All the talk about this years draw hunts, I'm just curious, what are some of the hunts yall like to put in for? Do you apply for the same place every year, or change it up? Do yall play the odds, or go after the better places?

Mine are usually these:

Gun Deer-Either Sex - Matador usually
Muley - Any of the Trans Pecos Hunts, usually Black Gap or Sierra Diablo.
Exotic - Palo Duro or Caprock
Always Rita Blanca for Pronghorn
All the other categories usually changes every year, and some years I dont apply for some of these.

I plan to start bowhunting this year, and this will be my first year to apply for those. I will likely choose the same places as rifle.

Just started this year. Bought a few chances for the Grand Slam. When I get my book, I'll put in for just about every species but whitetail. I'll put in for the best hunts. I don't have time to go on more than one or two of those hunts, and I have a deer lease, so it's all or nothing.

I usually put in for white-tailed deer hunts at the James Daughtrey WMA, but have tried Garner a couple times. Hog hunt apps are always for Mad Island. Most, but not all years, I put in for an exotic hunt, but the location changes from years to year. I usually skip antelope, but have put in a couple times. Now that mule deer are separate, I'll likely put in for Elephant Mountain each year it is offered. Private land hunts may or may not get an application, depending on the budget. I don't bother with any of the guided hunts.

I don't normally bother putting in for places that have low success rates. If there is only a 20% chance of getting something, it just isn't worth the time. I'll try for places that don't have much chance of getting drawn because of the large number of applicants if they have a good chance of harvesting something.

Every year I get one entry for the Exotic Safari hunt.

I usually put in for a couple. For drawn for a management hunt last year but had some family stuff come up and wasn't able to go. If I don't get drawn its a good donation to TPWD

Huntsville is where it's at! Everyone should put in for Huntsville!

Don't let this fool ya!!
I've been on a number of theses hunts and I can only recall one time I didn't have one shot opportunity. Then, on the ones I didn't get anything, it was either my fault (getting busted) or chose not to shoot.

One thing you should certainly pay attention to is if the hunt is by assigned blind or compartment and if you can bait or not. If you want to sit in a blind over a baited area, be sure to put in for the assigned blind hunts. They will usually have the higher success rates as well. If that's not your cup of tea, put in for the compartment hunts.

up until last year I had to pick weekends that my kids went to their moms (I had custody), so it went back and forth. Since last year when my youngest is outta the house I apply for everything in every category, but choose compartment hunts only.

Mule Deer- big bend. Been putting in for 7 years now... One of these days, I'll get lucky..

I put in for almost all categories every year. I pick a place primarily based on dates, with weekends preferred. Next I look at success rates and location. I usually vary it up, but have been to Gene Howe three times (2 deer and 1 hog). Now that they are only holding weekday hunts I will be putting in for somewhere else.

Good advice.
I always try to put in for compartment hunts. These hunts will test your "woodsman" skills, plus, I like to be able to move around and have 2 or 3 stand selections to hunt out of.

just curious, u guys that have been passed over for 10+ years, is it just you on your application or do you have another guy or two?

do you think having more than one person on an app has any affect on whether you get drawn?

I have 1-2 other people on my app every year. I have 10+ points in multiple categories. I'm not sure what effect that has on it, if any.

I put in for everything. Usually keep doe/spike hunts close to house and others I go for places I would like to see. No matter if I kill anything or not. Just a joy to be out somewhere different. Chaparral is a cool place been twice.

From what I understand, having multiple people on one app can decrease your odds slightly, and here is why. Say there are 30 openings for a hunt. The computer will draw apps until it has filled exactly 30 openings. If it gets toward the end of the drawing order and there is only one spot open, the apps with more than one name that are drawn will get thrown out until an app is drawn with only one name.
I could be wrong on this however. Maybe Kyotee can chime in here and give us clairity.

One thing I do know, the preference points for all the hunters on the app are averaged, so if you have a lot of points, don't dilute them by having folks with just a few points on your app.

Anyone received their booklet yet?

Thanks, that scenario is what i had in mind.

No. I talked to a guy on here that works for TPWD. He said it will be a little while before they get them.

Depending on what I have going on in my life, I'll put in for both of the Private Lands Hunts, GDE, GDA, GDM & EXO, and mebbe a Jav'y & Feral Hog Hunt if they are offered somewhere I want to go and have acess to more than just the primary target species. BUT I always put in for something to keep my PP's in the "active status".

It's been several years since I was drawn for anything, but I've started trying to do some StandBy's, and hope to expand that effort once I get this house at Lake Texoma sold and relocate 4+ hours further south, closr to the majority of the Hunts I want to participate in.

I like the Lottery Hunts and have been participating for over 20 years. I've been drawn more than a few times and used to put a lot of research into the selection process, pre the Stat Pages now availble looking for anomalies, and then spend time on the phone talking to Hunt Biologist's & Managers about local conditions and expectations.

I've almost always found that the Local Facility Management Teams are super folks to talk to, and are IMO the real backbone & cream of the crop of TP&W Employees. These guys are fighting a Budget Shortfall/Ripoff of a forest fire with barely a "willow switch" and providing a quality experience. Think the "Sermon on the Mount" Fishs & Loaves in some cases....with the sleazy activities by OUR Own elected officials in Austin.

I've been able to go places I would never have considered looking at in years past, and living here at Lake Texoma will never get on another private Hunting Lease ... unless I find something in Cooke County, next door to Hagerman at a reasonable price...LOL ..."reasonable" aka something less than a $K a acre per each person like the last land owner in Walnut Bend wanted I spoke to for his 90 acres & 3 hunters MINIMUM.

My only gritch is the same tired old argument I've heard & given for 20 years: Texas's non Rated system of PP's - I've got 15 PP's in some categories and seemingly cannot get drawn.... and allowing Non Residents access to the system at the same Access Level & Prices as a Texas Resident who's Tax $'s bought and pays for the TP&W programs ( what the Lege doesn't steal from TP&W's supposedly Dedicated Funds ) unlike every other State in the Country I'm aware of.

IMO It is really irritating that Rocky Mountain & Midwestern states hunters compete equally with Texas hunters for the same Lottery Permits to Hunt Texas State Parks & WMA's, when we are discriminated against with unequal considerations for Non Resident Permits on Federal Lands in those states - again with Texas hunters Federal Tax $'s -at hugely inflated prices in those states.

Sounds like a US Supreme Court Case to me of the Interstate Commerce laws... so look out if I ever win a Mega Million Lottery and can finance the Legal battle out of my own pocket. Hmmmm....Mebbe expressing these thoughts publicly is why I've been "black balled" by TP&W the last 5 years.LOL

Oh well I'm sure some dude from Montana, Michigan, Alabama or Washington State, like I've met before on a Texas State Lands Lottery Hunt will enjoy my or your spot. JMHO & YMMV ...BTDT and I've already paid for THAT Education.
Cheers
Ron

Very well said and correct

They should be headed from the printer to the Post office to be mailed in bulk by zipcode today.

Good Luck everyone!

A pdf of the booklet is up on the TPWD website HERE.

Good deal. Thanks.

I usually enter in 8-10 categories and pick my locations based on the dates available coinciding with my time off and locations I am interested in hunting. I usually enter the following:
Pronghorn
Private Lands Deer
Gun Deer Either
Gun Deer Management
Gun Deer Anterless/Spike
Exotic
Javelina
Bighorn
Feral Hog

I have only been entering for the last 4 years. I have been drawn once on the first year I applied and haven't been drawn since. I hope this year ends my drought.