"Official" Sam Houston Natl. Forest 09/10

[axisbuck]

Have hunted the forest for the past 2 yrs and can give you a few tips. The forest does see a lot of hunters in the first two weeks of gun season. Bow season is pretty calm. Stay away from easy access roads, pipelines, clear cuts. Deer know real quick after opening day shots to stay away from these areas. Hunt further in and in the thick stuff, transition zones or just inside. Have more than one place to hunt. Go in early and stay late in stand until noon.
Sent you a pm.

[Golden Eagle]

Bucksmasher I will stop if I see you. I drive a gold 2006 toyota 4 runner.

Axisbuck thanks for the help too. I sent you a reply to your PM. Go Eagles!!

[Trent D]

Hogs

I think I'm going to try to make my first hog stalk w a bow a couple of Fridays from now and do some scouting in the meantime.

I hunted an area during gun season where the hogs had gone nocturnal. I knew they were there, but they never showed up during the day. I'm gonna see if they've become a bit more lax and will cooperate this time.

I will be in a few weeks when work slows down. I plan to hit some areas around the lake. I'll probably carry a few small game heads also and practice on some nutria rats if the hogs don't cooperate. Good time to scout for turkeys too.

[Trent D]

What part of LA are you from?

I moved here from the Lafayette area about 10 yrs ago. I grew up in St.Martinville/New Iberia. I've hunted SHNF for approx 4yrs.

Shoot me a PM and maybe we can bump into each other. I'll probably be heading to the forest for a hog hunt/scouting expedition next Friday if you're interested.

Thanks for the help Bucksmasher.

You are right about not having a shortage of climbable trees. I have a climber and will have to bring it over. I have been studying some aerial and topo maps trying to get an idea of the land before I go scouting. Another thing I will have to invest in is a game cart. I think I will try and rig it up to my bike. I road several miles last week the farther I went the better the woods looked. I might have to try to do a little hog hunting too. I saw a fair amount of hog sign on Friday. Hope to see you in the woods.

[BuckSmasher]

Found A bunch of Sheds

My girlfriend and I went walking in the National Forest yesterday on one of the roads I saw of a lot vehicles at but never hunted. We sure did find a bunch of sheds!

Our total count was 5 water bottles (all different brands.....means many different slobs), and we ran out room in our hands to carry back the beer cans........

I know it wasn't anybody on here but if your out there and you see this kind of behaviour please say something or pick up what you can. I know that the next time I go walking or biking down in there I am going to bring a trashbag.....its sad and gives hunters a bad name.

[Ksig512]

I think I might be out there doing some hog hunting next weekend......... if anyone wants to tag along...

[sagetator]

Went out today to do some turkey scouting on the west side and found two of the roads that I’ve been deer hunting are now closed.I guess we’re paying 48$ just to hunt three months a year-that’s what the sign was saying <ROAD OPEN TO HUNTERS FROM OCTOBER 1ST TO JANUARY 1ST > What about the people that want to hunt for turkey, or hogs or other game? That is not right!
On the other hand didn’t’ see any turkey, made lots of calls in different places but no answers. I don’t even know if there is any turkey population out there-during the deer season didn’t see any. Have you guys seen any turkey west of FM 149? Don’t want to waste my time if there’s nothing out there.
Seen lots of hog signs and deer tracks-still got about six more months to go,huh?Just can’t wait!

[HotRod Hunter]

"I guess we’re paying 48$ just to hunt three months a year"


I wouldn't complain some gates never open !!!

[colin k]

Thats interesting that some roads would be closed. But I guess its only fair they close the dirt bike trails during general hunting season.

[HillCountryBowHunter]

sagetator, I can say that there wasn't another single turkey hunter or turkey that I crossed paths with last year and hunted the entire month of April. I hunted the entire area from over by Stubblefield to 208 hard and didn't even find a track. I know that they are out there, just few and far between. talked a forestry worker, he told me that he had never seen nor heard a turkey.... Also talked to the rangers, one bird was turned two years ago and was shot toward cold spring. I have hunted public land in South Eastern Oklahoma for Easterns my entire life, but SHNF is a new level of difficulty. If anyone has any leads, PM me and I would be glad to call him in for you.

Kody

[HotRod Hunter]

I'm sure Turkeys are in some areas few and far between, but I've hunted SHNF for 20 yrs and I am yet to see or hear one. Just my 2 cents.

[sagetator]

I guess I’ll go buy a frozen one (turkey) from Wal-Mart and practice my new Slick Tricks on it-see how much damage they would do. Thank you guys for the advice-it’s just as I thought- there is a very small population of turkey in SHNF and that forest is so big it’s hard to spot them. If you guys know any good public areas for turkeys around Houston within 2 hours drive range I would really appreciate it if you share it with me.

[Ksig512]

Later this summer , we need to get a group together and do some scouting.....

[buzzcut]

Yall should keep in mind eastern turkeys were basically extinct in east Texas 15-20 years ago. The only reason they are there now is TPWD paid 500.00 each for birds from Iowa and South Carolina to restock them. It will take awhile for the populations to build up.

[lunatic'hunter]

I would be interested. Keep me in mind. thanks

Later this summer , we need to get a group together and do some scouting.....