Draw System

When do you think they will start the new draw system for this year?
I missed out on the alligator draw last year because I didn't realize that it had already started.

Thanks,
CM

I think July 1st is when the hunts get listed.

They're listed now. I've already applied for a few.

Not available according to website.

If you go to Check Status and type in your info, you can apply from there. They just haven't released the booklet yet.

I'm curious to see last year's statistics. I would like to see if the new system has helped or hurt drawing odds. I suspect the latter.

I'm curious to see last year's statistics. I would like to see if the new system has helped or hurt drawing odds. I suspect the latter.

Ditto on this. They just had a big eradication hog hunt last year down where I'm at right before the season started and just last week they had a nilgai eradication hunt also. Of course they said they are trying to control the fever tick.

I have heard that won't be posted this year. Guess we will find out shortly.

Just looked at the TPW Draw site...look different than last year for sure, with no history tab to see previous years stats.

Some of the Hunt Categories are accepting Entries, but not all of them. Looks like TPW is populating the categories right now though.

Really need to find one of my old Pre Digital catalogs to see where everything is from down here, and take some time to go thru the research to see what all makes sense to apply for, from here in Palestine, as opposed to the Hunt Sites I'd applied for in the past from Lake Texoma with regards to time & distance wise.

Anybody Hunt Ft Boggy recently? Haven't hunted a NFS location in way too long, except for the Fannin County property about 10-12 years ago & wound up down near Wolffe City instead of up north of Honey Grove to escape the traffic. anybody got any insight on the NFS stuff close to me & willing to share info? I understand that knowledge is hard to come by, kinda like catfish honey holes.

Gus Engling & Keechi Creek are 30 minutes or less away from the house, but all the stuff south & west of Ft Worth I always applied for in the past is not nearly as handy now days.
Ron

In case they don't put it up this season's draw. Download or print before it goes away.

https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/h...ary_2014_15.pdf

https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/statistics.phtml

https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/hunt-categories.phtml

Thx Sniper, gonna study this to see if I can make some sense out of where to put in for.
Ron

Thanks for posting. I donated to applied for seven of them. Gotta keep building up my Bighorn points. I'm winning that sucker some day. (This is the closest I get to playing the lottery.)

About 4 years ago. That was my 4th trip out there. Went 3 yrs in a row as a stand-by since it's only 45 min from my house. All archery. Since they changed it to compartment, they cut the permits in half, making it harder to go as a stand-by.
But, I had good hunts on every one of them. Have slung an arrow just about every trip out there and always see a bunch of deer. Always one reason or another I haven't connected. Should've killed 3 or 4 bucks and a couple of does.

Looking at the TPW Draw Hunt History I assume from last year that Sniper was kind enough to post a link to...Fort Boggy only had 4 deer taken last year during the one rifle hunt they had, & I've fergotten the %'s that represents but looks like it's one of those "not worth the drive" terriblely low showings....just close enough to the house to think about.
Ron

I sometimes take the low success odds with a grain of salt, particularly if it is a compartment style hunt. A couple of my best hunts, including Fort Boggy, had low success rates. Fact is, a lot of folks don't know how to hunt if they aren't sitting in a box blind staring at a corn feeder. If you are willing to take on a hunt that is more of a challenge, there are some real gems that a lot of folks have a hard time taking any game at all.

Looks like they have massively reduced the # of hunts/permits at Gus this year, wonder if its because of flood damage or the decline in deer population there? No hunts at Richland Creek for the second year in a row, excuse is probably flood damage but I sure hope that WMA gets back in the draw hunts next year, even better just make it type II land again...

BBM Richland Creek is probably still under water, as last time I went to Temple 3 weeks ago thru there it was out of the banks and we got a piece of the big rain that went thru Corsicana this morning again but the Creek is back in it's banks under the I-45 bridge 7-8 days ago....I'm N'west of downtown & couple miles north of the 19/287 Loop interchange and we didn't get hit nearly as hard as folks west of us did, according to NOA radar. .

Went up 287 to Dallas a ummm mebbe 8 days ago from Palestine, and the RC Forbidden Zone flood plain was still soaked, but the gates had finally closed, then a guy was washed off the Tenn Colony access road and swept away on the way to work at 5am a day later with an 8" spot cell just south of the blinker on 287 ....so who knows what it looks like back in the woods down there south of Hwy 79.

Keechi Creek area along Hwy 79 going to Buffalo was drier than I've seen it lately, but the River is still in flood stage runoff at the Hwy 79 bridge couple days ago.

Came down 175 & 19 last Wed and all those creeks are back in their banks barely, but CC looked plumb full & ready to pop at the bridges

No I'm not holding much hope on hunting Public Land close to home this year...but I'll still get some LP's out of it.
Ron

I agree with PALEHORSE on taking the success rate with a grain of salt....
Myself and ScooterG finally got drawn last year for GDE at the Matador WMA. We were both successful. Best and toughest hunt I've ever been on. Sure you need to look at all the statistics and try to make a educated decision on what/where to apply. Read up on all the information you can find on the different areas and ask around like youre doing here. There were a lot of hunters the week we hunted the Matador that were unsuccessful, but in talking to them, several seemed to lack the knowledge and drive necessary to chase big whitetail. on these hunts I don't expect the big bucks to just show up, I look and learn as much as I can about the place and the lay of the land and go find them. Part of it is being where the big deer live, the other part is finding and out smarting them.
FYI....there are no big bucks left at the Matador by the way, so don't waste your money applying...

This is all 2014-15 stuff.

Re: this is all 2014-2015 stuff...

...and why the ???'s on where the 2015 - 2016 data is and why it is not available...

Inquiring minds wanna know whass up wid that...Just Sayin'

Ron

Re: this is all 2014-2015 stuff...

...and why the ???'s on where the 2015 - 2016 data is and why it is not available...

Inquiring minds wanna know whass up wid that...Just Sayin'

Ron

F.Y.I. Just read over on the green screen that the booklet will be available for download Thursday, July 7.

The catalog/booklet is now available to view and download.

Good luck!

Just saw it. Thanks Palehorse

Uh Oh ....time to start thinking about what, where , when and sqirreling away travel money that the BH doan't know about...
Ron

I have a question about the draw hunt system. I was told that if your name shows up on more than one application for the same hunt ALL of the names associated with your name as well as your name will be disqualified. My question is that if my name shows up on the applications for the youth hunts with my children (since they have to be accompanied by an adult), does that mean i can not apply for a hunt on that same SP or WMA with an adult group without getting disqualified?

528, Under the old non digital system, if you applied for more than one location with a given category either alone or in a group THEN you App's were disqualified in that category

Under the new digital system, we are being encourage to make as many entry's as desired in a given Category so TPW captures more Entry Fees and leaves no stone unturned in their quest for bux.

BUT I've never heard your question before so I'm gonna make a Supposition that the new System & Rules will prevail. OTOH I'd make a phone call to the guys at 4200 Smith School Rd in Austin to get a better answer if it's there.
Ron

I have a question about the shopping cart. If you put a couple hunt in your cart and don't pay till the next day their gone, shouldn't they stay there till you pay or delete them? I'm not to savy on the computer so maybe I'm doing something wrong.

Nope, fill out the Order form, move to the Cart & Pay at that time or the effort is wasted, as there is no Save Feature on your selections. BTDT
Ron

Well, I have dropped in my $100 for a chance to hunt with my son, we'll see how it goes. If nothing else, my loyalty points are building.

Here are last years harvest stats... always good info to check.
https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/h...est_Summary.pdf

Draw App Order system working slick as greased snot...but no Archives available on Hunt App site. S'ok with me, I'm not putting in for much this year and know where I want to go anyway.
Ron

Yippie time to start applying!!!

There aren't any deer on public lands...

Are crossbows part of all archery equipment on the archery hunts?

Yes, unless it states specifically that crossbows aren't allowed on that unit.