I've been applying for 30 years now. Been picked for a few, albeit not many. Fortunately my kids had better luck of the draw for youth hunts but they have since aged out.
During those 30 years...
Daughtrey anterless--shot a doe. This was my first draw, probably about 15-20 years ago.
Matador anterless--passed on this one, could have shot a doe closer to home rather than drive 8 hours each way. Not sure why I even applied, this was a long time ago.
Guadalupe River State Park GDE--passed on this one, lost 26 points as my son was drawn for Big Bend Ranch State Park Mule Deer the same weekend.
Chaparral javelina standby--took my dad, nephew and son. We hunted first day then drove home. Nephew shot a coyote.
Choke Canyon South Shore SP management--shot a doe
Chaparral javelina--hunt is coming up in February, my son drew with me.
Youth hunts:
Chaparral javelina--son only, he got a javi
Chaparral anterless--daughter shot her first deer, which was a doe that field dressed 101 lbs. Son got a javi.
Chaparral javelina--daughter got a javi. I think my son was skunked on this hunt.
Choke Canyon North Shore hog--son only. We didn't see anything first evening and we drove home. Old corn still on the ground. Only one hog seen/shot by another youth hunter.
Colorad Bend State Park GDE--second day son and daughter both shot bucks (daughter's first buck), we drove home that night.
Daughtrey javelina--son got a javi and daughter killed a hog first evening. Drove home that night.
Mason Mountain SP anterless--son only, took a spike and a doe first afternoon, we drove home that night.
Big Bend Ranch SP mule deer--son only. One of the best hunts I've been on and one of the best times I had with my son. It started snowing on us before Fort Stockton on the drive out then it was complete white out from Stockton through Alpine, Marfa and Shafter. We hunted in snow the first morning. Hunted hard for 2.5 days and saw one mule deer (600 yards away). We were in unit 4 which, compared to the other available units, was brutal landscape-wise. He passed on a javelina opportunity.
Las Palomas WMA Arroyo Colorado Unit GDE--son only. Didn't see a buck but he passed on a few opportunities at does. Can't prove it but it seems that the local standbys were given the prime spots. We were given the blind closest to HQ which means trucks kept coming and going on the road near us. Watched a bobcat catch a whitetip dove--twice.
Daughtrey hog--son only, he killed two.
All have been good hunts and staff has been helpful, friendly and accommodating. Best staff has been at Daughtrey, Chaparral, Mason Mountain and Colorado Bend. Haven't been on a bad hunt yet.
During those 30 years...
Daughtrey anterless--shot a doe. This was my first draw, probably about 15-20 years ago.
Matador anterless--passed on this one, could have shot a doe closer to home rather than drive 8 hours each way. Not sure why I even applied, this was a long time ago.
Guadalupe River State Park GDE--passed on this one, lost 26 points as my son was drawn for Big Bend Ranch State Park Mule Deer the same weekend.
Chaparral javelina standby--took my dad, nephew and son. We hunted first day then drove home. Nephew shot a coyote.
Choke Canyon South Shore SP management--shot a doe
Chaparral javelina--hunt is coming up in February, my son drew with me.
Youth hunts:
Chaparral javelina--son only, he got a javi
Chaparral anterless--daughter shot her first deer, which was a doe that field dressed 101 lbs. Son got a javi.
Chaparral javelina--daughter got a javi. I think my son was skunked on this hunt.
Choke Canyon North Shore hog--son only. We didn't see anything first evening and we drove home. Old corn still on the ground. Only one hog seen/shot by another youth hunter.
Colorad Bend State Park GDE--second day son and daughter both shot bucks (daughter's first buck), we drove home that night.
Daughtrey javelina--son got a javi and daughter killed a hog first evening. Drove home that night.
Mason Mountain SP anterless--son only, took a spike and a doe first afternoon, we drove home that night.
Big Bend Ranch SP mule deer--son only. One of the best hunts I've been on and one of the best times I had with my son. It started snowing on us before Fort Stockton on the drive out then it was complete white out from Stockton through Alpine, Marfa and Shafter. We hunted in snow the first morning. Hunted hard for 2.5 days and saw one mule deer (600 yards away). We were in unit 4 which, compared to the other available units, was brutal landscape-wise. He passed on a javelina opportunity.
Las Palomas WMA Arroyo Colorado Unit GDE--son only. Didn't see a buck but he passed on a few opportunities at does. Can't prove it but it seems that the local standbys were given the prime spots. We were given the blind closest to HQ which means trucks kept coming and going on the road near us. Watched a bobcat catch a whitetip dove--twice.
Daughtrey hog--son only, he killed two.
All have been good hunts and staff has been helpful, friendly and accommodating. Best staff has been at Daughtrey, Chaparral, Mason Mountain and Colorado Bend. Haven't been on a bad hunt yet.
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