East texas public land thread 2018-2019

[ChiefWhackABuck]

I'm not familiar with camping to hunt the NF, but as far as leaving stands out you can legally leave them no longer than 72 hours consecutively. As for lack of hunting pressure I can say there is oftentimes a lot less pressure during the week, Tuesday through Thursday have the lowest pressure from what I see, guess people don't wanna take off just to have to go back in to work the next day.

Hey fellas, my brother and I are thinking real hard about hunting public land again as we can’t stomach lease prices. Other than a few WMAs in Oklahoma, he keeps pushing Davy Crockett as he used to hunt there pretty exclusively. I don’t particularly mind it so I’ll probably give it a go this year.
Key is I’m not off on weekends so can I expect there to be little to no pressure from other hunters during the week?
Also, being public land, am I correct in that you cannot leave stands out there? Not that I would because it would come up missing I’m sure.......and if we wanted to camp with an RV and genny, where would be the better places to access the forest from?

Thanks ahead of time!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my SM-J327P using Tapatalk

[Haulinbass02]

Ok I guess figuring a way to lock the stands would be good if I leave them there the duration of my hunting....I have to look deeper into the camping thing because it’s too far to drive there and back so staying several days is always good.
Also, IIRC baiting is prohibited?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ChiefWhackABuck]

Not sure what IIRC is but yes, baiting is prohibited. At the SHNF station, the GW told me scents that imitate deer aren't considered baiting. As far as locking the stands up, I don't lock mine. If I leave it out, I bury it in the underbrush. Keeps the critters from tearing it up. I learned after I came up to a coon tearing into my seat while it was strapped to the tree one morning.

Ok I guess figuring a way to lock the stands would be good if I leave them there the duration of my hunting....I have to look deeper into the camping thing because it’s too far to drive there and back so staying several days is always good.
Also, IIRC baiting is prohibited?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my SM-J327P using Tapatalk

[HighwayHunter]

Scents that imitate deer are okay in the Davy Crockett (DC). Stands better to be locked on or covered up. I’ve seen people take RV’s and campers to the horseshoe camp ground.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Haulinbass02]

IIRC (if I remember correctly).....
We are going to try and make a trip out in a few weeks to look around.
Horseshoe campground is that the actual posted name of it or just what people refer to it as?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[robert97dodge]

You can camp in east texas public land but it has to be designated camping areas. Depending on what part of Davy crocket you go to you could find a RV close to the area so you don't have to have generator or even a place like Ratcliff Lake. They have showers, RV hook ups and you're close to the woods.

I have some places I will leave my stand if I am evening hunting then coming back the next morning. If you plan on leaving it through mid day I would recommend a cable lock or hide it in the under brush. I would say a good climbing stand is very helpful in the area with a lot of pines. They did a lot of burning this year in angelina and davy so should be some good areas with short under brush this year.

[HighwayHunter]

Did some scouting in the DC today and I couldn’t keep count of how many does I drove past within 50 yards of the road on public land.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Haulinbass02]

You can camp in east texas public land but it has to be designated camping areas. Depending on what part of Davy crocket you go to you could find a RV close to the area so you don't have to have generator or even a place like Ratcliff Lake. They have showers, RV hook ups and you're close to the woods.



I have some places I will leave my stand if I am evening hunting then coming back the next morning. If you plan on leaving it through mid day I would recommend a cable lock or hide it in the under brush. I would say a good climbing stand is very helpful in the area with a lot of pines. They did a lot of burning this year in angelina and davy so should be some good areas with short under brush this year.

I’m looking at the Alabama Creek WMA pretty heavily. Looks like there are 4 sites to camp there.
If that doesn’t look good then the Ratcliff Lake area will probably be where we go.
From the map I have, it appears the federal land is in parcels throughout that whole area? How are boundaries marked?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[HighwayHunter]

I’m looking at the Alabama Creek WMA pretty heavily. Looks like there are 4 sites to camp there.
If that doesn’t look good then the Ratcliff Lake area will probably be where we go.
From the map I have, it appears the federal land is in parcels throughout that whole area? How are boundaries marked?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You get a map with your APH I believe, also OnX maps show boundary lines.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Haulinbass02]

East texas public land thread 2018-2019

Double post

[jbhunting39]

In. Hunt 3-4 different ETX public units. Will post up pics. Start scouting next month


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cphillips]

Well I got a good 9 mile hike in today. Saw 18 deer 5 does, 13 bucks. Had my first in counter with a coral snake, and of course the usual cotton mouths were out and about. Anyways I have 4 cameras set out for a long soak, as long as they don’t grow legs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cphillips]

Encounter* corral* wouldn’t let me edit the post, auto correct can be your enemy


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BarW]

We spend a fair amount of time camping and hunting various NF areas, started using the frame packs about three years ago. Feel like complete idiots for dragging animals for so many years. One evening last year two of us hauled out a doe and two hogs on the frame packs, so much easier than dragging.

Places we hunt if you find the last few trees that are dropping acorns during muzzleloader season they are better than feeders. Also nice and cool with minimal other hunters.

[robert97dodge]

I’m looking at the Alabama Creek WMA pretty heavily. Looks like there are 4 sites to camp there.
If that doesn’t look good then the Ratcliff Lake area will probably be where we go.
From the map I have, it appears the federal land is in parcels throughout that whole area? How are boundaries marked?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I used Hunt OnX maps on my GPS. That really helps. A lot of boundaries are marked with signs or you will see red corner fence post. Alabama creek has some good camping areas but very primitive. No water, power or anything really. They will bring out port a johns during season though. If I am camping for 4-5 days I would rather be by a lake at least somewhere with electricity so not having to run a generator the whole time.