On a North Texas corps of engineers lake an area previously hunt-able is now shown as off limits to hunting this year. There has been no new development in the area and I can't seem to find a reason that it became off limits.

Who makes these decisions at the corps of engineers and what are the criteria for allowing hunting or not? I imagine that most of it comes down to how many complaints they get from neighbors who are upset about shotguns going off all season long.

I'm sure its a long shot but do you think with enough enough phone calls and letters at least some of the property could be changed to become hunt-able again? I doubt it but I would like to hear if anyone else has had any luck working with corps on allowing hunting in an area.

Is it private land around the area? If it is then there is your answer. We all tend to look at land from a different view point. Oil company's look at a persons ranch like its just vacant land and can trash it up if they want. Ranchers look at it as their backyard and don't want it trashed out. Hunters look at land like its theirs and gun shoots shouldn't matter. Land owner sees it as their backyard and doesn't want to have pellets raining on their house or be woke up at 30 minutes before sunrise on the weekend by gunfire. Until TPW owns all the land around the hunting areas on lakes, then I think you will see this happening more and more on public land

The hunting coordinator (who is a Park Ranger) or land procurement officer makes those decisions. Go to the lake office and ask questions. You'll either get what you're looking for or get told to go pound sand.

There are many ways the public can impact those decisions, though. However, if the decision was based on issues involving private ownership of neighboring land (adjacent land owner), boundary lines, flood lines, or safety of the public... Good luck.

Another good example of the COE disappointing us

It is only going to get worse on the lake I live on. All the development is crowding out my old duck holes. The private leases are just going to get more expensive.

Agree with Jeff, it will happen more and more and as Deuces said if it involves neighboring land; good luck.

Unfortunately the corps limiting access will be the new normal. I grew up fishing on a corps of engineers controlled lake. Back then there were a few campsites where you had to pay to camp but access to most of the (if not all) boat ramps was 24/7 and free. Today it is impossible to find a free place to launch a boat and like my community we gated the road to the ramp and limit the time the ramp is available to the public from sunrise to sunset. This limits access for hunting as well as fishing.

Basically all we had to to do get the corps to allow us to gate the ramp was show a few pictures of how much trash was left behind by the public and agree to a set schedule. This was through a formal public process and not just complaints to the corps. On one hand I really do not like to see access to public land limited. On the other hand I am glad I don't have to carry up to two large trash bags with me when I walk my dog in the morning just to clean up the ramp area.

A view from a hunter, fisherman and adjacent property owner.

Just got off the phone with a very nice Park Ranger at the corps office and he confirmed that it was not a mistake. He couldn't tell me why the area had been removed since he was not in charge of the Texas side.

The area is on lake texoma and it was one of the few easy walk in acess spots left on the Texas side.

It is now illegal to hunt all of this area despite no new development.

A developer has bought a large portion of the adjacent land and has been trying to build a resort similar is scale to tanglewood. He has been held up doing a environmental impact study by the corps of engineers. As far as I know he hasn't started working yet and I'm not sure how much he owns.

This was a great area to hunt and I know deer and duck hunters utilized it along with several very active outfitters on this forum. Losing this area is a huge loss for duck hunters in north texas and will only make the few spots left more crowded.

If you want to voice an opinion or do something about it call
(903) 465-4990
Ryan Butler ext 7818
Phil newton ext 7817

They are the Rangers in charge of the Texas side on the lake.


Here are to the great hunts I wont be able to have there this year. Got a 15 year old his 1st mallard drake that morning.

I agree it SUCKS. A sign of things to come I'm afraid.

Another great hunt at that spot. Shot a 3 man limit that morning but stevo had to leave with his birds to get to work on time.

Sucks when you lose a honey hole that's a 15 minute drive from the house you stay at. Owell here's to burning gas and losing sleep this season. No easy day for public duck hunters anymore.

Yep, this is pretty terrible. As someone who is just now getting into hunting on public land, it already seems hard to find good locations.

Where does one even find information about public hunting on Texoma? I searched the websites of TPWD, COE, and even simply google searched, but couldn't really find any solid information.

I have hunted there before several years ago. Surprised you were not aware of the change coming if you spend much time in the area. Been in the works for maybe 10 years and I did send my protest back when local groups were trying to stop it. You will be livid when you read the details. Basically the set up was Texoma corps land to be sold to the city of Denison, then Denison to sell the land to a developer George Shuler, and Shuler to allow Denison to annex the land. It is about politics and a way for the city of Denison to generate tax revenue. It must have finally changed hands.

Google: Denison Shuler Development

The Schuler deal is unique in that it involved the sale and resale of public land to put it in private hands. But loss of hunting access on public lakes near large cities has been ongoing for years. If I can find one of my old Lewisville Corps hunting maps from several years ago, considering I have hunted there for over 30. You would be surprised at just how much has been chipped away over the years due to adjacent developement.

I'll bet he sure greased some palms.

All you can do now is determine which elected officials advocated or had a hand in promoting private over public interest and vote

I've heard some about George schuler and what he was trying to do there. Last I heard the city was going to require him to do an expensive environmental impact study and it put the project on hold. Not sure why they picked this year to take it off the map. I'll be asking around town to try to figure out what's going on.

There was no "trying" at this point. Congress passed a bill in 2007 allowing the sale. This gives a recent timeline of events. Looks like the property is expected to start changing hands by December. That would explain why it is off the map.

Nov 2011
http://mysherdenbuzz.com.ismboards.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1244&p=1848

July 2012
http://mysherdenbuzz.com/localnews/news/readmore/index.html?article_id=60240

Sept 2012
http://mysherdenbuzz.com.ismboards.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1613

That explains it then. If the corps is planning on selling the property during the season this year they don't want it to be on the map and have people hunting property that is no longer theirs.

In case anyone didn't read the articles schuler is buying federal property to develop it despite it being illegal for a corporation or individual to do that. They loopholed around it by selling it to the city first and then buying it from the city.

Seems like its lost forever as hunting land though. Thats progress I guess it'll be a golf course and yuppie resort before my time is done.

send shuler an e-mail and politly ask if you could get the rights to hunt it and sell yourself as a guy that will keep an eye on the place and report any pochers,litterbugs etc...

stranger things have happened.... and you may just end up having the whole place to yourself until it is developed.

So in issues like this that seem to be more and more lately, what is Ducks Unlimited or Delta Waterfowl doing about it? I know they are mainly conservation but part of conservation is keeping hunters hunting. That's who pays the membership fees afterall. If all the land gets taken and you dont know anyone wiht land and dont have money to buy $$$ leases they will end up losing money.

Maybe not right now but over time. I would think they would fight for the rights of hunters to have designated land.

are you kidding folks like shuler prolly give DU and delta 100K a year and get all the corp.excu. hunts that you always read about... y0u know the ones where the blind is heated and they are cooking breakfast and a roaring fire at the lodge when you are done with the hunt, along with a fully stocked bar. pool table and ESPN on a 200 inch plasma screen.

all on DU/deltas "private" wetlands.....

I don't know if guys have noticed, but we (hunters) are becoming a real fringe group lately. Hunting public land is getting rather rarified even in our group of hunters. I don't know about you guys, but I have put in alot of time trying to find places to hunt, reading the rules and getting the proper licenses and permits. To my way of thinking any loss of public hunting land is a shame, but I doubt we can stop it. DU and Delta are great organizations, but they can't stop the loss of public hunting lands and do their conservation work. Maybe what we need is a grassroots group that watches for the sale of public hunting land. I would not even know how to start such a group, but I do want to find a solution and would be willing to help.

I live at Simmons Shores, on Little Mineral Creek. This whole thing just blows my mind. There's supposed to be a couple of resorts, golf courses - notice that's "plural", marinas and no telling what else. But what I don't get is, there have been people bow hunting since the very first Saturday morning, all along the creek...from the highway to the lake. I bet it wouldn't take but two shots fired from a shotgun before Dale Moses came rolling up on your azz.

I had a "friend" who went out there during teal season before he checked the new map. I bet a bunch of boys get tickets for shooting out there this year. Naturally the corps didn't come out and announce that they had closed to area because it would cause a stink but its going to get some people some fines this year.

P.s. your season boat ramp passes are way too freaking expensive whoever runs yalls HOA needs a lobodomy.

I didnt realize there were so many of us on here hunting Big Tex.

That ain't no lie! I used to be on the board, but screw that crap, lol. I can't be that big of a butthole to people I don't even know.