Talked to one of the most knowledgeable game wardens in North Texas and asked him where all the deer were. All 3 counties we hunt, Throckmorton, Montague and southern Jack county have very few oak trees. He told me it is not unusual for deer to RELOCATE 5 miles or more to feed on the acorns. This is the best explanation I've heard all year as to why I'm not seeing the number of deer we are accustomed to seeing. That being said, you would think hunters hunting in oak covered country would be covered up with deer. Maybe they are there, they just don't have to move very much to feed. I'm hoping for rain and cold and a bad acorn crop next year!!

That sucks. Hope you have better luck next year.

Better be careful what you wish for. Acorns help the deer make it through the winter. If you don't have any deer I would blame it on something besides acorns. Hogs,dogs,coyotes, neighbors?

I was told once back in Ohio that deer would over populate an area and starve before moving out to find more food? I wonder which is more accurate?
I saw seven doe all together last evening, the most at one time in East Texas for me anyway. I was hunting with a soon to be five year old which is a whole different story!

I've seen 5 deer all season, but 3 of those were off the highway during the day. Luckily, the remaining two were in the same spot at the same time while I was hunting and I was able to take one.

I filled the feeder last weekend, changed out the battery, and made nice little piles of corn in several spots. All in prep for one last hunt, but I just got word from the farm last night that not a thing has been touched.

At the end of season last year, I stumbled on an area that was completely covered up in deer sign. Rubs, scrapes, fresh poo, trails worn down to dirt always with fresh deer tracks. I hunted that area several weekends in a row at the beginning of season this year and never saw a deer. I finally decided I would walk it again to see if there was any fresh sign. Previously I had only walked directly in to my stand, and then back out so as not to leave my scent everywhere. When I walked the area this year-there was nada! No tracks, no rubs (except for the previous years), no fresh scat-NADA!

Anyway, now that we are down to the wire again for deer hunting, I went back this past weekend, and it's like the deer have once again appeared in this area. I only walked around a little but there were fresh signs again. Either I have found the place where they retreat to under high hunting pressure, or they have finally exhausted their acorn source and they are now back to their old stomping grounds.

It just goes to show that they are nomadic, they are not predictable, and if you think you have them figured out, you better think again.

I agree, We talked to a state wildlife biologist last Sunday and he was from south tx. He was in Jack co taking his father on a hunt and asked if we had seen anything. We said no and he said that they had lots of pictures in sept and october and said he talked to the biologist that has this area and said it took him all season to get the reports he has to file it has been so slow.

He went on to tell us that the deer had migrated to the rivers and lakes with abundant food and water sources. He said they will be back, but doesn't think it will be before the end of this season.

I've never had deer move out of an area before, but it certainly makes sense this year. In September and early October we got our last pictures of some good bucks that I had pictures of all year. Since then we haven't gotten any at all. It was like they had disappeared. We keep cameras and corn and protein out year round, so it will be interesting to see when they show back up because I think these were resident deer, as I have pictures of them from the time they started growing their antlers. It is still frustrating to feed thousands of dollars of protein and corn + food plots and have them just move out to feed on a bumper crop of acorns. Oh well, so goes deer hunting, still my favorite pastime whether we get anything or not. Just enjoy being in the outdoors!!

Same here! We feed and keep our cameras out from July to the end of February. August through September, great bucks eating at the feeders, October......it totally stopped. In the last 2 weeks I have 3 pictures of deer at the feeder and those have been doe in the middle of the night. I have hunted hard since Christmas and seen very few bucks, and none of which were shooters. Toughest season I have had in a long, long time! Hunting in Parker County.

The buck I shot a couple days ago was the best smelling buck I've ever shot. They're feeding on cedar berries at our lease right now.

Trail cams show they were hitting feeders at midday too, so I went back out at noon and shot the buck at 2:30.

I hunt a place in Cooke County. Have had 2 feeders in the same place for 10 years. Historically see something just about every hunt, occasionally nothing. Several pics of does and bucks in the fall at feeders.

Starting the last week of bow season, thru this week, I've hunted about 20 days. I have not seen one deer until last week, spotted 3 does at dark with about 1 min of shooting light left at about 250 yards, opposite direction from feeder.
Threw out some bonedmonium near that trail, and finally nabbed a doe 2 days ago stopping to eat the pile.

This is 200 yards in between 2 feeders. All 4 feeders there have piles of corn under them. Strange year, no feeder action at all. Son spooked up a descent 7pt walking through the thicker trees. We have mainly oaks on this place in N. TX, so acorns are always competition, but never had this bad of year. Don't know what's going on...???

Sounds like maybe your neighboors are overhunting?

I think someone left their outdoor guide out there and the deer read it and know the seasons!!! Seriously though, it seems really strange that it seems all over instead of just a local thing!!!

It's all over, the panhandle is horrible right now and I know our neighbors didnt shoot em all

Williamson County is about as dead as it can be. We only see 2 does at the feeder and that's of course during the night. Four illegal bucks and that's it. We don't have the deer despite all the acorns. We don't see any when we drive through the pasture like years back. I think the last two years of severe drought did more damage then we realize. Deer have moved out of the area and have not recuperated from the past two years despite this year being good with food and water. Plus, the dogs are back in town. Coyotes are everywhere here this year. Maybe trapping will pan out. Too bad yer can't eat a coyote.

Having the same luck in Coryell Cnty. Feeders have been useless. We set up ground blinds in different areas. Started hunting the oaks and water sources. Their pattern changed on our place. I hope the New Year brings better hunting for all of us!!

Where are you hunting at? I have yet to be skunked this year, I always have BUCKS coming in, does, not so much

Where in Coryell county are you hunting? I am in the same county and have more deer than ever.

North-west side of Gatesville

same situation at my ranch in Midland Co.. Plenty of preseason pics and bucks that we know survived last season, but nothin has been seen during season, and there aren't even any acorn trees out there or even in the area. I've sat a total of 7 times and have had a total of 9 deer sightings, which I believe were the same does over and over and I've seen one duck, a lil 6 three times. Other than that... nadda.

I talked to Clear Fork Country in Graham, TX. He said that the processing business is down about 50%. So, it's not just my lease!

Have the same thing here in Lee Co. Lots of pictures through mid October, then they were all gone. The few pics I have are at night, and those are all doe. Didn't tag any on the property this season. Corn all over under the feeders, but still lots of acorns around. I know they're out there because I hear shots all around the area, just not staying on our property this season.

I think the dry year has had an affect on us, since my creek is totally dry, never been that way in many years. Deer are tearing up the corn under the feeders, and what they don't get, the hogs clean up. Its been a different year for sure

One of my neighbors"low fenced" has talked about the lack of deer. I think I just found out why. He is joined by me on one side and a ranch on the other side that leased out this year for the first time. They only have the lease for this year as it is for sale. The owner did not give them any restrictions on the amount of hunters or friends they could have. Mystery solved.

I can tell everybody posting on this subject of "no deer" are pure hunters and are really trying to figure this season out. I can say I have never seen anything like it. The only guys really have good luck(at least that I know) are the ones located either a long way from oaks are there are no oaks in the area.