My father is looking into getting a new lease next year near Paducah, Tx in Cottle County to hunt quail. I'm old enough now that I can contribute to the lease financially and was wondering if there are any Mule deer in that area of any significants. My goal is to be able to shoot quail and deer off the lease. How far will I have to go to hit good mule deer country (staying in texas of course) if there isn't quality deer in that area. Thanks for all of you help! It is much appreciated.
Texas Mulies - Cottle County (help)
- Thread starter jvidrine
- Start date
Shane13
Active Member
There are mule deer, whitetail and lots of hogs in parts of that county. It depends on where you are, but there is potential for all of the above. The mule deer are thicker in the canyons and draws of the Pease River drainages, while it's mostly whitetail around the flatter country. Don't expect large herds of deer everywhere you look, but there are some there.
tommyp
Active Member
yes there can be pretty decent mule deer, as stated above , it can depend on where in the county. the further north and west in the county seems to hold more mulies. lots of hogs and you stand a chance at a decent whitetaail too.
Thanks tommyp! I know this may be a crazy question, but I am a rookie when it comes to hunting mulies. I have actually never hunted them ever. Would it be beneficial to plant a food plot for the mule deer? I was thinking of planting something along the lines of a Tecomate Lab lab Plus. Maybe you could suggest something else. Would they come to it or will it be spot and stalk 100%? Do Mule deer come to protein/corn feeders like whitetails do?
Shane13
Active Member
Plant wheat. It's sandy and dry there. You will be very lucky to get beans or peas to grow. Mule deer will eat corn. Cotton seed is good feed as well.
Shane13
Active Member
LabLab is great if you can get it to grow. Crops like soybeans and clover need more rain than you are likely to get in that area though. It might take a year in Cottle County to see as much rain as you see in a month in Lake Charles. You'll be more likely to get winter wheat to grow. It's a little more drought resistant, and you plant it during the fall when you have better odds of getting rain in West Texas. Deer love wheat. They'll graze it daily during the fall and winter. LabLab or other soybeans aren't green and growing during deer season. They are mature and dead. That's great if you had a good growing season (wet spring and summer) and have plenty of beans on the plants for the deer to eat. But if the crop dried up and died during the summer because it didn't rain and you weren't able to irrigate the crop, then it won't do you much good during deer season. You plant wheat in September or October, whenever you get a good rain to plant on. If you're lucky enough to get a little rain, then you'll have something for the deer to graze during deer season. Nitrogen fertilizer helps.
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tommyp
Active Member
one key to consider when planting food plots is the diet of the animals in that area and if they will eat what you plat. wheat is what you should plant beacuse it will grow in that area and the animals know what it is and will eat it. you can mix in some other items to try. In that area if you have enough room just try spot and stalk hunting for a season or two before you invest a lot of time and money in a food plot. spot and stalk is the funest way to hunt muley's ...
Shane13
Active Member
Exactly. Spot and stalk is the most fun way to hunt any animal. Thankfully, with muleys in big open country and canyons, it's also very effective. It never hurts to have some of their favorite groceries on hand to attract more deer to your property. You can still spot and stalk the transition areas rather than sitting in a blind on a foot plot, but a wheat field in West Texas will definitely draw in some deer.