Alert for LBJ hunters! TP&W to restrict hunting of does

[Texas Grown]

If you like doe hunting at LBJ National Grass lands, I’d strongly suggest you take a look at the following proposals by TP&W to limit the time you can take a doe. This is the proposal for both US Forestry Service Lands. The lottery for permits at LBJ will be removed. For USFS lands, a 4 day hunt period for does will take place instead. This will be from Thanksgiving Day to the following Sunday "only". That means that every body will be out there trying to shoot anything that moves or looks like a deer. It just puts pressure on the hunters to shoot one being such a short period. I’d rather take my chances in a draw hunt for an antlerless LBJ permit, get a permit (or not), and hunt does when it fits “My” schedule. Then if I don’t’ get drawn for a permit, not loss. Things are still gonna be a lot safer out there, than forceing everyone out on those days. It also means if you are out of town visiting relatives on those days, your gonna miss the opportunity to shoot a doe too !

Vote and express your views here!

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/business/feedback/public_comment/proposals/200903_statewide.phtml

Copied from TP&W's web sight: Article # 19
“Under current rule, antlerless deer may not be harvested on United States Forest Service (USFS) lands without an antlerless permit, regardless of the season and bag limit established for county. This is also true of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lands and lands owned by river authorities. USFS personnel have requested that the permit requirement be removed in specific areas, allowing hunters to be governed by the county regulations, including the utilization of "doe days." Therefore, the department proposes to implement special provisions for USFS properties in Montague and Wise counties, allowing hunters the opportunity to harvest antlerless deer without a permit from Thanksgiving Day through the Sunday immediately following Thanksgiving Day.”

[Froggy]

Good Post!!!!!

Tell them what you think. Public input is always appreciated. It is part of the process.

[bowhuntntxn]

Thanks for the heads up!!

[boss bowman]

Tex grown I hate to tell you but its a done deal, they already had the nearest public hearing to LBJ over in graham last month. I really don't see a problem with it, now everyone will have a chance to shoot a doe at LBJ instead of those that just win the lottery.

[mike_parson]

lots of proposed changes. i went and putin my 2 cents worth. didnt take very long. i hope everyone will go give their opinion it is our responsibility inmy opinion to give our thoughts to what the government does with our resources. go vote and let your voice be heard or you dont have the right to gripe when things change and you didnt let your voice be heard... just my 2 cents worth....

[bowhuntntxn]

hey boss, any one can shoot a doe without a permit during archery only season. much less risk to hunters this way. if it goes through keep an eye out for hunter accidental shootings unfortunately.

[boss bowman]

hey boss, any one can shoot a doe without a permit during archery only season.

And that shouldn't change should it.

much less risk to hunters this way. if it goes through keep an eye out for hunter accidental shootings unfortunately.

Why not encourage the grasslands to go archery only the entire season if safety is such an issue, has worked fine on other public lands, if they went archery only I don't see any reason the forest service couldn't just follow the county regs and allow hunters to take does the entire season. The reason they are limiting doe harvest is because of the high harvest rate from shotguns.

[ccbowhunter]

i think archery only is the way to go. you don't get near as much rifraf and bowhunters seem to be more ethical in a sense that they wait for the best shot available and just don't fling arrows wildly. on the point of bag limits i do think if it was archery only the county bag limit should be sufficient in so that you can take does all season long

[BillfromFtWorth]

Yeah I would have to agree ccbowhunter, and it seems bowhunters on public land are much more management minded, not that gun hunters aren't, but the ones that tend to hunt public land have a tendency to have a, if its brown its down attitude. I would personally like to see both grasslands, LBJ and caddo go archery only, I have heard on here that there is a part of caddo that has already gone archery only.

[bowhuntntxn]

IMO getting the USFS to make both grasslands archery only would be as big a battle as adding rifles to Grayson county. I would like to see it go that way but I doubt it. I do not think there is a high harvest rate from shotguns, since legally you have to have a permit for general season, and I believe they only issue 300 for the entire LBJ. So any others taken out would be done so illegally. As far as rif raf and management minded, I will have to disagree. ANYONE can be management minded if the choose to be regardless what weapon they choose to hunt with. Limiting the does to 4 days, and no permits will mean than anyone can shoot pretty much anything they want, and the county regs are 2 does, so they could put a major hurting on the overall population . Not to mention more crowded woods. Seems like it would be just like in the 80s where there were very little rules, and the place was very dangerous to be there.

Antler restricting this county which I am all for will make more difference for the area than shutting down the draw for does, and letting everyone have a free for all for 4 days, and 2 bucks. This is not south texas where there are 108 deer per acre that need to be eliminated. This is more like east texas where the herd needs just a few more years to develop into a quality area.

And Bill, USFS made the Fannin unit of Caddo grass lands archery only last year. Hopefully it will start producing better animals soon.

[buzzcut]

Cast my vote also for archery only at LBJ. I think the deer population would go way up if that were to happen. As it stands now there's just too few deer and too many hunters. I'm kinda suprised it hasn't already gone archery-only,being in such a heavily populated part of Texas.

[BillfromFtWorth]

I do not think there is a high harvest rate from shotguns, since legally you have to have a permit for general season, and I believe they only issue 300 for the entire LBJ. So any others taken out would be done so illegally.

Are you saying they only alot 300 antlerless permits or 300 gun permits? It might be a losing battle, but you could put a feeler out to see how many folks would support an archery only LBJ, it never hurts to try.

[Texas Grown]

Tex grown I hate to tell you but its a done deal, they already had the nearest public hearing to LBJ over in graham last month. I really don't see a problem with it, now everyone will have a chance to shoot a doe at LBJ instead of those that just win the lottery.

Bossbowman, I hope your there during those four days. Just remember to keep your head down and stay behind some kind of cover .
I think TP&W was thinkinng the same on giving everyone a chance at does by doing away with the lotto. But I think it has the potintial of doing more harm than good if someone gets hurt. If its a done deal, why is TP&W still taking the serveys on line? Are there other hearings? If you have a link to the "done deal" in writing, let me know. It would be much appriciated. Thanks!
And have you been up there much?


bowhuntntxn, I remeber the mid 1980s there . Some people shoot-n full auto. And some at most anything, with everything they have. I'm glad theres no more centerfire. I don't mind the muzzel loaders or slug guns, as much.
I think the Thanks Giving weekend will be just like opening day back then if this goes through .

[Texas Grown]

Are you saying they only alot 300 antlerless permits or 300 gun permits? It might be a losing battle, but you could put a feeler out to see how many folks would support an archery only LBJ, it never hurts to try.

Bill, that would be antlerless permits for the general season. And there are way more gun hunters there during the general season than bow hunters.

[Vegas77]

Not suprised. Hunted their for the last 2 seasons. I was new to TX and could'nt find a lease so I gave it a shot. Tried last year and didn't get picked. When I called they said to come down (they gave me a date) and they would have some. Drove from Little Elm got there and no more tags. Said they sent them south due to lack of intrest. When I asked about my status said they were sorry. Told be to try bow hunting, because I could take 1 buck and 2 does. So for all the miss information, time spent, and gas I owe them a thank you. Because that same week I got my 1st bow. Not suprised they did that. I sure won't be there after gun season starts.