My 13 year old son got drawn this year for gun deer either sex at James Daughtrey. He can't wait! I've hunted Javelina there in the past but its been a number of years. Any thoughts or stories on this hunting area and advice? Maybe camping options? I'm looking forward to getting out with him. Thanks

I drew a hunt there 6yrs ago. Was terribly hot, not a lot of deer but I saw the biggest rack buck in my lifetime ease across a dirt road one evening while I was on stand. Stay at the State park in an 'enclosed" shelter. Its actually pretty neat. Saw more deer outside my door than while hunting. At the time due to the oil field action, hotels were going for $200+. The staff there was great, it was just too hot for good deer movement.

3 or 4 years ago I drew the management hunt. There were tons of deer and got two decent management bucks. The deer respond extremely well to corn. All the compartments seemed to
Be having great success. I camped in the campground next the check station. No water and a chem toilet but I had it to myself.

You might get me input if you post this in the public hunting forum.

My daughter got drawn for the same hunt last year. We took compartment 17 I think, which is over on the North Shore of the lake, about 20 minutes from the check station. We saw a ton of deer, she got her doe and buck plus a javelina and a pig. Take a popup with you, they have really nice Atascosa blinds but the deer look directly at them as soon as the come out because they are hunted so much. We set up the popup away from the blinds and had both deer on the ground in less than an hour. Be prepared to field dress the deer/pigs/javelina in the compartment, this is a requirement. They did respond very well to the corn (I used the orange corn) and ended up giving a half a bag to the guy in the compartment next to us because they deer weren't coming to plain corn. His daughter ended up shooting a monster buck that evening over the orange flavor corn. We were there from 12/27-12/30 and it was the next to last hunt of the year there. We stayed at the Kickin Bass Cabins on 72 right by the main entrance to Choke Canyon State Park for less than $75 a night and they were worth every penny. (The Bass Inn is next door and it is only $40/night but we looked at it and said "No Thanks", place was nasty) We liked it there because there are more dining options in Three Rivers than there are in Tilden. There are tons and tons of empty hotels and cabins since the oil bust, might be less this year because oil has picked up a little. Also, Choke Canyon State Park has screen shelters with water and electricity, bathrooms nearby for like $50/night. A couple people we met stayed there and said it was nice, just really cold. It was a 100% success hunt and some really nice bucks were taken and I anticipate the same success this year. Good Luck!

Thanks to all for the comments and advice. Much appreciated! Keep them coming

+1 on more places to eat in 3 Rivers...and a good tire store to replace mesquite thorn magnet tires too...Do NOT drive on anything but the dirt roads inside the assigned units. Any thing that has been threshed has a gazillion mesquite stobs the size of hoe handle thick @ about sidewall high and sharp enough to punch holes thru 6 ply truck tires like they were kleenex..don't ask me how I know.
Ron

He aint lyin! Stay on the roads with your truck and walk anywhere else. They will also go through the sole of your boot into your foot, don't ask me how I know.

Congrats best draw hunt I been on take plenty of corn don't plan on it being there the next morning me and my buddy got drawn there a couple years ago I got a nice 11-point that scored in the upper 130
He got a 9 point around 125 saw hogs we stayed at the little cabin motel in Tilden I don't recall it being super expensive good luck it does get hot down there even in the winter

Thanks for all the info. Much appreciated!