Grapevine Hunting 2022-2023

[Aggiewelch]

I am in! Looking forward to getting out there and seeing what happens this year.

[Dirty Kev]

Hunters: We have made all calls for the 2022-2023 Deer Lotto. So if you didn't hear from us or have a voicemail from us they you were not drawn. We understand the system we had to implement in 2020 is not a fan favorite and based off old thread it seems most would like it where you got a tag number and we post results. That one is a little harder to do since applications are emailed in. But we are already thinking of how to improve the system for next year. Quick question.... how would everyone feel about doing a live draw in person next year? Just trying to get some feedback from you hunters to see what you thought?

If I could attend the live draw, that would be awesome. But on the other hand, if I had work/family/etc, I'd hate having to miss out on a chance to hunt just because of a schedule conflict for that day.

Have y'all looked into doing a online form on the recreation.gov website that campsite reservations are done through? I think Lake Georgetown does there deer permit lotto through there. Might be a learning curve, but could potentially streamline the process and save the rangers a bunch of time from having to sort through papers/emails and then calling/emailing folks back.

[Texas Deer Time]

I am in! Looking forward to getting out there and seeing what happens this year.

When we going scouting?

[Paddy3-17]

When we going scouting?

Y'all are lucky you live close and can get out to scout quickly! I'm way on the east side of Allen (Lucas) and it takes me a good hour to get out there without traffic. Best of luck to you!

[Texas Deer Time]

Y'all are lucky you live close and can get out to scout quickly! I'm way on the east side of Allen (Lucas) and it takes me a good hour to get out there without traffic. Best of luck to you!

It’s my first year out there! I’m super excited to be closer to home and hunt with a little one running around.

Excited for dove hunting in Williamson county to kick off the year and then it’s deer focus time! Good luck.

[SFAbowhunter]

Y'all are lucky you live close and can get out to scout quickly! I'm way on the east side of Allen (Lucas) and it takes me a good hour to get out there without traffic. Best of luck to you!

I'm with ya! I'm in Gunter and it's over an hour drive for me. There is a decent chance I'm going to wait until season starts and just do some speed scouting tours in season and hunt the hot sign. Just gotta be where they want to be! Good luck to everyone!

[Paddy3-17]

I'm with ya! I'm in Gunter and it's over an hour drive for me. There is a decent chance I'm going to wait until season starts and just do some speed scouting tours in season and hunt the hot sign. Just gotta be where they want to be! Good luck to everyone!

I did a bit of that last year. Scouted early (about this time of year and it was thick!) and ended up hunting in a completely different area than I scouted.

Once it cooled off and thinned out some, I found some really good spots! I would find a spot early, hunt until about 11, then walk and scout. I got lucky and didn't mess up anyone's hunt. That was my main concern.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[LukeDuke]

Hunters: We have made all calls for the 2022-2023 Deer Lotto. So if you didn't hear from us or have a voicemail from us they you were not drawn. We understand the system we had to implement in 2020 is not a fan favorite and based off old thread it seems most would like it where you got a tag number and we post results. That one is a little harder to do since applications are emailed in. But we are already thinking of how to improve the system for next year. Quick question.... how would everyone feel about doing a live draw in person next year? Just trying to get some feedback from you hunters to see what you thought?

Thanks for the opportunity!

I think most of us will do anything that you all deem best.

I suspect you and your bunch are under staffed, and still you do a great job IMO...

[LukeDuke]

I've been drawn once for deer since the drawing started.

Missed out this year, but I'm looking forward to having a close place to thwack a few pigs!

[Aggiewelch]

[QUOTE=troy_w_7;16361772]My friend Josh and I went out yesterday and found some good sign, put out a few cameras, bumped about 6-7 deer and few stud bucks! Hopefully we can put a few down this season; I'm pumped![/QUOTEi

I think I may have walked by your cameras this morning. If so we can coordinate closer to opener

[Texas Deer Time]

[quote=Aggiewelch;16373336]

My friend Josh and I went out yesterday and found some good sign, put out a few cameras, bumped about 6-7 deer and few stud bucks! Hopefully we can put a few down this season; I'm pumped![/QUOTEi

I think I may have walked by your cameras this morning. If so we can coordinate closer to opener

I’m the better looking one on your camera, let’s get numbers around so we can coordinate for sure!

[jbolton]

I was drawn for the first time this season, but have been eyeballing a spot for years and can finally take advantage of it. Never actually scouted there before, but plan to do some this week and probably put out a camera. Looking forward to this season

[troy_w_7]

[quote=Aggiewelch;16373336]

My friend Josh and I went out yesterday and found some good sign, put out a few cameras, bumped about 6-7 deer and few stud bucks! Hopefully we can put a few down this season; I'm pumped![/QUOTEi

I think I may have walked by your cameras this morning. If so we can coordinate closer to opener

We checked cams Saturday and didn't see yall on them. But if we bump into each other out there, we can definitely communicate about where everyone is going, make sure we aren't on top of each other.

[troy_w_7]

Hunters: We have made all calls for the 2022-2023 Deer Lotto. So if you didn't hear from us or have a voicemail from us they you were not drawn. We understand the system we had to implement in 2020 is not a fan favorite and based off old thread it seems most would like it where you got a tag number and we post results. That one is a little harder to do since applications are emailed in. But we are already thinking of how to improve the system for next year. Quick question.... how would everyone feel about doing a live draw in person next year? Just trying to get some feedback from you hunters to see what you thought?

I don't think I have any other suggestions on how to conduct the actual draw; whether names are drawn out of a hat, randomly chosen from an excel spreadsheet, etc. I'm okay with it as long as it's truly random.

Here are the things I'd love to see implemented if possible:

1. Preference points similar to the TPWS public land draws hunts, to help increase your odds of getting drawn year over year. Hunters who apply year in and year out will likely be more serious and utilize their tags.

2. Redraw for unclaimed permits after the first draw. I'm hesitant to say you have to be present to win because if there were some prior engagement I had on that specific date and I couldn't be there, that would be super disappointing. But maybe do the draw remote and then say you have to pick up your permit within 48 hours.

3. Doe harvests (1 or 2, you decide) get you automatically drawn for the next season. We can see by the data that there aren't that many deer harvested out there each year. So it's not like we are going to mow down the heard. And this would incentivize drawn hunters to actually get in the woods and utilize their tags and encourage actual deer heard management, which is why hunting is allowed there any ways.

I'm not sure how #3 would work without a check-in station, but it would be awesome if you could somehow make that happen!

[Kirby86]

Hunters: We have made all calls for the 2022-2023 Deer Lotto. So if you didn't hear from us or have a voicemail from us they you were not drawn. We understand the system we had to implement in 2020 is not a fan favorite and based off old thread it seems most would like it where you got a tag number and we post results. That one is a little harder to do since applications are emailed in. But we are already thinking of how to improve the system for next year. Quick question.... how would everyone feel about doing a live draw in person next year? Just trying to get some feedback from you hunters to see what you thought?

I'd like to see a bowhunter's education requirement. I know to some people it may sound absurd, but I have met at least 5 people over the years who have won permits at Grapevine that didn't even own a piece of archery equipment at the time of entry.