Anyone know what the scoop is on this place? Is it a draw hunt for ducks? I'm totally confused after reading so many things online and looking at the 16-17 Public Land Booklet...

I would like to make at least one trip over there this year if possible. I just cant figure out if its a draw or what...

There are some drawn hunts in mid-Nov, youth hunts the week of Thanksgiving, and it's open to the public every Mon, Wed, and Sat beginning Dec 7.

Last draw hunt of the season is this weekend. After that the schedule is as listed in the post above

My group was lucky enough to get picked on the draw hunt this weekend. We saw lots and lots of GWT in our compartment. We are staying in a cabin at Fisherman's Cove which is less than 10 mins. from the WMA and is a great place to stay - they even feed you breakfast.

ttt

Yes and no. E postcard draw hunt some dates, open for regular hunts others. Draw hunt deadline and draw hunts have already transpired this season. Rules and dates for waterfowl on the north unit are at the second link below.

https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/h....phtml?OCat=EPW
http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/annual_public_hunting/resources/703N.pdf
http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/annual_public_hunting/resources/703S.pdf

I thought there was no hunts this year out there. How do I get to hunt out there. I didn't see any draws online for it. Also I'm wanting to know about deer hunting on the open days as well

Been no deer hunts out there the last 2 YEARS, they claim due to the flood and infrastructure damage but they continue to allow waterfowl hunting? I've been calling BS, I hear stories from guys hunting the bordering property seeing the TPW guys deer hunting it themselves.

North unit open for waterfowl hunts mon, wed, sat. Get there early and get in in line. You can go in the gate starting at 5am. Line starts the evening before on Saturday hunts.

Don't believe their deer hunting, know for a fact they have been told to shoot every hog seen.

jmo
i'd blow that place off and find another
more hunter friendly wma.
the folks that pay the dollars for a permit,
the ones that keep that place open should be
doing any culling and game management and
shooting game, not employees or paid trappers.
they've been trying to make that place into
Hagerman II for a long time now.
i could go on, but it'd take too much space.

good luck

Hagerman II is never gonna happen there, firstly the guys running the place hate bowhunters, shoot Gunnels said as much to our group during one of the draw hunts, secondly the bordering locals make it impossible they wack em good with rifles every year and will continue to.

I have found that it is useful to call the WMA and talk to the biologist to get the facts. At Richland Creek WMA the deer density in the past has run about a deer to 7-8 acres. This year surveys indicated that deer densities decreased drastically after two consecutive years of flooding events. The surveys this year indicated a deer to approximately 32 acres.

Two years of no fawn crops and the bottoms being completely flooded had a huge impact on the herd. Unfortunately deer aren't born with webbed feet.



Thats quite a statement to make. I highly doubt the guys running the place hate bowhunters as the vast majority of the staff bowhunts. I know that all the WMAs under Gunnels have at least one archery hunt every year and you can bow hunt on any GDA or GDE hunt.

i wish the lake and the hunting area had never come in there all its done is bring in a bunch of a####### to the community and ruined lots of good pasture land we'll never get back.

There's plenty of pasture land elsewhere in Texas. We need more public hunting areas in Texas not less.

Plenty of other places to hunt too.

Not for those of us who hunt public land exclusively.Quality deer hunting on public land in Texas is pretty slim pickins.

people who own land shouldnt be put in the position to have to sell either. if you cant afford a lease or afford to purchase your own land to hunt on well thats nobodys problem but your own. relying on more public land to come up and not caring where it comes from or how its acquired reminds me of welfare recipients wanting more benefits and not wanting to work for it.

Some of us choose to hunt public land only,for various reasons.And why are you even posting in the public land section?Shouldn't you be over in the rich-guy,high-fence section of the forum?

i dont hunt high fence and i'm not into ar's either...you big horn hunters have ruined deer hunting for those that appreciated it for what it was intended for....meat for the freezer.

To get this back on track, I know Gunnels is a bowhunter, thats why I was shocked to hear him say what he did. As far as the deer density dropping so your just saying they all drowned? hard to believe they wouldn't not move to higher ground, and deer are surprisingly excellent swimmers.

They did move to higher ground. That higher ground was the neighboring properties. The private land owners have had a couple of banner seasons. It did a number on the deer population.

Holy smokes fellas I just wanted some info about duck hunting. Ive since gone out and hunted a couple of times. Killed plenty of birds and well worth my time. Yes there is a crowd, but its part of public land hunting.

Guess the mods could move this to the deer hunting forum now lol

I've no doubt alot of the mature bucks got taken out, heard the taxidermist stories of whats been coming out of that area the last few years with the floods but the surrounding guys aren't so blood thirsty to take out all the does too are they? Yes they added doe days and a late muzzleloader season this year but before navarro/freestone counties were very restrictive on antlerless harvest, you could only shoot them during archery season and the bag limit is only two.