Official 2020 - 2021 Lakes Whitney and Aquilla hunting and fishing thread

[coop]

Hope everyone is well for this season. From what I've seen so far, the bucks are looking better than the last couple of years. and like said above there seems to be more hogs than usual.

Good luck and happy hunting to everyone.

[NannySlayer]

Thinking of hitting the river for fishing this evening. Any word on the bite?


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[Ender]

Did pretty good on hogs a few weeks back. Ruined both my arrows in the process though.

https://youtu.be/Iu5RwKaIJUs

[Dalep]

Long time reader finally joined. Moved here from SC for last 5 years where I only hunted WMA and came to Texas at least once a year for guided or diy hunts. This will be my first deer season here and went out last weekend to check a few spots around Aquilla. Plan to spend my Saturday out there again this weekend walking different areas. Going in by canoe.

Wife and I plan to hunt every weekend we can starting next Saturday as itÂ’s just our favorite past time together (other then her fear of snakes).

Not asking for spots or anything, found some beaten trails and even an older ladder stand but love any advice on how deer behave once season starts and where they prefer to be. Picking two spots this weekend and going to sit morning till lunch then move to other spot so at least cover some ground with everything being new.

Thanks
Dale

[AfghanVet]

Did pretty good on hogs a few weeks back. Ruined both my arrows in the process though.
https://youtu.be/Iu5RwKaIJUs

Nice shot. Instant blood.

[Texas Grown]

Nice work Ender!

[Texas Grown]

Long time reader finally joined. Moved here from SC for last 5 years where I only hunted WMA and came to Texas at least once a year for guided or diy hunts. This will be my first deer season here and went out last weekend to check a few spots around Aquilla. Plan to spend my Saturday out there again this weekend walking different areas. Going in by canoe.

Wife and I plan to hunt every weekend we can starting next Saturday as itÂ’s just our favorite past time together (other then her fear of snakes).

Not asking for spots or anything, found some beaten trails and even an older ladder stand but love any advice on how deer behave once season starts and where they prefer to be. Picking two spots this weekend and going to sit morning till lunch then move to other spot so at least cover some ground with everything being new.

Thanks
Dale

Welcome to TBH Dale. Pull up a stump, have a sit, and warm your bones by the campfire. Great to hear you and your wife share a passion like hunting.



As to deer behavior, they get real skittish real fast. And I've seen-em walk around looking up in the trees rather than on the ground, by the end of Oct. . Lotta times they won't move till very last light. Other times, all day long. And still other times only at night or not at all. What they prefer is to be away from everybody for sure . Just like a lot of hunters sometimes. As it can get crowded out there sometimes.



As to the A lake, just make sure your wife has a good set of snake boots to wear when she's out of the boat . And the best to yall this year.

[Texas Grown]

PK has it's gate open at 245cfs. And Grandbury is releasing 459 cfs. Those 450 numbers are my fav for river fishing.


W lake is at .02 feet above normal. It's dropping faster than I want.


A lake is .33 feet below normal.


Hope everybody is ready for the opening of Deer season. And that all have a great and wonderful year! And as I've posted for years back when we had signatures:


"The true trophy is not in the size of the animal acquired, but the experiences and memories made in acquiring it." - MikeB.




Yall, make lots of memories! Enough to last a lifetime, especially for when you get old.

[Lightning48]

Long time reader finally joined. Moved here from SC for last 5 years where I only hunted WMA and came to Texas at least once a year for guided or diy hunts. This will be my first deer season here and went out last weekend to check a few spots around Aquilla. Plan to spend my Saturday out there again this weekend walking different areas. Going in by canoe.

Wife and I plan to hunt every weekend we can starting next Saturday as itÂ’s just our favorite past time together (other then her fear of snakes).

Not asking for spots or anything, found some beaten trails and even an older ladder stand but love any advice on how deer behave once season starts and where they prefer to be. Picking two spots this weekend and going to sit morning till lunch then move to other spot so at least cover some ground with everything being new.

Thanks
Dale

You did get your permit ?

[Dalep]

Yes the wife and I got our permits Monday

[justindfw]

man people are brave this year. Went to look at an old spot I hunted and saw two pop up blinds in the open not brushed in and easy to see and find. Not very smart. Someone can steal them with ease and park rangers will gind them quick. Atleast I know to stay away from that spot

[Texas Grown]

Yes the wife and I got our permits Monday

man people are brave this year. Went to look at an old spot I hunted and saw two pop up blinds in the open not brushed in and easy to see and find. Not very smart. Someone can steal them with ease and park rangers will gind them quick. Atleast I know to stay away from that spot

Maybe new to hunting, or first timers on this lake, or young, or all three.


Rangers will be making a couple more sweeps for gear before the season starts.

[Texas Grown]

I finally got all my parts for my outboard. VST pumps ain't cheap, and take longer to get in during covid days! And finished getting everything installed today. Even test ran it in the driveway. Just need to do an on-the-water test now. And buy a whole bunch more steel shot!

[Dalep]

Are you guys having better luck in the AM or PM or all throughout the day? Public land I was able to leave stands so sneaking in during AM was easy. Struggling to find quiet ways in and ease of setting up a blind in dark.

[Texas Grown]

Dale, these two lakes won't let you leave stands up. Gotta packem in and out same day. I've seen the rangers before, driving around mid day collecting stands and blinds that people left up during their "lunch break". Most of the time, they do a stand sweep mid week. But do check on the weekends once in a while. Check the rules. They classify it as "Abandoned equipment". They usually have a ton of equipment at the end of the year, that gets sent to the scrap yard. They also have a Mule with a cutting rig on the back for heavy chains and such. They also check the parking lots for parking permits while people are out. And will sometimes leave a "Thank You" note if you have your parking permit displayed. And leave another kind of note if you don't.



As to deer movement, that varies through the season. I've killed them at all times of the day.