Whitetail outlook

Experts, deer managers predicting banner antler year despite ongoing drought

  • Experts are expecting fawn production to be about average statewide this year. COURTESY PHOTO / TPWD
    Experts are expecting fawn production to be about average statewide this year. COURTESY PHOTO / TPWD
  • Deer hunters and managers have captured game camera images of some outstanding bucks this summer in different parts of Texas. Joey Waggonner of Lufkin recently shared these July photos of some quality bucks in velvet. Most bucks will polish their hardened antlers by late August or early September. COURTESY PHOTOS / JOEY WAGGONNER
    Deer hunters and managers have captured game camera images of some outstanding bucks this summer in different parts of Texas. Joey Waggonner of Lufkin recently shared these July photos of some quality bucks in velvet. Most bucks will polish their hardened antlers by late August or early September. COURTESY PHOTOS / JOEY WAGGONNER
  • Whitetail outlook
    Whitetail outlook
  • Texas deer hunters shot about 681,000 deer last year compared to 828,000 the season year before — a drop of nearly 18 percent. Experts attribute the decrease in part to abundant natural forage that stifled movement and deer away from feeders. COURTESY PHOTO / TPWD
    Texas deer hunters shot about 681,000 deer last year compared to 828,000 the season year before — a drop of nearly 18 percent. Experts attribute the decrease in part to abundant natural forage that stifled movement and deer away from feeders. COURTESY PHOTO / TPWD
Outdoors Writer Opening day of Texas’ 2023-24 general deer season is still more than two months out, but the excitement is already building among the state’s 800,000-plus whitetail junkies. Traffic is picking up at archery pro shops in anticipation of the Archery Only opener on September 30. Feed stores and other dealers are peddling plenty of corn, rice bran and other attractants. Hunters…

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