I think if they cancel your hunt (due to flooding, etc...) that they actually refund the $130 permit fee. But as someone who has hunted Boar's Den / Trinity river area as much as you, do you mind giving us all your opinion on the area? How good or bad is the area for deer hunting?

I'm pretty sure that is correct. Either the refuge manager told me that over the phone or I read it somewhere. I can't remember.

If a hunt is canceled you get a refund and your points restored. It is possible to be flooded but not enough to cancel the hunt.and you wouldn't get a refund. But it's SQUIRREL! Put on your waders and get out there and harass some of the little buggers.

But that's why squirrel is now an e-postcard hunt. Not many people will pay $130 or even $80 to hunt squirrel when they can just pop them in the back yard with the pellet gun (did I write another unspoken statement out loud again?) Dang. I gotta quit posting.

hunt on water if available.. if glassing and cool weather glass the sunny slopes ... hot or warmer hunt/glass shade.. Good luck

Struck out. Nothing but more loyalty points.

The Trinity NWR Squirrel hunts are $130 hunts now.

Over the years, dating back to 98, I have seen about a half dozen 150 B&C’s taken. The Whitetail population is qualitative. The last 150+ came out of there two seasons back. The R.O.W.’s are decent. But, the more dense population stays close to cover. I hate the water when it’s up. No shortage of Cottonmouth snakes. I’m not scared of snakes. I would just rather not have thembe on my list of concerns when I hunt. I don’t have the same “rabbit’s foot” I had for so long. The Sand Pit in the adjacent NW area is certainly pushing the deer deeper into that quadrant of the reserve. Can’t say any more about that.

Overall, I would rate it 8 of 10 for herd population. Of course, my experience with it involved fixed blinds & feeders. Much different afoot without that. When you walk in from the 105 gate, there is a small swamp (about 5 acres?) along the road headed northwest. You need to get on one side or the other. I have seen hogs there more often than not. Left of the little swamp puts you twixt the river & the road. Right of the swamp will take you into cover. I have not been in there since the TPWD took it over. I don’t know what areas they may have deemed off-limits.

Have seen some good deer on the reserve in the last three years.

Seriously appreciate you taking the time to provide that information - getting any information Trinity River NWR has proved to be difficult. Hearing you rate the herd population at 8 out of 10 just put a big smile on my face It sounds like it's going to be an awesome place to hunt. If the Boar's Den area is like that, then the Brierwood and McGuire units (the hunts I won) are probably pretty similar. Looking forward to scouting the areas out in a few weeks. Thanks again for the great information!

That's right. They were the multi specie upland game hunts. I applied for them but I didn't even look at the cost. I probably would have balked at 130 for rabbits and squirrels. Heck, driving down the roads on LBJ you can get all you want (oops, I did it again).