How To Hunt Fallow Deer

Are you interested in hunting fallow deer? Do you want to learn how to hunt fallow deer? Are you up for the challenge and ready for a trophy-hunting experience? Hunting fallow deer is challenging and will your patience, hunting skills, and physical fitness. In this article, we share information and knowledge to help you hunt one of the exotic animals in Texas.

Fallow Deer History

Fallow deer are native to South-west Asia and the Mediterranean region of Europe. Today, they are also found in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and South Africa. They were brought to Texas in the 1940s.

It is a beautiful deer species that comes in three color phases: spotted, white, and chocolate. The bucks have palmated antlers with multiple points on each side; it is a beauty to behold. The Bucks are the only deer to have Adam’s apple.

How To Hunt Fallow Deer

1. Scouting Fallow Deer

When you want to hunt fallow deer, scout the area for any signs of fallow deer activity. Keep on the lookout for barkless trees. Fallow deer will strip bark from trees to eat when it is hard to find green grass to feed on. Look for deer tracks, droppings, and shed antlers, if you will be lucky to find any. Look for possible food and water sources. Fallow deer eat forbs and woody browse.

They like open grassy areas where they feed on green grass. Keep your eyes open for these areas. Similarly, fallow deer rest and hide from predators in wooded areas. Always be on the watch for wooded areas that are an ideal refuge for fallow deer.

2. Predator Calls

During the rut, you can use predator calls to lure fallow deer out into the shooting range. The antler rattler, the grunt, and the bleat calls work well for fallows. Use a variety of calls to find out which one brings out a response from the fallow deer.

Some calls are often used by hunters and deer have learned that it is not genuine. Experiment and narrow down to the best ones for your area and the type of deer. If you are interested in predator calls, we did a review of the best predator calls on the market today.

3. Spot & Stalk

The spot and stalk method is one of the popular methods to hunt fallow deer. With this method, after scouting an area, you can set up on an elevated position and glass for fallows using binoculars or spotting scopes. When you spot a fallow deer that you want to take down, slowly and quietly approach it. Watch it carefully and the surroundings for other deer or animals like birds and squirrels that may give a warning of your presence.

If you are interested in scopes, we reviewed the best hunting binoculars and the best spotting scopes on the market today. Often come to a complete stop when you stalk the deer and observe the area. If possible, always try to have other natural features as cover when you stalk the fallow deer. After you are in shooting range, take time and position yourself for a good shot to take it down.

4. Hunting with Dogs

You can hunt fallow deer with dogs. Fallow deer are often found in open grassy areas where they feed on the grass. You can use good tracking dogs to pick up their scent and follow their trail and pin down their location. This will give you the opportunity to take a good shot to take it down. If you are interested in learning how to train a dog to track deer, then read this article.

5. Hunt With A Guide

You can hunt fallow deer with a guide. The guide has the experience and knowledge of hunting fallow deer. They know where the deer are located, their movements, and their behaviors. Hunting with a guide will cut down the learning curve and help you have a successful hunt.

Guides are experienced and have encountered almost all situations about hunting fallows. For situations like injuries or animal attacks, they have the experience to quickly handle the situation. Additionally, they know the best weapons to use for hunting fallows, what to wear, the rules and regulations, and what licenses you need.

6. Trail Cameras

Trail cameras have changed the way hunters hunt today. You can use this device to collect information on the movements and behaviors of fallow deer in an area. You can learn their travel routes, bedding, food, and water sources when they leave their bedding areas for food and water, what they eat, how many of them travel together or which bucks move alone, and much more.

With this information, you can properly plan your hunting of fallow. You can then set up a blind or a treestand to wait in the ambush of the deer. If you need a quality trail camera, we did a review of the best trail cameras on the market today.  The best climbing treestands can be read from this link.

7. Bait

Bait can be used to hunt fallow deer. A lot of the fallow deer hunting is done during the Fall and winter months when their food sources are scarce. This is when you take advantage of this knowledge and set up a feeder a position your ground blind with a line of sight to the feeder. If you need a blind, we did a review of the best hunting ground blinds.

8. Still-Hunting

You can also hunt fallow deer using the still-hunt method. With this method, you can set up a blind or treestand and wait for a buck or does to come within your shooting range. You will know where to set up your blind or treestand after collecting information from scouting or using trail cameras. Most of the still hunting done in ground blinds is after you set up a feeder and position the blind overlooking the feeder.

9. Get In Shape

If you want to hunt fallow deer, work on your physical fitness during the off-season. It will put you in a better position when the season starts as the terrain is usually rough and you will cover a lot of open territory stalking and tracking deer.

Fallow Deer Hunting Tips

1. The best time to hunt fallow deer is from September to December.

2. Fallow deer rut from late September through early November with the peak of the rut being October.

3. Fallow deer forbs and woody browse.

4. Fallow bucks become very aggressive during the rut as they move around grunting at each other and looking for does.

5. Fallow deer are often found in open grassy areas where they feed on green grass early mornings and late evenings.

6. In Texas, fallow deer is classified as an “exotic” species which means you can hunt it all year as there is no closed season regarding hunting exotics in Texas.

7. Fallow Bucks weigh about 250 pounds in September and about 200 pounds in November and December.

8. The does are smaller and weigh from 100 to 125 pounds.

9. You can use predator calls to hunt fallow deer.

10. You can also use dogs to hunt fallow deer.

12. The spot & stalk hunting method is one of the most popular methods to hunt fallow deer.

13. You can hunt fallow deer with a hunting guide. The guide brings experience and knowledge to the hunt.

14. Fallow deer had a good sense of smell and eyesight.

15. Always hunt downwind of the area you want to hunt for fallow deer. If they pick up your human scent, the hunt will be over before you realize it.

16. If you hunt fallow deer during the fall and winter months when their food sources are scarce, you can set up a feeder and position your blind overlooking the feeder.

17. Get in shape to hunt fallow deer as the hunt can be physically demanding as you will most likely hunt in wide open areas and rough terrain.

18. You can also still-hunt fallow deer.

The Bottom Line

Fallow deer is one of the exotic species in Texas. This classification allows you to hunt them all year. Fallow deer are blessed with a great sense of smell and eyesight. Hunting fallow deer is challenging as your patience as a hunter, shooting skills, and physical fitness will be seriously tested.

In this article, we share information to help you successfully hunt the fallow deer. If you are also interested in hunting axis deer, then read how to hunt axis deer. You can also read how to hunt blacktail deer, how to hunt axis deer, how to hunt fallow deer, how to hunt sika deer, and how to hunt red deer.