Texas Public Land Hunting & Beyond
Part 1
This is going to be a four part series of podcast starting with just Trever and Myself on this first episode, explaining how we find places to hunt and what we hunt. Part 2 will be an interview with a member of Texas Parks and Wildlife, on public hunting, big game draws, & postcard hunts. In Part 3 we will be having On X Maps on to explain how using a online public private mapping can help you be a more productive hunter. Part 4 is the Beyond we are trying to get a guest on to talk about out of state hunting both out west and draws and tags both over the counter and points, because neither of us is experienced in hunting much outside of Texas
Texas is more than 95% private land, Lease prices go up every year and are becoming harder to find, but we all own a large amount land in Texas, it is our public land. I didn't always know about public land hunting and didn't know it was even an option for hunting. So i will humbly ask this of us all who use public land be it a for hunting, fishing, camping or just enjoying the outdoors, leave it better than you found it, even the simple act of picking of trash in the parking area, just do a little to help ensure we get to enjoy these lands for a long time to come. If you enjoy Hunting and Fishing, consider joining Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, they help us make sure that we will continue to have a place to hunt and fish, on top of the fact they it's just a bunch of like minded people who are good folks. www.backcountryhunters.org/
All that being said…………..
This Podcast series is going to piss some people off, and I understand and get that but the public land we hunt and fish on doesn't just belong to you and I, it belongs to all of us, and all of us means exactly that all of us. It belongs to every American citizen, and our public land able to be used by anyone who wishes to to use it. So that means the hikers, campers, bird watchers, trail runner, hunters, fishermen, EVERYONE, so we need to be the best stewards of this land, and make sure we take the best care of it as hunters and fishermen, be courteous and polite to the other users of this land we all have the right to use this land but we need to show the non-consumptive users we are the best conservationist's and use this land as we have the right to, and encourage others to use this land and to leave it better than they found it everytime they use it.
Land in Texas:
Total acres in Texas 167,188,000
US Forest Serv 755,000 acres
BLM 11,000 acres
State Owned 825,000 acres
Land open to hunters 1.591 million acres
About 1% available to hunt or 0.1acre per resident
www.backcountrychronicles.com/
What can we Hunt in Texas on Public….
Alligator, Frogs, Aoudad, Axis Deer, Gemsbok, Scimitar Oryx, Nelgi, Feral Hog, Whitetail Deer, Javelina, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Turkey, Bighorn Sheep, Waterbuck, Squirrel, predators and Furbearers (bobcats, cougars, coyote, foxes, Racoon, etc.) Dove, Duck, Quail, Pheasant, Geese, Crain, and more.
Types of Public Land in Texas
Natl. Forrest & Grasslands
Natl. Seashore
Natl. Parks
Natl. Preserve
Natl. Wildlife Refuge
Military Bases
Corps of Engineers
State Parks
Wildlife Management Areas (APH)
Private Land State leased (APH)
Who manages each of these
US Forest Serv.
Natl. Park Service
Natl. Park Service
Natl. Park Service
US Fish and Wildlife
The US Military
Army Corps of Engineers
TPWD
TPWD/US Fish Wildlife/US Forest Serv.
TPWD and Private Owners
Mentored Hunting Workshops
Public Hunting Opportunities, that don't always happen on public land, but are available to hunters.
For anyone who is not a hunter and wants to try and become a hunter but doesn't know where to start, who to ask, or how to get your kids into hunting in a safe fun manner the mentored hunting workshops are a good way to get started. TPWD, Texas Wildlife Association and several other agencies in Texas offer learning hunts.
Texas Wildlife Association Youth Hunts
https://www.texas-wildlife.org/program-areas/texas-youth-hunting-program
http://www.tyhp.org/
TPWD mentored Hunts
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/mentored_hunting_workshops/
Hunting license & Hunters Education https://tpwd.texas.gov/
Youth License $7.00
Resident $25
Senior Resident $7.00
Trappers License $19
Super Combo $68.00 Saves $18 Hunting and fishing license
All 5 state "stamps" archery, freshwater, saltwater w/ red drum tag, upland game bird, and migratory game bird.
Senior Super Combo $32
Disabled Vets, & Texas Resident active duty $FREE$
HIP, Sandhill Crane, Experimental Pronghorn Permit are all free
Endorsements Archery,Texas Migratory Bird, Upland game bird $7.00 each
Duck Stamp $25.00
Lifetime super combo $1800
3 chances to win a lifetime super combo $5 https://tpwd.texas.gov/business/licenses/lifetime_licenses/drawing.phtml
Non resident General Hunting $315
Hunter ED $15.00 exempt if born before Sept. 2, 1971 but you should take it!
One year deferral $10 *must be in voice control of a hunter who has hunter ED and can only be used one.
Be Aware that some NWR's require bowhunter education on top of hunters ED.
Tips and Tricks for Hunting Public Lands
GIS Maps http://www.glo.texas.gov/land/land-management/gis/
Google Earth https://www.google.com/earth/
This is no secret, but google maps and google earth are different, and the
3d terrain mapping feature, the timeline feature allows you to see what how the area looks at different times of the year and after weather events, use in conjunction with www.wundergrounds.com 's weather archive of past weather and the times the satellite photos were taken.
Paper Topo Maps: USGS Maps, Natl. Forrest Maps, State Park Maps, COE.
Shows all the road systems, legal hunting area, and sometimes its just
Easier to get you head around paper maps and you can write notes, etc.
On X Maps https://www.onxmaps.com/
Public/Private mapping will be on part 3 of the series
Shows property lines, and owners of private
Offline mode download your maps and use in airplane mode
On X Maps takes all of the above and combines it into one simple easy to use product that works on computers and your phone
Keeping Good Notes
I used not to be great at this, but now I am almost a slave to this process and I find it amazingly helpful.
I keep notes on location, game seen, harvested, trails, weather (including before and after the hunt).moon phase, who I was with where we parked How we accessed the property, anything that just stood out from the hunt.
I also will keep notes on anything I see in just my day to day life about deer movement or bird migration, or even I just happened to notice an uptick on doves sitting on power lines a few weeks before season.
Scouting pre and post season
The most useful thing for hunting public, grab a fishing pole or camera and get your boots on the ground.
Find deer beds, trails, feeding areas.Find where the birds are on the reverse migrations, odds are they will be in the same spot on the trip south.
Scouting is a year long activity, if your spring turkey hunting, you should also be looking for sheds or other deer sign, and making notes in your hunting/scouting log as soon as you can to make sure when whatever season it is that sign you found you can remember where it was.
Time to Hunt
Arrive Early, Extra early for WMA's that have a drawing to get a unit. Remember when hunting public your hunting against other people as well as the game, you need to think of how they will act, and the affects that could have on the game you are chasing that day.
Don't be married to "your spot" have a backup plan or 3 in the bag and
Ready to go, stay light so you can hunt on the more run-n-gun style.
Use GPS tracks, avoid flagging tape if at all possible not only is it technically littering, but it also leads everyone else to the spot your found.
Hunt during the week if you can to avoid the crowds *the exception to this if you can use the crowds to your advantage.
Silence your gear as best you can, practice your shooting in the gear your gonna be hunting in.
TYPES OF PUBLIC HUNTING LAND:
Public Land Hunting that only takes your Hunting license.
Natl. Forrest, Natl. Grasslands 755,000 Acres
Free with hunting license
Free camping and use of land for all
Low cost permits, per unit, or area
COE, NWR, NPS
Permits thru postcard draws
At COE offices or regional HQ
Some have test to show proficient with weapons
Permit fee's vary from unit to unit
The Big Book $48 APH (annual public hunting permit)
LPU $12 Hiking, Fishing, Camping etc.
In 1987 TPWD started the APH, Last season 2017-2018 was the30th Anniversary, of the program. It has been an inexpensive way to get families hunting, fishing and camping and into the outdoors.
Get it wherever you get your hunting license.
WMA, land leases, and how to use the big book
The Big Hunts, TPWD Draw Hunts.
How to apply for tags, e-postcard hunts, standard draws, youth draws
Permits rage from Free-$3.00
$10.00 for the Guided Draw hunts
Exotic Permits $3.00 to draw, and hunts fee $80.00(NWR hunt locaation)
Military Bases
This info is online and specific to each base, you have to do the leg work.
Look for the link in the show notes on www.castblastgrillchill.com
Public Water
Lakes, Rivers, Bay, and Coastal Marsh
Free to hunt in most cases
Blind Draws cost money, permits may cost or have a deposit
Boat launch fees
Check with COE or River authorities, (e.g. LCRA, Trinity RA, Brazos RA)
The Hidden Gems
County and City parks, Land the is open to hunting but not in the books
Links:
https://tpwmagazine.com/archive/2002/oct/ed_4/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=6&v=13mUk2vplKM
https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_0112a.pdf
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/
https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/mentored_hunting_workshops/
https://www2.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/
http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/georgetown/Information/Hunting%20Guide%202014-2015.pdf
http://www.ducks.org/texas/public-hunting-on-du-projects-in-texas
https://www.texas-wildlife.org/
https://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/ByState.cfm?state=TX
https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/texas-monthly-hunting-guide/
https://www.fs.usda.gov/texas/
