Official Jack County Thread

Seems like we had a couple of Jack county threads going last year. Mostly lamentations due to the acorn crop.

But with a new year comes new hope. If someone already started one and I missed it please forgive me. If not, then I was hoping to get the Jack Cty info going. Headed out this weekend. Didn't get to bow hunt this year.

I am hunting a few miles north of town and will share info as obtained. Would appreciate others doing the same.

Happy Hunting to All.

I have a place a few miles south of Bryson - out by the wind generators. Very different than last year - everything is coming to the feeders, no corn is staying on the ground.

Until this past week even the decent bucks were coming during the day. This past week they seem to have wised up a bit, they are still there - but have gone nocturnal. Hoping to catch one out during shooting hours this weekend.

This is our second year to hunt this place. We did not shoot a deer last year. This year I think will be a different story. Also had a nice flock of turkey show up on the cameras lsat week. Hope they stay for Thanksgiving too (or thier part in it anyways).

Earl

Does anyone know if they are going to do another Hunters dinner this year and when if they are? We hunt North of Jacksboro and have been seeing a bunch of deer this year. We did have the fire come through my place and now everything is green. We probably saw 100 deer yesterday on our way home down 1810. They were all out in the green fields. One field had probably 30-40 deer in it.

Oh wait, they do a hunters dinner in Jacksborro too? When and where? I've been a regular at the one in Graham for the last 3 or 4 years...love it.

Earl

If they do a hunters dinner in jacksboro I would love to know about it. If not I might run over to the one in Graham. Any info on either or both would be appreciated.

Anyone have any rut input on Jack? This is our second year as well and it was difficult to learn much last year with the unusual acorn crop and minimal deer movement.

I have always heard that your best chance for a buck is before thanksgiving? True?

The one in Graham is the 1st Saturday in December at the Young County Arena off of 380. It's allways a pretty big affair (at least for Young County) - live country music, raffles, silent auction, displays of trophy's taken in Young County - and lots of good wild game food - bacon wrapped dove, venison cilli, jambalya, deer tamales, barbeque wild pig, deer sausage, red beans, etc.. I never go away hungry and the funds go to a good cause.

Last year was my first year to hunt in Jack County - and wasn't a year to judge anything by so I look forward to seeing how this year will be. I will say that in Young County every year I see deer around or after Thanksgiving that I did not see previously - last year again being an exception. Last year just sucked - this year won't. I can't keep corn on the ground this year while last year it just piled up.

Earl

Earl

I am on the Parker and Jack County line. Sunday morning I had a mature buck under the feeder and a 3.5 year old 8 chasing around three doe. He wasn't chasing them hard just walking around following them while they kind of flirted I guess you could say. I expect it to be starting up pretty soon, maybe not the biggest part but there are always a few that come in heat early. Whenever the next full moon is I would be in the blind.

I have had my place in Jack county for 11 years and we have always seen the deer running hard and rutting around the 17 through thanksgiving. Just remember where their are does the bucks will he also.

Any new info?

I know the hogs are thick as thieves off of 2190. No less than 6 of 'em in a 4 mile span that are buzzard bait right now (along the highway)...I think they have spooked the deer around my place because I haven't seen near the numbers or quality of deer that I usually see. We're practically over run with these bastards.

We hunt off 148 North of town also.. Good deer numbers this year and a ton of pigs.. Headed out Fri will be there till Mon evening..We have had our lease for 10 years and the horns this year lok to be a little smaller than in years past. Great numbers however..

I just looked at some camera pics and the bucks were NOT impressive at all. Lots and lots of hogs.

Deer at least coming to feeders this year. The does look healthy but the horns are small.

Well my opening weekend consisted of a Saturday only. Morning was good with lots of movement. Saw two 8's, and a 6. A doe and fawn. Saw deer movement until 10am or so. Then the winds kicked up and the rest of the day did not see an animal.


The deer I did see showed no visible signs of any rutting intentions.

I was a little disappointed to see the Jack County Thread seven pages back.

I hunt in Wise, near the Jack County line. No advice on deer, but don't grab any tacos at the Taco Casa on 380 in Bridgeport on your way to Jack. I did, got food poisoning, and haven't had a very enjoyable weekend.

Just thought I'd give out that warning. Only food I've eaten "out" in several days and I'm 99% certain that's what it was. Kind of knew it while I was eating it.

I hunt NE of town and saw 20+ deer Saturday morning, including a nice main frame 8 with a drop tine and a kicker. Had small bucks chasing does all over the place and the 8 cruised through the food plot checking all the does and pushing some of them. Saw bucks and does all throughout the day. Got to the stand about 3 pm for the afternoon hunt and ran 5 deer out of the field. I sat there for about 45 minutes and had my monster 11 point walk right behind me out into the field following a doe. He stopped broadside and I busted him. Scored right at 150" with a sheared off g-4 on his right side. He was 7.5 years old and the most impressive thing was he weighed 215lbs. This morning I saw two other really nice bucks pushing does as well, so I would say the rut is just about to start smokin'.

A few that ive got on camera in the last month. Hunting north of jacksboro on 148 as well. let me know what ya think

Nice bucks..And it looks like you need to put some of those custom hog traps to use..Oh and you might think about a coon trap or two.lol

I hunt north of Jermyn and will be up there tomorrow and Thursday evening and will report back what I see.

yea we have got 14 in the last 3 or 4 weekends and shot another 4 or 5 underneath the elusive wildlife Kill light. there are so many on our place they are just impossible to control and we just picked up another 630 acres this past weekend so im ready to go out and scout that very soon.

I hunt about 10 miles West of town. Best bucks only seen on camera at night at my stand. Seen a little 6 chasing a doe sunday morning and a little 8 come in about 30 min later running around with his nose on the ground. My brothers father inlaw shot a nice 9 that was 19in wide Sat evening casing a doe but his neck was not swollen. I guess just starting to rut. How long from start to finsh does the rut last?

Oh Ya Stoped by that deer processer on east side that hing was full seen a few really nice bucks but only seen 3 spikes brought in. That guy that runs the place I guess, only charges $10 a night to cold store.

in past years it starts about the 2nd week in november and runs till around thanksgiving depending on the cold fronts. we are close though the bucks are starting to single out and even seen a few young bucks chasing this past weekend.

We hunt by 3344 & Jamison Road. No real big bucks in our cameras but this is a new lease for us so we just put in the feeders and cameras. Lots of deer in general, no hogs in our cameras and no turkey.

We didn't get any movement at our blind on Saturday morning and since we were the lonely hunters at the lease, I decided to try find them. Several small bucks let me walk right next to them at around 20 yards. Does were being more careful but I managed to shoot one at 80 yards out.

They were moving still quite late in the day, the doe I shot right at 11am. First deer I saw at night were around 4pm.

most will know Richards Ranch south of town, I had a great hunt with them a couple weeks ago. Bucks out in light, does running for their lives, and bucks fighting.

Just a reminder, make sure to sign up for Diamond Food Market's buck contest. It's located one block south of the square in Jacksboro. www.diamondfood.com/slideshow/dia/image1.jpg

Im North of town seen several bucks chasing and activity all weekend. My kid killed 3 turkeys and a good hog. Good weekend for us.

North of Jermyn report..Got in the stand at 2pm and started seeing deer at 2:30.My best guess is the rut is a few days away.A doe came into the field and a few seconds later a decent 8 followed her out,he didn't stay with her but a couple minutes and left.An hour or so later a couple does showed up and the 8 again came to check them and left shortly after followed by a 6 and 4 that wanted to check them as well..From the moment I got in the stand and until dark there were deer coming and going..Total I saw 7 different does,6bucks,17pigs and 2 fat coons.Well there was 17 pigs and now there is only 16.One big sow took at 270 in the ear.Will be back in stand Thursday at 2pm.

Headed out tomorrow afternoon will get an update asap.

Hunting At Barton Chapel, last 2 days have seen 2 good buck with does, think it's starting.

I'll be out there again Tomorrow evening thru Sunday morning. These 2 8 pointers are on my "list" for Jack County (especially the wide one, but I do like tall racks too)...







Problem is I have this one on my cameras in Young County - it seems when I hunt Jack, the big 8 in Young shows up and if I go after the one in Young then the Jack boys come out...I swear they are toying with me...But if they keep showing up during shooting ours their timing is going to be right (for me) eventually.. I love the neck on ths Young County bad boy...and he's got some mass on those mainbeams too. I uh, wish I hadn't been hunting in Jack County opening morning!!






Earl

Here's another of that big 8 in Young...the one he's standing by isn't a slouch either...but he dwarfs him.



Earl

Earl where do you hunt?

Spencer...in Jack I'm a few miles South of Bryson off of 1190 very near the wind generators (can see them from my blind in the next section accross 1190).

In Young, I'm a few miles north of Loving off Hwy 16 before you get to Markley. I've hunted Young for 5 years now. This is only the second year at Bryson, we did not shoot anything there last year (hell last year I didn't shoot anything in Young either which was a first for that place, they just didn't come to the corn last year on account of all the acorns) - far different story this year.

Earl

Nice bucks!!! Good luck on your hunt!!!

Im north of Bryson on the young county line. We are over ran with hogs this year. First time in a few years

I have lots of hogs on the place in Young. But the neighbors must have started hunting them as they pretty much went nocturnal at the start of the season. I'll get a few when they get lazy during the daylight as allways.

The place in Jack, we've never seen a hog. Either the nieghbors are trapping them or the fire that went thru the area a few years ago ran them somewhere else and they haven't come back. That place was burned bad but the deer don't seem to have minded.

Earl

Spencer you've got to be pretty close to me..We've had our place for 5 years now and I've never seen this many pigs.No Bucks worth shooting but I am seeing alot more doe than in years past.

I have some awesome bucks on camera have seen then yet and we hardly have any does on camera and I have not seen nay does. We shot one hog this past weekend.

Nothing really to update..Sat from 2pm until 5 and saw 2 doe..Would have set til dark but the guy to the north shot and he had to be hunting the fence line cause it was so loud I almost crapped myself.

Also on jack/young county line between bryson/jermyn. Bucks seem bachelored up. Seeing them on camera around 8pm and occasionally through night. Does and spikes hitting feeders during shooting light. Not seeing any rut sign. Heading out for a long weekend this week. Will report back

Opening weekend at our lease off 148 north of Jacksboro, we saw a lot of deer. Does and young bucks were seperated. Saw 4 bucks fighting. 2 were sparring but 2 were flat out fighting. Both 2 year old 8 points. My dad shot a mature 7 point chasing a doe with a swollen neck. Saw several large groups of does however with no bucks following at all. Son hunted Tues and wed with very few deer seen and no good bucks..

Any updates from this weekend?

I was as usual in the wrong place at the wrong time. I chose to hunt Young County as the rut is going off there at my place above Loving. Each time on stand I was seeing 10-15 deer with about half of those being bucks. I did see one legal shooter yesterday morning but he left before I could make my mind up if I wanted him or not. Two nights I saw a mature 7 point that is unfortunately not AR legal (high but narrow rack). The bucks are scraping there and chasing the does who are not yet receptive (they would rather eat but the bucks won't let them). Even a 1 year old spike was trying to get frisky but the other bucks shut him down..sad little thing...

I had decided to hunt Young because I had seen more activity on the cameras and it was true - certainly saw lots of deer. At Jack near Bryson I would typically only see one deer per hunt (usually a young buck). Of course yesterday morning I was at my stand in Young County when he was there at Bryson laughing at my absent butt...

Still, I dont' second guess my decision - I knew the rut was going off (or about to) at Young but hadn't really seen a sign of it at the place in Jack yet - (hard to when you only see one buck and no does at a time).

rattled this 9 point up at about 150 yards saturday morning about 9:00 he ran about 10 yards in the woods and crashed. It was actually pretty intense he was already standing at the edge of the clearing as i was still rattling and grunting. This is my biggest buck so far with the width right at 17 inches wide

Very nice buck! Earl

Good to know they might be coming to horns. Fired up about this weekend. Except for the weather. Looks rainy.

Wait a minute. Cloud cover is great for rattling. Fired up once again!!!!

281 N of 2190. Saturday morning full moon early and at 0830ish wind blowing like crazy. Saw 8pt moving to fast to check AR's, then had 3 doe stop at feeder. A few seconds later the old 8pt with 17.5 in spread showed up.......He's at the processors.

BTW - Game Warden showed up too! No big deal Very polite & professional.

Got pics, but I can't figure out if it's my computer or photobucket....can get them to load to photobucket but I'm working on it.

Congrats. Would like to see pics if you can get things workin.

If the rut is happening north of Jermyn it must be one of those were bucks don't chase does.lol. Saw 6 does this afternoon and no bucks..

I hope that doesn't mean they are laid up with does already. Sunday morning I must have watched half a dozen bucks chasing does north of Loving. It was like a deer speedway around my blind with bucks chasing does in my food plot, in the clearing and thru the woods. The does weren't receptive yet, they just wanted to eat but the bucks wouldn't give them a moments rest. Shoot, it got to the point that if there was a buck in my food plot or at the feeder - the does would let their yearlings come on in but they'd stay back and not come in till the bucks left. I'm hoping it's still going on when I get back out there this weekend. I saw only young bucks chasing - not the big ones I have on camera yet.

Earl

I hunt south of Bryson an Santo, have some awesome bucks on camera. They have been chasing does since around 10/11. I have rattled in 11 bucks for hunters that we have taken down. Only 4 off the lease, the rest on a ranch in Santo. I don't know if its just me, but the horn development this year is really good. I have seen some of my biggest bucks to date on camera, only at night. Growling grunts an ticking tips is a killer right now early, then just a good old fashion horn bustin during the day. Good luck guys, stay in the field.

Im in the stand and have seen 2 does so far the. Wind is blowing pretty hard. Hog tracks are just about everywhere you look. They have the ground around. My feeder tore up pretty good. Hoping for shooter buck tonigh at atlest a hog

Here it is.... 45-70 at a bit over 110yds!

Who else is having this problem? My shooter bucks come out at night no problem or they come out in the day time when I'am not there. I think they are messing with me!!!!

This deer was shot in Jermyn area Saturday morning.

Nice rack but looks a little skinny at the bottom...

Congratulations!

Shot a doe last week just south of the lake. I'll post a photo later.

It's been pretty slow at our place. Only see a few does and a small buck

We are't seeing as much at the place in Jack County as we are at our place in Young. Usually one or two young bucks a hunt - maybe a doe every other hunt or so. I have some really nice bucks I've posted on this thread that occassionally show during shooting hours but never when I'm there. There is a 6 pointer that shows practically every hunt..I hope he keeps up that habbit next year as a big 8 or better. The turkey are coming almost every day. I'll take one after I get back to hunting after Thanksgiving weekend.

I did take an 8 pointer yesterday in Jack. He's not as big as I had thought or wanted - he was chasing a doe hard and I had to make a decision quick. I did not take a deer last year so was antzier than I should have been.

My son did take a nice 17" inside spread 8 pointer in Young north of Loving Saturday evening. Pics of both are posted in a seperate thread on Loving/Young County 8 pointers. That's my sons's best buck yet and is going on the wall for him.

Oh yeah, how happy have you guys been with J&J Processing in Jacksboro? We took my sons buck to Clear Fork in Graham which we've used for years, but I took mine to J&J - figured I'd give them a try. They did have more options than Clear Fork - jerky sticks, german lins, hot links, giving some of them a try. The fellow I talked to there said that the person that opened it last year didn't anticipate all that went into the business so they contacted him to help out - he being the processor in Graford. They've been running things since bow season last year and are thinking about buying the operation from the owner.

Earl

Let me know how that place works out in Jacksboro.

Okay, hunted from Friday evening thru this morning. I am stumped. I had at least two hunts with a hot doe in front of me but only young bucks were chasing her. I keep waiting for the big boy or just any mature buck to come in and take charge but no. Still seeing does with fawns and have yet to see a doe and a mature buck paired up like I would expect during the rut.

Hunts seem to also be pretty much all or nothing. Seems like all the deer move or none of them do. Still better than last year. But still a lot different than Val verde county. Oh but so much closer.

Buck down tonight in Jack County. 7 pointer. Dont know how to post pictures

Congrats!!!

Way to go! Any more updates?

To make it better it was my first buck ever. I was packing my bag and about to get out of the blind when I saw him. Nice 7pointer. Got to share the experience with my kids and that made the night even better.

Please remember to go by Diamonds off the square tomorrow and register for the big buck contest. We are giving away some nice prizes and have the supplies you will need in camp.

Does it have to be tomorrow?

The store is closed today but opens 7:30 in the morning.

Jacksboro is on the board! Had a young man bring in his first Buck. If you get a good one bring it by so we can fill out our leader board.

Buck down at 7:00am this morning, he was busy chasing doe's. Here is the before and after photo of him.

Any recent updates? Last weekend windy. This weekend looks to have some rain potential but should be nice and cool

Had another buck down this morning. Buddy shot an 6 pointer That was a 8 but has two broken off. Good looking deer

Another terrible weather weekend. Still not seeing mature bucks while hunting or even on cameras. Still seeing plenty of does with fawns. I just don't get it. This is only my second year in jack and last year was whack. Thought this year would be better. Wonder where all of the nice 3and 4yr olds I let walk last year are. I'm starting to think every year is strange in jack county.

Has everyone in Jack County quit hunting? I am hoping for some encouraging news.

I'm 7 mi NW of Jacksboro off 114. We have so many stinking pigs that I'm convinced they are running the deer off though my buddy took an odd racked 9 point last Fri. Then he shot a 250+ hog and I killed a sow with my bow on Sat. My wife and I have both taken does. We had a ton of pictures of good bucks right up to the start of bow season, then we had some rain and boy did they seem disappear off the cameras. I'm hoping this cold snap took out some of the native vegetation so they'll start hitting the feeders again, if they can get past the hogs. Hog trapping starts in earnest as soon as deer season is over...

Nope....Shot this last week! Was millin' around the feed pen with a nice 10 point!

I'm hoping for good things from the cold as well. We are pretty thick with hogs also. Still seeing does with fawns. What gives with that?

I have had a young 10 pt on my cam this week one time. He had been coming in every day for a while but only once in the last week. Still have does coming in though.

I shot this deer Wednesday morning.



This deer was shot by a friend two weeks ago at the lease.




This deer was shot at the lease about 3 weeks ago.

Hunted this afternoon and I have never seen a hog problem that is so bad..I have seen or shot a pig everytime out this year and today my wife lost count at 31.I hunt a very small place north of Jermyn that usually in the past 5 years see alot of deer with very little pig activity.We saw them on one side of the creek going to the stand and then saw them on the other side of the creek heading back to the truck..The embarrassing part is I missed at 25 yards on a herd of 15 or more.I'm done for the year,I don't have the time to control the pigs and I feel they are keeping me from seeing the usual numbers of deer.

Anyone still hunting

Hmmm, maybe some of my pigs headed your way. I hunt north of there on 16 south of Markley and I'm seeing way more deer than I usually do and fewer pigs. The 240lb boar I put down Saturday was the first hog I've had a chance to shoot at this year.

Earl

Earl if your missing your pigs I will ask them politely to head back towards Markley..

No thanks, I am not complaining. You can keep them!

I've had a change of heart regarding pigs, I am now trapping them to sell and honestly you guys should look at it. Kim Rife buys hogs on the East side of Jermyn, he pays more for them then they bring in FW and they are close to most of the Jack County posts I have seen here. I was there Sun AM and two cowboys brought in a bunch and 25 min later walked out with over 500.00. I talked to them and they said they run 5 traps on the two ranches they work on and have brought in over 200 since the beginning of Oct. The biggest one they had was 270lbs. What a brute, he squared off with another big hog after he was weighed and and proceeded to kick the other ones butt. Pretty cool to watch, could be a cool new sport but I'm sure PETA would ruin it.
Oh, and if you don't know anything about hog trapping Kim will tell you everything you need to know. Really interesting guy. 76 yrs old and still going strong.

I'm headed out Friday and hope to see some hogs. Never shot have shot one Sure would like to get one

Here are a few of the deer we are seeing in Northern part of Jack County. I don't think the drought affected us much here.

If I had a way to transport them I'd do it. There already is a trap on my place that belongs to my landowner. When I took my 240lb boar to Clear Fork Saturday they mentioned he was paying .40 a lb making him a $100 hog if live.

Earl

If you go talk to him and you're close by he might let you use his trailer. He offered it to me when I told him I was 4 miles from him. A 240lb hog would be .40 a lb plus a $15 head bonus so 111.00 total. Pay for your gas and a bag of corn for the weekend...

Hmm 7A I may have to talk to him about that. I'm maybe 4-5 miles North on 16 from 114 so not too far from him. I pass by his place going to and from the lease.

Earl

Kim will let you use his trailer as long as you bring pigs back. Good man, known him most of my life. When I sold I parked my trailer there everynight for months at a time. If your busy he's very intresting to talk to but he can and will talk so don't be in a hurry. There's nothing that man can't trap and he will tell you how if you ask but it's gonna be a long story.

Kim is a very good trapper. He took about 200 hogs to market and probably killed another 150 that were too small to transport. The amazing thing was the amount of racoons that he trapped. He took 175 off our place in 90 days. Unfortunately, we probably have another 500 coons to go. I think they are worse than the hogs. We have put hog panels up around all of the feeders. It has really helped reduce our numbers of hogs and reduced our cost of repairing feeders they destroy.

Unfortunately there is no market for the coons anymore so he quit trapping them. I'm going to borrow some of his coon traps though because I'm overrun with them. I used to ignore them because I like watching them but 9-10 at a time under the feeders is too much and they destroy the chance for quail and turkeys. I haven't seen a turkey in 2 yrs since the coon population has increased so much. Oh and yes he can talk but he's so interesting I really enjoy it, if you have the time.

Alright just got back from a couple of days hunting north of town on 148 and all i have been seeing is does,fawns,and trashy looking mostly young bucks. I didn't see any "ugly" deer last year. Seems that even the younger deer had good looking smaller racks. I can only conclude that this a result of the drought. The deer do all look very healthy however. Has anyone else noticed this?

Hunted Friday night and only saw a bobcat. But on the way home I did seen 17 with 1 huge shooter buck And a hog. Going again tomorrow. Wishing for the best hunt yet

Went out Friday afternoon to fill feeders, check trailer, & sit awhile. Nothing Friday nite but saw a big 10 and a doe early Sat morning. Didn't fire a shot, just watched and came home about 10am. Sorry - No pics (camera batteries died & didn't have extras with me)

Sitting in the stand Wish me luck. Last time I will get to hunt this season

Deer still moving. Killed an old eight yesterday. Saw deer all day. There is still time. Everyone get out there and see what you see. Good luck

What part of jack county?

any1 hunt near perrin??

Good friend of mine shot this Wednesday evening right at last light. We went looking next morning. He's a "happy camper"
16 1/2" spread & 10 1/2" G2s. (He's as ugly as I am)

South of Jermyn.

Close to us. We are off 1191

2012 jack County updates?

This will be our first year to hunt in Jack County after 13 years in Mason, here is the first bucks we have on camera and only bucks, the camera was only working for 3 days before it stopped working ...

Nice buck good luck this year