Powderhorn WMA GDE hunt

I was drawn for the hunt coming up near the end of October. Coming up quick so already starting my research for the trip. It is a small world, so checking to see if there are any other THFrs that might have drawn on this one?

As well this being a once in a lifetime odds type draw and having a huntable population of Sambar deer there, any tips, lessons learned, and shared experiences from those who have been there are worked there would be greatly appreciated via post or pm.

TIA

Congrats on your draw. I wasn't selected, but have found a couple of links for you. Looks like a fantastic place to hunt & I'm sure you'll have a blast! Check out the stag's width on the WMA FB page.

https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/texas-youth-sambar-deer-hunt-on-public-land.295031/

https://www.facebook.com/PowderhornWMA/photos/a.110653397168349/177445977155757/?type=3&theater

Unbelievable!!! Between you and Stxranchman I have no idea why the rest of us apply, lol

Congrats!! I’d focus on high shoulder, marsh tracking ain’t fun

27 points cubed to 19683 points I am sure had a lot to do with me getting drawn on this one. I'm taking a 300 wby, with my 6.5 swede as a backup rifle or to swap to for the rest of the hunt if I get a Sambar early on.

I thought it was a separate point system?

I work the ranches around powderhorn including the half that is still privately owned. During the day they’ll be bedded down in the marsh’s in the water or right on the edge. If you can get up high like in a high rack you should be able to scout pretty easy.

You’ll have fun and kill something!

Congrats on the draw!

Put out plenty of corn, hunt the provided stands in the peak hours then check trails off the roads.

How's the planning coming John? Getting excited yet?

Real excited. Been down here fishing all week. The house in town I move to from my current one in a couple days is actually backed up to the powderhorn fence line. Before I left home I moved my favorite scope to my 300 weatherby and sighted in with new ammo. I would hate to have to track a 400-500 pound Sambar through the marsh. I have like 6 coolers in the suburban. I hope I did not curse myself by over preparing.

Nice redfish, is it a tagger? Good luck at Powderhorn too.

You must be livin' right. No need to make up a big fish story, you got the real deal.
You'll probably step out in the backyard and knock down a sambar with a rock.
I would say have fun, but no need.

We caught several Bulls over the week, one big Jack, and a mix of other fish. I had one day in between to find something to do and got invited as deck hand to help with a special needs person. I baited hooks till my fingers pruned. I made sure the young man reeled in a Bull red. The battle was epic and the excitement level off the charts. So that way cool day made for 8 straight days of fishing.

I shot a 10 point whitetail yesterday, but looks like I am on the opposite side from where most of the Sambar are right now. They are going to try and move me to a better area for them at noon. Conditions are brutal. Rain and 20-30 mph winds. Back to hunting.

Thats awesome, I saw on the Powderhorn Facebook page the youth hunt knocked down some good looking sambar and one nice whitetail.

I think you're really livin' the dream.
You've got some fine eatin' too.
Congrats!

Looks like a fun trip so far!

Looks like a good time!

Congratulations! Beautiful trophy. Well done.

Success! I think it's safe to say you won your own Big Time Texas hunt. They moved you to the right spot, me thinks. Huge, heavy buck - close to 500lbs? The big question now is what type of mount - shoulder(if you have room for that monster) or euro?
Best "new" WMA in Texas.

Yowza!

Hot Dog That's cool!

You're the man, Man!

Wow, that’s impressive.

Wow Congratulations on some awesome trophies.

Glad you had such great success. That is a whopper. Was it quartering towards you? Did you have much of a tracking job?

Ha!!! I figured you would kill a giant!!! Congrats again perspective that's huge, as in compareable to your giant gator!!!

Congratulation John. I was waiting for your report and pictures. Hunt and fishing trip of a life time. Some fine work you have done with the game and pictures..

I was walking the road slipping up on water holes and marshy areas with a shooting tripod opened up and ready in my right hand and my rifle in my left hand. I turned the corner on one area and the Sambar came out from under a tree really close to me, maybe 30 yards, and started to run angled away from me. Not a fast run, but fast enough.
I planted the tripod, put the rifle on it, followed through and shot. Being off a standing rifle rest I thought for sure I had hit it good, but the Sambar kept going and turned a corner in the opening and out of my sight. I grabbed the rifle and ran to the corner and found the Sambar had turned broadside to me but still running and picking up speed. I lined up best I could as fast as I could and shot. Like before it did not react at the moment of the shot, but a few yards later it stopped running and fell over. I was confused as to where what bullet went where at first as one side had a rear and a forward gut shot hole and the other side only had one gut shot hole, yet I found lots of rib pieces and a blown lung while field dressing. While skinning and cutting it up I figured out that the first bullet was an angled through body shot hitting mid body on one side then deflecting at the ribs on the other side going forward through several ribs rear to forward bringing stomach contents with it through the broken ribs and under the skin almost to the shoulder blade. The bullet did not exit! The second shot was a broadside gut shot and went all the way through. Not where I was aiming of course, but with me running in that swamp grass and it running I was lucky that my second shot even connected. I was shooting a Remington 700 in 300 Weatherby with 180 grain oryx bonded. Very tough animals.

Congrats!

Congrats! That is an awesome ending to the hunt!

Thanks guys. I got it to the taxidermist texaswildlife on Saturday and just about finished packaging what meat is not going into sausage. I see they put it on the facebook page. It's great seeing all the youth hunt photos on there

https://www.facebook.com/PowderhornWMA

Congratulations.

My ultimate dream hunt, congrats on a fantastic Sambar!

VERY NICE!

congratulations! beautiful stag!

Very cool! Thanks for posting.