Texas public draw hunts

Anyone ever get to go on one of these?

Mule deer in the Sierra Diablos once.

Put in for Mule deer every year, the desert bighorn tag, and most years for pronghorn. Points help some I think.

Yesterday I was trying to find out on tpw website where you even enter .... couldnt find it.... the public hunts in the parks for example they have... no idea how to enter to get a chance at that... if anyone knows, Id be grateful for a link

Here you go:

https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/

I've been on a number of them. Went on 2 just last year. What do you want to know??

How do they work? Always with a guide? Are they quality hunts?

I've been on 4 so far. They were all unguided, DIY. And they were all a blast. Excellent opportunity and program.

The draw hunts are DIY, except for those that are listed by "assigned blind". That is where TPWD will take you to a stand, drop you off and pick up. On those hunts, they usually do a draw for the stands. The "by compartment" hunts, you get a certain pasture and can hunt anywhere inside that pasture. You take yourself to and from that pasture. These are the ones I like to hunt. I've been on probably around 20 drawn hunts. Out of all those, I can only remember one hunt where I didn't have a shot opportunity, so I can say they are well worth the money and time going. If you apply before the deadline and don't get drawn, you can show up as a stand-by and have a chance to hunt, IF, a drawn hunter didn't get the permit fee submitted. I suggest you read up on the regs since it has all been changed this year. I understand that all or some the hunts might not do any stand-by's this year.
Now, the "Texas Big Time Hunts", the ones that cost $10 to enter, I think most of these hunts are guided. Never been on any of these hunts and probably never will, since I don't enter on these hunts.

good stuff

Most of them are electronic this year and have a small fee.

I went on a hunt at Mineral Wells State Park a few years ago. I had never heard of the hunts until I bought my hunting license and applied for four hunts about a week before the drawing. It was one where the park rangers take you out to your "stand" which was three sheets of plywood forming three sides of a box with no roof. It rained cats and dogs and my flimsy poncho was no help. The second day, I brought along a camo tarp. It didn't rain as much, but it was really windy. I didn't see any deer while hunting, but we almost ran over one in the dark on the way to the stand. There were 10 or 12 hunters, and I think there were a total of 6 deer killed. But the week before, everybody that hunted got at least one deer.
Every year since then I've applied for several hunts each year, and have never been chosen again. But I'll keep trying...

I wonder if that was the same year I went??? But it didn't rain on our hunt. The Park Rangers even put corn out 2 weeks before the hunt to have the deer come in on a regular basis. I killed one, dad killed one and my brother killed 2.

I have done an antlerless/spike at Richland Creek, DIY. Was great. Got 3 doe and a hog

Dern tootin. They are a blast. Before this year, standby had the best odds. We'll see how the new system works out this year. So far, I'm batting .000

They are a blast