[NewFisher]

I would like to get any opinons on the public hunting here in texas. I have found that I cannot afford to spend the kind of money people are asking for a lease so I figure i would see if anyone on the board has had any success hunting public land in texas. I live in Lake Jackson and do not want to travel 8 hours to a public hunting spot. I have been reading about Sam Houston up north on Houston. Has anyone had any success there? Can anyone recommend a good place to camp. I really just need to get out into the woods for a few weekends this year before I go totally insane. Thanks in advance.
Craig Williams

 

[bbridges]

Craig,
I have hunted the public lands for the past few years due to the same reason. We always do well dove and duck hunting and this year I am going to try my luck bow hunting Sam Houston. There is a great camp facility in New Waverly on the north end of Conroe that is quiet and clean. Check it out one weekend, there is a ton of land on creek bottoms that are loaded with hogs if nothing else.

 

[Hard Head]

I have hunted the Davey Crockett National Forest near Alto in the past and have found it to be very unpleasent. The locals deem the woods as their own and booby trapped many of the logging roads with roof nails. Fortunately my bro in law lives near there and knew of these traps.

You can apply to hunt State lands via a drawing. I believe it's a Type III hunt. You can find out more on the TP&W web site.

Now as for the Sam Houston State Park, the success rate is low and there have been Hunters shot and killed there by yahoos. Several years ago, a hunter was sitting in a tree and was killed. The shooter says he mistook the dead hunter for a Turkey!

My suggestion is to find a Day Lease. There are several places in Texas that allow you to hunt/camp for as little as $100 a day per person. Most are in East Texas.

Hunting has become Big Business in Texas, and the days of $500 per gun leases are over with and done.

 

[NewFisher]

I do not like the sound of getting shot at. That is why I am going hunting to do the shooting. Hopefully someone on this board has had some success.

Craig

 

[Hard Head]

Try this. It gives you several options for Public/State Run hunts.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/hunt/public_hunting/

 

[Too Tall]

Almost Hardhead almost. :smile: I'm still on a lease in south Texas and only pay $500 a gun, 1000 acres, 10 guns. The landowner wants to increase because of his neighbors but we got him to hold off at least one more season. He wants $750 a gun next year. Still acceptable for the area. Our other lease is $800 a gun. If anybody is interested we will be looking around at some more leases next year and I can pass on info of what we find. The area we hunt is the triangle from Hebbronville south to Rio Grande City and west to Laredo.

 

[DISSipator]

NewFisher, I hunted Sam Houston National Forest for 5 years in a row. I killed a "eight point" each of the last 2 years I hunted there. And I never went anywhere near Sam Houston State Park.

I'm not gonna tell you exactly where I hunted. But I will give you a clue.

Take the 1375 exit off of Interstate 45. Go West. This will take you across the top side of Lake Conroe. It is a area called Stubblefield Lake. A little past the bridge you will come to the Raven Ranger District Building that is headquarters for the Sam Houston National Forest. You can get a topo map of the forest there.

Several miles west of there is a small primitive camp site that is on the very top end of Stubblefield Lake.

I hunted within a 10 mile radius of the area. I generally hunted a solid 2 mile walk from where anyone could park. As a result I encountered a total of 2 people the 5 years I hunted there. And they never knew I was there.

I will tell you that the deer in Sam Houston National Forest are the smartest and most nocturnal I have ever encountered in the State of Texas.

I hunted edges between very thick 20 year old clear cuts and old growth forest. If you use cover scents and you are silent you will hear plenty of deer, if you are in the right spots. Due to thick vegetation you won't see many. And the ones you do see will disappear quickly.

If you notice I said I killed 2 in 5 years. It is because it took me 3 years to figure out how to hunt them. I can promise you that my skills as a hunter were greatly improved by the challenges of hunting in Sam Houston.

I have given you pearls here. And here are a few more bits of info on Sam.
You need a type 2 hunting permit from the state to hunt there.
Rattling horns do not work there.
The rut will be at the end of bow season.
If you haven't killed a deer before Thanksgiving, you probably won't.
Use a tree climbing stand.

 

[NewFisher]

Well I have to say hats off. THANK YOU MASTER. those clues have helped me confirm that I am hunting there this year. I like a challenge and for the most part a free challenge. I am looking forward to this deer season. Thank you once again for the great information

 

[roger1shot]

Pulbic Hunting

Hey,
I've hunted the National Forest for years.Started out hunting at Richland Creek on the type II back in 1987.Before they turn the place into the Special Drawing Hunting area. Killed alot of deer in there,and they were some big ones too.
Best way to hunt any of the public land is :
1.GET IN GOOD WALKING SHAPE
2.Walk only 1/2 way into the woods,at any spot.Because any farther then your comming out the other side.
3.Get to your stand real early,1 1/2 hours before day light.And stay all day if you don't get a deer.Come out after dark,too.No one shoots at flashlights.
I met the guy's buddy that was shot at Davy Crockett,this was before everyone had to wear orange.The man was shot in a tree by some ******* fool,who got away with a killing.He was shot in the back with a 30-30 iron sights.
One more thing,he's right about the people thinking. That they think that the forest belongs to them.Best thing you can do in talking to any of them, is to act as if your from East Texas too.And talk down about all the outsiders comming into hunt. GOOD Luck let us know how your hunt turns out.