Drawn for James Daughtrey - Management Hunt

I got drawn for the management hunt at James Daughtrey Nov. 28-30. I hunted there about 10 years ago. I hunted a unit on the southside that was pretty remote. Wound up with a decent eight pointer. Obviously, this is more of a meat hunt this time… Does, spikes, management bucks.

Anybody been down there recently? Do they assign you a unit, or do you get to choose? What unit would you recommend for the highest chance of seeing lots of deer? Should I bring a pop-up blind? I know there are a few smaller wooden blinds if I remember right. Also, any recommendations on cheap hotels or places to tent camp?

Any other advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I hunt at Daughtrey often, mostly in compartments 14 & 15 on the south shore. I almost always see deer in there. When I did a draw hunt there for javelina and coyotes, they let hunters pick the compartments they wanted based on the order in which they accepted the hunt and paid the fee.

There are small wooden blinds but some are in better shape than others. Bringing a pop up would be a good idea. They may also let you hand-throw corn.

There are hotels in Three Rivers and Tilden. How cheap they are depends on how many oilfield/refinery workers are taking up rooms.

Good luck with your hunt.

Thanks for the info! I appreciate it!

Won a Javy Hunt years ago on the south shore, and was assigned the compartment adjacent to the old hwy access to the lake where the boat ramp is. There is a big 25-30' tall unroofed metal tower blind over looking a L shaped cutover that follows the contours of the peninsula. We hunted from the highway that borders the south edge of the compartment south initially and there are some good "hilly" elevation changes worth looking at those and I found lots of hog and deer sign in the wooded area that lines the east and northeastern side of the peninsula.

I sat the tower 1/2 a day and danged near lost control of my trigger finger watching a South Texas Monster herding his harem for about 45 minutes on the west end of the cutover...and finally spooked at a large sounder of hogs based on hoofprints the next morning that were using the north edge of the west end of th L cut for a travel route.

My pard took a javy we came across driving out on the truck trail where it starts to come out on the old hwy access...he'd gotten out of the truck and stalked it to see if there were anymore following him before taking the shot and found some old torn down brick walls to the north of the truck trail and mebbe 4-500 yards S'east of the boat ramp parking area.If I wansn'r concerned about rattle snakes I put a popup on the shoulder of the old house site and hunt the draw underneath it that runs north south...and a skirted tripod of any height would be the best thing to use and stay away from the brickpiles where we found several snake skins in.

He took his 2nd & final javy allowed the next day when he was trapped in a huisatch thicket at 50-60 feet when he was surrounded by a loose herd of family groups feeding on the lush green growth with monster sized thorns. Thought we were gonna have to take to the Doc to get some stitches from the thorns but butterfly'd & double taped them them enough to get back to Dallas.

OBTW I lost 2 truck tires to the thorns and cut over stump stobs of the cutover mesquite & huisatch driving across the L shaped cutover that punctured my sidewalls. Stay on the clear clean sand truck trails.
Ron

I drew the management hunt in 2015. They assign compartments but you can request one.every compartment is good and has plenty of deer. I got two good management buck, and passes on tons of does and spikes waiting for bucks that met the antler restictions.

Thanks guys! Good info!

I had that same hunt 5 yrs ago, cool place. Due to the energy boom I stayed at the State Park in an "enclosed Shelter." It was actually ok. I saw more deer outside my cabin than hunting but I did see the biggest WT in my life cross the dirt road a couple hundred yds from by blind. Good luck to you.

My son got youth management hunt, 11-18 &19-20017.I not sure about going for just 2 hunts, 7 hour drive. But it sounds like it would be worth it. What do yall think?
We also won Colorado Bend hunt in Jan. 10, anyone been there?

Both locations are great places to hunt...plan on camping at ColoBend instead of driving in an ?hour+ from Lampasas or San Saba... check out the access from the north shore of Lake Buchannan or Burnet too
Congrats & good luck Pop's...
Ron

Hey what about Ducks at Buchanan? OUR HUNT IS Wed, Thur Fri. Im a north east Texas Duck Hunter, Or Quail Hunting?

A few years ago I was working in Tilden and I stayed at the Texan Inn and Suites just north of town on 16, it wasn't bad at all and was pretty cheap for being really the only formal hotel in the area. Some of the rooms here had kitchenettes with full size refrigerators. There's not much to eat in Tilden.

I also stayed at the Grand Eagle Ford Lodge on 72 just a mile or so east of 16, that place was something else. It was really cheap and is the pure definition of a workers camp. I was there in the fall of 2015 so it wasn't too crowded. But it was beaten all the hell by then, pretty sure there were some people living there full time. It was one of those places I slept with the peace maker on the night stand.

Then out across the highway from Choke Canyon lake called the Bass Inn looked really nice and kept clean. I never had a chance to stay there but always wanted to.

I mainly hunt in Tilden. There's 3 hotels that I know of there. Pretty cheap too. Food wise Max's Cafe and Wheelers are good. Subway and pizza at the pilot. Dont know anywhere to camp. Good luck!