New here, from TX

[tmbshp]

Thought I'd get signed up here.

Looking to get more into hunting. I've had my toe in for pretty much my whole adult life (I'm 29) and have been on a few day hunts with friends and family. I've been the... if I don't get invited, I don't go, type of "hunter" lol.

So this year I decided to finally take it seriously and stop being a poser. I've been researching my public options here and have been doing a lot of e-scouting and I think I've found a good patch of ground to start scouting on foot. 425 acres of public land with awful access! So that's where I'm at, hope to learn and read a lot on here and eventually work my way up to being capable enough to hunt public out of state and west. Thanks

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome!! If you're going to come up North, I would recommend antelope as your first 'western' hunt. There's lots of them and if you blow one stalk, another herd isn't too far away. It's a nice way to cut your teeth up here. But, I will tell you, once you've heard an elk bugle, it's all over...you'll be addicted

 

[SteveE]

hunt public out of state and west. Thanks

Welcome to the site! This part is where I would focus. After reading tristates Texas posts I'm not sure Texas residents understand what they are missing. Hone your skills in Texas but I would spend every spare minute and ounce of hunting time working to get as far north of Texas as you can.

Western public lands will give you a new perspective on Texas hunting culture. It is here for you and it is FREE to hunt.

 

[tmbshp]

Welcome to the site! This part is where I would focus. After reading tristates Texas posts I'm not sure Texas residents understand what they are missing. Hone your skills in Texas but I would spend every spare minute and ounce of hunting time working to get as far north of Texas as you can.

I can get on board with that. Almost every one I know who hunts in tx does so on relatively small parcels (under 50 acres) in a blind 30 yards from a feeder. Not a lot of public ground. I've sold land to guys who plan to set up a feeder on parcels as small as 2 acres.

The spot I'm scouting is in Texas just under 2 hours from my front door, it's part of probably about 10k acres. I've gone with my brother in law on a hunt in the lbj grasslands before and plan to spend some more time out there also. I'm thinking I'm a few years off from seriously considering western hunts but will be hitting my spot every chance I can until then. I'm replacing most of my fishing days with hunting.

 

[tmbshp]

Welcome!! If you're going to come up North, I would recommend antelope as your first 'western' hunt. There's lots of them and if you blow one stalk, another herd isn't too far away. It's a nice way to cut your teeth up here. But, I will tell you, once you've heard an elk bugle, it's all over...you'll be addicted

I love the idea of antelope hunting. I've heard there's not otc tags but some units are almost sure to draw. Any truth to that?

 

[JohnCushman]

Colorado had OTC either sex archery tags and a lot of units you can get a muzzleloader tag with 1 point. Many units in Wyoming have leftover tags, but some don't have a lot of access, but it can be done.

 

[SteveE]

Save these dates:

Montanas antelope draw is due June 1st along with cow elk.

Moose sheep goat is May 1.

Buck and bull is due by March 15.

Draw odds vary but if you focus on the easier to get tags, and apply for a few states, you should be able to hunt next year.

The numerous draws are overwhelming at first but once you play the game awhile it gets easier to understand.

You are in the right place. Lots of knowledgable hunters in here that are more then willing to answer your questions.

If you pull a MT tag I will point you in the right direction.

Dig in and stick with the easy draw tags. In a few years you will wonder how the heck you will be able to cover all the hunts you get. At that point start switching your draw units to the more premium hunts that USUALLY take many years to draw.

 

[davembehr]

Howdy! I'm new to the site and a fellow Texan too. My son and I have been hunting deer a few years now on public land and ducks for several years. I enjoy hunting public land and it's obviously much less expensive. We bow hunt for the most part, and stalk hunt. I'm too impatient and bored to sit in a blind, waiting. We've come across a few deer and had a couple of shots. Good luck on your endeavors.

 

[iaengineer]

What part of Texas are you from? I lived in Texas for several years and only hunted public ground. It can be done and actually there are some decent places. IM me sometime and I can give you some tips.

 

[texashunting2015]

Welcome! Just recently joined myself but already blown away by the amount of information on this site. I am in the San Antonio area here, have access to a lease but gonna start using the public land in the state to increase my harvest each year.

 

[Bowhunt2live]

Welcome to the site fellow Texans. I just want to add that there are actually a few Texans who kept the 'Hunt' in 'Hunting'. I don't use a feeder, I'm archery only for deer, and I won't pay money for access out of principle. With that said, I do have private access for deer and hogs but pay in sweat. It's not easy to get these contacts but it is possible. I also have tremendous success in gaining private access for ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, and rabbits. So don't think you need to abide by the TX hunting culture to hunt in TX. Also, I urge you to not believe you need to hone your skills in TX. Western mountain and plains hunting is quite different from almost all TX hunting, so might as well hone your skills straight away on elk, pronghorn, etc. I can't say I did that myself, but I started hunting in the northeast. Good luck!

 

[texashunting2015]

Welcome to the site fellow Texans. I just want to add that there are actually a few Texans who kept the 'Hunt' in 'Hunting'. I don't use a feeder, I'm archery only for deer, and I won't pay money for access out of principle. With that said, I do have private access for deer and hogs but pay in sweat. It's not easy to get these contacts but it is possible. I also have tremendous success in gaining private access for ducks, geese, sandhill cranes, and rabbits. So don't think you need to abide by the TX hunting culture to hunt in TX. Also, I urge you to not believe you need to hone your skills in TX. Western mountain and plains hunting is quite different from almost all TX hunting, so might as well hone your skills straight away on elk, pronghorn, etc. I can't say I did that myself, but I started hunting in the northeast. Good luck!

Thanks so much! I can certainly appreciate your approach to hunting in this state. I don't pay for lease myself and like you work to be able to shoot. I am a bit of a late starter, only been hunting about 8 years. In that time I have relied on management goals to harvest all my deer. I have never taken what many think of as a trophy. Last year I started using the public dove hunting areas and this year will be applying for as many of the drawn hunts in the state as I can.

 

[TN Wild Man]

Hey there,

I'm also a fairly new user from Texas (Houston area) and new to hunting. I've also been wrestling with the idea of how to do some public land hunting in Texas. It seems like nearly everyone I know who hunts owns a lease within a 1-2 hour drive from Houston and they like to spend a lot of their free time tending to their feeders. I'm not saying it isn't hunting, but it just doesn't strike a chord with me.

By the looks of the other replys here there are quite a few other hunters on the forums from Texas, or at the very least people with some knowledge they may be willing to share. I recently discovered that Houston has a Backcountry Hunters and Anglers chapter, and I am going to try and find out if they meet regularly. If so, it seems like that might be a great way to meet some like-minded folks.

At any rate, welcome to the forum. You're not alone.

 

[Mr.Bill]

Hey, fellow Texans. I highly recommend Wyoming for antelope. I've done two hunts there and both were spectacular. No trespass fees, guides, of any of that. All you need is a good GPS and a map with coordinates so you know for sure you are on BLM, State or other public land. If you can find a game warden talk to him. He will put you on some great spots. GET OUT OF THE TRUCK AND WALK!!!! You won't believe how many anamals are hidden in those little folds of landscape. Get your doe tags in the same unit as your buck or you may drive across the state to fill them. If you don't want to go that far next fall, try out Lake Meredith north of Amarillo. All you need is your Texas license.

 

[Army of Dad]

Add one more public land hunter in Texas.

A buddy and I are planning a public land backcountry elk hunt in Colorado for 2018. For now we are starting our e-scouting, gear acquisition, and physical prep (we both have extra weight we don't want to carry up and down mountains).

 

[SFC B]

I want to second what Cush has said. Lope is a good start as you will see PLENTY of animals. You should be ready to do several stalks before getting close enough but it is fun. I have shot a doe in CO (at 390m) and then the next year got a buck in WY at about 80-100m. As for the elk.....well once you get your butt up in the big mountains and see and hear the critters you won't want to be anywhere else Best of luck to you!!!