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2010 Balcones Cayonlands NWR

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    2010 Balcones Cayonlands NWR

    I received a noticed in the mail today that I was selected for the Dec 11-12 General hunt at the refuge. I included my 24 yr old son and 15 yr old daughter on my app so it looks like we all 3 are making the road trip. I am still waiting on my TPW Spec Permits results and considering standby if not drawn.

    I read a few posts on this hunt and they were not very positive.
    I'm really "Jones-ing" for a hill country hunt, so does anyone have some suggestions on how to hunt this place? I'm ok with not killing anything but it drives me nuts to have other public hunters walk up on me while hunting. I have duck hunted Sea Rim and McFaddin refuges and there is nothing worse than leaving my house at 2 AM to get set up and have someone walk up on you at shooting time.

    Thanks

    #2
    Just cross your fingers your drawn for unit 3. This one is off of 1869 west of Liberty Hill. Saw many deer out there combined with my one and only mountain lion sighting.

    The following year we were drawn for a unit that you had to access between two houses up the road from Eagle Peak shooting range. It was impossible to get in w/o a 4wd. This made for a difficult time since I was hunting with two older Navy buddies that were in there mid 60's. It was some serious terrain. We didn't see a deer one on this unit and there were no deer shot the weekend we were there. We didn't have any issues with anyone hunting on top of us, but we spent the whole time out there on our "scouting" weekend and were lucky enough to meet everyone so we could ensure we weren't on top of each other.

    Use google earth when you find out what unit you'll be hunting, and find good cover, funnels, and draws. There are plenty of deer out there. For the price, it's a fun hunt, esp. having family with you.

    Good luck

    Chris

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by texterp View Post
      I received a noticed in the mail today that I was selected for the Dec 11-12 General hunt at the refuge. I included my 24 yr old son and 15 yr old daughter on my app so it looks like we all 3 are making the road trip. I am still waiting on my TPW Spec Permits results and considering standby if not drawn.

      I read a few posts on this hunt and they were not very positive.
      I'm really "Jones-ing" for a hill country hunt, so does anyone have some suggestions on how to hunt this place? I'm ok with not killing anything but it drives me nuts to have other public hunters walk up on me while hunting. I have duck hunted Sea Rim and McFaddin refuges and there is nothing worse than leaving my house at 2 AM to get set up and have someone walk up on you at shooting time.

      Thanks
      My brother had this hunt last year with his son. Guys riding 4 wheelers round all day, still hunting and not knowing were there stands were. Ridiculous how this hunt was put together, not worth the money. Good luck. Hope you have a better experience

      Comment


        #4
        Thanks for the feedback. It's a backup plan if I don't get drawn for TPW Spec permits hunts. They are during the week so it's hard for my kids to go with me. I am really considering the stand by option as well but man, I'll be stressing all the way out there, about getting to hunt. I have some property I hunt in the Lockhart area but have had no kills in 3 years.

        Comment


          #5
          Didnt put in for draw due to CRAP last year

          I hunted 3 last year with my son. We did some great scouting, put in some good hours, hung cameras, placed stands, marked off area with bright orange tape. Game cams showed people walking right through area in tennis shoes, shorts, sweat soaked tshirts. Day of hunt people park shinning lights right at us, took 4 wheelers off trailers, all kinds of noise right at dawn. 1 st morning f-ed up. Pulled stand, and could hunt night due to sons schedule. Next morn went to buddy stand, in there 2 hrs before sitting, some a-hole drives way back where we were again, as dawn is breaking, right towards our stand. Flashing light at him to stop. He was going to park and walk right to our stand, he stopped for about a minute not knowing what the heck to do...I mean he couldnt use my stand so he was screwed. Sat all frigen day with people driving all over the frigen place. We were hoping they would push, nothing. My advice... Go as far back as you can because MOST people wont do the work. Get away from idiots. I then drew a Dec hunt across 1869. Same thing, in one of the refuge blinds, over a field. Got in there 2 hr early to not spook deer in field. At Day break someone drives almost up to stand. As they walk up I flash light and they say " Isnt this stand 3 ? " ***!!! Do your scouting man!!!!!... Good luck, there are nice deer out there.

          Comment


            #6
            well nice to meet you again....sorry for last year but not all people have the time to scout around, after goin by another spot and talkin to a pretty good guy and comparin maps...come to find out they gave me an old map. called the rangers and fixed the prob. ill make sure to come by again this year and say hi bowhntr

            Comment


              #7
              ended up in a good stand...shot a doe the first day and a sow the next.

              Comment


                #8
                btw be careful who you call an ***** on a public forum you just might run into them someday..judgin by the way this guy talks, this guy is one of the reasons public land gets a bad name. its PUBLIC. dont like it, dont come. more deer for me and all the other good people out there.

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                  #9
                  Just got my permit in the mail, Unit 8, Dec 4-5, this is the unit no one likes. Looks like they changed things up this year and assigned parking spots so as to keep people hunting in specific sections. Hope that helps, anybody else in this unit plan on scouting and want to meet up?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I got unit 8 Dec. 11-12 so if you don't get anything on the 4-5 let me know where you were. I have hunted out there for years. Units I have hunted 1,6,7,8,11 only deer I shot has been out of 7 and 11. I have been picked for 8 2-3 times. Never saw a deer. Any help would be appreciated. If you are picked for any of the units that I named or unit 3 let me know, maybe I can help you.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I'm in Unit 2 on Dec 11-12. Has anyone here ever hunted in 2? It says we are restricted to hunting in assigned elevated blinds. I guess the only scouting I will need to do is to find my blind!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        i got picked for unit 12 on Nov 20th and 21st hunt, if anyone has hunted this spot and can give me some pointers it would be appreciated. 30-06, that is a good unit, i shot a doe and pig there last year. the blinds are very nice i stayed in them all day both days, they are big enough to get a mid day nap in. i was in the blind that had its own access gate by a pond, not sure what # it was but the deer came from the woods behind the blind just before dark...Good luck everyone.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by doeboy11 View Post
                          I got unit 8 Dec. 11-12 so if you don't get anything on the 4-5 let me know where you were. I have hunted out there for years. Units I have hunted 1,6,7,8,11 only deer I shot has been out of 7 and 11. I have been picked for 8 2-3 times. Never saw a deer. Any help would be appreciated. If you are picked for any of the units that I named or unit 3 let me know, maybe I can help you.
                          I hunted 7 a few years back, couldn't find any deer on the place. Lots of signs of deer, but they were MIA. That place was thick with trees and brush then, but I've heard they've done some clearing since then. It may be a better area now. What part of unit 7 did you find your deer doeboy? Just curious, I'm not hunting the refuge this year and haven't in several years.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by deerslay3r View Post
                            i got picked for unit 12 on Nov 20th and 21st hunt, if anyone has hunted this spot and can give me some pointers it would be appreciated. 30-06, that is a good unit, i shot a doe and pig there last year. the blinds are very nice i stayed in them all day both days, they are big enough to get a mid day nap in. i was in the blind that had its own access gate by a pond, not sure what # it was but the deer came from the woods behind the blind just before dark...Good luck everyone.
                            Hey, thanks for the input deerslay3r. That’s exactly the blind they have me in. I hope you have a great trip this year. Let us know how you come out.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Unit 7

                              txbowhunter I guess it would be area c or d it is by the windmill and my son killed one in a. I saw 3 in i but couldn't seal the deal. Hope this helps

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