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Spotlight Surveys

1K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  Troutfisch 
#1 ·
Anyone doing their spotlight surveys? We ran two this weekend in Rocksprings. Our ratio of buck/doe is under 1/2, and fawns are running right at 100%! Saw lots of young turkeys, the place is green and deep in grass. We saw a number of really good bucks. Doves were as good as they get up there. Killed a limit on Saturday afternoon in about 1.5 hours, and killed 10 in about the same amount of time Sunday afternoon. Had to quit early to eat supper and get ready to run the surveys. Season is looking good, cannot wait!
I hope everyone is finding the same on their place, this extra rain should help.
BB
 
#2 ·
We saw our normal two deer on our yearly spot light survey. I can see how these surveys can be a useful management tool in some areas of texas, but here in east texas they are a joke. In 15 years we have never seen more than 3 deer during the spotlight survey. Whats the point in that? I just seems like a waste of ours and the biologists time. When these east texas deer hear a truck and see a spotlight they duck for cover.
 
#3 ·
Spotlight surveys

Spotlight surveys are pretty useless in a lot of areas. East Texas and most of South Texas is just too thick for an accurate survey. Haugn walking lines, track counts, and other methods would probably be all that would work in East Texas. Helicopter surveys are about all that would work in most of South Texas. We saw 51 deer the first night and 62 the next night. 57 deer average. We survey 512 acres, so about one deer per 9 acres. We try to carry over about one deer to 14 acres. Should have a good many deer to remove, we are on a MLDP so it should be fun.
Good luck to you.
 
#5 ·
We have been doing surveys every year as well at our place in the Junction area. I must admit I feel that the incedental surveys done from the blinds are just as effective. BB- If you guys have the ratio down that low, you must be doing some serious Doe control. I would be happy with a 1:2. Every time we get it down more Ladies come in and we are back to where we were. I expect it is even worse this year with the dismal year we had last season.....
 
#6 ·
We have been running them in Menard, and not having as good of luck also, due to some very thick areas. I believe the Incidental surveys from the stands are alot better. Last year it showed we did not have many does, until everyone went to sitting in the stand, our biolgist then told us to shoot from two does to three does.
 
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