Saint Andrews

[huntmando]

I'm just lookin for a little info. on deer numbers and whether I should be a
little bit picky on size in the 254. Any comments good or bad are appreciated.   

[DOUBLELUNG]

Saint Andrews might be the LAST area where I'd be picky about size.  Good deer densities, but VERY few older bucks.

Not much cover, high road densities, lots of trespassing road hunters.  VERY few legal bucks survive the season in St. Andrews, and it is probably one of the worse areas for illegal 2-points shot and left.  I would recommend shooting the first legal buck that presents a safe and legal opportunity.

[boneaddict]

I think thats one unit in this state that I know absolutely nothing about.  Which probably means it never had anything really to attract me to it. 

[Fish4Fun]

Saint Andrews might be the LAST area where I'd be picky about size.  Good deer densities, but VERY few older bucks.

Not much cover, high road densities, lots of trespassing road hunters.  VERY few legal bucks survive the season in St. Andrews, and it is probably one of the worse areas for illegal 2-points shot and left.  I would recommend shooting the first legal buck that presents a safe and legal opportunity.

Well said, with that grid work of roads no deer is going to make it out of there once it has been spotted. Game Warden told me the locals just drive the roads until they spot a buck and then they call in the others until it is surrounded. huntmando, take the first legal buck you see, but make sure you are not on private property. The bulk of the lands are not posted either, so DO NOT ASSUME that it is legal to hunt just because there are no signs. Land owners don't have to post NO TRESPASSING in this state from what I have been told. It is our duty as the sportsman to now where we are.

[turkey slayer]

Well said everyone. The one other thing there is alot of private and the farmers hate tresspassing in that area. The buck to doe numbers are up in some of the areas and and other area through the unit is down. Do your home work if you come over.

[MtnMuley]

Exactly Doublelung.  Overall poor quality, legal buck survival rate has to be as low as it gets in this state, and LOTS of private land.  One of the best areas is private and absolutely NO permission is given out.  Not trying to deter you, but those are the facts.

[uplandhunter870]

i would second what everyone else had said.  use the GoHunt app on the DFW site it has a bunch of state and federal land listed couple that with google earth and the douglas county assessor's GIS landowner map you can find a lot of info. i would also suggest putting some time in, in the unit you may stumble across some feel free to hunt land that is not listed on the GoHunt app

[Fish4Fun]

Knockin on doors over there will get you a no pretty much everytime too. Might be low deer numbers, but they still don't let too many outside people onto the lands. Plus, it is pretty late in the game with only 2 weeks to go to be askin. As noted above, not trying to stop you, just make sure you KNOW where you are. The farmers really don't have a sense of humor when it comes to being on their lands, not to mention if you were to shoot a deer of their place.

[Mr T]

I have seen way too many giant 2-pointers out there and it will drive you crazy 

[huntmando]

Thanks for all of the input guys. I gained access to a couple large sections of land and was just
wondering what people had thought of the area who had been there more than myself.  Again, thanks for the feedback.

[WonkyWapiti]

I hunt this unit every year as well as an adjacent one.  There are deer there but as others have already said it can be a mad house during modern firearm season.  Two years ago I came across a two point that had been illegally shot and left behind.  There were boot prints near it and it had evidence of being moved.  The thing had really tall antlers and I'm sure someone figured it must have had eyeguards and shot it without confirming through a spotting scope.    I gave up modern and now muzzle load over there.  I will be taking my daughter out this year over there for her first hunt during modern though. 

Alot of the really good ground is on private land.  I've encountered trespassers on multiple occasions, you often get morons who just don't give a rip and will go anywhere.    I've also spent alot of time hiking way back into some public land areas and you'll rarely see anyone out there.  The locals really dislike many of us "coasties" who come over and cause many of the trespass problems.  I've worked hard to establish good relationships with many property owners over there but some farmers won't let you hunt come hell or high water due to past problems with hunters.  Also a word of advice, there are some farmers over there that won't think twice about holding you at gunpoint til the game warden shows up or worse if they catch you trespassing on their property.

Having said all this, I love the area.  I get to hunt with my good friends that live over there and get to enjoy some gorgeous scenery every year.