I didn't get drawn for any hunts this year and was wondering if anyone has had any luck hunting standby? How does that work? Show up early, with the fee and be ready to hunt?
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The hunts that I have been on, except for one, they accomodated all of the standby hunters. The one that they didn't they drew names (groups) out of a hat until they had enough. That was Richland GDE back in 2004. -
You need to make sure that they had a standby position available. Last year I went to Kerr WMA on standby for Spring Turkey and they had only one standby position and 6 of us showed up. 4 of us put our name on one card and then the other two showed up and put their name on another card. The guys running the hunt managed to get all of us on but he told us that next week there were no standby hunts available. You may have a better chance if you go in with another couple hunters and share a compartment if that is the way the hunt is. They told me that if every one who got drawn in the original drawing paid their fees that they would not have a stand by position available. If you have paid your fee to hunt they have to hold that spot open even if you do not show up. If you call and say that you are not able to show and have paid your fee they will let a stand by hunter go but you will still have to pay and the the original hunter does not get his money back. I have been called by the WMA asking if I was going to show up.
You are correct about showing up early and have your money ready and be ready to hunt. I have been on standby on a few when my groups name was not drawn and a few where we were drawn.Comment
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The person running the hunt usually waits to see how many drawn hunters show up before he makes a decision on how many standby permits he will issue.He might issue zero or he might issue several.If he decides he only wants 8 standby hunters but 15 guys are wanting a standby permit he will draw names from a hat or coffee can.The 7 who didn't get drawn can go home.If you get drawn then you pay the 80.00 or 130.00 and hunt.I killed my biggest buck ever on a standby permit.Originally posted by Wanderingchef View PostComment
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do you use your own tags or do they issue special tags for that hunt? I'm looking at GUADALUPE RIVER – BAUER UNIT I figure with a 5 deer limit the chances are higher they would let some standby hunters on.Comment
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They give you a special tag,DO NOT USE THE ONE ON YOUR LICENSE.Comment
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That's the archery hunt with only 10 drawn permits? I kinda doubt they will do any stanby permits on that one but you might call the area manager 3 or 4 hours before the hunt and he might be nice enough to tell you if they are doing any standby permits.Or like I say he might need to wait to see how many drawn hunters show up.That's his prerogative.Originally posted by Wanderingchef View PostComment
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That's a negative!!Originally posted by buzzcut View Post
Call a couple days ahead and they will tell you then how many stand-by spots they will have. If a drawn hunter has sent in his fee on time, they cannot give his spot away. I have actually came in a day late as a drawn hunter. The stand by spots come by the drawn hunters not sending in the fee. Every archery hunt I've been on as a stand-by, everybody got to hunt. Not a whole lot of stand by'ers on archery hunts. Rifle hunts, quite a few might show up. But you need to call a day or 2 before the hunt and somebody there will tell you how manys spots are open and what time they want you there. Some might say by 10:00 am and still let guys sign up 3 minutes before the noon start. Some will draw for stand by's at 11 or 11:30. Every place is a little different, but pretty much all run the same.Comment
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I know last year I got in on standby at GE and they said if a drawn hunter showed up by ___ time they would take him. Don't agree with it, but it's the way it is. I've never been turned away as standby, but there's always that chance.Comment
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Re type this after youve been to the Chap or Daughtry they do not draw every stand by for sure. The last 4 years at the Daughtry they only drew 1 card, and there was twice as many stand bys as draw hunters....Originally posted by sqiggy View PostComment
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Granted Sqiggy it's not as hard to get a standby permit on the archery hunts as the gun hunts,my point is the managers of the different areas are not bound by ANYTHING that goes on in Austin as far as the drawings are concerned. They have tremendous leeway as to whether they will do standby permits or not,and how many. If a drawn hunter doesn't show up they might give his spot to a standby hunter or they might not,it's his area and his call. If the drawn hunter shows up late they will probably find a place on the property for him to hunt(or they should). A lot of it boils down to the personality and "style" of the guy managing the area.Comment
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i was the ONLY hunter to show up last year for the Davis mountain state park javi hunt. Had the whole place to myself. those memories will last a life time.Comment
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I got drawn for standby on the chap back in 2003 but they only drew three cards and there were about 10. So a bunch of guys left empty handed. Its not a guarantee.Comment
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At Matador last year they drew three standbys, but there were probably fifteen to twenty waiting. They just put all the standby apps in a garbage can crumbled up and pulled three.Comment
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My son and I plan to be there this year. Can't wait. Beautiful place.Originally posted by froghunter View PostComment
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