Drawn for this hunt in January with 20 yrs worth of points. Any info on this for tips for those exotic critters would be appreciated or your personal story. Thanks for sharing.

no information but an amazing draw congratulations

BIL and I did the antlerless hunt a few years back and ended up with three axis and five WT. We probably would have shot more axis but we were at the skinning rack.

The axis really like alfalfa.

Hunted there on an anterless 4-5 years ago. It was pretty easy getting our whitetails but everyone was looking for axis. I saw an axis doe the first afternoon and got ready at what I thought would be the next opening and never saw her again. Then, while watching two whitetail bucks sparring with my binoculars, a big axis buck cruised right past them and disappeared. I couldn't get my gun up fast enough. My son sat in a separate spot near the little lake and a field and saw 20-30 axis on the far side but no real shot from his blind. One blind closer to the entrance seemed to have a bunch of axis, I heard 5 shots one afternoon and another 5-6 shots the next morning in that direction, the blinds around the campground seemed to see a bunch of them, too. While at the cleaning rack you could hear some bucks roaring off in the woods to the south, I think. Fun hunt! The blinds were nice, bring a comfortable chair, we threw corn, half a bag each hunt, I think he put out a bag of alfalfa or sweet feed but he never saw them eating it.

Congrats on an awesome draw!

I hunted there last year on the last hunt of the year. GREAT STAFF! I assume the construction is still ongoing. If possible I'd go down a couple days early and hike the trails We were seated in the base camp for the orientation while they went over the Rules & blind selection was kinda hard to try for a blind you have already picked out, with drawings #'s out of "cigar box". IF you can draw early enough in the orientation seating arrangement you'll have a better chance at picking out where you want to go. If you get a chance at picking a blind around what used to be camp sites on the uphill parts of the park, I'd take one of those 1st. The week before my hunt, a group of 4 hunters had scored 14+ Axis. I picked out the middle road to the east and down low to avoid traffic and never saw an axis, or any traffic despite the access road to another part of the Park. I saw LOT's of WT's though but they were not on the menu for our Hunt, but did score a decent hog. I also left 2 days early of the 4 day Hunt to beat the Ice Storm home and made it to Palestine by only 2 hours ahead of the ice storm hitting and had to leave all my stuff in the truck for almost a week with 4-6"s of solid ice all over my truck, sitting in front of the house. I'll put in again for SLRSP next year for sure if I can keep getting my health back....It only took me 21 Years to score a 2nd Hunt there. Make the most of it.
Ron

Buy a powerball ticket!

Congrats on the draw. Axis like alfalfa. I'd buy some Chaffeye to put out.

I left out one of the most frustrating things I've ever experienced when hunting on a TPW managed State Park.

I'd bought 6 bags of corn here in Palestine from the same feed store that sells corn for use at Gus Engeling and Fairfield SP's....a Gus EE lives 3 doors down from me, but on arrival at SLRSP my corn was inspected by a Sr official and deemed "did not meet their Wild Turkey specifications." He advised me to leave my corn in my motel room and take it home. He also advised that the local Feed store had met their test specifications despite not having the "proper labeling". The local guy chuckled and said "No I don't want your corn even as a gift since I can't sell it locally with out the test clearance documents on file. regardless if my corn is label'd or not.

It seems that the original land owner of what became SLRSP was the founding father of the Eastern Wild Turkey in South Texas and on deeding his property over to TPW as a gift, mandated this restriction on any feed brought on to the property. Like I said earlier all of the corn I brought home was frozen solid from the Deep Freeze week we had when I got home, and to my surprise was not spoiled even a couple weeks later My house backs up to a 8 acre estate and it is common to see WT's on his property and coyotes hunting. I found some local 4H participants and gave it all away after it thawed out. Lot of High 5's when they left.

Guess I need to pay more attention on where I try and win a Hunt and call the SP and ask about any not normal regulations or restrictions if I ever get drawn for a hunt again.
Ron

Congrats on a great draw! My son and I hunted there several years ago and had good luck with the axis hunting down by the river on the north end by the camping area. I think they like to bed up in the hills and then come down to the river to feed, They can show up pretty much anywhere. If you get into them, it can be quite a shoot. Bring sharp knives!

I got drawn for the December 6th hunt. Anyone else?

i my sons in for the youth draw here this year. I think those hunts were conducted this past week. would love to hear about the results of the hunt and see some photos. we will be putting in again next year.

Not that this is going to help much, but after Christmas I will be hunting the property that borders the west side of the park. But from what I am told they have ample exotics roaming around the ranch.

If they allow alfalfa then just bring a couple bales and don't bother with the corn. If it took 20 years of points I'd suggest shooting as many axis as it takes to make it feel worth waiting 20 years for. There are other exotics in the area but not near as thick as the axis.

I'd love to get drawn again, but probably will not ever try again. All of the changes being made and the time it has taken & will continue to take to finish the Plans as I understand them are not worth my time at 78 years old to wait for getting drawn again. I've got a better chance at winning the major Lottery Ticket that I could buy a BIG piece of land with, or just buy Hunts with. Never thought I'd give up but I'm getting past due to answer St Peters call.
Ron