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East Texas public land hunting
#7885446
06/30/20 12:18 AM
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33
Coolarrow2
OP
Light Foot
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OP
Light Foot
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33 |
Hey guys. I’m thinking about getting back into deer hunting. I live on Sam Rayburn. I’ve been looking around. Seams to be a lot of Corp land and also some units around to hunt. Anyone got any input from experience hunting this area? Places to avoid. Places to try? Just wondering if it’s worth messing with. I’ve hunted public land in the past and had great luck. But that was a long time ago. Thanks
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7885637
06/30/20 06:46 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,952
Sniper John
gumshoe
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gumshoe
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,952 |
Welcome to the THF. Lots of annual public hunting permit lands and national forest as well in your area. Pick up maps to Sabine and Angelina National Forests and an APHP permit from TPWD when they become available. You will be mailed a book with the hunting area maps in it. My best advise since you live near where you would be hunting is to scout often. Keep hunting pressure in mind when your scouting and find alternate places to hunt be it locations on an individual area to completely different hunting areas near you. If access seems really easy, it means it is really easy for everyone and you will encounter other hunters. During season if the hunting pressure is bad in one place, move to another. I like to look for pinch points where game naturally gets funneled and escape routes where game pushed by other hunters get's funneled. This goes back to keeping hunting pressure in mind. Where are hunters entering from and going to and where is the game get's pushed to. Look for saddles between hills, fingers of cover between fields or next to water, etc. Of course the ideal is to find places that are hard for other hunters to get to or farther than most are willing to walk and find those scrape and rub lines, food sources and trails to and from them. Weekdays if possible. Old school hunting. If you just show up somewhere opening day and weekends and wonder around like many do, you probably will not be very successful. Do your homework and it is definitely worth messing with. Either way, you would still have a good time IMHO. I enjoy the scouting walking the woods as much as I do the hunting. Good luck!
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7885654
06/30/20 10:11 AM
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33
Coolarrow2
OP
Light Foot
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OP
Light Foot
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33 |
Hey John, thanks. Yes sir I hunted public land in the past. If you willing to walk a 1/2 mile you see way less people! Lol I’m going to get a map of the area and start looking. Thinking I might use the boat and access some places walking is not an option. Google Earth is awesome! I bow hunted for years, between work and life just had to quit. Time was just not there. Getting close to retirement age. Getting a little more time and wanting to enjoy the outdoors more. Plus a little back strap sounds awesome!
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7896081
07/10/20 12:50 AM
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,331
Dave Scott
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,331 |
I've never used a boat but off hand that would seem a really good way to get into less crowded areas and a good way to haul out a deer.
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7896905
07/10/20 11:44 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,316
White Falcon
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,316 |
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: White Falcon]
#7897355
07/11/20 03:08 PM
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Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 336
Brian C.
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 336 |
White Falcon thats a pretty slick rig.
God Bless Texas!!! Godspeed our Military!
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Brian C.]
#7897436
07/11/20 04:52 PM
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,243
Erny
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,243 |
White Falcon thats a pretty slick rig. X2
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7897646
07/11/20 09:32 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,316
White Falcon
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,316 |
Wheels,axle and u bolts from amazon!
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7902467
07/16/20 11:28 AM
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33
Coolarrow2
OP
Light Foot
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OP
Light Foot
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33 |
White Falcon I got out my old aluminum deer cart, had to buy new tires and tubes, got it all ready to go. That’s a nice set up you got! I used a cart and API climbing stand back when I was hunting. I think I’ll be hunting the ground this year. So many downed old oak trees in the woods. I think a make shift ground blind will work good enough till I get a good feel of the hunting these areas. It all looks awesome where I’ve looked. But I need to hunt it one year to see what areas get hunted the hardest. Then I can focus my attention to the areas others over look! Lol
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7902527
07/16/20 12:33 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,316
White Falcon
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,316 |
Flat free wheels, Amazon.
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7903157
07/16/20 09:31 PM
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,972
Team Hillbilly
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 7,972 |
Collard W/2 Sir what side of the lake are you?
Team Hillbilly I started out with nothing and I still have most of it left. Paralyzed Veterans of America
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7903293
07/16/20 10:43 PM
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33
Coolarrow2
OP
Light Foot
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OP
Light Foot
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33 |
Across the lake from Shirley creek ramp. Right between the 103 and Harvey creek park. Where you located Hillbilly?
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7903322
07/16/20 10:59 PM
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33
Coolarrow2
OP
Light Foot
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OP
Light Foot
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33 |
I’m going to the Ranger station in Zavalla tomorrow. Get a good map and good info on where and what.. I’ve have read the rules but I want to hear it all from a Ranger. Access stuff rules.
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7903330
07/16/20 11:05 PM
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33
Coolarrow2
OP
Light Foot
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OP
Light Foot
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33 |
White Falcon this is my little cart. Hauled a many deer and hogs out of the wood in it. Ever a buddy who twisted a knee.
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7903335
07/16/20 11:09 PM
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33
Coolarrow2
OP
Light Foot
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OP
Light Foot
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33 |
My best ever Texas buck 2006 public land.
Last edited by Coolarrow2; 07/16/20 11:09 PM.
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7911915
07/24/20 07:28 PM
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Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 239
20bore
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 239 |
Hey guys. I’m thinking about getting back into deer hunting. I live on Sam Rayburn. I’ve been looking around. Seams to be a lot of Corp land and also some units around to hunt. Anyone got any input from experience hunting this area? Places to avoid. Places to try? Just wondering if it’s worth messing with. I’ve hunted public land in the past and had great luck. But that was a long time ago. Thanks I don’t know how long you’ve been OUT of deer hunting in east Texas but I’ll hit some high points, some you probably know, some you may not. - Nac and SA counties are now antler restricted counties - Does ok on NF (in archery season only). No does on NF in general season - I’m almost certain centerfires are not allowed now on Corps land around Rayburn - Bannister gets pretty busy the first two weeks of season
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7912085
07/24/20 09:35 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,316
White Falcon
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,316 |
Nice cart! I just added a bow-gun rack to mime.
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7912796
07/25/20 04:59 PM
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33
Coolarrow2
OP
Light Foot
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OP
Light Foot
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33 |
I’ve been reading up on the rules.. no doe’s allowed in gun season. Shot gun slugs only. Not sure how much I’ll be hunting this year but for sure plan on looking around and find out where the crowds are. This year will be my learning year. See what I can do. Thanks guys!
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7912831
07/25/20 05:35 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,952
Sniper John
gumshoe
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gumshoe
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 20,952 |
I’ve been reading up on the rules.. no doe’s allowed in gun season. Shot gun slugs only. Not sure how much I’ll be hunting this year but for sure plan on looking around and find out where the crowds are. This year will be my learning year. See what I can do. Thanks guys! Be sure to go to the TPWD drawn hunts website and put in for the USFS ANTLERLESS DEER PERMIT. I think the doe permit for Bannister WMA would be the closest to Sam Rayburn.
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7913468
07/26/20 12:26 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,316
White Falcon
Veteran Tracker
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Veteran Tracker
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,316 |
Added an old set of gun-bow racks to my ladder-cart, for my bow. y stand.
Last edited by White Falcon; 07/26/20 12:27 PM.
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7913885
07/26/20 06:34 PM
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Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33
Coolarrow2
OP
Light Foot
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OP
Light Foot
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 33 |
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Re: East Texas public land hunting
[Re: Coolarrow2]
#7914052
07/26/20 09:44 PM
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 19,289
Biscuit
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 19,289 |
My best ever Texas buck 2006 public land. That’s a great deer anywhere
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