i would think that a 140 inch average is pretty par for the course on most south texas ranches.

its very rare to have a bunch of over 140 inch deer taken off even the best ranches in south texas.


the king ranch has produced some monsters over the years. the 1st rule in shooting a big buck is to hunt where they are.

i have hunted either but they sound great from the look of all these posts

Our operation is called the Rio Bonito or Mona Bonito (I think). I don't know of that's the Ranches designation or ours. Our Company has 4 full time wildlife biologists dedicated to our part so I have to assume they are getting the most out of it that it has to offer. I don't know if you've guided on our part but if you have, I can look at our financial records and see the names of the guides we use.

Ive got a couple buddies that deal with saling hunting land up around there and the family that hunts the ranch kill at 180's and up every year. That ranch if gven the chance to hunt commercially would take most texas hunters by surprise and would you would see probably see some records broken.

The reason that knowone knows about this ranch is because its a quarter horse ranch and mainly a huge oil field. My buddies who leases right up against the waggoner shoots a 170 plus every year and thats hard to beat. He can watch a wheatfield on the waggoner side any day of the and count a 100 plus deer with many of those being bucks over 140 easily.

Our ranch is 10-15mi as a crow flies from the pitchfork and I have hunted near the King. The deer up here are much bigger bodied and don't compete for food as much. For this, the Waggoner by far. Less hunting pressure too.

If I had an open check book I would call David Morris down in South Texas with Tecomante. Just my

I don't know how many "booners" you saw but last year, a velvet buck with a gross of 196 was killed. After the 60 day drying period, it was expected to net around 180. Below is a quote about this buck from Butch Thompson, the head wildlife biologist at the King Ranch for over 30 years.

"Yeah, you don't grow deer like that very often," Thompson said. "We've had a couple of other similar deer through the years that I've been here, including one taken back in late 1970s that scored about 190.

"This deer will (net) score about 185 inches by the time he dries," he added. "So he's the second largest typical ever taken on the ranch, at least in our recorded history.

"You get a deer like that about once every 30 years."


Now, based on that undisputable source, I can safely assume that the King is not crawling with "booners".

I will say the Waggoner would be the best bet for sure. I have been all over this ranch. My friend, he does the Anipro liquid feed for this ranch for the cattle. I have personally seen some MONSTERS on this place while riding in the old army truck converted into a liquid feed truck. I will say hands down, the Waggoner if it were to allow commercial hunting. I know some of the ranch-hands and close family friends get to hunt some for deer. However, they do lease it out for quail. They also have I think 4 or 5 retired gamewardens hired to watch over the place.

[quote]Now, based on that undisputable source, I can safely assume that the King is not crawling with "booners"./quote]

Ain't that the truth. And I don't know of any place on this earth that is "crawling with booners".

The Wag does not allow hunting

There is a vast difference between "booners" and a buck that will go 190.

A minimum B&C of 160 to make the book is difficult but fairly attainable, so yes, a 190 every 30 years would be about right.

A camp, on any ranch, that averages 140 for the bucks taken is not par, that is very much above par for the state average.

I must admit I'm am a little biased, since I'm from Kingsville and have had the opportunity to visit and hunt THE KING. The biggest taken was by my grandfather, 12pt 157"

I have also hunted the Kennedy Ranch, which I think is the best piece land in the state.

I have been almost everywhere on the norther and western pastures of THE KING (some but not much on the Norris). The available resources the deer have there is unfathomable. Even during drought conditions food and water are always in decent supply.

I would like to see the Wagner. Any of the "large" ranches Texas are going to have more "booners" just for the simple fact a land mass. The Anacacho Ranch is a real piece a work down in Spofford TX. They know how to build a High Fence.

Both places would be a dream to hunt, infinite possibilities, with a monster that could be around any corner.

kt

I have to disagree. Very few people have killed a deer on low fence property that nets 160 B&C typical. What's even harder is to kill one that makes the all time B&C record book that nets 170. Maybe I'm a below average hunter but it took me 25 years of hard hunting to shoot one. I know a good number of other hunters that have killed bucks scoring in the 180's but not a one of them netted 170.

I don't know much about the King ranch but I have lived next to the Waggoner Ranch all of my life and have been all
over the ranch through the years . Just imagine 500,000 acres
of land as it was hundrededs of years ago except for some oil and gas wells , about 50,000 acres of farming land , three
major lakes , hundreds of ponds with some great bass fishing,
and some of the biggest and most abundant deer turkey and hog
in the Lone Star State . I have shot 150 class deer from my
back porch . The owners are some great people who are at home talking locals or the elite .

We are saying about the same thing, my point is, the King Ranch only produces a deer that will bust 185+ a every 30 years is a normal occurrence of nature.

Last time I checked the place where the Hansen Buck was killed has not thrown out a deer to rival that one. But every year people flock to Canada just the same.

The comment about the 160's is that there are more of them then deer that score 170, 180, 190, 200's.....Yes its hard but you did it. I didn't say it was easy.

Congrats on the trophy/book deer.

kt

140 is a good rule of thumb for north central texas on a 3 or 4 year old buck . The weight of these deer is usually 160 to
200 lbs in the area around Wilbarger county . Areas near woods with alfalfa crops near are the best bet for larger deer. I believe 211 is the best known score in our county. You can see this mount at the Vernon chamber of commerce office. The weapon used to take him was a buick .

I would take the Waggoneer Ranch. Terrain and weather make it more appealing to me than the tropical King. I have driven through the Waggoneer a few times and seen some very nice deer. No Pressure and a half million acres and farmland! I will take that combination.

BOONER: Buck scoring of 160in or Better

Haha That deer was nick named "Umpa Lumpa" and along with him and another buck that Bonnie Mcferrin (Off of Dream Season) were killed opening weekend. That makes two... I cant tell you how many deer i saw that were booners and werent killed because they were only 5 1/2 years old.. Besides these two i can think of 15 other bucks that were killed that were all booners that i saw myself not counting booners harvested off the leases. IF YOU UNDERSTOOD WHAT BUTCH WAS SAYING YOU WOULD KNOW HE IS TALKING ABOUT "TYPICAL BUCKS" WHEN HE STATED THAT YOU ONLY GET BUCKS LIKE THAT ONCE EVERY 30 YEARS. Umpa Lumpa was a typical 7 by 5 and was killed in full velvet so yes a "Typical Buck" of his nature does in fact only come around every 30 years.

Untill you guys KNOW your facts just keep shut and dont try to call someone out when you have no idea wtf your talking about.
Thanks, Ricky

This whole thread cracks me up especially people who speak of The King and have no idea what they are talking about.

I'm headed to Mabelle Tx this weekend to a lease that borders the Wag.
I watched that army truck putting out liquid feed last winter.

I hope to drop a booner doe this wnkd!

delete

Were you hunting when you went to the king, zack?

No sir, I wish I was though

i was thinking lol, cause if you were hunting im sure you would of saw some jaw droppers. All it takes is a little flicker of the tail gate feeder.

"Untill you guys KNOW your facts just keep shut and dont try to call someone out when you have no idea wtf your talking about.
Thanks, Ricky"

I'm sure you are quite the expert; at least in your own mind.

I stand by my original statement that our hunting operation on the Mota Bonita section of the King Ranch produces a high average of 140 bucks. Maybe the rest of the ranch has booners galore. You may be the expert regarding the rest of the ranch but you don't know split beans from peas about our lease. I know what our records show (and I'm sure you're familiar with the ranch forms) and I don't care if you walk on outfitter water, those are the facts for that 42,000 (I thought it was 46,000) acre parcel. Reel in your ego and calm down.

I am completly calm but my reply was directed to your Butch Tompson "quote". not whether or not you have a high average of 140's on your lease. Your right i have no idea about your lease but when you go into quoting Butch and not understanding what he is talking about, i thought i would clear things up for you and your own mind...