Draw Hunts Open for 2017-2018 Season

Drawn Hunts are open for the 2017-2018 season. Good Luck!
https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/

Yes, just got the email and pretty excited.

Thnx for the update!

Still trying to get back to the Palo Duro again, and look you up. Much harder when you are a group of four instead of two!

Thanks for the heads up !

Let the fun begin !

Got the email, entered a few. They took bighorn sheep off this year, something about restoration efforts interfering. It was as close as I get to playing the lottery.

Got drawn last yr and couldn't go bc of last minute truck problem. Not missing a hunt this yr if drawn

Just applied for 12 hunts

Haven't been drawn in 4 years. Most categories I have 8+ loyalty points, with the exception of GDA and GDM. Hoping this is the year I hit one or two.

I apply for only a couple of hunts but noticed that the success was very low last year on those I'm interested in.

TPWD is really stacking the hunters on the NWRs as well; there is going to be 3,600 hunter days on Aransas. There is near 20,000 acres available for hunting but that means there will be a huge amount of pressure on the huntable habitat (about 50% of the hunt area). Under the old system, a large percentage of the hunters had hunted the refuge for years so they knew what they were getting into. Even then the attrition rules always held true; the rule of half. You loose about half of the previous day's hunters every day of the hunt. That rate will be higher with new hunters this year because it is now in the draw system and they will not understand what they signed up for. It is brutal country.

I put in for all the pronghorn and mule deer options as well as alligator. 4 points in each one now.

I don't really pay much attention to the success rate. It's always lower in the compartment style hunts because a lot of folks just don't know how to hunt if it's not with a corn feeder and a box blind.

I like your "rule of half". Makes perfect sense. The first day, you can't run in any direction and not hit someone in an orange hat.

Last year I saw two guys walking around through the grass at Laguna Atascosa wearing shorts and Crocs. That night I saw them at the motel I was staying in. They had gotten eaten up by ticks and chiggers and decided to leave the next morning. They are damn lucky they didn't run into any rattlers. It is an unforgiving place and a hard hunt.

No kidding, or a gator! The closest I've ever come to being in real trouble has been on the Laguna. I got real close to being snatched off a spillway by a very large gator. On both the Aransas and Laguna, I've seen hunters pack up and leave, for good, within hours. Some, have driven as far as Dallas to get there.

Every time I go in or out at Aransas, I ask how many hunters are in the field. That's how I came up with the rule. I was talking to a Refuge Biologist, LEO, and the volunteer and they asked my why I ask that as everyone else wants to know what as killed. I told them the kill question makes no since, look at the kill board, but I've always been interested in the hunters in the field and I told them about my rule. All three said they had observed the same daily reduction in hunters.

I hunted the first hunt on the Aransas. I believe it was 1966, and I hunted there every year through 1972. In 1975, I started hunting the Laguna because I moved to Harlingen. I've hunted the Aransas about every 5 years. I told those at the check station that I wasn't going to come back. Every time I have returned over the 50 years, it is never better than the previous time I was there. The habitat is a mess and mismanaged. It is a great example of why you don't want the government involved with anything. They rob the resources from the land and don't put a penny back into it.

So I'm putting in for the draw this year for the first time, not sure which ones yet but a few of them. Up until this past year I never knew Texas had draw hunts. I've chalked up my chances to hunt anywhere this year to zero since I don't have any Loyalty points. Any idea on how many years down the road it might take to draw? My goal is to put in for the areas with mid to higher success rate.

I don't think it matters. I waited about 30 years to be drawn on the Chaparral, however long it has been open, but there were guys that were drawn on the first try.

If you do the math on the draw odds, points don't really mean much on the harder to draw spots. By the time you accumulate enough points to give good odds on getting drawn for a place like the Chap, you'd be to old to hunt it. It's all about luck.

This is my second year and I really hit it hard with 20 picks so far. I have 2 more than I found to put in for also.

I put in for mulies at big bend black gap elephant mtn and sierra diablo and I put in for a javy hunt in black gap just for the heck of it.

Im not sure what I would do with a peccary because I am sure not going to eat it. But I sure would love the chance to hunt one in such beautiful country.

Those are really my dream hunts there.

I hit the hill country hard at the state parks. I just love that area to camp and hike so a hunt will be fantastic.

I have been fired up all day looking at things to buy to prepare for hunting season. Im sure I wont get picked picked but it sure is nice to dream a little that one day I will go on a real hunt instead of the SHNF.

Which I did request a doe tag again.

December is when I start to hunt and that is only 5 months away. AAAArgh!!

The thing that strikes me this year is that it is almost exactly the same as last years. In the past it seeemed like they were always adding/taking away hunts. This year same as last time except the Aransas is under the TPWD draw.

Also they ave way too many properties that are youth only.

On the Aransas.....I go about once every five years. I have been three times. Each time I vow never to return but alway do. This time bough I will probably not bother since it is in the draw system. Never got a deer but always manage to get some pigs. The thing I don't like is they do not allow camping and you have to stay about 45 minutes away. Just makes for a very long day.

On the draw odds....Don't give up, a few years ago I drew the Rita Blanca pronghorn. I had 15 points and my 12 year old nephew had zero. You can't draw if you don't put in for them.

Good luck to everyone on the draws!!!!!

Ponied up my annual donation.

Final applications of the year. Yes, I applied for some of these trophy hunts. I have a couple trophy hunts and a couple meat hunts for extra cow elk and deer in Idaho and Wyoming, but I enjoy coming back to Texas every year if I can.

The fellow that runs the Chap talked about this. The guy that ran the place before him, was there from the start. I think he said 32 years when he retired. He applied every year for the place he managed and lived on but was never drawn.

II talked to another fellow that was my age, in his '60s, he had been drawn eight times!

That's very true and will be lost on many that are applying. Just the drive from the entrance into the hunt area takes a long time as it is so washboard most of the time. Both my neighbor and I decided to drive back and forth each day as the available facilities in the area are so poor. Two hours to our parking spot and another 30 minute walk into our blinds. My blind was 500 yards further than his, I didn't understand that one as he is half my age!

He killed a small buck and a hog. I saw a bunch of hogs but didn't want a bunch of dead ones stacked up around my blind. Too damn tired to move them!

Last yr I got drawn after a guy decided he didn't want to purchase the permit. Chances couldn't have been very good.

I will still put in this year, but much less optimistic since they made the change to allowing multiple areas within each category. Draw odds really fell off after that change.

I haven't been picked since it started and I was picked every year before it. Some years in multiple places. Keep it for residents or at least make non residents buy a hunting license before they can enter the lottery.

My first year I was selected 3 times with no loyalty points in the bank. 2nd year totally skunked, 3rd year selected 3 times again but only was able to make one of the hunts. Its a lottery draw, good things can happen.
My best experience has been Lake Mineral Wells.
This year I am applying with another person and on a few there are three of us. Interested to see how that impacts the drawing.
I'd like to get one in the Hill country this year.

Question about the loyalty points: If you get drawn for a hunt but can't make it due to scheduling conflicts do you still retain your loyalty points for that hunt?

Nope

If you get drawn, you lose all points in that category.

If you can't make a hunt then do everyone else a favor and don't enter it.

things come up between now and then. Last yr I was drawn for Brazos bend and the day before the hunt I had truck problems and had to have some suspension parts replaced. There was no way for me to make the hunt while my truck was in the shop.

X2

I hear ya, I do not expect to be drawn! When I go to cabelas I do not feel guilty when they ask me for the fake phone number I give them, and me saying no I do not want to round up. If I get drawn great, if not $100 well spent.

SapperTitan, that's completely understandable. There's nothing you can do about that but if you can see problems this early in the game then my suggestion is to not enter. Especially if there are no standby positions available. I went on a hunt at Lake Brownwood and a guy hunted the afternoon and then the next morning and left. I thought "you selfish prick", there are a ton of people that would have loved to have used that spot and be a part of this hunt. IDK, I guess it's just a sore topic for me.

You lose the points and if you don't purchase the permit, the hunt goes to a second draw; "Pending 2nd Draw".
I have picked up two hunts on the 2nd draw. You are not hurting anything by not purchasing the permit, in fact you are giving someone a another shot after they missed out the first time.

If a selected person does not purchase the permit, it goes to 2nd draw. If you purchase the permit, I would assume only an emergency would cause a missed hunt. I ain't poor, and I ain't rich, and I don't flush 80 or possibly 150 bucks down the crapper for unused hunting permit.

I agree if you know you won't be attending the hunt you shouldn't apply. I think people apply for hunts they don't want hoping they won't get drawn and will get loyalty points in that case I don't agree with it.

All this chatter about applying for hunt, applying is the lottery. If the permit is NOT purchased it goes to a second draw and ALL the others who applied the first round get a chance at the open permit.

I agree with SapperTitan, don't purchase the permit and block other's if you don't think you can make a hunt, and don't be a jackwagon who show's for a day and leaves because your woowoo hurts. stay home and watch outdoor channel.

When I hunt alone, I prefer to be by myself.

The state could easily remedy this situation by giving the option for folks to just purchase loyalty points for years where they don't have the time to hunt due to work, illness, other plans, etc.

The state could easily remedy this situation by giving the option for folks to just purchase loyalty points for years where they don't have the time to hunt due to work, illness, other plans, etc. [/quote]

I have been suggesting the ability to purchase additional loyalty points to TPWD for a few years now. Reminding them it would also increase revenue.

I have been suggesting the ability to purchase additional loyalty points to TPWD for a few years now. Reminding them it would also increase revenue.
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It would be a win-win for the state and the applicant. Other states do it, so I am not sure why TPWD is so opposed to it.

There are LOTS of things that could be done to enhance the revenue stream and Texas Hunters access to the Lottery System...those long suggested ideas have a snowballs chance in hades chance of every happening though 'cause the Poobahs in Austin don't want it to happen that way...just like the Legislature conveniently robs the Dedicated TPW Funds anytime they want to... instead of funding everyday stuff they are supposed to fund Out the General Fund that is supposed to be the source of $$'s for the States everyday expenses & projects & bills due OUTSIDE of the TPW Park System's Budgets and Dedicated Funding . And don't get me started on the Rainy Day Fund that's sitting there unused and getting bigger by the day that is supposed to cover the unusal non repetitve or emergency funds needed for storm damage et al...but hasn't been touched in years for anything except to brag about.

Hate to sound a grumpy old stinker with an agenda but I AM a grumpy old stinker when Texas politicians play with the Citizens of Texas's money like they were free poker chips to waste at a Vegas Casino and the Citizens are sheep to be sheared evey year for the Lege's latest whims.
JMHO & YMMV
Ron

Hell YA!! Well said because it was said with truth and heart. Elected Employees, it should be easier to fire their a**.

Couldn't agree more!

I want to say thank you for this post. I am new to deer hunting and would of missed some deadlines without it. I have shot one buck (this feb) and might of gotten hooked. Really wanted to apply for the archery draws, but I literally just got a bow and do not think I am knowledgeable enough to use it this year.

Here goes nothin'!

as pappy once said: Archery limits your range, their for increasing your knowledge ... Several WMA regular hunts are archery only deer hunts, have seen great inprovement at OSBWMA over the years since it opened to public hunting..

You're welcome! Hope you get drawn.. and get some practice in with that bow so you can expand your chances next season. Archery slots are always easier to draw than gun.