Texas tags

[MistahMoon]

I am looking to start applying for some texas tags next year but really not sure how/where to start. I have gone through the TPWD, and have seen the general process, and locations that can be applied for...but beyond that is where I start getting lost.

I'm essentially a new hunter, hunted as a child back in Louisiana but have never hunted in Texas and have plenty of questions. Like how far in advance are you notified if you are drawn? Are there any recommendations on where to apply as a novice hunter? How does the preference points (or whatever they are referred to now) system work?

I've scrolled through the forums for a while before registering and posting, but couldn't seem to find anything basic enough for me to wrap my head around. I apologize for the rookie questions, but any insight is greatly appreciated!

TIA

 

[Cornell Cowboy]

I can't speak to all of your questions, but I applied in mid-August for several draw permits and was notified in early September that I (actually my son) drew a permit. We're heading down to Texas on New Year's for a deer/hog hunt. I think for the rest of your questions, you would be better off calling a biologist or warden in your region of interest.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Pick the type of hunt you want, and look around a different forum on the interweb devoted to texas hunting. Texas doesn't register on this site for much, and public hunting isn't really Texas' forte to begin with.

 

[JV842]

And if u do have the time, they have stand by slots available. Go to the place u want to hunt on the day of the hunt, sign in, n they will draw out of a hat for all that showed up for those slots; openings for drawn applicants that couldn’t show. My friends have had some outstanding success doing this.

 

[MistahMoon]

Pick the type of hunt you want, and look around a different forum on the interweb devoted to texas hunting. Texas doesn't register on this site for much, and public hunting isn't really Texas' forte to begin with.

States over a million acres of public land to hunt in texas, I'm not sure if that's a big number or not but seems like a lot to me.

 

[Cornell Cowboy]

States over a million acres of public land to hunt in texas, I'm not sure if that's a big number or not but seems like a lot to me.

That's not much, especially relative to the population. For a reference, Wyoming has over 30,000,000 acres of public land and a population of around half a million. Texas has population of nearly 30 million. So Texas has 60 times more people and 1/30th of the public land that Wyoming has, which means that public land per person in Texas is less than 0.1% of what it is in Wyoming. In other words, public land in Texas is going to be pretty scarce.

 

[MistahMoon]

Well damn....so options are to just continue to beg for an opportunity or pay out the nose for a fenced hunt?!

 

[Cm7727]

Applications open in July and Texas has a loyalty point system (think extra raffle tickets). Notification of selection is usually 1-2 days after the deadline to apply, so you can look at the deadline vs hunt dates and you will know how far in advance you will be notified if selected.

Like JV842 said, the standby slots sometimes have better odds if you have the time to show up and put your name in the hat. Feel free to send me a message if you have specific questions and I will be glad to help.

 

[Greyman]

Like said above by Cm7727, the drawn hunts applications open in July. With no points, odds are a little long to get drawn but most of the apps are only $3. If you go ahead this coming year and put in for at least 1 hunt in each category, you'll start accumulating points and get drawn more frequently. I've been accumulating points for years and now I get drawn for some type of hunt every year, although not necessarily in the premium hunts every year.
There is also the Annual Public Hunting permit. That opens up a lot of hunting that is walk in (no draw required) and other drawings that are open only to APH holders.

 

[prhunter]

Refer to the two posts above this one.

I apply for these Texas public hunts every year. PM me if you have any more questions.

 

[Whiptail]

You're on the wrong forum.
Go here:

PUBLIC HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES AND AREAS IN TEXAS

Help add to the listing for new hunters or hunters new to Texas. Please PM your information to jeh7mmmag or Sniper John so we can add to thread and keep it organized and cleaned up. Please give the approximate geographic location of area. Thanks (TPWLD Programs and areas) Annual Public ...

texashuntingforum.com

 

[MistahMoon]

You're on the wrong forum.
Go here:

PUBLIC HUNTING OPPORTUNITIES AND AREAS IN TEXAS

Help add to the listing for new hunters or hunters new to Texas. Please PM your information to jeh7mmmag or Sniper John so we can add to thread and keep it organized and cleaned up. Please give the approximate geographic location of area. Thanks (TPWLD Programs and areas) Annual Public ...

texashuntingforum.com

Thank you, I found that one as well. Didnt realize this forum was for western hunters only. My apologies for disturbing you all. 2 comments on this thread to go elsewhere have been noted.

 

[JV842]

No need to apologize, find which species u want to hunt, narrow down what ur looking for (trophy quality vs draw opportunities) then pick some spots. Pm me anytime u want. Hunted a few of em

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

Where are you at in the state? I might be able to help navigate the non-draw public hunting opportunities.

 

[MistahMoon]

Where are you at in the state? I might be able to help navigate the non-draw public hunting opportunities.

I am just about inside sam houston national forest

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

Gotcha, then you’ve got ample land to hunt right out your door! Oh, and welcome to the forum. There’s plenty of non-Western hunters here.

Many of the draws are limited timeframes. I think they can be worth it, but not required. Obviously SHNF is available, as is the areas in Davey Crockett NF, Angelina NF, and Sabine.

Get your APH, and spend some time looking at the areas around you. I think you should be able to have some success if you can learn an area and get to hunt more than a weekend every other year in the draws.

PM me if you want to talk specifics. I’ve hunted numerous times in Sam Houston when I was living down there.

 

[JV842]

Never hunted out east Texas, familiar w Chaparral, Kerr, Govt Canyon, Daughtery, n Aransas. Got buddies that have hunted Amastad n some others

 

[ImBillT]

Texas has a bonus point system. There is no way to know draw odds because they don’t publish how many bonus point people have. What I can tell you is that even if there was no point system that odds are extremely low. The hunts are also nothing like a western public land hunt. You get assigned an area to hunt(compartment) or even a blind, depending on the hunt. There is no way of know what compartment or blind you’ll get, as they don’t publish compartment boundaries and they assign compartments and blinds at random once you get there. You also get a fairly short hunt. All that said, you’re hunting animals that don’t really get hunted, and they’re usually pretty high quality.

This year results were out mid-day, the day after the application deadline. I apply for most of the book except for blind hunts. I have 9-10 points on most species, and so far have only drawn javelina.

 

[OldTexicanNewMexican]

Texas is about 96% private land. Very little public lands. There are two National Forest parcels in east Texas, north of Houston. Otherwise there are some state lands managed by Texas Parks & Wildlife and some parks managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. You'll have to refer to those sites to learn about hunting on those lands. Most of the hunting done on TPWD lands will be by drawing and you'll need to apply on their website for those drawings.
Otherwise, you'll need to find pay for a guided hunt on a private ranch. Some are high fenced game preserves, others are low fence working ranches. The final option is to find other hunters who lease a ranch for hunting. Often times spots become available on these leases and you can join by invitation.
If you choose to go the lease route you should be a bit discerning. Any ranch that is allowing high hunter density is probably not well managed and your likelihood of shooting a true trophy buck is going to be quite low. Also, look at the type management plan in place. Does the ranch employ a biologist? What is the age structure of the deer herd? What are the survey records for the ranch and the harvest records? A well managed ranch will be able to provide this information. As you might expect, the better the management plan, the higher the lease price. Finally, get a copy of the lease/ranch rules. If the rules don't mesh with your beliefs or hunting style, then you should probably walk. The biggest reason hunters are kicked off a lease/ranch is for not following the rules.
Finally, go to websites like Quality Deer Management Association and learn the accepted deer management protocols on aging deer and scoring deer on the hoof. You'll have to do this on the well managed leases.
Understand, there is not a 160+ B&C buck hiding behind every tree, even in the fabled "Golden Triangle". You're going to have to spend lots of time in the field.
Lastly, if you don't care to shoot a 180 inch monster, but would like a "lesser" caliber, look for management hunts. It's often not hard to find some last minute 3 day hunts for a nice 8 and 9 point bucks on some of these ranches, and for less than you'd expect.