Honey Creek SNA Draw hunt

[TradAg02]

I drew a permit for the December hunt, has anyone been?

Did you see any exotics? If so what species?

Permit states that they will drop us off at blinds. Do we sit all day and call when we shoot something?

Permit states that we must hunt from the designated blind. What type of blinds do they have?

Baiting is allowed. Do you recommend just bringing corn or do they allow other baits? I was considering alfalfa bails for axis if allowed.

Any nearby lodging recommendations?

Thank you in advance for your input.

[.270]

I hunted there in 2015. I hunted the blind behind the caretakers house, so I got to enter via the state park and used the state park facilities mid day. Here is the link to my live thread. All together I took 2 wt does and 1 axis doe. I let 3 wt yearlings and one axis yearling walk.

http://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=505836&highlight=honey+creek

[TradAg02]

.270,

Thanks for the link. Where did you buy the alfalfa pellets?


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[.270]

Tractor supply, but any local feed store should have something. I'd be happy to answer any questions that come up.

[TradAg02]

Based on the threads I've found they appear to have box/rifle blinds in place. Do they have roofs? The only state draw that I have hunted was Chaparral and theirs are open.

The hunt brochure recommends bringing a chair if I don't want to sit on a bench. For those who have been, what do you recommend?

I'm not clear if we are free to drive too and from the blind or if we must be taken by the ranger based on their schedule?


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[.270]

The bench seats are just 2x12's and uncomfortable! I took both a stadium chair and one of those folding chairs in bag from Academy. In the folding chair was a bit too short to sit and rest my rifle comfortably in the window. I think most blinds have a roof top

As far as driving, in the Honey Creek side, I had a designated parking spot, but when I took a deer, I was able to drive down to it. Depends on the hunt coordinator and how wet it is when you go. The week I went was pretty wet from the recent rains. There is no driving to your blind in the State Park. Those that got a deer had to have someone come pick it up in a gator for them.

[TradAg02]

Thanks for the response .270.

Does anyone have any recommendations on places to stay nearby? Weather looks a little questionable on Monday and Wednesday and I'd rather not break out my camping gear for just two nights.

[.270]

I live on the North side of San Antonio so I drove home every night. Best most affordable motel/hotel would be Boerne probably. The state Park is about halfway between Boerne and 281.

[mooney_ag]

We hunted at guadalupe river state park Bauer unit across the river from the main park but you had to go trying main park to get to honey creek. 'm sure the same three older guys that ran that hunt will run yours. They were really fun characters. First day they will take you and show you the stands then You can drive in to bait and drop any gear. Same goes for picking up deer. you can't track a deer outside the sight of the blind. You will need to call them for tracking and safety. All sp we've hunted have had that rule. The blinds were a primitive 4x4 box. The bench seat was two 2x6s run parallel like a bench on a picnic table i didn't find them that. And and like one of the previous posters it was a better height for my sons gun rest. I would also recommend some nettingto cover the windows it may not be hunted often but those deer know where the blinds are. Bring corn for baiting.

As far as lodging we stayed in San Antonio in the stone oak area near 281 and 1604. Bout a 30 Minute drive each way. Plenty of eats in the area and I was able to use my ihg reward points for free nights. We took our sandwiches and chips for lunch Only to drive morning and night

[TradAg02]

I'm set up in blind 23. First blind that you come to on the left. I put in for this hunt hoping for an axis, but I'm over 2 miles from the river with what appears to be a decent ridge line in between. Maybe I'll get lucky.

I put out a bale of compressed alfalfa and 100lbs of corn spread between 3 shooting lanes. Longest lane is about 150yds. The grass is mid thigh tall so it should take them awhile to work through all of the corn and alfalfa. There is a cheap plastic tripod feeder at this blind (98yds). It has been throwing long enough so that the grass is laid over under it, but not long enough for the ground to be exposed.

I brought some black cloth to cover the windows with offset slits at the shooting lanes. So I'm sitting in a black hole. I pushed the wooden bench/seat to the front and am using it to put my gear on.

It has been raining for several days. The ranger said that he dumped 4" out of his rain gauge this morning. There is water running down the tire tracks in the road and standing water everywhere. I got set up about two hours ago in the rain, changed clothes and have been in the blind since that time. It has stopped raining within the last few minutes. Some one just shot back towards the river so hopefully the break in the rain gets them moving.

The head ranger who gave the orientation (Craig) and the other rangers who I spoke to where all very nice and seemed like they want everyone to shoot animals and are willing to assist in any way possible.

There were a lot of no shows this morning, but they didn't appear to allow any standby hunters. At least not that I could tell. I got the impression that with all of the rain they are very concerned about messing up the roads.

Gear list for future hunters: blind chair, black cloth to cover the windows, thumb tacks to hang the cloth,corn and alfalfa.


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[Stros]

Have you any deer? Good luck


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[Bowtech Shooter]

good luck,
we hunted it last year and shot two hogs, two spikes and an axis spike.

[TradAg02]

Had typical hill country 8pt walk in out front around 3. Just looked out my right window and thought I saw a couple of pigs. Looked through my binos and it was a big black pig with a solid white stripe, straight up Oreo. Grass was too tall for a head shot so I put my cross hairs on the nerve bundle at the top of the shoulder. I assume he is drt, but the grass is too tall to tell so we will have to wait until dark. Dumb 8pt stood around for a few minutes then shifted to my left shooting lane.


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[.270]

Had typical hill country 8pt walk in out front around 3. Just looked out my right window and thought I saw a couple of pigs. Looked through my binos and it was a big black pig with a solid white stripe, straight up Oreo. Grass was too tall for a head shot so I put my cross hairs on the nerve bundle at the top of the shoulder. I assume he is drt, but the grass is too tall to tell so we will have to wait until dark. Dumb 8pt stood around for a few minutes then shifted to my left shooting lane.


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Very cool! Is this the antlerless/spike hunt? Can you shoo a WT buck?

[TradAg02]

We can shoot 5 whitetail (1 buck). I could have shot the 8pt, but decided to pass. I'd rather shoot a doe or a pig and have a kid get a chance at the 8pt.


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