I will be hunting the Anterless/Spike hunt at the Bastrop SP in January. In know most of the park burned in 2011 but maybe the deer population has come back and rebounded. Has anyone hunted the park this past season? Any tips on a hunting strategy? Its a rifle hunt.

I've reasearch a lot about this. I'll be hunting there also. Could be good to hunt where it burned to have long shots. There is a lot of re growth. Small trees and bushes. Find a high point in your part and scout the first day.

I've read that near the river it didn't burn much. So there it might be very woody. Check for trails there and put out game cameras and corn.

Might be good also to go for a day trip there soon to scout it. I think you can do that. It's a state park.

I don't know about the park itself, but I was leaving the Lost Pines power plant a couple of nights ago and there were deer EVERYWHERE! I would think that the park wouldn't be a lot different. I'll bet that there has been a deer population increase big time since the fire. The whole forest floor around there is as green as can be.

Supposedly tons of deer!!! I'm excited!!!

https://www.texastribune.org/2014/12/01/new-culprit-threatens-parks-rebirth-after-fire/

This is a state park hunt and we will be limited to the stands & feeders they have set up for us, you are not allowed to just wander around and hunt. If it was a WMA you would get a section and be allowed to scout and set up stands anywhere within your section. This is different it is a state park and they don't want us walking around with a deer rifle shooting at what ever comes along.....

WARNING! Know what your getting into before you waist your time on this hunt! THE PARK WILL NOT BE CLOSED DURING YOUR HUNT! Read that again, the park will not be closed during your hunt!, there are no cabins available until May 2015! The camp grounds for the weekend of my hunt are 90% taken! You will be hunting on the most severely damaged acreage in the park so don't waist your time bringing either climbing stands or ladder stands because there are NO suitable trees left in that area to hang them, better bring your pop up blinds and I would suggest more than one! Baiting is allowed but what is the point? You throw deer corn on the ground the day of your hunt it will take deer 72 hours to find it? The hunting area is limited to just under 1000 acres for all 12 hunters. The park staff said that they will post signs warning campers and day use folks about the hunt area BUT they cannot promise that hikers or mountain bikers won't wander into the hunting area! WHAT? So after talking to Austin and to the park supervisor I have decided it is NOT in my best interests to travel 4 hours, spend over $600 dollars on gas, food and lodging to hunt in a state park that was ravaged buy a wild fire and over run with campers! Good luck guys your gonna need it!

What was the hunter success rate last year? The forest fire seems like a big plus to me as far as deer numbers are concerned.

I went on the hunt on Matagorda Island this past weekend, one of the biologists on the hunt works in BSP and he thinks that the hunting will be very good. I plan to go and try to get in on standby.

Called friday, no standby spots for bastrop this year.