Beginner enthusiast looking for guidance

Hello everyone. I've always been interested in the life style of going in the wilderness and being able to survive by hunting for your own food and using nature to survive. For me, it's a way where I can get unplugged and escape my day job of sitting in a cubicle all day and answering e-mails.

I've recently attained my hunting license, purchased a rueger 10/22, and in my final stage of putting together my camping equipment. What I would really appreciate, is some guidance on where I can hunt and camp within a 2 hour distance from Zip code 75056 (The Colony,TX) with my rifle for small game to get my first taste of experiencing the outdoors.

I'm willing to pay for a mentor to show me the ropes and location(s) on where I can get started. Any and all feedback will be very welcome. Thanks!

ta HF

First welcome to the forum.

You said you've gotten your hunting license but have you taken your hunters safety class yet? If not it's easy, you'll learn a lot from it as a beginner, and if you were born on or after 9/2/71 you have to take it.

X2

There are places south such as the Davr Crockett Nat'l forest you can hunt but that's a little more than two hours and you need to get a map to ensure you are on the land that's free. If you choose to hunt public land make sure you wear orange and be careful.

And Welcome and good luck!

Welcome to THF, and what they said. I know the grasslands are in reach of you near Decatur. I have never been out there, but many of the fellas here have.

You may consider booking a Spring turkey hunt if you want to get into an easy thrill soon, you will need a shotgun the way most Spring hunters hunt (call them in and chute'm).

Welcome to the forum.
Remember when on most public land you have to have the annual permit as well. Also most have more strengent seasons and bag limits which vary from park to park. Check it all out ahead of time.

As far as advice goes you are in the wright place, these are fantastic guys, and will steer you in the wright direction. I'v learned a lot here.

There are designated camping areas in the Davey Crockett where you could stay for several days. However, you'll likely go hungry hunting with a .22 rifle unless you're willing to limit yourself to squirrels and rabbits.

As for learning how to hunt and all that goes with it, you'll likely find some great books written just for beginners at your nearest public library.

Also, keep in mind that hunting involves multiple skill sets that should be focused on individually if you want to master them. They include marksmanship and knowledge of firearms, archery if you go that route, animal behavior, and general woodsmanship.

Hi Blindcowboy, I had to take the hunters education course (online) so I could get my hunting license. The hunters ed. course only has to be taken once, and is good for lifetime. I also got the APH permit.

Deerhunter61, yes I purchased me a hat and vest! I'm allergic to lead :P

Texas Dan, since I am a beginner, hunting rabbit and squirrel is primarily what I'm looking for ATM until I get more experienced for bigger game. Thanks for your recommendation of Davey Crockett, I will look into it. As for the learning process, I'm certainly researching to broaden my knowledge when I have the time.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Let me also add that technology has given hunters tremendously valuable tools that didn't exist when I was in your shoes. You can very easily pull up satellite images of the areas you wish to hunt, and use a GPS to safely navigate to and from the deepest areas of public land. Still, there is much to be said for carrying a simple and dependable compass that never needs batteries.

Absolutely. My first trip to the sam houston (last weekend of bow season) I got twisted around in the woods... my gps on the phone said I was about two miles north facing north...followed that for a while before I pulled out my compass and realized I was walking the wrong direction completely. Being alone in a new area with the sun going down and "lost" wasnt pleasant but the boy scout in me kicked in. .stayed calm..grabbed my compass and walked in a straight line till I hit the road.

FWIW, your rifle is a RUGER 10-22, not a rueger.

You don't need a mentor. Since it appears you have the correct permits and licenses, the best thing to do is get out in the woods. I grew up chasing squirrels on public land. Find a stand of oaks or hardwoods and have a seat, watch and listen. You can also work on your stalking technique, learning to navigate the woods as quietly as possible while maintaining all your senses. It would also be a good idea to communicate with any other hunters, if at all possible, that may be in the area so you don't ruin each others hunting. Squirrel hunting is something many people overlook, but can be a lot of fun and rarely should you be skunked. Doesn't require long hours of sitting still, long drives to a lease, and is a good way to get into hunting as a beginner. Check regulations on squirrel hunting with a .22 on public land, some areas are shotgun only. Be aware of the areas around where you decide to hunt if a .22 is allowed, last thing you want is to send a stray bullet onto someones property. Also, make sure you spend time becoming proficient with your new rifle, obviously you want to hit what you are aiming at.

It might have been an even more simple matter of listening for highway noise to get yourself oriented correctly. Traffic noise, train horns, and other sounds from known sources and directions have gotten many hunters out of the woods before the days of GPS and cell phones.

Yeah..I couldnt hear much though. It was pretty thick where I was and getting dark. There were only farms and a dirt road for me to get back to. It was also overcast and I couldnt get a good view of where the dang sun was setting. Once it got dark I could only see about 4-5 feet in front of me with my flashlight because it was really thick brush and weeds.

Learn and respect your weapon. Then we can talk about hunting. Welcome to the forum.

Have you looked at TPWD's online maps?

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/lands/maps/

Also, I think LBJ Grasslands is close to you as well:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/texas/recreation/hunting


You need to read on these units and make sure hunting with a .22 is legal.

Welcome to the forum Outdoorstudent,
A lot is limited by the rules of the area you are camping on. Different land managers or controlling authorities, and each has different rules on what you can do and different dates on when you can do it. Be sure to research where you go and contact the manager for the area and or the game warden. They will be able to set up up with any rules you miss and give you lots of pointers and recommendations.

LBJ grasslands your not going to be able to use your .22. It's shotgun and muzzleloader only. You might be able to camp anywhere there, I don't know, you will need to ask them. This one does not need a permit. If you do camp anywhere other than a campsite before deer season is open, you will piss off a deer hunter or two. For what your wanting, if it were me, too many people, too many roads.

Caddo grasslands you can use a .22, more woods, more water, less roads or due to the lay of the land will feel like it. You can really get away in there and get away from people if you get away from trails and roads. I could easily sustain myself in those woods. You do need an APH permit. Not certain on the camping during deer season here, check the regs with the forest service and TPWD. Taking your camping gear across one of the lakes to camp, fish, hunt would be a neat experience IMHO if allowed to do so.

I am pretty sure all other APH units and WMAs require camping at designated camping areas or no camping at all. I know all other Texas National Forests do not allow camping outside campgrounds and designated hunter camps during deer season. Davy Crockett mentioned would be good after deer season and does allow .22s. Even better, If I were really wanting to get away for an on my own wilderness experience I would go into the Big Slough Wilderness withing Davy Crockett NF. No roads, no cars, no ATVs, no bicycles, and not many, if any people, and you can hunt in there. I personally would go by canoe for initial access, but there is a trail.

Old Sabine Bottom though I have never been there other than a quick scout would probably be a neat experience for what your wanting to do. .22s allowed. Again, I am a water rat, so would use the canoe camp as a base and access different places on the old and new river channels. Colt.45 on here I think knows that place like the back of his hand and may even be willing to show you around. This one I am certain is flooded and may be a while to get back to normal.

The cross timbers trail on texoma due to not being well maintained and skirting near private land the whole way is one I want to do because it's close to hime, but I would not recommend it for you until after you have done a couple other hike camps, but I have always wanted to backpack it with a take down bow and a pack rod. There are some corps hunting areas near the trail that are bow only, no guns allowed, so you would have to pack food or eat a lot of fish. Or pick up snacks when you pass a marina.

There is a link at the top of the forum for researching public hunting areas. And if I were you for what your wanting to do. I would look at getting a shotgun. Opens up more areas you can hunt. My favorite for what your wanting to do is a .22/20 ga combo gun. Chiappa, Savage, and a couple others make one. Mine is an old Savage Campers Companion over under .22/20 Gauge. I can break it down and fit it in my pack.

Good Luck

If just starting out hunting would go with a shotgun 12 or 20 gauge as listed below.

1. able hunt and kill any game animal or bird found Texas
2. almost all public land allows some type of shotgun use
3. gives you the widest range of ammo to use
4. easy to use/clean
5. cheap