How to Hunt Deer in Fredericksburg, Texas

White tailed deer in the Fredericksbug area have abundant cover, so locating them can be difficult.

Central Texas and the Fredericksburg area in general provide some spectacular vistas and prime deer habitat. Though the area receives relatively little rain compared with the rest of the state, cover and forage are abundant. Additionally, the presence of farm and ranch land along with the stock ponds that come with such activity ensures that whitetail deer in the region have adequate water. There are no public hunting lands in the area, but private leases and outfitters in the area allow anyone with the time, determination and a little bit of knowledge to successfully harvest deer in the Fredericksburg area.

Things You'll Need

• Private property
• Deer feeder
• Game camera
• Rifle or bow
• Hunting blind

Instructions

1. Locate property that can be leased or purchased and which has appropriate deer habitat. In general, a suitable piece of land is a minimum of 100 acres per hunter and has areas where deer access food, water or cover for bedding.

2. Scout the property before agreeing to a purchase or lease. Identify likely travel routes between food, water and bedding areas. Check these routes for recent tracks or scat. Scrapes, or areas of turned ground where bucks mark their territory, along with rub marks on trees from their activity cleaning antlers and strengthening their neck muscles, are both good indications of active deer in the area.

3. Negotiate the terms of the lease if the property is not being purchased. Make sure that the land owner and hunters all know what is expected of each party, including how many hunters will be allowed, the means that will be used (bow or rifle), and what dates the hunters will be allowed access.

4. Set up a deer feeder on a timer to supplement natural food sources if necessary. Hunting over a feeder, while banned in other states, is legal and quite common in Texas.

5. Set up a game camera at the deer feeder, along identified travel routes and near active scrapes or rubs. Check the camera regularly and note the times when deer are most active. Using a game camera in this manner is a good way to conduct a census of the deer population on the property. Keep records of the deer recorded including the sex, estimated age, antler points and branches, and any other identifying markings.

6. Set up your blind near the location you have determined that the deer will be. This will most often be near a feeder or active scrape. The blind should be set up far in advance of the planned hunt so that the deer have time to get used to its presence. When setting up the blind, clear any brush or limbs that may block your shot. The maximum distance for a bow-hunter should be about 40 yards, and 100-200 yards for a rifle hunter. Be careful that your blind is not too close or in an area where prevailing winds will cause your scent to be detected by the deer.

7. Go to your blind about an hour before sunrise. Deer are crepuscular, meaning that they are most active around sunrise and sunset. By arriving in your blind an hour before sunrise you give any nearby deer time to relax and go back to their normal behavior before legal shooting hours begin.

References

• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: White-tailed Deer Management in the Texas Hill Country