Government Canyon SNA?

[Yakinthebox]

Anyone hunted here before and want to weigh in on this hunt?

I didn't actually draw this hunt but I plan to go try for Standby...

I tried the search feature but it's not really turning up much of anything.

[chrisjvasquezrn]

I dont know anyone who hunted government canyon. Where do you go to apply for standby. Id like to give it a try


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[meathunter]

When is the hunt?

[shwacker1911]

There are some nice deer but not really any exotics. We did trail cams all over the place

[shwacker1911]

Most came out at night

[meathunter]

Government Canyon is my Greenbelt. My neighborhood backs right up to it.

[Yakinthebox]

Originally Posted by meathunter

When is the hunt?

The hunt is the beginning of January. Pretty cool about it being right there. Think you'll try for standby? I'm hoping there aren't a ton of Standbys but if there are, it'd be nice if folks would team up and go on a card together. Would seriously increase the odds of getting a draw...

[meathunter]

Originally Posted by Yakinthebox

The hunt is the beginning of January. Pretty cool about it being right there. Think you'll try for standby? I'm hoping there aren't a ton of Standbys but if there are, it'd be nice if folks would team up and go on a card together. Would seriously increase the odds of getting a draw...

Not sure as of right now. Will decide in next couple of days. Is it gun or archery? I guess I could look it up….lol

[Yakinthebox]

Originally Posted by meathunter

Not sure as of right now. Will decide in next couple of days. Is it gun or archery? I guess I could look it up….lol

It is Gun, either sex. It is a mid week hunt. Tuesday-Thursday. Hopefully that'll keep a lot of people from trying for Standby. Plus it's the same week the kids go back to school.

[Yakinthebox]

Originally Posted by shwacker1911

There are some nice deer but not really any exotics. We did trail cams all over the place

Thank you for the info...

Maybe I can catch them slipping up.

So did y'all have any success?

[twobittxn]

Originally Posted by chrisjvasquezrn

I dont know anyone who hunted government canyon. Where do you go to apply for standby. Id like to give it a try

To get in on standby, you have to show up in person the first day of the hunt. Normally before 9 or 10am. You should probably call ahead and find out how many standby positions there are and what time to be there. There may not be any available.

[diamond10x]

Both my parents and grandparents have shared a fence with GC as long as it has been around. IMO it’s not worth a several hour drive even if drawn and not trying to get in as standby. I grew up hunting at both places before and after school and spent quite a bit of time stomping around in GC. There is good deer but few and far between. Deer numbers are low for the hill country, exotic (axis) numbers are even lower. You’d have better odds hitting one with your vehicle on the road in a specific neighborhood that borders the park.

[RifleBowPistol]

Originally Posted by diamond10x

Both my parents and grandparents have shared a fence with GC as long as it has been around. IMO it’s not worth a several hour drive even if drawn and not trying to get in as standby. I grew up hunting at both places before and after school and spent quite a bit of time stomping around in GC. There is good deer but few and far between. Deer numbers are low for the hill country, exotic (axis) numbers are even lower. You’d have better odds hitting one with your vehicle on the road in a specific neighborhood that borders the park.

What little info I have heard about the place, has all been about the same, the hunting is not very good. The area it's in, should be some good hunting. Then from what I have heard, in all the years the place has been open to hunting, virtually nothing has been killed there. Very odd, but I would still like to see the place some day.

[Yakinthebox]

Originally Posted by RifleBowPistol

What little info I have heard about the place, has all been about the same, the hunting is not very good. The area it's in, should be some good hunting. Then from what I have heard, in all the years the place has been open to hunting, virtually nothing has been killed there. Very odd, but I would still like to see the place some day.

The previous years statistics do not support these statements. I've gone back several years looking at stats and it seems to be anywhere from 40%-75% success rate. That's pretty good when compared to other draw hunts the state offers. Obviously some places have higher odds than that but A LOT have much lower odds. I will be going and taking my chances either way. Don't know if you don't go.

[txoutdoorsman24]

I plan on going to the Jan 4 hunt for standby. Hopefully it ain’t packed. Only 45 minutes away from my house so why not.

[diamond10x]

Originally Posted by RifleBowPistol

What little info I have heard about the place, has all been about the same, the hunting is not very good. The area it's in, should be some good hunting. Then from what I have heard, in all the years the place has been open to hunting, virtually nothing has been killed there. Very odd, but I would still like to see the place some day.

It’s a beautiful place with some really cool history. The hunting is just sub par for what it should be. The area was wayyy over hunted a number of years ago and hasn’t ever rebounded (more so when my dad was a kid and even a little earlier). The biggest problem is it has basically been slowly swallowed up by San Antonio. If I didn’t have to take off work to go and try to get in just for an opportunity to get an axis I would go, only because it’s right next door to my family’s land.

[RifleBowPistol]

Originally Posted by Yakinthebox

The previous years statistics do not support these statements. I've gone back several years looking at stats and it seems to be anywhere from 40%-75% success rate. That's pretty good when compared to other draw hunts the state offers. Obviously some places have higher odds than that but A LOT have much lower odds. I will be going and taking my chances either way. Don't know if you don't go.

I have never seen their statistics, I have talked to about 10 people who live around San Antonio, who have hunted there, of those people, I think one shot a doe years ago. Most of them told me they did not see anything, if they did see anything they saw does.

A lot of the area, on that side of San Antonio, has a good deer population and usually some pretty good hill country bucks. But there are some areas on that side of town, that I have never seen any deer in. Don't know why, but at least during the day, there is very little deer movement in some areas.

I have never been there, but want to see the place some day. I would assume it's a pretty nice looking place.

I never knew of the place until about five or six years ago. I have lived outside of San Antonio since 1992. I have heard about Camp Bullis since the mid 90s. I have heard from some people that they either did not see anything on their hunts at Camp Bullis or only a few doe, maybe a small buck. Then I have heard from other people who say, that there is a good population of pigs on Camp Bullis, some say there are some axis. Then I have been told by some people who seem to know a good bit about Camp Bullis, they have told me, that all the good spots are usually taken, that if you hunt there, you will be hunting some place nobody else wants.

I have gotten a lot more info on Camp Bullis, than I have on Government Canyon. About the time I found out about how things work at Camp Bullis, I found out about Government Canyon, I then tried to get info on that place. What I have gotten, has been that place has very little activity, but seems to have some nice scenery. Most people I talked to said after hunting it a couple times, they had no desire to go back.

That info like I said came from people I have talked to, who said they have hunted the place, not from any TPWD info. Knowing there are areas on that side of town, that I have never seen any deer in, I did not have trouble believing what I was told about Government Canyon.

[RifleBowPistol]

Originally Posted by diamond10x

It’s a beautiful place with some really cool history. The hunting is just sub par for what it should be. The area was wayyy over hunted a number of years ago and hasn’t ever rebounded (more so when my dad was a kid and even a little earlier). The biggest problem is it has basically been slowly swallowed up by San Antonio. If I didn’t have to take off work to go and try to get in just for an opportunity to get an axis I would go, only because it’s right next door to my family’s land.

I would like to hunt the place someday, it would not be that far for me. Even if I did not see anything, I would not mind going, just to see the place. Good luck, if you make it out there. If I have time next year, I may try to hunt the place.

[meathunter]

I have hiked GC numerous times, as I said before, my neighborhood backs up to it. It is our greenbelt. Anyways, I have never seen a deer while hiking there but have seen deer in our neighborhood that have come from the park numerous times. Never seen anything with any size on it. We do have trouble with hogs coming out of the park and tearing up yards, especially when it is dry. They love those watered, well manicured lawns (lol). Anyways, it is thick brush throughout most of the park and might limit your visibility, but a bad day hunting if better than most days working. It is a cool place to hike and who knows what will walk out in front of you. Cannot shoot them from the couch.

[Voodoo]

My buddy has an adjoining lot off 16 and hunts it all the time from his property.

[Yakinthebox]

Originally Posted by txoutdoorsman24

I plan on going to the Jan 4 hunt for standby. Hopefully it ain’t packed. Only 45 minutes away from my house so why not.

Same one I'm going to go for. Want to get on a card together? It would increase our odds...

[justletmein]

Yall get in on standby afterall? Today's the day!

Originally Posted by diamond10x

Both my parents and grandparents have shared a fence with GC as long as it has been around. IMO it’s not worth a several hour drive even if drawn and not trying to get in as standby. I grew up hunting at both places before and after school and spent quite a bit of time stomping around in GC. There is good deer but few and far between. Deer numbers are low for the hill country, exotic (axis) numbers are even lower. You’d have better odds hitting one with your vehicle on the road in a specific neighborhood that borders the park.

I'd have to agree with this. I live 5 minutes away on Shaenfield Rd. and we go hike and mountain bike out there, cool place, but I've never considered going standby and wouldn't burn my loyalty points on a hunt there.

[chrisjvasquezrn]

Thanks for the info


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[Mule Skinner]

Originally Posted by Yakinthebox

Same one I'm going to go for. Want to get on a card together? It would increase our odds...

Did y'all go standby and get drawn?

[C-dubyah]

I hunted there this season and a very nice buck was taken the first night. It was a total of 4 hunts (2 mornings and 2 evenings) and I dont think anyone else took a deer. I saw a doe the first evening and she spooked pretty quick at my feeder. Place is eaten up with javi so Id suggest trying to find some good trails and sign and setting up there which they will let you do inside your compartment. Its a great place and worth visiting regardless. Great personnel too.

[RifleBowPistol]

Originally Posted by C-dubyah

I hunted there this season and a very nice buck was taken the first night. It was a total of 4 hunts (2 mornings and 2 evenings) and I dont think anyone else took a deer. I saw a doe the first evening and she spooked pretty quick at my feeder. Place is eaten up with javi so Id suggest trying to find some good trails and sign and setting up there which they will let you do inside your compartment. Its a great place and worth visiting regardless. Great personnel too.

Javelina? Really? Never seen javelina around that area, that's interesting.

[C-dubyah]

I had a 50lb bag of corn and threw out 25lbs the first afternoon and a group of javi came in and wiped it out. The next morning the feeder threw and the javi came in and wiped it out. I put the last 25 lbs out that afternoon and in the evening the javi came out again and wiped it out. I did not hunt the last morning because I already knew...

If I get the chance again, I will hunt it and not hunt over the feeders.

[chrisjvasquezrn]

Really hogs in GC. I only hunt hogs now. Its just been hard to get int the drawing and then if i do its hard to commit to any date. Do you know if you can hunt hogs on any given day


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[Mule Skinner]

Originally Posted by chrisjvasquezrn

Really hogs in GC. I only hunt hogs now. Its just been hard to get int the drawing and then if i do its hard to commit to any date. Do you know if you can hunt hogs on any given day

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Hunting at GC is only allowed through the designated draw hunts.