First public muzzleloader hunt at Triity NWR

[Squattingcoyote]

Well I drew the Tinity River NWR Hirsch muzzleloader hunt. Anyone know much about this NWR? I know there was some flooding there earlier this year.

[thisisbeer]

I'll be on the same hunt with you. It seems that nobody really knows much. I've learned this since I also drew Trinity River NWR - Brierwood for rifle season. The past few years have been flooded so nobody has hunted for at least the last 2 years. This was due to Harvey and I believe a tropical storm, so that may not be typical. The only unit currently closed is the Page unit, but that is due to a collapsed bridge. This is the first year they are in the TPWD draw system. Previously the drawing was done by the refuge. I've called and talked to them, but that's all the information I could get.

I'm cautiously excited about the hunt. I've always heard there are some big deer along the Trinity River and know a couple of guys on leases that border it. With that and not being deer hunted for a couple of years it may make for some good action. Obviously, it could suck as well. We will see.

[Squattingcoyote]

Yessir I'm right there with you being cautiously optimistic. I drew two different Trinity units for the rifle hunt but had to pass on them. Well hopefully it's a positive experience for all! My name is Will and my # is 281-795-6191 if you want to talk about the hunt at any point or get any good info. I'll share the same.

[ZINS708]

I drew the McGuire Unit for Muzzleloader in January. Cant find anything about it. It looks super thick and they have some strange regulations, but going to see what I can do! Keep any intel going on here and maybe we can help each other out.

[HuntorFish]

I drew Boars Den for Muzzleloader.

[ZINS708]

I'm going to be in McGuire unit muzzleloader and I talked to the lady at the park. She said there are a ton of pigs at Trinity and a few deer. Said, "we dont really have trophy bucks here. We may see some 8 and 10 pointers every once in a while, but nothing like what you see out West". Said they have a ton of swampy spots with what they call "gumbo mud" and its super thick out there. Wanted me to "know what I was getting in to": deep woods, lot of walking, small deer, lol. Should be a fun hunt though!

[Squattingcoyote]

Hmmm almost like she’s hiding something.... 🤔 lol

[thisisbeer]

Ya when I talked to the guy out there that puts on the hunt he mentioned the deer population numbers aren't anything special. Sounds like the rest of East Texas. He also mentioned it is super thick and if you get in an area that you can see 50 yards that will be about the most. I'm not scared of it. Yet.

[capn]

The hunting can be really good... but the wonky rules put in place by staff that don't hunt make it pretty tough. An archery season that ends right as the pre rut cranks up always really hurt us. The first week of gun season usually sees strong rut action, but the deer are all messed up from 3 weeks of archery hunters pushing them around when they really weren't moving much in the heat. The biggest problem are the poor access points for way too many permits issued. Everyone has to park in the same lot, no bikes allowed, no canoes allowed, no way to spread out. At many of the properties it takes a 4-5 mile hike to get to the back away from people. That's an hour and a half walk, but you can't access it more than an hour before light. Having people walk in on me while hunting became far too common. Walking in at least 2.5-3 miles lessened it (some) but it's quite a pack out if you kill something. Dont try to use a game cart either, the gumbo mud packs the wheels. Better to bring a pack frame and pack out western style.

Tons of hogs. TONS. You will walk in on them at night with long hikes. Be alert and have good lights. Deer numbers rise and fall with the floods. Find high ground and there will be deer, more numbers than the staff realizes. Size fluctuates with floods too. The big deer have a tendency to get tired of the flooding and move out. 3 or 4 years in a row with no floods and you can find good ones. Year of a flood and year after sees very low deer densities except on high ground... but high ground tends to be where the parking lot with too many permitted hunts is. Those deer get spooked and nocturnal quick.

Lots of cotton mouths. LOTS. In weird places far away from water too. Have to really watch for them at all times. No slipping in quiet with no lights.

Wardens checking you periodically are federal. Dont screw up. Dot your i's and cross your it's... you aren't getting a warning. Wear your orange and be very careful walking main roads during daylight. People will hunt them even though it's illegal. And neighbors hunt the place year round so be careful around property lines, too.

If you're a really good hunter, the hunting can be awesome. Go the week before, the day your scouting period opens. Put at LEAST 10 miles on your boots. don't even look at anything less than 1.5 miles from the parking lot. Youll find some very productive hunting areas and enjoy success. But do that the day scouting opens. NOT the day before the hunt. Find it a week before, GPS your route in and back, then let it rest. Everyone else will trump all over the close stuff for a week and push more deer back to you. Get in early and as quiet as possible the first morning and never hike out in daylight unless you have an animal. Dont give the deer the chance to see you walking around in the day. Sit tight and let the yahoos push deer back to you.

Hogs are easy to come by if you know how to hunt/scout at all. If you just want hogs, find a creek bank far away from the parking lot and still hunt it on a wet day watching the oak flats and the creek bank itself. The only time you don't see hogs are when they've been pushed out by the yahoos.

Its a tough hunt but it is game rich if you're willing to walk the miles and hunt hard. I quit archery hunting it because I got frustrated by bird watchers writing rules for hunters, and finally quit rifle hunting it from constantly having people walking in on me or having to pack an animal out to ice and walk by several people hunting roads. And then there are the "handicapped" people with atvs. Big time quotes on that word. So much more that could be done with these properties, and the lady that works the front desk (Bonnie) is awesome. The rest of the staff... perhaps the retirement of the guy in charge will help things.

[Squattingcoyote]

Capn, that's some good solid info there. Many thanks and glad to hear from someone experienced out there.