I hunted there for several years. It's tough, more so for deer than hogs. Lots of hogs, but getting in contact with them isn't so easy as they move around. I put up my game cam a lot on creek crossings and generally, hogs would move through only about once every three days, so if you are willing to come out for 3-4 days straight you'll probably have success. I also found they moved a lot between 9 and 11 AM, coming out of the non-forest fields to lay up for the day in the forest.

Really, the NF isn't for someone who has just a few days at their disposal, which is why the most successful hunters are the ones who live near by.

Except for the first two weekends of deer season, you'll have the place mostly to yourself.

On thursday there were 3 other hunters in my area but I only saw one other hunter as he was walking out.

Cant wait for deer season to be over so I can get in there to do some pig hunting. Definitely need to explore a new area this year for hogs.

Just got back from New Orleans last night and had a day off so I decided to head to the SAM to see if I could make it happen. Really hoping to see pigs but instead I went over to the area where I've seen deer a few times in the past since it is still deer season. I Set up looking down on a draw where I have decent visibility. I am not even there an hour when I hear something running at me from the rear, of course. I look over my right shoulder and I see movement and as soon as I looked left on the other side of the tree I was sitting against all I saw was a whitetail just cruising. Couldnt tell if it was a doe or a buck all I saw was the tail but it was close at about 50 yards. Probably a doe since I have yet to see a buck out there. It was haulin a$$! 5 minutes later but 200 yards down in front of me in the draw I am above and looking down in to a hunter goes walking by. So I am guessing that deer was pushed past me by that guy since it was on a dead run.

Lots of hunters out today and I did hear 1 shot fairly close to me about 4:10 pm. Watched a coon come down out of his nest up in a tree and mill around me for awhile. Great day in the woods and it definitely got my blood pumping at least for a minute or two.

Definitely need to find some pigs!

Was lucky enough to be able to go hunt all day long on Tuesday. Way too many hunters and pressure over near Stubblefield rec area so I decided to try a new area. Found some areas that looked "piggy" on the topo map and headed over to the East side of the forest to go check them out. Man did I get lucky. As I am walking down my first pipeline of the morning about 1/2 mile in I come across obvious signs of pig activity.

SO here it is 7:30 AM and I have already found a great spot. Followed the trails in about 150 to 200 yards and found more areas where they were rooting up the ground. Hunkered down till about 10 AM in that spot with no signs of pigs and went off looking for more areas. Drove around and hit a few more spots but couldnt find what I was looking for so went back to the spot I found that morning about 4 pm and hunkered down till the last few minutes of shooting time and headed in. No I didnt shoot anything but it sure felt good to go explore a totally new area and find exactly what I was looking for. Very positive and educational day in the field. Cant wait to hunt it on another wind direction and hit this area hard over the next few weeks.

Anyone seeing woodcock out there?

Wouldnt know if I did see one but I rarely see birds. Vultures are the #1 species out there it seems.

This might be my favorite thing about public hunting.

I went out yesterday morning looking for some hogs. I arrived at my spot around 7:00 A.M. , there was no one in sight as the day was calling for cold weather with an 80% chance of rain. The rain hit pretty heavy at 8:30 and stayed consistent all day, I was stalking and miserable! I heard a total of 7 shots fired within 400 yards of me, so someone was getting lucky! I only saw 4 small squirrel and heard a ton of commotion near a creek bed, never could find out what it was though. On my way out, I managed to catch 4 trees branches with head! Be careful when you are out there, several dead trees and limbs falling everywhere!

colder weather hits should see more hog movement. warmer weather they close ta water, shady thick areas. hunters around the public land will put preasure on hogs at night. public land at night hogs get alittle break. best wishes

Once deer season is over and the woods are void of hunters the pigs should get a little more comfortable and move around more during the day.

But I am going to hope that is not the case since I will be hunting the SAM for the next few days.

Shooting times are 6:44 AM to 6:01 PM

So I plan to be in the woods and in the hot area setup and ready before 6AM that is if I dont scare them out of there on my way in. Gonna be cold that is for sure!!!! I am excited to get it on !

Ill be out there again all day on wednesday, I'll give another report then as well. Good luck Bigfoot!

cooler weather they dont use the wallows quit as much. usualy ta keep ticks, fleas, chiggers & such off & ta keep cool in warmer weather. trees rootted up by high winds, good water sorce. liked yur best wishes

best wishes Tx. Edit: ta THF

Thank you Colt! I'm ready!

Anyone see any wood ducks in any creeks?

Arrived Monday about 2PM and set up camp. After setting up went to a new area that looked good on the map. Did a 2 hour recon and didnt find too much except this weird tree structure. No tracks just a few minor game trails. Only had a limited time so didnt cover much area.




Yesterday morning hit the spot I found last week before sun up and saw tons of tracks and signs again but they just werent moving during the day at all. I spent all day in that area moving twice going farther up in the woods. NADA! Boring day no sign of anything.

Feeling discouraged and cold this morning I decided to sleep in and just hit another new area hard. Boy am I glad I did. I dont know how I stumbled in to this area but I just got lucky. I head off the trail and start walking thru this really heavy thick stuff and after about 40 yards it opened up to an area all rooted up and loaded with fresh pig tracks everywhere and you can tell it is a major game trail. So I find 2 or 3 perfectly turned over trees that make absolutely perfect ground blinds and make good use of one of them as absolutely perfect cover.




I am only 400 yards off the trail now and find a perfect spot sitting in the wind. After about 2 hours here it comes I can hear something coming at me. It is a Doe hauling a$$ again right down the middle of the game trail. This deer was being chased. So I got in to a kneeled shooting position to see if a buck was on her tail when all of a sudden 3 dogs come tearing thru the trail after the deer. Hindsight being 20/20 I should have stepped out and scared the crap out of those dogs and stopped em from chasing that doe. I will next time. But it was too fast to think with them running full speed and this being the first time I faced this situation. Next a straggler dog comes by and then another. Evidently this was a pack of wild dogs running around. Glad I was carrying my AR just in case I had to euthanize a few dogs in self defense. Again no shots fired today but finding new spots that will pay off in the future is a bonus. Especially hard to find spots that have perfect natural ground blinds set up for every direction it seemed like. Another great few days in the SAM hoping to get back on Sunday if I dont have to work for the final day of deer season.

I think these hogs are nocturnal now and hopefully with the end of deer season we will slow the pressure down and get them moving around more during the day. I cant wait to get out to my new area again. At least I had some thing happen today that got my blood pumping! The pigs are there they just need to come out during the day!!




Today made the trip worthwhile finding an even better area than I thought I had before. Last year I spent all of my time at Stubblefield rec area and saw a few hogs but it looks like this year I am going to learn a new area. So far I am much more impressed with the Big Creek scenic area with what seems like easier to find hoggin areas.

BigHen, I have yet to see any wood ducks in the few creeks that I have crossed.

Bigfoot, you're reviews of the trips are truly awesome! Thank you! I have scouted the stubble field area as well, and have since found a new area. The area I found has multiple signs of rubbing, tracks and really tight trails that the hogs are running. I just have yet to see one! While I was out yesterday two heart pumping events happened to me. One, I found a weird tree structure like the one you posted a picture of. I stood up on the thing for 4 hours, kind of like a poor mans tree stand, haha. I had a great view of about 150 yds and could see over all the thick brush. A doe walked out with a nice sized buck following right behind her, sure wish I was drawn this year! Shortly after that, my anxiety was high and I had to start tracking, I went into the thickest, tightest hog trail that I found that day and went directly into it. I stirred up about 5 hogs and they went shooting out about 10 feet from me, never could get a clean shot, but I know where theyre at now! I tried to follow the direction they went but never could find them. Hoping that my third visit to this area will pay off now. Next time I am out, I will take some pictures and hopefully I can produce a nice review like Bigfoot one day.

think ya just did. both great reads. tis amazing what proper english can do. gots me all fired up ta hit OSBWMA. i like ta take pen & pocket note pad, write grid cordenance, time seen animals, scrapes, rubs, wallows, bedding, sheds & such. keep your head held high & your powder dry

them thars the clasic signs of sasquatch boundry markings. did i ever tells ya bouts the squash beds came apone & the squash poop. cooler weather setting in. got videos of hogs bedding around fallen trees, one video were sneaked up on em, & scared de crap out of some sleepen. pic's bring back great memmories. have ta post video.

Just trying to make this a constant thread where reports and updates can be posted for others trying to make sense of how to hunt the forest and learn as I learn myself. Listing major areas is not giving away spots so I dont mind listing the basic area I am in. Reading reports and seeing pics is kind of my way of bringing everyone out there with me. One of these days soon I am coming home with a pig. They are going to stay bedded during the days until the pressure in the woods slows down and hopefully they will start moving around a little. Otherwise staying until the last minute of shooting hours will be your best bet. AT stubblefield I only saw hogs in the middle of the day once. My other sightings were always that last 15 minutes of shooting time when it is basically too dark to shoot in the forest.
I assume it is totally legal to use your hunting green light on Public Lands? Or would that be considered spotlighting and illegal? Anyone know for sure.

good report TXdiesel keep em coming!

Your not going to shoot anyting settin on da coach playin wit yo android get on out der an hunt sumptin up for us and take a pic wit dat der android of yourn and show us wat kind o hawgs de got up der way up north almost in yankeeland

hope you saved enuf bullets to go shoot up a fewen this winter and enjoy yourself in this New Year.

I'm right there with you Bigfoot. I'm in conroe, so it's just a 30 minute drive for me. I don't know why I didn't start hunting the area sooner. I lived here for 5 years and have always just looked over it. Oh well, I'll be heading out there on the 10th and will provide another recap, hopefully with some hog pictures this time!

will dosy best eyes cans. Happy New Year

If I lived in Conroe I would be in those woods daily!!LOL I am coming from league City and if go at the right time then I can make it in an hour and 10 minutes. That is an improvement over stubblefield which was about an hour and a half so I am happy about that.