Balcones Canyonlands NWR

Saw one thread from last year on this area but it didn't have much information in it - mostly people who hadn't hunted it before looking for information. Has anyone here hunted this area before that can provide a little insight? Thanks!

What weekend did you win Binary? I'll be out there for 12/6-12/8. From what I've read it's beautiful country but low success rate(30% range).

I also won 12/06/2019 - 12/08/2019, on a 2nd draw. Yeah, from what I've read so far on the place, it doesn't sound too promising. Hearing 30% as the success rate is actually good news to me, because I have been reading a lot of people saying they've never seen deer there :P How far are you traveling for the hunt?

We won last year and gathered info on it. We ended up not going for personal reasons but otherwise would've went for sure. There's not a lot of camping or hotels around the area which is unfortunate. It's tough hunting and people get stuck out there when it's wet. Low success rate but it should be rewarding regardless.

It's a very tough hunt but if you're successful it feels like you really accomplished something. I liken it to hunting in the west.

The times I've been successful I was a ways from the road and making it happen. I quartered my deer and humped it out in a pack just like in the west.

My daughter and I hunted the youth hunt in 2017 I think it is a tough hunt no corn and no stands except in a couple of units. It is very thick with lots of tall Hill country brush. I found some good info on Texas bowhunters site. she drew unit 2 with a raised box blind and we saw pigs within the first 30 minutes but there was no shot because they were moving and it was so brush later I rattled in a 8pt but no shot then an hour later she spotted another buck coming out of some cedars and killed it within 80 yards. we saw one other deer the whole weekend. We used Home Away and found a spot in Bertram or Liberty Hill to stay.

I'll be headed that way from Houston.I believe we should get an email on which unit we'll be assigned to within the next couple of weeks.

I know there’s an awful lot of deer in that area. Not sure what the rules are regarding this particular hunt. I find it hard to believe there’s only a 30% success rate with all th deer I see around there.

My understanding is that it has been managed to take down the quadriped numbers on the area and increase habitat for the black-capped vireo and golden-cheeked warbler(songbirds that nearly went extinct). It's basically the only area in the Edwards Plateau you won't see a lot of deer.

I actually just recently watched the TPWD episode about those birds, damn goats.

Thanks for all the input guys! Always appreciate folks taking their time to respond.

I think the time I went only 8 deer were killed out of 100+ hunters.

I'll be there December 6-8, it's about 45 minutes from my door. I'm not expecting much, just hopefully some good times outdoors and if we get something that's great.

Tough to complain being out in partially undisturbed hill country for a weekend for only $80

I got assigned unit 8 this morning, anyone else?

Unit 1. Any info on the unit is appreciated.

I'm 8A and my hunting partner is 8B. Any information on the unit would be appreciated. Thanks.

I'm 8F, on the opposite side of the unit from you all. Looks promising though. Another forum showed a pretty spectacular 8 point taken here last year.

Everything I've read says 8 is an easy drive but the first hill from the access point takes some time getting up with 4x4

Very interesting. I know when I drive from Bertram to Lake Travis, you really have to be careful on that road because of all the deer.

Me and my wife will be hunting area 1 22-24 Nov. I have never hunted this WMA so nothing to add in terms of recommendations. All my research pretty much matches what has been said.