Shot this free-range Axis last Monday night south of Junction.  His horns were about 31" long and he was one old coot, to the point where his coat was turning lighter.

Wish I had some better pictures but it was raining/misting and the wind was up.

Fairly graphic, but a nice buck gets cornered by a couple coyotes in front of a game cam.  Why he didn't run I can't tell - maybe he was hurt early on.

We just got back from Schleicher County today with the rut in full swing.  My youngest son John took this 8 pt, his first deer ever, Tuesday night on a low fence ranch we've been invited to hunt on for over the last 6 years or so.  Mr. Buck was chasing a doe and stopped just a second too long.  We aged him 4.5 YO, others think he might be 5.5 YO.

Considering the drought going on down there we were thankful just to get a opportunity to take a deer this year...imagine the heart thumping when this one showed-up.  As they say in ETX, this boy is RUINT!

Nice buck...I'd say 3.5 YO, but its really hard to tell from the one photo - he might be older than that. 

I knew a guy in ETX that leased 145 ac, and between he, his wife, and son took 4 or 5 good bucks off there in about 3 years, all by bow - they thought it was a 'buck sanctuary' where the big boys would hide out pre and post rut.  It would be interesting how many bucks stay on your place around the rut.

Your work paid off hansomely Jeremy, and to me there's little better than seeing the fruits of your labors.

'Dad' has mostly guided this year, except for taking a couple of cull bucks.  However my youngest son John landed a whoozer of an 8 pt this week as his first deer ever on low-fenced private land in WTX.  I posted some pics as 'John's First Buck'.

Watching my son take his first deer, especially one like that, goes beyond words.

With that pot belly and sway back I'd say lock and load!  Great looking 5.5+ YO buck. 

And, I'd take as many of those those raccoons along with him as you can...

A deer over 200 class taken this weekend, supposedly at the Old Light Ranch near Dilley, with a bow (can't verify it however).  They had track him with dogs to finally retrieve him. Looks like we may see several deer killed this year over 200 pts because of the rainfall this year.

Any way you look at it though he's a magnificent animal.

Taken near Junction Texas.  Not great video, but BIG Axis deer