walters444hunt

i could not believe the small body size of the deer in texas ive dropped 200lb does in illinois and on my hog hunt the deer were smaller then the hogs all the hype of texas deer left me after hunting in junction no wonder the racks look so big on video the cant be bigger then a feed sack im not saying no large deer in texas but the avg. size was unreal any texas hunters im not doggen but it really blew my mind maybe we can trade some hogs for deer bowhunting

bugsNbows

You do realize that, as a general scientific rule, species tend to get larger the further North one goes. The winters tend to be worse "up north" and critters need the extra body mass for warmth and survival. Compare the big brusiers of Sask. or Alberta to central and NE U.S. bucks. Same deal.

retrieverman

If you don't like the size of the deer, you sure don't ever have to come back.

I live here and have never understood the "hype" about hunting in Texas. I also hunt in NW Oklahoma and would be willing to give up Texas all together for hunting up there.

Edcyclopedia

I know Ill. has bigger bodied deer, but I hunted the northeast part of the pan handle and the camp had deer over 200lbs - dressed.
I'm not sure about the rest of Texas, but were we where was excellent, good body and big racks.
Almost everyone shot +130" deer, there were a couple of premature shooters, if you know what I mean!

RockinChair

+1. Bergmann's Rule-- states that body mass of a geographic race is in direct relation to the distance from equator.

salukipv1

IL just rules! I was hoping this question was where would you rather hunt whitetail, and without a doubt, IL!

ihunt1975

You can't compare them. It's like comparing apples to watermelons. But I wish Illinois would learn to manage their deer like Texas. We shoot our deer way too young.

Jasonlester

The hunting shows makes them look huge in TX in most of the shows anyway. But when the hunter is next to the deer they look small.

That being said I would still like to hunt TX for sure. And then there are the hogs....

Turkey Fife

Deer just look bigger in IL. because the Thin Corn Stalks make them look HUGE!

And pictures are takenthe hunter stands10' behid the deer

TF

texas8point

I have to agree with everyone on the north and survival and food and all that good stuff. In florida I heard the deer get about 75lbs.........I've never hunted there, I just heard they were a smaller breed of whitetail.
I know in Texas we have at least 3 different types of whitetails.
We have the deer with the Looong faces, then we have the deer with a real heavy head, shorter nose, and then we have the Coues deer (shorts face, legs, body)............I've shot all 3 types in Blanco, Texas