New guy here, questions about annual permit and public hunting in general

[AdonisVonDanger]

As the title says, I'm new to the site(been lurking for a few months though) and to bowhunting in general. I recently started hunting, as in I literally got my license and hunter safety certification in September. I've been fishing since before I could walk, but hunting is new to me, and I'm loving it so far, though I have a lot to learn.

I've gone rifle hunting for hogs and small game at my friends ranch, but unfortunately its a little ways a way so I've been looking into public hunting so I can go more often, most likely Granger.

My main question is about the expiration date of the annual hunting permit. Does it expire on August 31 like hunting/fishing licenses, or does it expire on December 31?

Also, are there any resources y'all could recommend on learning how to bowhunt? My dad used to rifle hunt a lot and taught me a few things (how to shoot, weapon safety, etc), but no one in my family has any experience with bowhunting stuff. I took some archery lessons and have been practicing at the range, but that's only part of it, and the internet can only teach you so much . Thank y'all in advance for any answers to either of my questions!

Also, sorry if this is the wrong place to post this, I didn't see a new members section or anything.

[RajunCajun1982]

Good to have a new bow hunter joining the sport. Stealthyness is one key to be a good bowhunter. It's a completly different hunting experience then with a gun. You will miss, you will get discouraged but always remember we've all been there and still there. So practice practice and practice more. Distances, angles etc practice is prob the most important thing imo. Invest in a good range finder. When your confident in your shooting abilities your 75% there. The other percentage is time in the field scouting and finding your target animals, especially on WMAs. I prefer to hunt up off the ground (hang on/climber) verses being on the ground. Be prepared because all hunters will tell you the same no matter how much practice/time/effort you put in. It will do nothing for the buck fever and rush you'll get when drawing an arrow back on an animal and that my friend is why we are bow hunters. As far as "how to", that's a tough one. I like watching a lot of hunting show to mainly see the setup stradagies. Full Draw Friday is on the sportsman channel. Good luck to you and welcome again to the sport of bow hunting.

[txpitdog]

He said what I was gonna say so I'll just leave it at Welcome!

[AgBass01]

Be prepared because all hunters will tell you the same no matter how much practice/time/effort you put in. It will do nothing for the buck fever and rush you'll get when drawing an arrow back on an animal and that my friend is why we are bow hunters.

This is no lie! I killed my first deer/buck with my bow last weekend. I have been hunting for close to 20 years now and have not had the buck fever and rush in quite some time. I could barely stand up in my tree stand when I made the decision to shoot, my legs were so shaky, my arms were shaking like crazy and I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. Muscle memory took over once I drew and things settled down a little bit.

Welcome to the GS, and welcome to bow hunting.

[AdonisVonDanger]

Thank y'all for the welcome posts and answers so far! Yeah I'm definitely planning on putting in a bit more range time before I head out, and I'll definitely look at some range finders tonight after work, one range I practice at doesn't have any yardage markings so I've been wanting to get one anyways. I'm assuming you are using the laser ones?

[RajunCajun1982]

That's correct. The one I have is the bushnell "chuck Adams" edition. But there are several good brands out there. That tool right there is worth it's weight in gold.

[wayne 20]

welcome

[hot_rod_eddie]

Welcome.
As far as hunting, read the rule book carefully.
When you purchased your annual public land permit you should have received a public land book. Read it very carefully because most WMAs have more specific rules than the general rules. Look up the website for the state or federal property you plan to hunt. Look for extra maps, pictures, even a FAQ section. I think there have been a few Granger threads on here.
Hunting public land with a bow is tough. #1 is patience. IMO you have to go old school - food, water, shelter, wind, etc.
Good luck.

[AdonisVonDanger]

Welcome.
As far as hunting, read the rule book carefully.
When you purchased your annual public land permit you should have received a public land book. Read it very carefully because most WMAs have more specific rules than the general rules. Look up the website for the state or federal property you plan to hunt. Look for extra maps, pictures, even a FAQ section. I think there have been a few Granger threads on here.
Hunting public land with a bow is tough. #1 is patience. IMO you have to go old school - food, water, shelter, wind, etc.
Good luck.

Thanks for the reply, I haven't purchased my annual public land permit yet, as I'm not sure when it expires. I didn't want to buy the permit and find that it expires 12/31/15 or anything. I've been doing a bit of reading on the Granger WMA rules and studying the maps of the areas, but I'll definitely read the book when I go get the permit.

[hot_rod_eddie]

Try this.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/annual_public_hunting/faq.phtml

If you need more info, let us know.

[AdonisVonDanger]

Try this.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/annual_public_hunting/faq.phtml

If you need more info, let us know.

Perfect, that link answers my first question. I looked around on the TPWD site for a bit, but apparently I completely missed the part about the permit dates. Thank you!