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1 Colorado Trout at gunnison river farms Wingshooting estancia leupold Vx x40 mm Cds The WorldWide outdoors Magazine of Texas JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 singing the Big Bend Blues Big dam deal Texas-sized: record Buck Bear necessities

2 Carter s Big island Kansas duck oasis holiday gift guide for the great outdoors The Measure of a shooter The WorldWide outdoors Magazine of Texas NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 hunting on the edge going stag in search of the Perfect duck limit Mystical encounters

Texas Las Raices Ranch by JEFF COPELAND produces one for the ages. Sized The 2010 deer season couldn t arrive fast enough for the Barrett family.

IN MID-JULY, game cameras on the South Texas ranch captured the year s first images of a buck the Barretts watched grow for the previous five years.

The risk of losing deer from year to year due to post-rut stress, injury or predators is very great, and due to the amount of grass on the ranch created by the rainfall, they did not have the comfort

Not only had this buck survived into his seventh year, he had grown, and from the looks of things, produced his best set of antlers ever.

3 Texas Las Raices Ranch by JEFF COPELAND produces one for the ages. Sized The 2010 deer season couldn t arrive fast enough for the Barrett family. Timely rainfall created ideal habitat conditions, giving bucks a boost during the antler-growing period; one buck in particular had their attention. IN MID-JULY, game cameras on the South Texas ranch captured the year s first images of a buck the Barretts watched grow for the previous five years. Just knowing he was still out there provided a measure of satisfaction. The risk of losing deer from year to year due to post-rut stress, injury or predators is very great, and due to the amount of grass on the ranch created by the rainfall, they did not have the comfort of a shed horn to tell them that the deer had survived up to that point. Not only had this buck survived into his seventh year, he had grown, and from the looks of things, produced his best set of antlers ever. By mid-august, game camera images revealed multiple drops, extremely long tines and double row points from the G-2 all the way down the beam on both sides. Mark Barrett and his son, Marko, decided it was time they take turns living at the ranch to get photos and video. The game plan was to set up in the area where remote cameras captured images of the big buck, which figured to score anywhere from B&C, according to close friends who d reviewed the latest photos. But, after several days of sitting in a metal blind with no air circulation in degree South Texas summer heat, they had no luck getting video or photos. They constantly joked that the deer was smarter than they. He wanted to be out in the heat even less than they did. They finally had their first encounter with the deer under a full moon at the end of August. He came out just after dark to water. Marko watched him by moonlight until 9:30 when he laid down. It was a sign that the big buck was coming out of hiding. Later, Mark captured a few photos in broad daylight, and Marko supplemented them with videotape soon thereafter. Both realized the buck s monstrous size, but watching the brute in person hammered it home, making September a stressful month. After taking their initial photos and videos, they decided to leave the buck alone. Too much activity in the area might spook the buck into moving or changing behavior. Marko was free to scout other deer on the ranch, but a game camera remained active at the Laguna blind most of the time. There was a well being drilled 600 yards to the east of the blind day and night. In some of the videos you can hear the brake on the rig squealing. Luckily, the deer didn t seem to mind and stuck around. Photographer Dave Richards spent one night monitoring the buck and said that at one point the rig STOPPED making noise and the deer got spooked. They were pretty well accustomed to all the noise. Even on a ranch that had been intensely managed for many years, this is an impressive little two-year-old. Good tine length and several kicker points atop a small and obviously still growing body caught the owner s attention at an early age. At three, this buck still surpassed the elevated culling criteria on Las Raices Ranch. Good frame, multiple long tines an a few kickers kept this buck on the one to watch list. As a four-year-old, this buck really began to blossom. His body frame had obviously finished growing and much more of his nutrition intake was going toward growing antlers. Tine length and antler mass really exploded and the extra points really began to show the buck s true genetic potential. 3 TEXASSPORTINGJOURNAL. COM JANUARY/FEBRUARY

TEXAS SIZED TEXAS SIZED The deer showed up pretty irregularly in the daylight for most of September. Trail cameras would show him there before dark or after sunrise about every fourth day.

On opening morning, Mark and Marko hunted out of the Laguna blind and were unsuccessful.

4 TEXAS SIZED TEXAS SIZED The deer showed up pretty irregularly in the daylight for most of September. Trail cameras would show him there before dark or after sunrise about every fourth day. Right before the Managed Lands Deer Permit season opener, which coincides with the archery-only season, the big buck started to show up regularly in the evening. On opening morning, Mark and Marko hunted out of the Laguna blind and were unsuccessful. This didn t surprise them; however, because the buck primarily came to water in the evenings and stuck around a little for food before moving off. They knew their best chance lie in the evening hunt. The script in the evening worked out pretty well. With fading light, the deer walked out on the left side of the blind along a sendero and headed to water. Marko was sitting on the left side and followed the deer s movement, but Mark had no view, and with other deer milling about in the area, had no alternative but to sit and wait. The next 15 minutes seemed an eternity as dusk swiftly turned to nightfall. The deer finally finished drinking and While the buck didn t increase his B&C score much this year, he was still an impressive buck and too young to shoot. Considering that the previous year was likely his first year to be actively involved in the rut it is not surprising that he didn t make the same tremendous improvement in antler size. This isn t uncommon for five-year-old bucks. browsed his way back into view. Expecting a long shot, Mark had his scope zoomed in to a high setting. When the deer stepped into the sendero closer to the blind than expected, there was a scramble to crank the scope back down. Finally, Mark was able to make a great shot and the deer went right down. This hunt was the culmination of years of good management and patience since first noticing this deer as a two-and-a-half-yearold. Mark recalled the initial sighting when someone approached them one day with a video and said, Have you seen that little deer over at Laguna with the kickers? The Barretts took several video sessions of him that year and were able to take some still shots as well. As a two-year-old, this deer had multiple kickers and stickers, very long tines, long beams and double rowing towards the beam tips. Everything about him looked special. It was not hard at all to pick him as the best of his age class that year. They noticed that he often ran with a little, heavy-horned 10-pointer with big brow tines that looked to be the same age. They continued to see these deer together for the next five years during the preseason For a manager, it is a really tough chore to opt to let this buck grow for one more year. This is an awesome buck that most hunters would be very happy to take. Long beams, great mass and tine length and a drop tine...wow Beretta A400 Xplor Shotgun Boss Game Systems Deer Blind and Dog Box Bushnell Optics Package TexasSportingJournal.com GameGuard Camo Clothing Now Through Yeti 65 quart cooler Picture description tag Yamaha Grizzly 450 ATV wrapped in 5 GameGuard TEXASSPORTINGJOURNAL Camo by Lone. Star COMOutdoor Upland Bird Hunt from Matador Ranch Trophy Whitetail Hunt from Twisted Oaks Ranch NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN SWEEPSTAKES DRAWING. Open to all US legal residents who are 18 years old or older (except 19 in AL and NE, 21 in MS). To enter, and for complete rules, visit Sweepstakes starts 9/1/10 and ends 8/31/11. All entries must be received by 11:59:59 p.m. CST on 8/31/11. Odds of winning Sweepstakes Drawing depends on the number of eligible entries received. Sweepstakes void where prohibited. Subject to full official rules. Sponsor: Texas Sporting Journal LLC, 8401 Jacksboro Hwy, Suite 350, Fort Worth, TX XXXX

TEXAS SIZED This year the buck truly reached his potential.

scenario. The goal of land managers is to make the proper culling decisions.

and became amazed at their progression over time.

The following year he developed into a basic 12, with bumps on his main points, but no kickers.

beam. At four-and-a-half years, he again changed configuration.

He also added many more kickers and stickers than he had as a yearling, and added a drop tine.

5 TEXAS SIZED This year the buck truly reached his potential. The timing of this deer reaching seven years of age in a year of more than adequate rainfall, created the perfect antler-growing scenario. The goal of land managers is to make the proper culling decisions. The hope of land managers is for ideal environmental conditions. This buck is the result of everything coming together perfectly. and became amazed at their progression over time. At two-and-a-half, he was a tiny little thing with multiple points next to his G-4 s and kickers off of his tall G-2 s. The following year he developed into a basic 12, with bumps on his main points, but no kickers. That year, however, he put on double row points on both sides of his G-2 s and G-3 s, giving him 16 points along the top of the beam. At four-and-a-half years, he again changed configuration. Gone were the big double row points in the back, but he put them on in the front next to his G-4 s and G-5 s. He also added many more kickers and stickers than he had as a yearling, and added a drop tine. At five-and-a-half, he lost the drop, some of the kickers and all of the double rowing, but put on much more mass, tine length and beam length. Last year, he put the drop back on with a little double row in the front and a few kickers, but lost the overall tine length and mass that he had the previous year. This past season at seven-and-a-half, everything came together. He put on every antler trait he had ever displayed, and then added more to it. IT S ABOUT TO BEGIN. January 6-9, 2011 Dallas Convention Center The greatest hunting convention on the planet promises to be even bigger in Register now and join a force that cannot be ignored. Because, there is an elephant in the house. 7 TEXASSPORTINGJOURNAL. COM To learn more visit

TEXAS SIZED Las Raices Ranch The Barrett s Las Raices Ranch has been intensely managed for many years

Just like any successful management plan, they made several changes over time as goals have been

When they first developed the partnership that initially joined the ranch, no spike was safe.

class and continue to get more aggressive as the classes get older.

Now, with multiple years of records and photos, they can track the progression of most deer and see if

With particular attention to individuals, and not carte blanche rules, they believe they can pick a

Most stations host multiple feeders to deal with dominance issues when bucks are together in bachelor

While they strive to become a little more inverted and have more bucks than does, the openness of

With no grass, and very little canopy for thermal cover, many fawns die during a hot year of predation

They have determined the need to carry a few more does than they would like to steadily produce the

Opportunities are available to hunt the Las Raices Ranch for non-family members.

6 TEXAS SIZED Las Raices Ranch The Barrett s Las Raices Ranch has been intensely managed for many years to produce this type of buck. Just like any successful management plan, they made several changes over time as goals have been reached or continued to be out of reach. When they first developed the partnership that initially joined the ranch, no spike was safe. ALL mature eight-points were considered culls regardless of frame size, and they gave no thought to what type of does they harvested. Now they leave their spikes, look to take the worst deer out of the three-and-a-half-year-old age class and continue to get more aggressive as the classes get older. The largest leap forward for their culling strategy came with the advent of the game camera. Now, with multiple years of records and photos, they can track the progression of most deer and see if they deserve another shot based on what they have done in the past. With particular attention to individuals, and not carte blanche rules, they believe they can pick a few more diamonds out of the rough, and it s hard to argue 9 TEXASSPORTINGJOURNAL. COM with their results. They feed Livengood Brush Country 20 percent protein at stations about every 120 acres. Most stations host multiple feeders to deal with dominance issues when bucks are together in bachelor groups. They try to keep the buck/doe ratio about 1:1. While they strive to become a little more inverted and have more bucks than does, the openness of their country and normal lack of rain can really knock a fawn crop out. With no grass, and very little canopy for thermal cover, many fawns die during a hot year of predation and dehydration. They have determined the need to carry a few more does than they would like to steadily produce the amount of buck fawns necessary to meet their harvest goals five-seven years down the line. Opportunities are available to hunt the Las Raices Ranch for non-family members. Their lodge comfortably sleeps 12 hunters. All of their hunts a re fully-guided and most hunting is done from stands or ground blinds overlooking feeders or oat patches. They do have two top-drive vehicles for scouting and driving around during the middle of the day, but very rarely do they hunt for deer out of them. They are set up to accommodate bowhunting in a few spots, and have several popup blinds to go after deer with bowhunters. They offer great country cooking, a full bar and one morning of the hunt, breakfast is served at an old stagecoach house on the west side of the ranch. - Jeff Copeland To learn more about the hunting opportunities available, you can visit their website:

7 record breaking 307 1/8 b&c Mark Barrett with Mini, his 307 1/8 B&C record setter. 100% Native Genetics plus a little Rain, Protein, Feed and Patience. Congratulations to Mark Barrett of the las raices ranch for bringing down what may be the largest native whitetail ever produced in texas history. Scoring an astounding 307 1/8 B & C, this 100% native pasture deer shows what can be accomplished through sound management and top-quality feed manufactured by livengood Feeds. Special thanks to Cuerno Grande Wildlife for 25 years of dedication and commitment in developing the Brush Country line of deer feeds, distributed by Texas Farm Store and manufactured by Livengood Feeds. ContaCt our field representatives: lee Williams (512) or terry Pluenneke (512) texasnutrition@livengoodfeeds.com Photos used with permission; 2007, 2010 Los Raices, LLC Mark s son, Marko previously held the record with his LIVENGOOD FED 272 7/8 B&C kill, also taken on Las Raices Ranch in 2007.

7D Ranch & Cattle Companuy 2,544 ACRES FOR SALE IN SAN SABA COUNTY $10,216,000

7D Ranch & Cattle Companuy 2,544 ACRES FOR SALE IN SAN SABA COUNTY $10,216,000 Location Map DESCRIPTION: 7D Ranch and Cattle Company is a premium 2,544 acre turnkey ranching operation located just north