I have been a bow hunting enthusiast for about 10 years, but have yet to successfully harvest anything. I've generally hunted in Georgia, but just moved to the big state of Texas where it seems a little more expensive to continue this sport we all love. I'm Looking forward to learning from all of the experienced and knowledgeable folks on here to hopefully help me bag my first bow buck/doe. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Thanks! I'm just West of San Antonio and have been here for about a year. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Welcome to the forums. It's a great community here with everyone being really helpful. It would be a bit of a drive but if you could plan a few days of a hunt, there's a nice piece of public land in east texas that is archery only all season long. It's about 16.8k acres. Last year, i harvested a 133" 8 point so there are plenty of deer. I also haven't bumped into another hunter which is usually a problem on public land. I like to think it's my own little hunting paradise.
No kidding? congrats! Where I moved from in Georgia I was only about a mile away from an archery only public land and bumped into other hunters a few times. That land was only a few hundred acres so it was bound to happen. I will have to check that public land out in East Texas though, thanks for letting me know! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Not yet, slowly working on it. Hopefully I can find something soon. I'm going to try and stick to public land for now until i can possibly find something in my budget at local club or lease Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I hear you my friend. I grew up in Michigan bow hunting on two farmers properties - ZERO cost. Great hunting property too! I thought all hunting was like that. It was a fair exchange. I take the deer eating his corn. He makes more profit by having more product to sell. Then I moved to Texas and found it mostly a business. Sad. That same greed has now reached North as well. There certainly are some free opportunities here, you just have to spend the effort and have a little luck in making the right contacts. I'll let you if and when I stumble upon something. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Welcome to the site. I'm in North Texas. Good luck with those hill country deer. Plenty of them there I hear.
My friend applies for public drawn hunts that are around your area and he gets drawn every year and has been fortunate to get a deer every year through theses drawn hunts maybe this would be one good thing for you to do. As for walk in access hunting near you maybe this link could help http://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/lands/maps/
http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/georgetown/Information/Hunting Guide 2014-2015.pdf I know this is out of date but it might be able to help you find a place nearby
Welcome Bw. Im just east of SA. Be patient and knowing the time and effort that you put into it will make every kill memorable and worth it.
Thank you. I've seen a few of them around here On the side of the road and even in some local neighborhoods. They certainly aren't the biggest bodied deer I have ever seen haha Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
CDM it's certainly upsetting to see. The public land or leases I think would allow me to put in the hard work and effort to truly make any deer I harvest a trophy in my mind. I enjoy the tracking and patterning part of hunting which I don't think you would get at some of these places around here. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Anthony, thank you for the suggestion and link. I'll see if I can figure out how to get my name in one of those drawings, of course my luck has never been the greatest ha! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
