance recreational land with flexible terms and competitive rates. To learn more, visit CapitalFarmCredit.com.
Choosing the Right Survey Method
To effectively manage the habitat or wildlife on a property, you first must know what you are managing and how much of it there is to manage. For wildlife specifically, there are several methods of surveying that are suitable in Texas. Although the “best method” typically varies by ecoregion and property size, it will often change by merely crossing a fence line, as well due to human involvement and differing goals and objectives.
If you have a 20-acre field with a few scattered regrowth mesquite, herbicide or a skid steer or a mini excavator might be best suited to remove them, however, if you are reclaiming a 20-acre field with dense, two-foot tall regrowth mesquite that has been shredded annually for the past ten years, root plowing will likely be the best cure for the problem.
For properties enrolled in the Conservation Option of the Managed Lands Deer Program through TPWD, you are responsible for collecting annual population survey data. The main approved options for collecting this data include helicopter surveys, spotlight surveys, game camera surveys and the newest method, drone surveys. Daylight observation data is often used to supplement other data collection methods, and is rarely allowed as a standalone data method for MLD compliance.
Not all survey methods are equal and choosing the best one for your property is driven by several factors, including acreage, property shape, topography, plant community on the property, time of year, as well as potential issues with neighboring landowners.
Likely the most versatile method is the helicopter survey. Under good survey conditions, a good pilot and biologist can effectively survey 1200 acres or more per hour. Again, this will shift up and down based on vegetation density, terrain, number of animals and many more factors. The helicopter survey also allows you to quickly see many more things than what you typ-
ically observe on a standard data sheet. Looking at a gate to a neighbor’s property that got left open by a pipeline maintenance crew, a deer blind window that came unlatched letting in owls, a water trough with a broken float valve, the list goes on. The downsides to this method include the overall cost of the survey, issues with adjacent landowners, and the increased risks associated with being airborne.
A spotlight survey can provide quality data on properties with appropriate terrain and vegetation. For ranches with good road systems and sparse to moderate brush densities, this method can produce good data. This method is cheap, but is more time consuming as you will need to conduct the survey at least three times to gain confidence in your numbers. Collecting good visibility measurements and laying out your survey lines to accurately account for any shifts in plant community and locations of deer frequency are critical here. For example, if the route you drive goes by every feeder on the ranch, your extrapolated numbers are going to be significantly higher than what is actually present and after several years of harvesting based on this kind of data, you are going find yourself nearly out of deer.
Game camera surveys are generally most valuable on smaller acreage properties. This method typically has one camera for every 100-250 acres, depending on factors like fencing, feeder and water distribution, etc. Like with the spotlight method, after purchasing the initial equipment, this method is cheap to employ. The potential downside here is the time involved to look through all the photos. For quality cameras with a good flash, ability to set a photo delay, and well set up camera angle and clear field of view, the review
time after collecting cards is not bad at all. However, if these criteria are not ALL met, you might find yourself needing to start the whole two-week survey over, or sit and look at tens of thousands of photos for many hours to get the quality data you need to make management decisions.
The newest method available is the use of drones. Similar to the helicopter method, drones are flown on a route of parallel transects that collects data as it flies. As the drones used for this method are far smaller and quieter than a helicopter, animals do not tend to run as much from it as they would a helicopter, at night time they will often not run at all. Because animals are not moving as much during the survey, to collect quality data with this method, use of a thermal sensor is necessary to see animals hiding in the brush. This method is well suited for smaller acreages that do not use a helicopter due to factors such as fear of scaring animals off the property, as well as those who do not wish to scare their neighbors’ animals. While equipment cost for these drones is high, hiring a company to conduct the survey for you is cheaper than an equivalent survey conducted with a helicopter. Depending on animal density and plant community, a drone can typically survey 300-500 acres per hour.
No survey method is perfect for every property in every situation and a good biologist or manager must be able to see those slight differences and make decisions accordingly. As an example, for several years now, many companies have been claiming that thermal drones count far more animals when compared to helicopter surveys on the same property and while this is generally true, it is not necessarily a good thing. Much like running a spotlight survey past every feeder on a ranch, flying transects too close together can lead to over-counting and in turn, over-harvesting based on artificially elevated survey numbers. Done in the correct way and on a property well-suited for it, all of these methods can and do produce good data for leading management decisions, but all are subject to failure just as easily in the wrong situation. Good data in, good decisions out.
Coyote Control for Deer Hunters
As a hunter, you’ve likely spotted coyote tracks crisscrossing your lease or found scat riddled with deer hair. Maybe you’ve even found kills, with deer gruesomely cornered, dissected, and stripped to the bone. Canis latrans, the cunning coyote, is a top predator that’s as adaptable as it is destructive to their quarry. Weighing 20-40 pounds, these canine opportunists devour rodents, rabbits, deer, game birds, and even livestock, while snacking on prickly pear, mesquite beans, and corn meant for whitetails. Their impact on deer herds is stark: they maim more than they kill cleanly, often leaving tailless survivors and messy kill sites marked by tracks and blood. Understanding their ways isn’t just trivia, it’s your edge in keeping populations in check for better hunting.
Coyotes are monogamous breeders, pairing up in February-March for litters of five to seven pups after a 63-day gestation. Dens hide in banks, crevices, or brush, with both parents raising the young until dispersal in late summer. Packs revolve around the breeding pair, bolstered by last year’s offspring or wanderers. Creatures of habit, they stick to visible routes like ranch roads and ridges, with hunting activity peaking at dawn and dusk. Bedded in grass by day, they rely on razor-sharp smell and sight to hunt and evade. Coyotes are quick learners and will become forever trap-shy if they escape from a close call.
Their predation ramps up in summer, when pup-rearing spikes hunger and fawns abound. Studies show that 40% of their summer diet is made up of whitetail fawns, and coyote mothers have been recorded bringing five or more fawns per week back to the den. Coyotes are a leading cause of natural mortality in bucks during late winter, when bucks are weakened from the rut and vulnerable to predation.
Lethal control is a proven fix for the impact of coyotes, as in trapping,
snaring, and shooting, year-round. Some of my clients have seen their fawn survival rates increase up to five times over after implementing diligent predator control practices. Ranches bordered by net-wire fences can be snared year-round, and when done correctly snaring can ensure that the ranch is kept coyote-free for years at a time. Properties that are already infested or have more porous fencing can make huge gains in fawn survival by aggressively hunting and trapping coyotes leading up to the fawning season. February and March yield the best results for aerial hunting since coyotes are very active then, but trapping and calling, up to May and June, can give fawns the breathing room they need to thrive. Remember that every trophy buck starts life as a vulnerable four-pound fawn, so protecting fawns is the first step in bagging a giant.
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Thermal Drone Surveys
The use of drones is increasing rapidly in many industries, everything from roofing and infrastructure inspections, land surveying, spraying crops and search and rescue. Drones have been used in wildlife management for more than a decade. We started using drones to collect data for clients in 2016 and are still finding new uses for them to assist landowners in their management decision making. Texas Parks and Wildlife has recently begun accepting survey data of white-tailed deer collected from thermal drones by select companies for MLD compliance.
to double counting those on the edge of your visibility area. However, done properly, this method can fill a gap that helicopters cannot accomplish at times.
The biggest mark that drones have over helicopters is what is mentioned above, the fact that they don’t scare animals as much. This is a huge win for smaller or odd shaped properties, both high and low fenced. While a helicopter flying a low fenced property is not going to permanently scare the deer away from that property, this concern is often enough for landowners to avoid the method entirely. Choosing other survey methods in this case might not work well for a variety of reasons. On a relatively small, high fenced property, the concern of injuring animals that run from the helicopter and into a fence is also valid. The use of a drone can solve both of these problems.
Drone surveys are conducted similar to a helicopter survey. They both fly parallel lines across a property counting animals, but there are some key differences. Helicopters can cover more ground faster while surveying than a drone; there is no doubt here. Part of this is because the helicopter is much louder and causes animals to move more, making them easier to count as you fly past. The drone typically causes less animal movement, and it must slow or stop to look at every animal as they often times are oblivious or simply stand still and stare, many times from behind a tree or bush. When drone surveys are conducted at night with a thermal sensor, this often times means you count more animals overall, as some animals do not run from a helicopter, making them harder or impossible to see. One thing to remember is that “more” doesn’t always mean “better” data. Just like with a helicopter, you must ensure you are not double counting animals. Transects flown too close together leads
Helicopters can typically survey 1200 or more acres per hour, while a drone can effectively survey 350-500 acres per hour as a general rule. This variation is based on topography, vegetation height and density, overall animal density, ambient temperature and several factors. The other main factors in favor of using a drone is reduced cost compared to a helicopter survey, reduced danger as everyone stays on the ground, and a stabilized video file that can be watched by those not present for the survey. While drones are not and will never be a complete replacement for helicopters in wildlife surveying, they are much needed and very valuable addition in many circumstances.
Whether you hunt them or just enjoy having them around, Rio Grande turkeys can be a tricky species to manage for in central Texas. On many ranches, they come and go throughout the year with seemingly no rhyme or reason. While turkeys do tend to travel more than some of our other headliner wildlife species, their travel plans can be influenced more than you may realize. By implementing targeted practices, hunters and landowners can attract, retain, and support breeding populations of these birds, ensuring that they hang around for reliable hunting.
The Rio Grande wild turkey is well-adapted to Texas’s semi-arid and predator-rich environment, but survival is still an uphill battle. In our part of the world, where variable rainfall and land use pressures combine to make life hard on turkeys, just a few management efforts can give them the conditions they need to thrive. The following strategies focus on key habitat components to foster booming populations.
A foundational element is food availability, which draws turkeys to an area and sustains them through seasonal demands. These omnivores consume a varied diet consisting of approximately 50% grass and forb seeds, 30% invertebrates, and 20% mast such as fruits, pecans, and acorns. To enhance forage, consider shallow disking (two to four inches deep) along wooded edges in early spring, creating strips roughly 20 feet wide. This promotes the growth of native forbs and enhances the diversity of food available. For supplemental food, small food plots planted with cowpeas, wheat, or clover can provide choice foraging if soils and rainfall are favorable. Feeders are another option, but some research suggests that feeders increase the number of turkeys lost to predators.
This brings us to a critically important factor: ensuring safe nesting and roosting sites. While adult turkeys are pretty good at taking care of
themselves (as any turkey hunter can attest), eggs and poults are highly vulnerable. Most folks hear the word predators and think coyote, but even smaller varmints like foxes, raccoons, possums, snakes, skunks, owls, and hawks can put a huge dent in turkey numbers. Hens themselves are sometimes so committed to their nest that they become easy prey for otherwise avoidable predators, but egg predation by foxes and racoons in particular is probably the biggest obstacle to turkey production. Preserving some patches of thorny underbrush where hens can build well-hidden and protected nests can help reduce nest predation, as can timely predator
control. A little trapping, calling, spotlighting, or other predator control efforts prior to nesting season (March-June) can go a long way to helping hens raise a clutch or two of poults unmolested.
Equally critical is cover, providing security for roosting and rearing young. Turkeys prefer mature hardwoods like live oaks, pecans, or cottonwoods for overnight roosts-trees at least 40 feet tall with ample limb space and dense overhead canopies. Turkeys need ample runway both for getting up into the roost and coming back down in the morning, so they favor an open understory with room to fly. Selective brush control in suitable stands of trees can create a preferred turkey roost, which they will return to over and over again. Turkeys take great care in pruning and maintaining their roosts, so they will happily reuse a proven spot rather than fix up a new one. For nesting, hens prefer grassy areas where woods and pasture meet, especially when cattle grazing has been very light. Deferring cattle grazing in such habitat prior to nesting season can not only attract more hens but also increase nest survival.
Water sources are essential since turkeys can consume up to a quart daily, especially during breeding season or hot weather. A good rule of thumb is to have one permanent water source per square mile, such as ponds, troughs, or guzzlers. Protect natural creeks or seeps by fencing them off from livestock to ensure clean, reliable access. In central Texas’s unpredictable precipitation patterns, these permanent features help retain birds on the property and support population stability.
Some more intensive management techniques can further enhance recruitment. Prescribed burns in late winter on fallow fields stimulate forb growth and insect populations that are key for poults, as insects comprise up to 90% of their diet. Apply burns in a mosaic pattern, blending treated and untreated areas to provide diverse cover options. Similarly, targeted brush control that removes invasives while preserving mast-producing trees can increase forage diversity without removing too much cover. Avoid burns,
heavy grazing, or other disturbances during spring nesting to minimize losses. These practices can significantly improve poult survival rates, from as low as 10% in unmanaged areas to levels that sustain huntable populations.
Well-managed habitats not only help the turkeys but also benefit co-occurring species like quail and deer. With consistent effort, your property can become a reliable stronghold for these iconic birds, yielding recreation and conservation for years to come.
SOUTH LLANO RIVER STATE PARK
1927 Park Road 73 Junction, TX 76849
Five miles from Junction on Highway 377 S
Entrance Fees
Adult: $5 Daily Child 12 Years and Under: Free (325) 446-3994
CITY PARK & COUNTY PARK
Located along the South Llano River, just below the historic metal bridge that leads from town to Interstate 10.
9 a m -6 p m Wed. - 9 a.m. -5 p.m. Fri. - 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. FREE WIFI
Houses memorabilia of US Congressman O.C. Fisher, a Kimble County native.
LOVER’S LEAP
Beautiful sunrise and sunset views over Junction at Lover’s Leap hilltop. Cross the South Llano Metal Bridge, take Loop 481 to the first “scenic view” which leads you to the top of the hill for a breathtaking view.
JUNCTION DEER HORN TREE
The Deer Horn Tree is a must photo opportunity in Kimble County. Sitting in front of Kimble Processing facing Main Street, it is composed of hundreds of deer antlers. It was erected in 1968 by the Kimble Business and Professional Women’s Club.
Stand Placement is Critical
By the time you read this, this article may not be useful for opening weekend but certainly will later in the season and perhaps down the road.
First, let’s assume we are talking about elevated tower blinds so common throughout the Texas landscape these days. A comfortable elevated box blind will help conceal your movements and your scent while providing optimum visibility and a stable shooting rest. Blind placement is critical, but so are the mechanics of a good box blind. The first order of business is pretty obvious— make it large enough to be comfortable and enclosed enough to conceal your movements. Honestly, camo clothing is not required to hunt elevated box blinds, but everyone does it. Second, the window size and arrangement is critical for optimum visibility. If the windows are too high from top to bottom, your body movements will be visible from afar. The height of the windows should be just enough to allow your scoped rifle easy access without hitting the frame. The length of the windows should offer a nice panoramic view of your surroundings so that you are not constantly shifting your body from side to side to peer outside. Windows that are long, skinny rectangles offer maximum visibility and concealment with minimum movement by the observer.
Having a dark background behind you also maximizes movement concealment and will keep you from being silhouetted by wary game. Sitting in front of the latched door, tucking into the corner or the use of dark fabric curtains will help in these regards. Having a comfortable chair sounds too simple, but you might be surprised how many people still use five gallon buckets and rejected deer camp chairs in their blinds. A good quality chair will allow you to sit motionless and quieter much longer and therefore improve your chances for success. The chair height must also be coordinated with the window height to
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maximize visibility and minimize movement as well. And finally, considerations of WHO is to hunt with you are important. If you plan to have others in the blind with you, they too will need space, concealment and a quality chair and it must meet their height requirements when it comes time to shoot out the windows. It doesn’t make sense to do everything right only to realize the hunter must sit on someone’s lap or on six phone books to get a shot off. These simple steps will make the hunt much more enjoyable and successful for everyone.
Blind placement is one of the most overlooked segments of deer hunting I regularly encounter. When selecting a location, don’t think like a human, but rather, like a deer. Oftentimes, placing the blind for convenience is much different than placing it where it may offer the best chance for success. Deer, particularly mature bucks, use travel corridors -- edges, drainages, creeks, tree lines and other screening covers to get from one place to the next. Outside of the rut and the brief lapse of intelligence, mature bucks stick close to such landscape features to offer maximum concealment as they travel. A well placed blind will be able to observe these corridors, perhaps more than one simultaneously, at a safe enough distance to avoid detection by the quarry, yet offering a high percentage shot.
Placing the blind too close to travel or feeding locations, such as feeders or food plots, will disrupt the animal’s daily routine and significantly reduce success. Feeders should be placed to offer protective cover to and from them as well. Feeders in the wide open offer no such protection and create deer activity only under the cover of darkness.
Obviously, prevailing wind direction must also be taken into consideration. Cross or down wind from travel and feeding areas will ensure the best chance
of success and such locations must only be hunted when the winds are favorable. Hunting these locations when the winds are “not right” will only educate the animals and make them more wary of the area. Outside of the rut, most mature bucks will approach a feeding location downwind to scent-check the area for danger and for receptive does before exposing themselves. If your blind is too close to the feeder, the buck will approach downwind of you as well as the feeder and you will be busted. If your blind is too far, you won’t be able to make an accurate shot. Since “how far is too far” is highly variable, try to take into account your actual abilities and place the blind as far away from the feeder as you can confidently make the shot.
An often overlooked part of deer blinds is anchoring them to the ground. The winds are not always calm in Texas, so making sure your blind will be there next hunting season is a must. Tie-downs, anchors, guy wires, concrete posts and t-posts are required to not only keep your blind upright, they will also help keep the blind steady when the moment of truth arrives and you have to make the shot.
There is an unwritten rule among ethical hunters and landowners that states that no hunting blind will be placed along property lines. The appropriate distance requires common sense based on topography, habitat, line-of-sight and shooting direction. The same holds true for feeder placement. No neighboring landowner should be able to see your feeders or blinds and you should not be able to see theirs. If your property is small and irregular shaped, hunt only the center and perhaps a tower blind is not for you. If your property is large, concentrate on travel corridors away from the boundary line and out of sight of the neighbors. Common sense and blind location not only makes hunting a safer and more enjoyable endeavor, but makes for much better neighbors as well.
Facts About Deer That You May Not Know
* White-tailed deer, mule deer, black-tailed deer, elk, axis deer, fallow deer, and moose all belong in the Family Cervidae. This family of deer is characterized by an absence of a gall bladder, feet are actually four toed (dew claws count as toes), all have 32 teeth (except the elk), and the males grow antlers.
* There are 30 different subspecies of white-tailed deer in North, Central, and South America. White-tailed deer are also ungulates, which means they have a hoofed foot as well as ruminants, which means they have a four-chambered stomach and chew their cud.
* A deer’s eyes are large and set on the sides of their head to give them a 310 degree field of vision. They also have a tapetum lucidum, which is a reflective layer of pigmented specialized epithelial cells in the back of their eyes which collects available light to allow deer to see better at night and is responsible for the “eye shine” present in many nocturnal animals.
* Deer have pilo erector muscles in the skin that raise the hair coat up, much like humans get “goose bumps”. This is to increase air space for insulation and also used in behavioral posturing (primarily among bucks).
* Deer deposit fat first in bone marrow, kidney and pelvic areas. Fat is deposited last over the ribs, brisket and tail head and deer lose fat in the reverse order.
* Deer have approximately seven glands that are very important in their daily lives. The forehead gland is most active on bucks during the rut but is also used as a business card of sorts for identification purposes. The preorbital gland is in front of the eyes and is used primarily to deposit scents for territorial marking. The interdigital glands are located between the two larger hoofs and are used for tracking each other or communicating to a large group of deer (a buck follows a doe’s scent via this way or when
Macy Ledbetter
a deer stomps its feet to warn others of danger). The metatarsal glands are located between the knee and foot along the inside of the rear legs and thought to be used in circulatory and thermoregulation purposes. The tarsal gland is located along the inside of the hind legs just inside the
knee area and is used to identify individual deer, express dominance and breeding conditions, and other smelly responses. The gland reacts to the urine when deposited on the hair to produce the musky odor that most hunters are so familiar with. The vomeronasal glands are located within the nostrils and upper palate of the mouth and are used for taste and smell and the receptors are sensitive to nonvolatile compounds so that they can gauge a deer’s reproductive status. The pineal gland is located in the brain and detects changes in day length, or photoperiod. This gland influences the pituitary gland to produce hormones that influence not only antler growth, shedding of velvet and the hardening of the antlers, but also male and female reproductive cycling.
* The four-chambered stomach of a deer includes the reticulum, rumen omasum and abomasum. The reticulem is the first compartment of the stomach, a honeycomb looking thing that simply holds and collects swallowed material. The reticulum is the fermentation vat with the large papilla (hair looking things) on the
Kimble County Predator Management, INC.
wall to increase absorptive and mixing surface area. The omasum absorbs fluids with its many folded pouches (which increase surface area and grinding ability) and the abomasums is considered the true stomach where glands produce acids which finally digest the contents. Beyond the stomach, the small intestines are where the primary nutrient absorption occurs and the fluids are finally absorbed in the large intestine.
* The liver produces bile since there is no gall bladder and digests the fats and detoxifies any substances such as toxins that are eaten from certain plants.
* Deer are seasonally polyestrous, meaning they only cycle during certain times of the year and usually come into estrus (heat) on 28 day cycles.
* Gestation period is 199-201 days.
* Males are only fertile when they have hardened antlers, and are infertile the remainder of the year.
I hope this taught you something you did not already know about deer!
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What are the Impacts of Recent Flooding on Local Wildlife Populations?
With the recent flooding events throughout central Texas, I wanted to write about the likely impacts to the local wildlife populations. The short answer involves the TIMING of the flooding versus the flooding itself. Let’s examine the details more closely so we have a better understanding.
Native wildlife species have well defined breeding and offspring-rearing “seasons” to take advantage of the improved habitat conditions to aid in offspring survival. Exotic species—those animals not from Texas—do not because their “seasons” are not the same and they oftentimes have other issues to overcome such as predation rates, migration events, monsoon seasons, etc. But our native species typically have birthing seasons to capitalize on the improved range conditions of spring and early summer simply to help more of the offspring survive.
The recent flooding involved what is referred to as riparian habitat—those areas adjacent to a river, stream, or lake, and characterized by unique vegetation due to the influence of the water source. A hill, a flat cattle pasture, a rocky ridge, or a heavy mesquite thicket is not considered a riparian habitat. A pecan bottom, a normally dry creek, a stand of willow trees and an area flanking a river or creek is a riparian habitat.
Native wildlife of central Texas that involve hunting seasons, for this article purpose, include Rio Grande turkeys, bobwhite quail and whitetail deer. Let’s look at the details regarding these “big three” species in more detail:
Rio Grande Turkeys typically select low lying (riparian) areas with grasses up to 18” tall for nesting. Most nests are within a quarter mile of a permanent water source. Turkey hens begin building their nest in early to mid-April and will lay one egg per day and typically are sitting on their eggs by the first week in May. There are typically 10-12 eggs per nesting attempt. Incubation period is 28 days, or roughly one month. If she begins the process of laying May 1st,
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she will be sitting on a full clutch of eggs May 12th. One month later—June 12—the eggs are hatched, and the babies are immediately mobile. They are able to fly within two weeks after hatching, so by July 1st, turkey poults are able to fly into the trees for safe roosting and able to escape most predators. If the nest is destroyed by predators during the first nesting attempt, a hen will usually try again after rebuilding the nest (roughly 25% of the time), so she may be sitting on the nest into late June or early July and the poults will hatch mid to late July. The flood events of July 4-10 could have impacted those second attempts, but because only a quarter of the hens successfully renest a second time, the majority of the hens were likely successful, and those poults were old enough to evade the floodwaters and had enough downy and flight feathers to stay warm enough to survive the ordeal. I anticipate minimal negative impact from flooding on the turkey population but some roost trees may have been impacted and that will cause turkeys to adjust their roost tree selections and likely daily travel patterns.
Bobwhite quail typically select more upland sites that are considered non-riparian sites—those areas of low mixed brush communities, with or without rock and likely has some level of prickly pear cactus associated with it. These areas are far less likely to flood but rainfall certainly affects the quality of the grasses, abundance of seed and insects produced. Quail nest in our area from May to August in response to range conditions and eggs are much more susceptible to humidity during the nest sitting period. Ideally, a humidity range of 45-50% is required for optimum hatch rates in the first 14 days. A hen will lay 12-14 eggs and incubation is 23 days. Quail will renest if nests are destroyed, provided habitat conditions are favorable, and two clutches (successful hatches) are possible. Cooler-than-normal temperatures, particularly when wet, decreases very young chick survival since they do not have adequate feather protection,
so there could be some impact to those very young chicks that were hatched the week of the flooding events. The fact that quail extend their nesting season during wetter months, will renest and can produce two successful clutches and normally do not select riparian areas to nest in, the flooding in July will have no major impact to the overall quail population.
Whitetail Deer are adaptable and resilient. There are approximately 5.3 million deer in Texas right now—the most in recorded history, so their adaptability is obvious. A doe will select either upland or riparian habitats that offer concealment that may include a clump of tall grass, a shady spot under a tree or within a mixed brush community. A doe is not nearly as picky as a turkey or quail hen; she will select anywhere she thinks concealment is likely. A healthy mature doe will typically deliver two fawns, and sometimes three. A young doe will produce one fawn. The peak fawning date in our area is June 15, meaning most fawns are on the ground by then, but may extend into late July. By day four, a fawn can outrun a human and will readily flush from hiding to escape danger. Deer are also excellent swimmers. By the time the floodwaters arrived in our area, most fawns were born and old enough to escape the rising waters and/or they were old enough to swim to safety. There are a select few late-born fawns that could have been impacted by the floods, but it would be a small number and only those in the riparian areas prone to flash flooding, so I do not think the population of deer was negatively impacted at all.
Conclusion: The rains and resulting floodwaters that fell July 4-10 in central Texas were indeed devastating to human facilities and infrastructure, but not nearly as impactful to wildlife in general because of the TIMING. Had this event hit in May or June, this article would be much different, but because it happened in July, Mother Nature has created native wildlife species to get their baby-having business completed by then. No doubt some select individual animals were negatively impacted, but, as a whole, the rain event will be a net-positive for wildlife in general because the immediate riparian areas were impacted, yet the entire habitat as a whole has been greatly improved. So the mature does
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outside the riparian areas will be more likely to raise all two or three fawns; the turkey hen will have plenty of insects and seeds for her chicks to forage on and the bobwhite hen will have plenty of green grass and weeds to use and navigate underneath, thereby successfully protecting more of her young chicks throughout the remaining summer months. It is my opinion, based on experience, that the July 4-10 rains will result is an overall net positive gain for our native wildlife species throughout central Texas because of the landscape-wide improved habitat conditions.
Bethany Baker
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Dillon Barron is shown with a fallow buck that was taken in July 2024 at his family ranch in Kimble County.
Shelby Barron proudly displays an axis deer harvested on the Joy Ranch in Roosevelt in September 2024.
Mike Zenner
How Much Grazing is Too Much Grazing? Balancing the Needs of Cattle and Wildlife
The Texas Hill Country is a rugged mosaic of limestone, sandstone, and granite hills, oak woodlands, and seasonal creeks. Despite a modest average annual rainfall of 25-30 inches, this region supports both ranching operations and diverse wildlife, including whitetail deer, bobwhite quail, and Rio Grande turkey. In the past, intensive cattle grazing sometimes degraded habitats through overbrowsing and soil erosion, reducing forage and cover essential for these species. Thoughtful integration of livestock management can reverse this, fostering a balanced ecosystem where cattle enhance rather than erode wildlife habitat. By adopting rotational grazing, habitat mosaics, and complementary practices, landowners can boost habitat quality for wildlife while sustaining a productive cattle ranching operation.
Central to effective management is rotational or deferred-rotation grazing systems, which mimic natural herd movements and allow vegetation to recover. You have to have somewhere to go with the cows once they reach a certain amount of grazing, or they will take too much. In the Edwards Plateau, systems like high-intensity, low-frequency (HILF) or one-herd/three-pasture rotations— grazing pastures for 30-60 days followed by four to six months of rest—prevent uniform overgrazing and promote plant diversity. To determine the best rotation timing, land managers should use careful observation rather than rigid calendars and adapt to variable conditions like rainfall and plant response.
The key indicator to use when trying to manage for both wildlife and cattle is stubble height, which is the remaining uneaten portion of plants that cattle have left behind. Ground cover is essential to all wildlife species, and overgrazing this cover is a surefire way to degrade your wildlife populations in a big way. Turkeys and quail need grass to nest in and hide from predators, and fawns need ground cover to protect from both predators and high temperatures. The weather is turning hot for everybody during fawning season, but since fawns are restricted
to mostly laying on the ground during their first few weeks of life, they are very sensitive to ground surface temperatures. During a 90-degree day, the surface of the ground can reach 120 degrees unless it is protected by adequate grass cover. A brand-new fawn stands no chance unless some grass is preserved during this crucial time of year.
For the dominant grass species of the hill country such as sideoats grama and little bluestem, ranchers should aim to rotate cattle before average stubble height gets below five to six inches tall. This ensures no more than 50-60% utilization of key forage species, preserving root systems for resilience against droughts and providing adequate grass cover for wildlife to use. Practical monitoring involves actually getting out and walking the pasture, so that you can see a representative sample of the habitat. In the spring, when many warm season grasses peak at 12-18 inches tall, try to have the cattle moved off of an area before any more than half of the grass had been removed. As a rule of thumb, if you can ever see a cow’s hooves above the grass while she is standing in the pasture, that pasture has already been overgrazed. Seeing rocks or cow pies sticking up taller than the grass is a surefire indicator that the wildlife aren’t getting what they need.
For ranches that try to balance both cattle and wildlife, exclosure can be a useful tool to ensure that both sides get what they need. Cattle do much better on open pasture than they do in thick brush, but most wildlife are exactly the opposite. Rather than letting cattle graze on suboptimal pasture like rocky hillsides or catclaw-choked brush, fence these areas off so that wildlife can use them without having to share space with foraging cattle. Even just a five to ten acre patch of rough ground kept fenced off from cattle can provide a refuge for an unbelievable amount of wildlife, we see if all the time during helicopter and drone surveys.
Overall, such management can not only sustain wildlife but enhances ranch resilience against droughts. In conclusion, cattle grazing and hunting need not be a zero-sum game. By prioritizing rotational systems, moderate stocking, and habitat diversity, landowners can cultivate thriving populations of deer, quail, and turkeys while honoring its ranching roots.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH
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Steve Myers, Pastor
FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
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Rev. Jim Barker
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COLLEGE ST. CHURCH OF CHRIST
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CATHOLIC CHURCH
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Rev. Mark Woodruff
CEDAR HILL
CHURCH OF CHRIST
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Clyde Duke, Preacher
LONDON METHODIST CHURCH
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FULL GOSPEL CHURCH
209 North 15th Street
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Rev. Donna Carroll
HILL COUNTRY BAPTIST CHURCH
322 South 11th Street
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1 FAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH
3759 S US HWY 377 (4 miles south of Junction)
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Daniel Henderson, Pastor
JUNCTION CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
1209 College Street
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TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH 1119 Main Street
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