Hunting Texas in the summer

[bigbore442001]

I see that there are a number of "summer specials" offered at a number of ranches and outfitters in the Lone Star State during the summer months. It is intriguing from the aspect that I have time off during the summer as well as the opportunity to go as well.

I do figure that the downsides are the heat, the heat and the heat. I would appreciate any advice concerning hunting during hot weather in Texas. Thank you.

[Flashole]

Like most guys  all of our out door grear is made to protect us from the cold.  Has to be that traditonal thing about hunting in the fall that keeps most of us home.  Guess I would look out for snakes and bugs that are out this time of year.  Have a friend that gets to help thin out some animals on a ranch near Kerrvile this time of year.  He usualy gets a few Axis does.  Says he gets them on ice in a hurry,  so far no problem.
 I have thought about it  just as you,  some thing about dreesing out a kill in 90 % heat that just turns me off.  Fishing and golf for me.  Good Hunting and stat cool. :gulp:

[markc]

ditto on snakes and bugs.   Depending on where you will be, and how you will be hunting, watch out for ticks!!!    You need some repelent with DEET in it to keep the ticks off. I have also used sulfur powder on my socks and around the waist.   Watch where you step, and if you have snake boots or chaps, wera them.
markc

[denvas]

Bigbore,

You are 100% correct. Heat is a major concern when hunting in Texas in the summer. However, if you are after a really good axis buck then the summer is the best time to hunt them. Unfortunately other exotics are best to hunt during the fall-winter-spring time. During the summer all of the other deer species are growing their horns just like our whitetail, this includes fallow, sika, red stag, barisingha, etc, etc. Most of the blackbucks are in their reddish summer color phase then and almost all of the rams have lost their heavy winter coats and don't look as good without their heavy beards. Even the aoudads have shed their winter coat. A bright note is that the African hoofstock are pretty much ok to hunt year round, if you can afford them. Feral hogs can be hunted in the summer but I prefer to hunt them in the fall after the first cold front, the meat just seems to taste better then.

Besides heat you will have to worry about snakes and bugs. The hot weather seems to bring out the snakes, tick, mosquitoes and other biting critters. AS it will be hot you more than likely will want to hunt in shorts and a short sleeved shirt so an odorless insect repellant will be needed. (Yes most exotics can smell as good as our whitetails, so unless you hunt them from a moving vehicle, you will still need to exercise scent control.) And the downside to hunting in shorts is that my snake chaps tend to rub my calves.  

But if the heat and bugs don’t bother you then hunting during the summer can be a lot of fun. You get to see the country at a different time of year than hunters are used to and there are very few people hunting to interfere with your activities. And except for axis deer, most lodges seem to have cheaper prices during the summer off season. Good luck.