Does anyone have any stories, pictures, expieriences to share? I have put my name in for a few of the hunts the last two years with no luck. I am not looking to steal anyones best kept secrets, or anything, just looking for a confidence booster. With this years drawings around the corner and would like to hear some stories about what the drawn hunts are like.

Thanks!
Shane

For me. Silver Medal Aoudad from Caprock Canyons, Gold Medal Ibex from Mason Mountain, 11 1/2 foot Alligator from Sea Rim. Over a dozen successful alligator hunts at JD Murphree. Maybe a dozen other less remakable hunts like antlerless deer and archery hunts some with kills, some not, but consider them all rewarding in some way. I did the Sept Deer bow hunts on Gus Engling several times when they had those. I even was on a drawn pheasant hunt at Granger WMA in the 1980s back when TPWD was stocking wild pheasants there, which of course eventually failed to take hold.

These days I tend to only apply for the primo, high trophy potential, high success type hunts that have poor odds of getting drawn and build preference points. So I rarely get drawn, but when I do it is usually a good one.

If you put in for the less popular hunts, you can pretty much get drawn for something every year. For those hunts that are easier to get drawn a good strategy is to pick a place or two out of those and apply for the same ones every year. Go on standby the years you don't get drawn. Hunt the same area every year you can, learn the area well, get to know the staff that runs the hunt. And go fishing, camping, etc. on it in the off season. That will increase your overall success for that hunt greatly.

I have put in since the 70's off and on. I have been drawn for archery WT at James Daughtery and Chaparall in the 80's. In the 90's I got drawn for archery and rifle WT both in the same year for Kerr and then again for Archery WT at Kerr the next year. I have not been successful by my choice on passing bucks but on the first year rifle hunt at Kerr when I rattled up and killed an Axis buck (rattling for WT) in the Dec hunt. I have had an uncle get drawn 1 time at Chaparall and all 4 of that group killed a deer and then he got drawn at Kerr Management again and all 3 killed a buck. Pick the right WMA and right method/species and your luck goes up to get drawn. Some of the time if you are lucky and at the right WMA you could get a standbye draw for a hunt. Talk the WMA guys when you get there and they will help you out with the unit or pasture you get drawn in to hunt. Lots of variety to hunt these days and lots of WMA's to choose from.

I got drawn on a mule deer hunt I think three years ago. It was the first time I put in for it and I was just trying to get preferance points. My Mom had passed from cancer about two weeks before I got the letter saying I had gotten drawn. I have always wondered if she had a hand in the drawing results! It was my first mulie hunt and I was alone. The chances of me finding a mossback were slim. I did find this nice six point and did not hesitate to put a round his way. Since then I've fallen in love with mulie hunting. The experiance was great and I wouldnt have changed a thing about it. Good luck on this years drawings!
John

Great story Capt.JVH! Where did that hunt take place?

The most memorable of any hunt I was drawn for was when i was 12, and I was drawn for a mulie hunt at Black Gap WMA (youth only hunt). Deer were plentiful that year, and i was able to take a nice 4x4 with a 25" spread. In my mind at the time, that was the biggest buck in the world! We had just crested over what we always called a "hogback" and jumped up this buck. He quickly darted up the mountain and stopped about 300 yards out. I missed several times, but the last shot in my .270 finally dropped him at about 400 yards, just before he passed over out of site.

That hunt made me fall in love with mulie hunting too.

I drew again the very next year, and shot a smaller five point. I was just as proud of that buck as i was the big 4x4 i shot the year before, mainly because i actually glassed him from a LONG ways away, was able to get within 75 yards for a shot, without him ever knowing i was there.

On the last year i was able to do the Youth Draw, i drew for Black Gap for a 3rd time. I came home empty that year. On the last morning though, I shot at and missed the biggest West Texas mule deer I have ever seen. Buck Fever got the best of me on that day.

There will be a Private Lands Pronghorn hunt back this year and two new Hunt Areas for Youth.

Mike, it was at Black Gap as well! I had the compartment across the road from headquarters. The guy hunting the compartment next to me shot a super nice 5x5. Spot and stalk is where its at. I cant stand sitting still in a box blind!

Yeah i agree! I've been putting in for Black Gap every year since the last year i got drawn for the youth hunt and missed that big one. Haven't drawn since!

We've put in for WMA hunts since about 1990.
Took a 35-1/4in Aoudad at Devils River.
A nice Axis at Enchanted Rock.
A nice 11pt at Perdanales Falls
Several does and hogs over the years but havn't had much luck drawing out the past 4 years or so. All were good trips, even the unsuccessful ones.

i have taken a muledeer buck with archery from elephant mountain. good ten pt. whitetail with rifle from matador. several doe from matador with rifle. spring turkey with shotgun from matador. javalina with crossbow from the chapparal. several more trips that i did not harvest an animal,but had a blast and hunted my butt off on all of them.

Thanks yall, it sounds like there are some great opportunities out there. I have been looking forward for this years booklet to come out so that I can start doing my research. I will keep you posted. Good luck everyone!

How does the group hunting work? If I put my brothers name as a group member and I(we) get drawn, does he also get to hunt? Does our 2 person entry give us two chances to be drawn or only 1? If I only put my name on the application and I am drawn, could I still bring him with me as a Non Hunter? What do yall normally do if you have family/friends that also hunt? All on one ticket?