Sam Houston is open

[traindude]

I took my duaghter hunting this morning at the deer lease in Coldsping-oakhurst. I noticed on the way up the forestry service have taken the closed signs down. I'm guessing its back open. I bought my permit last week then found out it was closed. Man was I ticked cause I usually hunt it every year!

[krisopp]

Yep, I called the office up yesterday, and they have a recording on saying that it's open now.

[quickstrike]

Great now yall can go back down south and leave this the north, lol j.k nah it hasnt been too bad in my hunting units not to many people just the usuals.

[Archer23]

Thats great!!! Even though I think I predicted it would be open earlier than what they had said.

[Nathan Santos]

Won't the deer be leary because of all the chainsawing and people cleaning up the area? May have to let things die down for a while....

[gdawg]

They will be skittish!

You should not even consider hunting SHNF this year.

[Agsfight]

I went this morning, did not see a deer but I saw a mosquito that would score 130!

[mossman500]

Anyone been yet...seen anything?

[stykshooter]

Didn't hunt but just drove the roads and didn't see but one truck, over by Coldsprings.

[HotRod Hunter]

I went this morning, did not see a deer but I saw a mosquito that would score 130!

Man I saw plenty of record class SKEETERS!

[mossman500]

Just seem a little to busy these days....man I need to get out there.

[Speargun]

I've went on Wed. Jumped two deer still hunting (never saw them clearly but one did flag). Set a stand up in a creek bottom full of hog sign and with a couple of rubs near by for the evening and never saw a thing. The skeeters WILL line up on both arms and carry you off if you let 'em. My cover scent quickly became Jungle Juice bug spray. I did kill a Cotton Mouth with a shot from my new longbow so I did get some blood on it! If I get another I'll back the bow with the skins. A Forest Service Agent from GA, detailed to the park for the storm, stopped to talk as I was leaving. He was very nice. That was my first time there and I liked it other than the bugs. I'm going again in the morning so let me know if you'll be out there.
Speargun

[mossman500]

I won't be able to go till next week...I leave in the morning for SA....I plan to be out there Monday and Tuesday....and maybe some later in the week.

[Speargun]

Went again on Saturday am and saw 6 does. Let them pass hoping a buck would follow. No Joy. Took the wife and daughter there Saturday evening and put them in a stand while I walked off still hunting. I forgot to take the bug spray with me and spent a miserable couple of hours trying to be still while being eaten. Very few hunters in the woods on the East side. Saw lots of deer crossing the roads on the way out, so I'm wondering what the moon phase was. Saw a truck with "Grannys Tamales" on the side in a couple of places. Is he on this forum? If so, do you make venison tamales?

[Big Brass]

I went out this morning for my first hunt of the season. I hunted the area just west of Cleveland. I saw some tracks and 1 small scrape but no deer. The skeeters are BAD!! I've never seen them like that in this area before. The Thermacell took care of most of thme but there were still some that seemed immune to it. I saw lots of squirrels. That is typicall of my luck - Go squirrel hunting and see nothing but deer, go deer hunting and see nothing but squirrels. I know of another area where I found a scrape line last season. Hopefully, I can get back out next weekend and try that spot. Results for the day: hiked 2 miles with 50lbs of gear, realized just how out of shape and fat I am, saw a dozen or more squirrels, killed eleventy billion skeeters, saw no deer, and had a dang good time getting in the woods for the first time this season.

Also, I was surprised at how little damage the area suffered from Ike. There were a few trees down bu not many. Definitely not enough to keep the place close for the first week of the season.