Enchanted Rock Antlerless/Spike

[drogers6771]

Got drawn for the doe/spike hunt at enchanted rock 1/14 - 1/17. Any other TBH'ers gonna be out there?

[wfontjr]

Yep, myself, brother, nephew and friend

[BobbyJoe]

does anyone know if the park has the gear to clean a deer... like the leg spreaders, or rope, or a cleaning station? I’ll be there solo in October.

Any advice? Do we need to bring our own pop up blinds? I’ve done a ton of TBH/Google searches... but there’s not a whole lot of information. Are the compartments first come, first serve or is it a drawing?

[COACH_EM_UP]

Got drawn for the doe/spike hunt at enchanted rock 1/14 - 1/17. Any other TBH'ers gonna be out there?

I got drawn two years ago and lets just say, I went for 2 days and then did not go back for the final 3 days. It was pretty bad. The blinds are pop ups and are spaced about 200 yards apart in order to pack in as many hunters as possible. Each blind had one shooting lane and you were not to get out of the blind until you got picked up. I saw 3 deer the whole 2 days and I went to 3 different stand locations. There was one blind that killed 4 deer, but his was the only blind. And dont even think about exotics. I think they put that in there just so more people will apply. To say I was disappointed is an understatement.

does anyone know if the park has the gear to clean a deer... like the leg spreaders, or rope, or a cleaning station? I’ll be there solo in October.

Any advice? Do we need to bring our own pop up blinds? I’ve done a ton of TBH/Google searches... but there’s not a whole lot of information. Are the compartments first come, first serve or is it a drawing?

They do have A-frames for hanging and do have a gambrel for you to use. Not the best equipment, so I would bring my own. They have popup blinds, but it is not secured to the ground in a wind. I would bring my own and bring some stakes to secure them to the ground. When I went, the dang wind was blowing so hard that the popup they gave blew over the top of me as I was sitting in it. I had to retrieve it and hold it down with my chair legs in the back corner and my feet spread in the front corners. I believe the park rangers put you in assigned blind. And that time of year, there will have already been a lot of hunting pressure, so I would get ready for a long sit, without seeing any animals. I did not re-apply and I wont re-apply for that hunt ever again.

[BitBackShot]

Surprising to hear there aren't a lot of deer - my place is about 2 miles west as the crow flies and we are completely covered up.

[BobbyJoe]

Coach - did you go in October or in January? I’d imagine it’s a different kind of hunting but kind of disappointing that you didn’t see more. Like the comment above... I figured there’d be more than a few, maybe not necessarily covered up in the park itself since they don’t run any feeders out there but enough to make it interesting and enjoyable.

Did you camp there?

[COACH_EM_UP]

Surprising to hear there aren't a lot of deer - my place is about 2 miles west as the crow flies and we are completely covered up.

My FIL's place, now ours, is about 6 miles away on 963. It is covered up in deer and hogs. I see more deer in one weekend out there than I do the whole season at some other places. There are a lot of deer, just didnt seem to be at Enchanted Rock.

Coach - did you go in October or in January? I’d imagine it’s a different kind of hunting but kind of disappointing that you didn’t see more. Like the comment above... I figured there’d be more than a few, maybe not necessarily covered up in the park itself since they don’t run any feeders out there but enough to make it interesting and enjoyable.

Did you camp there?

I went on the December or January hunt. I cant completely remember. I figured there would be more deer as well. I think they were pressured because this was like the 4th public hunt out there. You can bring your own corn and I brought 4 bags for 2 days. I was going to put one whole bag out each hunt, but didnt need to put any out after day one because it was all still on the ground. ALL OF IT. LOL! As mentioned above, my FIL's place was 6 miles away, so I stayed there. I actually hunted at his place and shot a doe for him, but didnt shoot anything at Enchanted Rock. Heck, I didnt see anything to shoot at.

[Arrowthreat]

I killed my first deer on the property across the highway from there years ago. Tons of deer in the area, but you will be hard pressed to see anything large. I hunted out there a couple years ago, and didn't see much besides does and scrub bucks.

[BitBackShot]

This is what I’m talking about...



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[Bear82]

I went a long time ago on the doe/spike hunt. I actually saw deer but they didn't come out until late. I was way in the back. Saw one really great buck. Lots of deer in the camp area at night. Axis was killed. The problem is people shoot the first thing they saw. People shooting deer smaller than my 45 pound dog.

Why would a deer go to the park with all the pressure when they can eat at feeders across the fence.

[kcmarullo]

I used to have the lease right across the street from E rock, killed a lot of very nice bucks and axis.

[drogers6771]

Awesome. Glad I paid the $130

[Cypress Hunter]

This is what I’m talking about...



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I can assist you anytime with your obvious deer problem.

[BobbyJoe]

does anyone know how the compartments are assigned? is it a drawing once everyone shows up?

Also, if you bring your own blind do you still have to hunt where their’s is or do you have free range within your little area? I’m curious if you can scout and setup deeper into the woods or if you’re confined to the one little shooting lane they put you at.

just realized I’m hijacking this thread. sorry OP. lots of good insight though.