First Draw: Alazan Bayou

[ctom87]

Last night I was looking at the drawn hunts to check to see if I drew Hagerman. That's when I found out that the drawing was today, not yesterday, and I could still apply for some now that I had my APH. I went ahead and applied for all the free e-postcard hunts around 10:30 last night.

Come to find out this morning while I didn't draw the Hag, I did draw Alazan Bayou. This is my first drawn hunt (and my first year applying) so I am pretty excited.

I've been looking for a few hours and it looks like this place is known for mosquitos, and for every mosquito, there's 10 hogs. Due to having a child under 1, I can't take off for a few days to scout the place. I'll be doing my best via Google, but have a few questions that I am hoping the GS can help answer.

What do I wear? I've never been in a swamp environment. I have no clue what to wear.
How do I get around? I was thinking an e-bike or mountain bike. But I'm not sure if the area is easily navigable.
The description said the entire area could be hunted, but it looks like compartments were brought up in past threads, and you got to choose which one you wanted to hunt. Just curious if the compartments remains true.
SFA has some land to the Northwest and it looks like that might be able to be hunted as well. Is this going to be the case?

Anyone have any tips for this hunt? I'm hoping to make it successful. It'll be hard not knowing much about the area and unable to scout. Thank you in advance.

[Hobbs]

I hunted it a bunch in college but that was 23 years ago. Lol. There's a big highline if I remember correctly. I hunted both sides with success. Easy to walk and probably could bike it if you wanted. Lots of hardwood bottoms and take a GPS cause if you get turned around it all looks the same. Some good deer there but over run with hogs even back then. Normal hunting clothes and rubber boots. The experimental forest was off limits that borders Alazan unless things have changed. Good Luck!

[AgHntr10]

Unless something has changed I am pretty sure you CANNOT hunt the SFA experimental forest. I only duck and squirrel hunted out there but there are some really good looking hardwoods. Jumped deer and lots of hogs when squirrel hunting.

[ctom87]

Unless something has changed I am pretty sure you CANNOT hunt the SFA experimental forest. I only duck and squirrel hunted out there but there are some really good looking hardwoods. Jumped deer and lots of hogs when squirrel hunting.

I based this info off this:

Alazan is usually divided into 15 compartments, 7 or 8 in the WMA and 7 or 8 in the property next door. If given a choice, I would hunt the adjoining property since the deer there are not so pressured and spooky.

The Angelina national Forest?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds like I'll be first in line to pick my compartment I'm thinking I'll pick something in the experimental forest don't think I can bait in there but thinking deer won't be as pressured what time does the rut peek in that area normally?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There was a real good 140+ one taking on the youth hunt the weekend before our hunt and one big one taken on Wednesday in the alazan bayou and a few smaller bucks hogs and some does I shot a small doe in the experimental forest and that was the only deer killed in there the weather conditions weren't so good would love to try it again in better weather


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

https://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=662044&highlight=alazan

[corps2010]

The place has big deer. I know of one buck that was killed just north of CR 628 that scored 180" as a typical on the same highline that runs through Alazan. Also have a neighbor that killed a 170" in a hayfield that backs up to the south side of the property across the river. I used to track radio collared turkeys for SFA on Alazan and Winston 8 Ranch property (the tract north of CR 628), and routinely saw very nice bucks on both places. Not sure what date's you're gonna be there hunting, but I would find a drain/smz that connects both properties and hunt it with a climber. If that's not your cup of tea, bring a flatbottom and launch at the ramp off Hwy 59 and go up river until you find an island. (those deer will gang up on an island, especially if the Angelina River gets out of it's banks.)

[AgHntr10]

I based this info off this:







https://discussions.texasbowhunter.c...ghlight=alazan

I gotcha, that must be specific to the draw hunts. If that is the case I would do my best to get a spot in the experimental forest, less pressure should mean better hunting.

[ctom87]

I gotcha, that must be specific to the draw hunts. If that is the case I would do my best to get a spot in the experimental forest, less pressure should mean better hunting.

Maybe, that's what I am thinking I am thinking. I will give them a call. Another confusing thing is it looked like everyone said it was a compartmentalize hunt, but this says it's open to the entire place. Hopefully I can get more info.

Anyone know if cell phone reception is good with att?

[jnd1959]

Duck hunts are compartment. I didn't think deer were. It's on my list for deer but I'll not duck hunt again. Too many fish eaters.

[ctom87]

Duck hunts are compartment. I didn't think deer were. It's on my list for deer but I'll not duck hunt again. Too many fish eaters.

Ok, good info. Thanks for the heads up!

[C-dubyah]

I hunted there last year in GDE. We also camped there the entire hunt and was both successful. PM me if interested.

[luna-tuna]

They do compartment (12) hunts on Alazan only during archery draws. It is the gun draw hunts where you are allowed to hunt in the Experimental Forest. I always have good cell service out there.

[ctom87]

Good to know, Luna-Tuna. I've read all of the posts on TBH and while there is some good info, there's not a ton like you find on some other WMAs.

C-Dubyah provided me a great rundown that I'll be using for sure. I'll do my best to record my hunt and post here, or, with C-dubyah's permission, add on to what he has started.

Will be updating. Hoping for a good hunt.

[luna-tuna]

The compartment hunts is what they did last year. Things are always changing there tho. Up until last season, you showed up,signed in, and hunted anywhere you wanted to. Dont want to bust your enthusiasm bubble, but hunting there can be tough. The deer are usually smart, more than a little spooky, and like many public land critters, hunter-wary. But just as corps said, the genetics in that area are really good. I scouted there today for about 4 hrs. The mosquitoes were not too bad and seems to be a decent acorn crop. Which hunt were you chosen for ?

[ctom87]

The compartment hunts is what they did last year. Things are always changing there tho. Up until last season, you showed up,signed in, and hunted anywhere you wanted to. Dont want to bust your enthusiasm bubble, but hunting there can be tough. The deer are usually smart, more than a little spooky, and like many public land critters, hunter-wary. But just as corps said, the genetics in that area are really good. I scouted there today for about 4 hrs. The mosquitoes were not too bad and seems to be a decent acorn crop. Which hunt were you chosen for ?

Oct 15 thru 19

[C-dubyah]

Ctom87, whenever youre ready just post mine as 2019 and yours as 2020 in a new thread. Good luck and i will be watching for it.

I wanted to add on to what luna-tuna said. Hes correct that its a hard hunt. Luck and determination is your friend out there, it was for us. Work hard at not getting flustered, get out there early in the mornings and afternoons, dont give up. Do that and you will leave, at the least, content that you tried your best. Hopefully you leave with maxed tags.