As promised in the last video Rack Report, here is the latest offering from the Hunt Junkies.

Labels: Texas, Videos

Bubba and I finish the weekend with a nice, mature buck.

Labels: Texas, Videos

Me and fellow Hunt Junky Bubba Graves team up for rutting whitetails in this exclusive Realtree Rack Report from the Texas Panhandle.

Labels: Texas, Videos

I just got this via e-mail and don't know anything about where or when the buck was taken and all I know is that a hunter named Dylan Smith shot this giant buck and the video.

So Dylan, if you out there, care to share your story?

-Russell
Texas

Labels: Rumors, Texas, Videos

If you remember a few weeks ago, I posted a video and story about Deer School here in Childress. Well, last week it was time to catch some of the excess deer and with the help of Dusty Whitaker from Whitaker Helicopters, we netted three.

Labels: Texas, Videos

Here some video I found on the Daily Oklahoman website of a MONSTER non-typical bick taken on public land in McAlister, Oklahoma.

The hunt is primitive archery only and the buck ended up netting just over 200-inches. You can read the full story here:

The Daily Oklahoman

Labels: Videos

Here's a video from Photobucket that a friend sent my way. While I think the fight took place last year (because the SoTx rut typically doesn't start until December), it is still impressive nonetheless.

Labels: Texas, Videos

Yeah, I know this has nothing to do with deer, BUT... The story is a cool one so click on the video player and look at how we roll in Tejas.

Labels: Texas, Videos

Okay, I made a mistake. When I ran across this deer I thought that Justin Bone - from down in South Texas - had shot this brute this season. Turns out, it was last year. Either way it is still a stud and it deserves a mention.

Here's Justin's story:

"A couple of weeks ago my dad videoed a beautiful mainframe 12 pointer from one of the rifle blinds. The whole time I watched the video I sat in awe wondering what could possibly be going through his mind besides getting his gun out the window and shooting him. I figured if he wasn't going to shoot him then I would!

I set up a ground blind along the road that he has been frequenting and brushed it in to blend with the surroundings. That evening I sat in the rifle blind to watch the deer's reaction to the blind. Overall, The deer took to the blind very well considering he stood perfectly broadside to the new blind for thirty minutes! I had made the decision that I was ready to make the sit in the blind for the morning hunt. The next four hunts started and ended the same with the buck coming in each hunt, but would only present me with an unfavorable shot angle. Having him patterned so well, I had no reason to take a shot that wasn't in my favor. Then on Saturday evening everything all came together. At about 6:45 he came in a turned broadside as if he had rehearsed it. I let him move his front leg forward then drew my bow back. Before I knew it the arrow was on its way. I saw the arrow slam through he shoulder, and then the buck did the jump and kick routine confirming a solid hit. Now is when my nerves went into over drive! I saw the buck enter the brush the immediately heard a crash. After a few minutes I went to recover my trophy. The blood trail was poor, but the recovery was short and easy.

I took him to Los Cazadores the next morning to have him scored. He ended up grossing 166 4/8 and netting 163 even. That's only 3.5 inches of deductions on a typical 12 pointer!"

To hear Justin tell it, he's got a big non-typical he's after this year and will fill me in on the details when it goes down.

Finally, here's some video from last year's hunt...

Labels: Texas, Videos

Let me introduce myself and my brother William, or, uh... Bubba as the family calls him. Since last October we've been filming a web show that we call Hunt Junkies. The premise is simple: get together when we can and film our hunts - both good and bad - to provide fodder for the web.

To my surprise our little show has been a hit. Therefore, I bring to you the first two episodes of this year. None are of deer yet but that all will change soon enough.

If you want to see the entire collection of the Hunt Junkies web series, take a look HERE

Enjoy!


EPISODE 2.1




EPISODE 2.2

Labels: Texas, Videos

Yesterday, I posted a video about the wildlife management program at Southwest Texas Junior College. Well, today I am proud to share this video with you about my program at Childress High School.

You see, when I am not thinking and blogging whitetails, I teach agricultural science at Childress High School in Childress, Texas. At the high school ,we have our own wildlife management area complete with a 20-acre high fenced area and our own deer herd. That's right, we have our own deer herd.

Originally, this article ran on Realtree.com but I thought it'd be cool to show it again.



Deer School is in Session in the Texas Panhandle

While high school students everywhere learn about the traditional three "R's" of education, students enrolled in Childress High School's wildlife management program study the three R's of a different kind - racks, rubs, and resource management. This past academic year, the first class of Deer School mustered in the tiny Texas Panhandle town and was an instant hit with students.

"We're really lucky to have these deer and all of the opportunities we have available to us," says senior Stormy Teichelman. "I'd be willing to bet that we're the only school in the country who has all of this available for the students."

Since whitetail deer are the most economically important species of wildlife in the area and arguably Childress' number one tourist attraction, the idea to teach wildlife and natural resource management and use whitetail deer as a vehicle was a natural one. With a couple of grants and some generous donations from local businesses, the concept of Deer School was set in motion.

At the heart of Deer School is a 22-acre enclosure that is currently home to two bucks and four does. Adjacent to the enclosure, the school also owns an additional 66 acres of rangelands that is home to both free ranging whitetail and mule deer and is also under management by the Childress High School students. Food plot plantings, soil management, plant identification, forage management, and hunter education and safety make up parts of the curriculum, but a healthy dose of deer biology is thrown into the mix as well.

Whats cool about the class is that instead of reading about age and nutrition's effects on antler growth, students can go into the field and see the effects for themselves. Students get to chart antler growth, reproductive rates, and body growth by traveling just two miles from the main high school campus.

"I love the fact that everything is so hands-on," says junior Creede Breeding. "In most classes, you may do a worksheet or watch a video or do some internet research, but you don't get to actually go out and get your hands on stuff."

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Labels: Texas, Videos

With school starting back in session all over Texas, I thought now would be the time to show you this cool video.

A month or so ago, I ran into my buddy Justin Bryan and he was extolling the virtues of the wildlife management program at Southwest Texas Junior College where he teaches. I knew once this blog launched, I'd have to share it with you.

I wished that there would have been a program like this when I was still in school. Being a product of the Texas JuCo system before transferring to East Texas State University, chasing whitetail deer would have been a nice diversion for me instead of having to concentrate on a professor droning on and on about classical literature.

The program is the first and only two-year associate of applied science degree in Texas and according to their website, the mission of the program is to "...provide a highly intense, yet professional learning atmosphere both in the class and the field to our students in order to produce quality wildlife technicians that will prosper and have an immediate positive impact in the professional arena."

After our talk, Justin left me this video with highlights of the program. If you know of a student looking for a small school atmosphere and an excellent faculty, I encourage you to look into this program or shoot Justin an e-mail at jbbryan@swtjc.edu

Labels: Texas, Videos

As much as I love to hunt whitetails, I love taking my little girl Bailee hunting. She's been going and blind sitting with me over the last three seasons and I think this is the year she's going to take her first deer.

So this weekend, despite the heat, we went out and put up a ground blind for her in order to try to ambush a deer and make a "chip shot" from about 50 yards once the season commences. Before that day comes, we've got some practicing to do so we'll spend some time on the rifle range getting her ready to go.

As the season draws near, I'll share some of the back story of Bailee's rise to the whitetail world and you can be sure that I'll document her hunts when the season starts.

Waiting for a Texas November...

-Russell A. Graves

Labels: Texas, Videos

I was at the Texas Trophy Hunters Extravaganza this weekend in Fort Worth. Man, what a way to get ready for the season.

Check out my report below...







Russell Graves
Texas Trophy Hunter

Labels: Texas, Videos

What happens when you set up your game camera wrong and it shoots about 6,300 images in two-and-a-half weeks?

A happy accident!

Check it out.

Russell Graves
Texican

Labels: Texas, Videos