There is gonna be a fight!

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

Kind of an amusing morning…I thought some of you hunters might enjoy this…

 

Our new house in Texas backs up on a nice little grove of live oak trees, and there are quite a few deer back there. 
 

Earlier this morning I was having my coffee on the back porch, watching ‘my’ deer in the yard. Literally 10-15 yards away from me. Kind of relaxing. To put it all in perspective, the last pic is a full view from my patio into the backyard. The deer really are close to the house. 
 

I had 3 bucks, and 2 does hanging out, pretty oblivious to me. A ‘basket rack’ (high tines but not very wide) 8 point, a 4 point, and a spike buck were all sniffing around the does. 
 

I couldn’t grab my phone fast enough, but the 8 point put his head down and charged the spike, who wasn’t having any of that! He ran off with his tail tucked. 
The 4 point is watching intently, I doubt he’s going to tangle with the bigger buck, but when the rut kicks into full swing, that might be fun to watch! 
 

We also have a MUCH bigger buck that hangs out here too. 
Big 8 point, with a pretty wide rack. He must be sleeping in this morning. 
 

I imagine there will be a fight between some of these bucks soon. If I can capture it on video, I will. Kinda neat to watch deer politics. 
 

[CMJeepster 2,778]

Following you for more recipes.

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

Just now, CMJeepster said:

Following you for more recipes.

Well they won’t involve a crockpot, that’s for damn sure.

[CMJeepster 2,778]

36 minutes ago, Displaced Texan said:

Well they won’t involve a crockpot, that’s for damn sure.

Good.  I actually fell into a rabbit hole last night watching some cooking show from Ireland.  She was making a venison sausage dish.  I'm still thinking about it.  I have to get my pipeline for meat back in place.  (It fell apart last year because of the 'Rona.)

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

I have a good venison sausage recipe if you want it 

[CMJeepster 2,778]

I need the meat, first.  Guess I have to go take the course finally.

[DaddyNick 408]

Those deer look dangerous.... possibly illegal immigrants? Lol. 

If you want some of them to go in your freezer..... I'm available for hire.  Lol 

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

1 hour ago, DaddyNick said:

Those deer look dangerous.... possibly illegal immigrants? Lol. 

If you want some of them to go in your freezer..... I'm available for hire.  Lol 

Ha!!! 
 

Unfortunately, the community regulations won’t allow me to hunt out here. 
Not that there would be much sport in it, the damn things walk right up to the patio! 
 

I’ll get a deer hunt going later this year at the ranch. 

[gleninjersey 2,141]

That's a nice view from the porch.  Even without the deer.

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

3:30 this morning outside my window, an intruder…

 

Think I can call that a self defense shooting? Would the community association buy that?? Lol

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

This guy just walked by….

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

This guy is 30 feet from me right now

[Tunaman 549]

If you cant shoot them then maybe get a couple of bags of that stuff that makes the antlers grow big.  At least you will be contributing to the gene pool.  They already look healthy...

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

10 hours ago, Tunaman said:

If you cant shoot them then maybe get a couple of bags of that stuff that makes the antlers grow big.  At least you will be contributing to the gene pool.  They already look healthy...

That deer is most likely a second year buck. Not too big antler-wise, but he’ll grow. 
 

We have LOTS of big bucks out here..most of them stay out of camera range but I can see them in the live oak trees in the back 40.

This good sized fellow was sniffing around a doe a few days ago. 

[B Gem 23]

Great view, beautiful property you have there! Thank you for sharing

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

All sorts of deer activity this morning.
This medium sized guy popped out about 20 yards from me while I was having my coffee. 
 

Later on, during my second cup, we had 2 spike bucks come out at the same spot. I didn’t have my phone with me for those guys. 

It’s like Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom here today! 
 

“Jim!!! Quit fooling around with those deer!”

 

[Tunaman 549]

How far to the closest legal hunting area from this area?

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

16 minutes ago, Tunaman said:

How far to the closest legal hunting area from this area?

There is a small ranch about 2 miles from here. 
 

98% of the land in Texas is privately owned. You either have to get permission from the landowner to hunt, or lease his land for hunting. 
We don’t have much public land that is available for hunting. 
 

I also caught ‘Lefty’, our resident buck with only one antler. He was about 20 ish yards from me. Didn’t give much of a shit that I was watching him from my back porch. 
I think Lefty has either damage to his other antler base, or a genetic defect. We saw him last year, with only one antler. 
 

[Tunaman 549]

Really cool stuff. 

[B Gem 23]

Great pictures, thank you for sharing.

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

We also have a pair of grey foxes that visit us on the regular. 
 

They come to the porch late at night, but recently I caught them bedded down for the afternoon, close by the house. Not sure if it’s a mom and her kit, or a mated pair. This pic shows one of them, the other laid down again as I took the pic. They are about 30 yards away. 
 

We have also seen coyotes and a bobcat in the back yard.

 

[DaddyNick 408]

Grey foxes are the coolest looking critters in America. Aside from some birds I think they have the coolest markings. 

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

24 minutes ago, DaddyNick said:

Grey foxes are the coolest looking critters in America. Aside from some birds I think they have the coolest markings. 

Yep, they are very cool. 
 

One of them just ran by my back porch and I caught it on video. 
Watch the lower right of the video. 

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

Now there IS a fight! That medium sized 8 point is sparring with a 4 point. A little far away, but they were getting into it. 

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

Out at the ranch today. My buddy is deer hunting, I’m sitting up under a tree with the AUG hoping to see some hogs move by. 

 

Will report back if there is a kill.

 

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

A pretty good sized buck was rubbing on this mesquite..

[CMJeepster 2,778]

Enjoy the Texas pork roll!

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

Back from the ranch, no pigs or deer were harmed. My buddy got a shot at a doe, but missed (from 30 yards! I haven’t let him live it down). I didn’t see any pigs…my buddy Lou and I had a few beers with dinner that night, and I didn’t feel going out with the thermal equipped rifle was a good idea after that. We did see a lot of hog sign at the water tank. 
 

This morning in my backyard in Georgetown, I had 4 bucks hanging around. 
I was able to get a better pic of ‘Lefty’, and found he has a damaged antler in his right side, so he isn’t a true one antlered buck. 
 

I also got a few pics of Lefty fighting with a bigger buck. 
The dead tree stump is 47 yards away from me, to give it some perspective. 
 

The other two bucks, a spike, and a smaller 8 point, were outside the frame. They just stood by and watched. 
 

Great way to start my work from home day! 

[Displaced Texan 11,742]

These two guys were fighting this morning in the backyard. 
 

I was surprised, the rut is long over, but entertaining to say the least. 

[CMJeepster 2,778]

Hopefully they don't drink the water:  Toxic wastewater from Ohio train derailment headed to Texas (yahoo.com)