Drawn for youth gun deer either. How is the hunting? Big deer? Horns? Which section is best? Do they have fresh water to camp? Where can i get a charter to ferry me to island? Cost? In december is it good fishing there? Any pointers would be much appreciated thanks.

Bucks will be rare, big deer will be even rarer. While I have seen a few huge deer over the past 30 years, most bucks will be small in body and racks. Since the Feds have take management, wildlife has really gone down. They really hamstring the TPWD in what they can do.

Sections are drawn, so little choice. It seems from past years that the far north and far south sections have the most success.

There is no fresh water except in a few ponds. Those ponds are chuck full of gators. There is only 1 tree on the entire island and it died a few years ago.

Good luck in finding a charter. However, depending on the dates, I might be able to give you a lift.

It is a very unique place to hunt. You sit in a blind among the sand dunes looking at the ocean breaking surf on the beach. It is nothing but salt grass as far as you can see. It looks about 2' tall, but it is really about 4-5' tall. You start to think, "how can there be any deer here at all?" Then suddenly a head will pop up.

Be prepared to make LONG shots. From most stands, 300-400 yards would be common. Don't think you'd make anything under 200 yards. If you get lucky, you will be required to drag your deer to the nearest road - which could be 500-600 yards. Luckily the deer are typically about 80-90 pounds so you can carry them over your shoulder.

Being plenty of wasp spray, many of the blinds are infested with yellow jackets.

The rangers will make one drive down the island in the morning dropping folks off, and one trip in the evèning to pick up. They don't have enough gas to make a second trip. You have to be at the main road with your deer when they come by, or you'll have a LONG walk back to camp. Miles. Sometimes they make a noon run. Bringing extra gas is appreciated.

Fishing can be good all year. December, if not too cold, is one of my favorite times of year to fish.

sounds kinda crappy in a way...rangers with not enough gas? although I do think it would be kinda neat to sit on the beach and see deer

I re-read my post and it sounded a little negative. Don't mean to be. It is a very unusual and unique place to hunt. I doubt one deer hunter in a thousand has ever hunted deer among the sand dunes. And you deal with unusual circumstances. A couple of years ago my buddy were hunting there and sea fog rolled in and got so thick you couldn't see 50 feet. Didn't lift until about 10:30-11:00am, and then rolled back in about 3:30pm and stayed until after dark.

There's plenty of deer, and chances if getting a doe or three is pretty good.

It is a very primitive hunt. I would consider any deer there a trophy, regardless of size.

Well, it is an island - no way there but by small boat. A 4-6 mile trip over mostly open water. It's hard to get supplies there logistically. It's not like a tanker truck can stop by. They might only get supplies once a month, so they have ration gas.

The rangers are GREAT guys, and will do their best. It's just they are pretty limited in resources.

If you plan on staying/camping the whole time - if it is not cold outside, bring big coolers with plenty of ice to keep your deer in. Even in Dec, it can be 70-75 degrees. Or it can be 30 degrees.

Just pay someone with a boat to take you over. Id love to hunt that island... My buddy had a beach house on the bordering island and we hauled my dirtbike and a 4wheeler over on a center console boat with 4 days worth of gear... really cool being able to run 70mph down a beach looking at the ocean with no one around but a few locals and some cows.

As I said, a couple of years ago was the last we hunted there. The first afternoon (day 1) I had a group of eight does come out of a ravine at 325 yards. Dropped one, and spent 2 hours looking for it in the tall grass and never found it. Did come face-to-face with a very large pig in that ravine.

Day 2 - fog rolled in morning and couldn't see squat until 11:30. Then buzzards pointed out my doe, not more than 20 feet from where I shot it. Walked around it within 3ft and couldn't see it in the 5' tall grass. By 4pm fog was so thick again couldn't see the grass 30' from the blind. Made for a real interesting trip back across the bay that night (we stayed in my house in Seadrift and commuted back and forth each day).

Day 3 - saw a group of does and a small buck at 450 yards - but the fog rolled in before I could get a shot. My buddy said there was a 8pt buck standing next to his blind when they dropped him off - but it ran off and then there was fog. Fog rolled in again that afternoon.

Day 4 - decided to go fishing instead. Beautiful day and we slayed the redfish and trout.

The end.

i was fortunate to work on san jose island out of college. it was a very unique hunt. you could see for miles and see nothing. then at the right hour deer were everywhere. it was fun hunting in the dunes. layed up watching valleys and hearing the surf behind you. you are right, not many folks get to hunt that way.
good luck!

Being plenty of wasp spray, many of the blinds are infested with yellow jackets.

Those ain't wasp they were mosquitos