Considering the number of deer
hunters in Texas, those odds aren’t too bad. Statewide estimated hunter numbers in 2012 were 636,325, with approximately 92,000 hunters in the Piney Woods, 177,000 in the Edward Plateau, 102,000 in South Texas, 75,000 in the Cross Timbers, and 97,000 in the Post Oak Savan- nah region. Whether you are looking to
harvest a doe or buck, Texas has a fairly well-balanced deer herd with long-term average sex ratio estimated at 3.08 does per 1 buck. The 2012 estimated ratio was 3.09 does per buck. The sex ratio also shows a stable trend with not too much variation from year to year. As always, I encourage hunt-
ers to harvest does each year. This keeps the population levels in check and helps maintain a reasonable sex ratio. Just in case you are won-
dering, harvest rates were skewed towards bucks in 2012 with 309,207 bucks and 265,601 does estimated to have been harvested. Fawn crops are important each
year to help sustain the abundant deer population supported in the state. The 8-year average fawn crop is 44 percent (44 fawns per 100 does). Rainfall among other things is critical for good fawn production each year, and low fawn crops are noticeable during the drought years. 2011 was an extremely dry year
and fawn crops were down to 29 percent for the statewide estimate, a 24 percent departure from the long-term average. Fawn crop bounced back in 2012
at 47 percent. Although conditions have been dry in some regions of the state this year I’m hoping and expecting to see a fawn crop around the average in 2013.
Drought or no
drought, Texas still produces
some whopper bucks
each year. For hunters, fawn crops may not
be as meaningful since harvest is generally focused on older age class deer, but remember those fawns this year translate into your adults several years into the future. Another aspect of typical hunt-
ing season forecast is the prediction of antler quality and how many big bucks are out there across the land- scape. As I mentioned above, fawn crops have lots to do with future buck numbers, so if you’re wonder-
tscra.org
September 2013 The Cattleman 55
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