Last week the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department released the forecast for the upcoming whitetail deer season. The archery opener (October 1st) is still one week away but this news will only heighten the excitement for the season. The TP&W monitors herd numbers, habitat conditions, fawn production, antler development and other factors to get an accurate forecast of each season. The forecast is looked forward to by deer hunters of all experience levels. Estimates for last season put the state whitetail herd numbers at 5.4 million animals. Although this number was lower than the previous 2 years, as the title suggested, this years’ herd is in better shape overall. If fawn production estimates are correct, deer numbers should increase statewide.
This is good news but the icing on the cake is the antler development. Whitetails are browsers. They typically eat forbs, acorns, woody plant buds and a wide variety of other plants. During the spring and early summer, pregnant does need all the nutrition they can get. Meanwhile bucks are getting over the rigors of the rut and winter and also need rebuilding nutrition. This period is key to the success of the upcoming new fawns as well as their parents. Here’s where we got lucky. Although East Texas had a wicked late winter blast, it was not enough to damage the herd. The lucky part is the steady rainfall for the entire growing season for bucks, does and fawns. Throughout the spring and summer the rain fueled all the deer food sources. Some years, East Texas will be brown from the lack of rain and scorching heat. This year we were and for the most part, still green and lush. In other words, the deer are still benefitting from the bounty. So basically most of the state was like East Texas with rainfall and also benefitted. The results will be more fawn production with a higher survival rate. Does stayed healthier and were able to support the new fawns with many having twins and triplets. Of course the antler development is what triggers many hunters and this year should not disappoint. Recent trips to South Texas have given evidence of how the herd fared. Approximately 50% of the bucks down there are still in velvet and the others are in losing it or already in their South Texas Chocolate antler head gear. I have looked at a ton of game trail pictures from East Texas with some heavy bucks up to the 150 inch range.
The 2021-2022 season is nearly upon us. Send any archery pics and let us know what you are seeing.
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