Good afternoon,
It's been a long while since I posted, but I've often been reading up.
I appreciate yalls post.

After looking over all the public hunting ground maps posted by TPWD in my area (Houston/Katy Area), it seems that most public hunting grounds in my area allow Archery Hunts only for Feral Hogs. Some do allow firearms, but only with a shotgun (which I've never done).

The hunting grounds I was looking at are the following:
- Somerville Unit# 711
- Nannie M. Stringfellow WMA

I know SHNF still allows rifles, but my brother who has gone there almost every weekend this past winter informed he hasn't seen a thing except for a pile of rotting hog carcasses.


I was thinking of maybe its time to learn to use a bow.
I'm just looking to expand my options out there.

for hog hunts ? archery limits your range, more educational... Tough hunting in thick areas, tall grass & such... Best wishes

Stringfellow is draw hunt only. They have one archery deer hunt and about three feral hog hunts per year (you can use a firearm or archery on the hog hunts). Somerville, your good to go archery wise. BTW, you can use crossbows in the archery only WMA's.

Crossbow will allow you to be pretty accurate after a couple of shots. You will just need to get a range finder and learn how the bolt will react over distance with the bow you have. Bow hunting is HIGHLY addictive. I started 5 years ago and now shoot nothing but a bow. I have taken the rifle out a couple of times. If you have never hunted public lands I would suggest get a good pair of boots and start scouting now. Trailcams will help you find game but beware they grow legs on public land so lockem up. I love the fact that public lands give me the chance to hunt within 2 hours of my house and the challenge that private land just can't offer. You have so many variables but the challenge of killing a public land deer or pig is awesome. Good luck!!

is that for the archery deer hunts or stricktly hog hunts ?
Reason ask, each WMA or Public Land have their own rules... When they first started crossbow for archery deer, at OSBWMA & if remember right, the rest were same, NO crossbows during archery deer hunts... Privet land yes... Its reason gave up archery hunts on WMA, shoulder, & denied disability...

Edit: PLF Last $48.00 permit i bought, archery only deer hunts, was still No use of crossbow... Cross bow ya can rest on climbing stand, for more acuret shot..

I pretty sure you can use a crossbow most places now.

Simple answer...yes. IMO, bow hunting (crossbow or compound) changes the way you view hunting and expands your options exponentially. Good luck

Colt.45,
Yes, that's I'm worried about. Stringfellow seems to densely thick.
There is however some open grounds on Somerville.

Palehorse,
Yes, I pass by there whenever I go fishing on Christmas bay.


PublicLandFreaks,
I have on SHNF years ago when I lived in SE Houston.
But since I moved to Katy, I want to try new places, just to familiarize myself.

I also have a coworker that told me that I might be able to hunt hogs on his property in San Felipe, but I'm not holding my breath on it.

I'll probably be scouting around Somerville this weekend.


I've done some brief reading and it's pretty clear that shot placement is key to an effective clean kill.
If I do go try out archery, what's a good "entry-level" compound bow and/or crossbow?

I'm pretty sure it can be addictive (as with fishing and everything else).

(I don't want to drop in lots of $$$, only to find out its not for me. I'm always seeing folks drop thousands on top-line fishing kayaks only to turn around and put them up for sale less than a year later)


Thanks for yalls responses.

only time it gonna bennifit ya is during archery only hunts... like in the muzzle loading section... Most are buying them for the muzzleloader only season...

As far as what you should get you will want to answer this questions. How much time do you have to dedicate to learn to shoot a compound bow? If you can spend at least 30 min a day to practice. and are willing to deal with a steep learning curve then go compound.But if you are looking for something you could shoot a handful of time before you go out into the field then go crossbow. It's like a shooting a rifle with a range of up to about 50 yards.

As for price. the classifieds here or good old Craigslist might be the best option. I bought a crossbow years ago to get started only to buy a compound a couple of years ago.

You could get an entry level bow for about $200-300 bucks new if you go the Craigslist directions who knows what you can find.

If you have any questions pm and I will help out in anyway I can.

my first bow was a cheap think indian 60# draw weight three pin sight, quiver, cant remember if it came with arrows... price was roughly $150.00 u sed 2017 aluminum arrows, 125 broad heads... First shooting with minner ajustments, was bending arrows shooting at a bail... first deer rifle was .45 Kentucky, learned Kentucky English...
Ya don't need all the fancy whistles, 3 or two pin sight, same as red dot on a crossbow, can be used as a range finder... Have posted bout it in other threads... some things they don't teach in grammer school...


Edit: Palehorse on video...

I was told by a GW you can use a crossbow in all archery only WMA's now. Shooting a crossbow is considered archery.

: 2nd Bow was a 70# PSE, cross bow does have advantages...

I shoot a 70# PSE i like your style Colt

60# bow did the over-draw, took pipe cutter, cut own arrows.. took while ta adjust pins, didn't take tape ta measure, stepped it off, i got small feet... had 125 field tips zeroed, first shot with 125 BH, hit low & to right... Finally readjusted pins ta hit Zero.... Over years finally got field tip & BH zeroed, or they improved BH...
was at a sport store, going out of busness sale.. They had one PSE left 70#, pulled it back, price was right... Later noticed top limb had slight twist... Didn't hurt performance... Every one else at OSBWMA was chooten Mathews... shorter limb-limb... all about a-ford-ability...
Sporting stores, have shooting ranges... Often let ya try different bows, Again each has price range...
Over years got were had ta quite archery, had cheap cross-bow, denied disability... Last few years went, ya only get one shot, just enjoyed being in stand... Out their tall grass, switch cain , bow catch on every thing...
Pins as range finder, canpractice on 3-D targets... once bow sighted in, just 2-3 shots let ya know if it still on..

Rarely will you see a pig during daytime hours in the SHNF. Although I have seen a few. I have decided I need night vision to hunt pigs in the SHNF from now on because I can set up in a few places knowing they might come by however 9 out of 10 times they will come by in the last 10 minutes of legal shooting time and under the canopy of the forest that can be quite dark. The last 2 times I saw pigs it was too dark and it was of course the last few minutes of legal time. A photon XT would have been perfect.

Bigfoot when OSBWMA opened for public hunting, had deer lease 30min from house & deer food plot down by creek at house... Did hog only hunt first year, Jan-March... Best luck was hitting thick areas away from old atv trails... Always seen hogs...
The next year gave up lease did the archery deer-hog hunts... Again set stand away from atv trails, they were all torn up froom hogs... As you said: mostly done umder cover of night...
Areas set stand up were also torn up... Yet, selsom seen hogs, seen more deer... Its the hog only season, & the easing threw the woods, that seen the hogs, not waiten for them ta find you... Its same as when doing the caveman humts on first lease was on...
1,100 acres, during deer season, didnt hunt nights... very few hogs seen... after deer season, hit woods, listen go to the hogs... oh, dought they let NV-Thetmal on public land..
archery on WMA, had draw only hunts deer, for hog hunts used my guns... Miss my archery hunts...

Ive got a spot down buy the old creek where it seems the wildlife (both hogs and deer) seem to move through on a regular basis. And they are usually coming from the same direction also which helps me on my setups. In February which is what I consider as prime time hog hunting period in the SHNF I always do the evening hunts for pigs. And I have given up trying to find them by walking them down. I just get in a good ground blind on the "travel lane" and wait for dark and usually those piggies are moving through that area. It just so happens that this December I was hunting the same exact spot in the mornings and I didnt see a single hog while deer hunting but saw 15 to 20 deer and bagged a nice doe. I have walked at least 100 miles in that woods without seeing much. Since I am as big as a bigfoot and where a size 17 shoe then that is probably why!!! Wish you could teach me a few things in person colt but always appreciate the advice.

As keeping with Topic... Just do what works best for you... You make a very good point... Walking around with the required safety orange , deer & hogs can see you, way before you might see them... i'm a small person...
Wether on lease, set up by house, or the WMA, with rifle 3 times seen hog,while sitting... At WMA archery deer&hog sitting in stand can count times on one hand seen hogs, always out of bow range... Wiish could get tagether for a hog hunt... Reason got on this forum, & not saying my hunting better, it just works for me...
When sitting, your field of view is limited ta what ya can see, binoculares, scopes inhance.... Moving your view extends, had several videos few years back of hogs walked up on, couple with hogs sleeping... When doing my walk-a-bouts, dont see any orange , except on old atv trails, & thats rare... Each WMA is different...

Archery is addictive. You will love it and ya can shoot at home or in my in my home sometimes.
I've put up my compounds and have taken up traditional gear.

Thanks again yall.