Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

[Bear Polar Bow]

Hate to see the youth hunters deprived of they're hunt

[viper3853]

anyone going to the orientation during Nov 9-10 scouting week?

[howabouttheiris]

I plan to go during scouting week ....

Maybe someone knows the answer to the question that worries me?

I am interested to understand how the 4 hunters in my zone will not just end up scouting and setting up in the same spot or aimed at each other.

Zone 1 (that I drew) is shown as 'open', but the docs talk about 'hunters will be assigned tracts'.... are there 'tracts within the Zone' or are they just referring to the zone and being inconsistent in the documents.

ie) Will I be assigned a quadrant of Zone 1? If not, do folks contact others on the same weekend to disclose chosen blind location?

[howabouttheiris]

Curiosity got the better of me and I made a phone call.....

tract = unit = zone.

So there will be 4 hunters on the property. TPW lady that I spoke with recommended taking the orientation on the day before your hunt weekend so that you have a chance to meet the other hunters in your zone to discuss location choice and possible conflicts.

[Txfire409]

when I hunted unit 1 the only time I saw another hunter was on a scouting day. i spent the whole weekend in that unit and moved around a few times and never saw anyone.

[viper3853]

Curiosity got the better of me and I made a phone call.....

tract = unit = zone.

So there will be 4 hunters on the property. TPW lady that I spoke with recommended taking the orientation on the day before your hunt weekend so that you have a chance to meet the other hunters in your zone to discuss location choice and possible conflicts.

what does your permit say?
What unit and what date?

[howabouttheiris]

what does your permit say?
What unit and what date?

Unit #1 Nov22-24th

[viper3853]

Unit #1 Nov22-24th

i also got unit 1 dec 13-15.

did she say there will be 4 hunters during one weekend?
i doubt they would do that or if tehy did they would have "areas" like unit8.

youll prob be on your own that weekend.


i was thinking maybe we all could meet out there on scouting weekend Sat and take orientation together. i called and tehy said just show up and they would start the orientation, i think they would perfer to get 4-5 hunters done at once instead of each one when they arrive. thoughts?

[howabouttheiris]

Yes. She confirmed that there will be 4 hunters per hunt, so up to 4 hunters (and 4 guests) in Unit 1 each weekend.

Area 1 is true open, so there is no 'assigned blind' or 'park here and walk' restriction. In her words people 'just worked it out'.

Just be careful moving in and out of the blinds if not done pre-dawn / high noon / after dark. You may very well walk thru someone's lane..... Sure hope everyone glasses with something other than a rifle scope....

[howabouttheiris]

when I hunted unit 1 the only time I saw another hunter was on a scouting day

Hopefully this is the case.... at $50. some people may just not be that committed to making it out.

The unit is fairly flat and open, so if they are there, you would at least see them coming in / out of the road.

[viper3853]

Yes. She confirmed that there will be 4 hunters per hunt, so up to 4 hunters (and 4 guests) in Unit 1 each weekend.

Area 1 is true open, so there is no 'assigned blind' or 'park here and walk' restriction. In her words people 'just worked it out'.

Just be careful moving in and out of the blinds if not done pre-dawn / high noon / after dark. You may very well walk thru someone's lane..... Sure hope everyone glasses with something other than a rifle scope....

i really doubt 4 people per weekend will be there......i hope not.

[Brute Killer]

anyone going to the orientation during Nov 9-10 scouting week

That is our plan. Sunday

[viper3853]

me and the wife will be at eagle peak sighting in the rifles and then head to the orientation on sat. then scout our units

[Txfire409]

heading up tomorrow to scout unit 7. will be out there tomorrow afternoon and tuesday morning.

[howabouttheiris]

Spent a some hours on the weekend on Unit 1, only seen 1 other hunter (youth weekender)

Lots of hog destruction, but never eyeballed any. If there was water, mud or exposed soil, they had been there. Thought I may have heard some grunting from time to time in the heavy brush, but did not see any movement.

Deer prints were everywhere with many promising runs (although many were leading to/from adjacent property with feeders) Did come across 2 does (one large mature, one smaller) just after midday, so that was promising. Found some sheds from a shooter buck.

Snakes, quail, dove, rabbits, excessive rimfire (complete with ricochets) coming in from adjacent property, etc. Pretty lively piece of property.