Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Aging Texas Deer on the hoof Optics question

Got kind of a weird question for you guys, I got on a deer lease this year down here in Texas that has a lot of deer on it (real good ones too) and theres rules regarding what age deer can be shot. I am pretty good at comparing a young buck to a mature buck just by looking at the body as opposed to the horns, but in addition to age I also have to make sure I shoot deer that are within certain horn points too. This type of management hunting is very new to me and I really want to stay on this lease for years to come so I dont want to [bleep] up and shoot chit I am not supposed to. The stands are elevated and the feeder distances are between 100-140 yards from the blinds. What do you guys that hunt under similar management goals use for optics to make sure you count points in addition to body size and age? I am almost thinking that high mag power binos would really help me to see the specifics that I have to follow by the rules as opposed to standard 8x binos. The other thing I havent figured out is how to handle the Rut when the sons of bitches usually appear running after does and you dont have but a few seconds to make a decision if hes a shooter or not. Any advice would be much appreciated.

8-10x binos will be fine. I'd buy the best that you can afford if you don't already have them. If you spend a lot of time on the lease your app to spend a ton of time looking through the glass. Just like you would out west.

As far as aging deer on the hoof: Get you a decent video camera and a little note pad. Video all the deer you see at a blind and take notes. Then share the video with other lease members and get their opinion on age/score, etc.

Aging deer isn't really hard. Just pay attention and don't be in a rush to shoot something. Doesn't sound like you are, but it will take quite a bit of patience. When that first big buck shows up, it's going to be tempting to knock him in the dirt.

Game cameras will help too. They will help give you an idea of the "local" bucks that are using that feed or water station. You can study the pictures with your lease mates and age/score them by the photo. Then you have a bench mark when you see those deer in the field from the stand.

If you lease has age/score requirements it becomes more tricky. For example: If the lease rules state the deer has to be 150" @ 6.5 yoa then it can be harder for someone new to the game. If it's just by number of points it's easy.

If you need help aging deer let me know. I can go look up some of my books to recommend for "reading" .

A good pair of 10X binos,just like Trevore said.
Be patient, if the ranch has a lot of deer then you can probably see bucks in the differant age classes at the same time. Usually when you see that 6.5..you know, especially when all the other bucks and does yeild to his presents.

TPWD has some good publications worth reading. The only way the biologists know for sure is by looking at the deer's teeth.

https://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_rp_w7000_0828.pdf

https://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/huntwild/wild/species/white_tailed_deer/