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.

There are two glands on the inside of his back legs called the tarsal glands.  During the rut bucks will urinate on those glands, and with older ones the glands get stained and turn dark.  Unless I'm mistaken, by the looks of those pictures he has stains like that on the inside of both his back legs.  Either that or he has some unusual skin or fur coloring going on there.

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.

A buddy sent me pictures of some Mule Deer near his cabin.  No wonder he can't get a tag!!

Can't hunt this weekend...but hopefully will be ready if Mr. Big comes along when I do get to go.  Stock Remington Model 700 Sendero in 7mm Rem Mag at 100 yds, somewhere around 0.45".  Great idea Lamar!

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.