TPWD Whitetail Draw Hunts

[buckhunter98]

Been looking at putting in for some draw hunts the past couple years. Was really interested if the areas that have draw hunts even have good deer numbers or not? Or is it really just a waste of time? Gonna apply either way this year, but just wanna hear yalls opinion

[TexasArchery_27]

https://discussions.texasbowhunter.com/forums/showthread.php?t=733607

[150class]

Awful deer numbers and a waste of time..

[furtrapper]

Save your money so I get a better chance

[tdwinklr]

lousy hunts...no animals...bad service.

[justletmein]

It depends on the hunt but you can make some kills for sure. I've never drawn anything in 7+ years of putting in for every category since before the online system, but if you're a 1st time applicant in the online system you'll probably draw 2-3 hunts. My theory is there's some sort of weight for 1st time applicants, we see it every year. My kids on the other hand have been drawn here and there for youth hunts and they've mostly been pretty good hunts and pretty good systems setup.

[gemini2759]

No good deer on public land.


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[hilltop101]

If you look through the catalog it will list last years success rate at the bottom of each unit if a hunt was held there the previous year. That will give you an idea.

[BradBryant1000]

If you look through the catalog it will list last years success rate at the bottom of each unit if a hunt was held there the previous year. That will give you an idea.

My wife says I'm super OCD about hunting but I've kept the last several years worth of draw hunt books. I look back on them as a reference to keep track of year after year success rates on places I wanna put in to try and draw a hunt on. Lets me know if a WMA has had continued success or not.

[TexasArchery_27]

They also publish their data online through their webiste, in case you lose the book or are missing one.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/statistics.phtml

This is how I mapped out which hunts I applied for. You can sort and filter from highest probability to lowest if you export to excel. The notes included are interesting as well.

[BradBryant1000]

Double post

[BradBryant1000]

They also publish their data online through their webiste, in case you lose the book or are missing one.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/huntwild/hunt/public/public_hunt_drawing/statistics.phtml

This is how I mapped out which hunts I applied for. You can sort and filter from highest probability to lowest if you export to excel. The notes included are interesting as well.

I guess I've never really looked at that report before. Definitely gonna look it over more.

[Blank]

It is critical for us to also look at the harvest statistics, in addition TO the published info in the hunt booklet. We like to hunt and attempt to get on new WMA's to target an exotic hunt or a deer gun or archery hunt for a reason. The hogs, coyotes or non-target exotics are extra in our minds and don't accurately reflect the true success. I don't drive 2000 miles to Texas to shoot a doe, when I can kill 3-4 here. Always look at the true success rates, and make your mind up from there.

[bigchiefj]

They're hard to draw, but fun hunts. Where else can you get a deer hunt from $80 to $130?

Some hunts are harder than others, but no two hunts are created equal. Hunting mule deer with a bow is going to be a lot more difficult than using a rifle to shoot a doe over corn.

[RShockley]

It is critical for us to also look at the harvest statistics, in addition TO the published info in the hunt booklet. We like to hunt and attempt to get on new WMA's to target an exotic hunt or a deer gun or archery hunt for a reason. The hogs, coyotes or non-target exotics are extra in our minds and don't accurately reflect the true success. I don't drive 2000 miles to Texas to shoot a doe, when I can kill 3-4 here. Always look at the true success rates, and make your mind up from there.

If you are driving from Idaho to hunt Texas public lands for anything other then a bighorn sheep tag you already screwed up.