Of the things I’ve learned, these deer - especially bucks - are among the smartest, most wary deer I’ve ever encountered. Over the years, I’ve had the good fortune of hunting wild, free-ranging axis deer on three occasions - twice in Texas and once in Hawaii. Over the years, some of the axis deer escaped the massive enclosures and now range freely across southern parts of the state. Although most of those ranches were high-fence operations, most of those were huge landholdings, encompassing tens of thousands of acres of South Texas brush country habitat. The axis deer is its own species of deer.Īxis were introduced to Texas in 1932 as an exotic species for hunting ranches.
Their presence dates all the way back to the Pleistocene age. They were introduced to Molokai, Hawaii in the 1860s, Maui years after that, and Texas in 1932, intended as a game animal, but axis are indigenous to places like India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Wild free-ranging axis deer are on that list, and they can be found in small parts of South Texas and Hawaii. Venture outside the typical range for white-tailed deer in North America, and you’ll discover some things that are as odd as they are fascinating. All I know is that he’s close enough that I need to get my shooting sticks and video camera ready to roll. It’s kind of like trying to gauge the distance of a spring gobbler. I only know that because I’ve hunted them before. It’s the roar of an axis buck, and he’s close. Before long, a very odd sound pierces the calm morning air. I shoulder my binoculars and watch in amazement as axis, sitka and white-tailed does filter past my blind. The does have numerous grown fawns in tow as they head toward both, looking to grab a snack and a drink before seeking shelter in the shade of mesquite and live oak draws to my east.
There’s a protein feeder about 100 yards away and a water hole. DDH President Brad Rucks with a dandy axis buck, shot in Texas with Keith Miller.ĭaylight filters across the landscape, and several antlerless deer materialize on the horizon.
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