Hey Guys! Happened to draw this hunt this year. Any tips, info, or stories concerning a whitetail doe hunt in the Sam Houston. (Archery included ill be up there both bow and rifle now) Just looking for some guidance or any info really. Thanks

Hey man, me too. I've not deer hunted SH, but did put out some messages earlier in the year. Some helpful advice was provided for sure. Was essentially told if I put in for an anterless and draw, I had a good shot at getting some venison. If I was wanting a legal buck though, best of luck. They're there, but finding a legal one was tough sledding and a lot of luck.
I've done some scouting and ran into some doe. What I was told, and certainly can advise after being out there, is to get a tree climber. Shooting lanes arent very easy to find, and while there are some open areas, it seems best to try and get up and wait vs trying to stalk. Im sure some folks with actual experience will chime in soon.

Awesome! I drew this hunt as well. Appreciate the info JB!

read my posts from prior years. I give lots of info

Yeah thanks JB! I'm surely in this one for the venison, and the sight of a legal buck would be just a bonus as I have not scouted here. So I'm interested/curious at how likely we will be to find a doe for some freezer meat?

Thanks Bigfoot, I was hoping you were going to respond to this thread ;D

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/userposts/id/53466/view/posts/page/1

Theres 45 pages of posts...it will take some time, haha.

finding a doe depends on how much work you put in to it unless you just get lucky

https:http://texashuntingforum.com/forum..._SH#Post6595792 http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/6595792/Re:_Great_hunt_today_in_the_SH#Post6595792

http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbth..._re#Post6588671 http://texashuntingforum.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/6588671/Re:_Sam_Houston_natl_forest_re#Post6588671

Ill be brief

You dont need a treestand but they do work just fine. Shooting lanes are scarce unless you do like I do and use elevation and hills to provide a large area of available shooting lanes.

The deer use travel corridors based on topography. They bed up high and feed down low. Once you determine pinch points and a good travel area then you figure out where the best place is to put or make your ground blind. I typically make my ground blind under a tree and use dead branches to drag them around me. Since I am shooting downhill I dont need much height on the ground blind to cover me up.

before you hunt you go find this place first and you make your ground blind ahead of time. Then you get in that blind 20 minutes before legal shooting time and sit until about 10:30. After that time if I dont shoot a deer then I hike my way back to the truck looking for different areas based on the topo map. I hunt deer in the morning and piggies in the afternoon.

A word of WARNING!!!!! You better pay attention to every tree you walk under. There are dead trees and limbs coming down all of the time. Ive had giant limbs come down 50 yards away from me and if I was sitting under that tree I would have died instantly. Do not sit under trees that have dead limbs. When it rains and the wind blows stuff comes falling down. You have been warned!

I drew it too! Good luck. I also drew it last year and hunted a ton and struck out. Hopefully this year better luck.

Bigfoot, I have been using a climbing tree stand, but I really like the idea of building a blind like you have. I could slip into a blind far more quietly and it is a little easier on the back for some of he spots I have that are several miles off of the road... think I will start scouting locations with that possibility in mind. Thanks for the good tip. Maybe his will be the year I finally get one! Getting excited.

Yeah I'm toying with the idea of a pop up ground blind. I'm not sure of the best priced and lightest if anyone knows? I'm just worried of the amount of people and being in crossfire in a ground blind. Hopefully not as busy in the cold late season during the middle of the week

I got my doe permit. Looking forward to getting out there more this year after it cools off.

I dont use a pop up blind in the sam but you can get a decent pop up blind for around $60 at cabelas academy wherever.

Yahoo!! Me too.
There's enough THF'ers drawn to have a deer season eve party.

9 days and counting until the arrows fly. There will be blood!

anyone have any luck so far?

Maybe this means all the deer will be saved for us rifle hunters?

Any particular area of the forest yall know holds a lot of does, so I can stay out of the way while your chasing the bucks? lol

the very edge of the forest.

I see does every time I go except during hunting season...

Ain't that the truth! And always during Turkey season too!

is where I'm dropping you off before I head in hahaha

hahaha! oh now you need a guide? would have to start a new thread for that...

Opposite, Id actually like to see some deer, so I couldn't bring you in sorry!

I am hoping so! First deer season for me...so I have no idea about anything!

Sadly, I was not really able to get out and scout much. Work and 10month old have been keeping me away from SHNF. I'll have to get out there more now that the season has basically started!