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Feb 12th, 2024
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Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: TravisBadlands27] #7688643 12/14/19 02:31 PM
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TravisBadlands27 Offline OP
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We’re hunting a ROW between Bergentine Lake Road 2 and Johnson Mill Road. Fingers crossed

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: TravisBadlands27] #7690137 12/16/19 12:33 PM
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I flew Thursday, the 12th, not a soul on the place. I will be flying patrol today. Given the weather and temperature, I would stick it out through the 18th. The temperature change today, will mean something through the end of the hunt.


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Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: Ranch Dog] #7690295 12/16/19 03:22 PM
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TravisBadlands27 Offline OP
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Ok great. Keep me posted. We plan on sticking to the main Fire Break bear Johnson’s Mill Road but may move further south.

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: Ranch Dog] #7690571 12/16/19 10:52 PM
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Was that you flying over around 10-10:30?

Originally Posted by Ranch Dog
I flew Thursday, the 12th, not a soul on the place. I will be flying patrol today. Given the weather and temperature, I would stick it out through the 18th. The temperature change today, will mean something through the end of the hunt.

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: TexasSully] #7691119 12/17/19 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by TexasSully
Was that you flying over around 10-10:30?

Yep! Sorry about the late reply. I was busy with airplane stuff through last night. I saw about 12 ~ 18 hunters. I did not see a deer moving on the refuge, but I was about 20 to 30 minutes ahead of the frontal passage. I did see several dead hogs laying on the ROWs.


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Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: Ranch Dog] #7691357 12/17/19 08:11 PM
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We haven’t seen anything. Yesterday was 35 hunters but nothing was taken. Today I doubt if there is more than 15or do hunters. We are posting up at the end of Johnson Mill Road next to a water source so hopefully something decides to show. If not then it was a very long week.

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: TravisBadlands27] #7691399 12/17/19 09:10 PM
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What has been posted at the check station?


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Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: Ranch Dog] #7691433 12/17/19 09:58 PM
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Yesterday was 3 bucks 5 or 6 does and 3 hogs.

Originally Posted by Ranch Dog
What has been posted at the check station?

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: TravisBadlands27] #7691979 12/18/19 02:12 PM
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That is a slow hunt! I think you were in as good as spot as any.


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Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: TravisBadlands27] #7694397 12/20/19 10:15 PM
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So how did it end?


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Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: Ranch Dog] #7694964 12/21/19 03:54 PM
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When we left after dark on the 18th, the total for the entire hunt period was 3 bucks, 7 does, and like 4 hogs. Started at 80-some hunters during the weekend dropping pretty drastically both Monday and Tuesday - no numbers posted yet when we left so not sure about last day figures. We didn’t see any legal deer (in hunt zone during daylight hours), but picked up a little hog so didn’t get completely skunked. There were about ten deer hanging out right at the gate when we drove out on the last night...probably ready for all of us to get out so they could go back to their normal lives roflmao

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: TravisBadlands27] #7696017 12/22/19 08:52 PM
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No doubt a hard hunt. You did good hanging in there.

I saw more hog carcasses in the field on my Thursday patrol than they have on the books.


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Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: sublimestillness] #7697586 12/24/19 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by sublimestillness
When we left after dark on the 18th, the total for the entire hunt period was 3 bucks, 7 does, and like 4 hogs. Started at 80-some hunters during the weekend dropping pretty drastically both Monday and Tuesday - no numbers posted yet when we left so not sure about last day figures. We didn’t see any legal deer (in hunt zone during daylight hours), but picked up a little hog so didn’t get completely skunked. There were about ten deer hanging out right at the gate when we drove out on the last night...probably ready for all of us to get out so they could go back to their normal lives roflmao

Those deer drove me crazy every day out there. The parking lot is full of deer. It's like squirrels or dove. You hunt all morning/day and see nothing, then go home and they're all over your backyard.

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: JB1316] #8011978 10/16/20 03:18 AM
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Starting this up again for 2020 ... drew the Nov 20-25 rifle hunt, I will be there right after the Nov 13-17 Laguna Atascosa Nilgai and deer archery hunt. I watched the video orientation, a few new and excellent things: access is via Refuge Back Gate Rd because the new Refuge Visitor Center is under construction at the main entrance. That Back Gate Rd entrance HALVES the time to get in from Holiday Beach area of Rockport. Due to the construction there's NO cooler this year so we are able to gut and quarter in the field, AND LEAVE the carcass as long as it is not left right on the roads. Other than that, make sure you do your Permethrin clothing treatment and wear (or at least bring) waders -- it is gonna be wet in there -- and watch out for gators, cuz the wetter it is, the easier they move around. And at least we won't need to look at the HERDS of deer hanging out on the lawns at the Visitor Center area.

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: ppeeks59] #8013749 10/17/20 08:29 PM
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Originally Posted by ppeeks59
Starting this up again for 2020 ... drew the Nov 20-25 rifle hunt, I will be there right after the Nov 13-17 Laguna Atascosa Nilgai and deer archery hunt. I watched the video orientation, a few new and excellent things: access is via Refuge Back Gate Rd because the new Refuge Visitor Center is under construction at the main entrance. That Back Gate Rd entrance HALVES the time to get in from Holiday Beach area of Rockport. Due to the construction there's NO cooler this year so we are able to gut and quarter in the field, AND LEAVE the carcass as long as it is not left right on the roads. Other than that, make sure you do your Permethrin clothing treatment and wear (or at least bring) waders -- it is gonna be wet in there -- and watch out for gators, cuz the wetter it is, the easier they move around. And at least we won't need to look at the HERDS of deer hanging out on the lawns at the Visitor Center area.


I skunked on everything this year but an antlerless tag for the sam houston, so have been considering trying to do a stand by here this year. Will see how the rest of the year shapes up - congrats on the two draws. I had in for both this and the Laguna Atascosa Nilgai as well - that's awesome you got them both

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: ppeeks59] #8032407 11/01/20 05:08 AM
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What is the video orientation that you are referring to? I drew the November 7 hunt, and didn't see anything about this.

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: JB1316] #8060008 11/22/20 05:14 PM
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Atascosa was brutal, it was 90 or close to 90 for the first 3 1/2 days. Nothing was moving. I saw one big Nilgai cow and 1 huge hog, neither in bow range and I couldn't stalk without busting them. Still, such an amazing place, I'll go any time I get drawn there. Now at Aransas, lots of deer around. I took a nice heavy 8 point buck within 90 minutes of the hunt's start, one of 5 bucks reported to the check station by 11am. Sitting out today, will be back in the stand by 5:15 am tomorrow.

Re: TPWD Draw Hunt Aransas NWR, Tips? [Re: TravisBadlands27] #8066221 11/27/20 12:00 PM
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Aransas Rifle Hunt #2 was excellent. Lots of deer (including an absolute monster Texas buck seen for all of 5 seconds in fading light, unless my hunting neighbor in the next ROW took him the next afternoon, after I left the premises) and hogs in there, took a 120 lb (guess) sow on the last morning, could've shot her twin sister too had the rifle been slung over my shoulder while walking to the down pig to field strip her. My first time hunting in there, I'll definitely try to go back. The guys who say "watch out for alligators" are right, at least in or near water -- there seems to be NO water hole that does not have at least one gator in it. But lots of the place is dry -- the nearest water hole to my stand was bone dry, in fact. No gators to worry about. And the bugs -- at least in the dryer areas -- were no worse than most other places; "better living through chemistry" is my motto. Permethrin-treated clothing and Picaridin on all exposed skin worked very well, no netting required.
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