OT - hunting TX - Natl Forest Nov 13-15 2009 UPDATED

[O.S.O.K.]

OK, we are blessed in East Texas to have three good sized National Forests: Sabine, Davey Crocket and Sam Houston. For $45 or so you can get the "annual public hunting permit" added to your license which entitles you to hunt in these areas. There are alos dove leases all over and you can participate in the annual hunting lotteries as well. Further, your kids can hunt with you on their normal license. A good deal to be sure. Camping is free.

So, I'm thinking that we need to organize a fall camp/hunt trip and take advantage of this situation. I think we have plenty of members in Texas that can make a weekend event like this. I think it would be a great time!

There are plenty of whitetail and hogs in these areas and you can luck out and find a good sized buck.

Having a large group would be nice as there would be people in the camp area most of the time - one thing I don't like about going alone is leaving my camp unattended...

Anyway, anybody intersted?

We need to look at dates and pick the location - any experience/opinions/input appreciated.

Ambrical/Hobie - can we sticky this for awhile? Please

[Premo]

I have hunted Texas public lands for over 20 years and appreciate the opportunity to hunt in some GREAT areas. As with all public hunting, some area have more hunting pressure than others. As with all hunting, pre-hunt scouting is important and more so on public lands.

I believe that the curent permit is $48. See link to TWPD's info on hunting public lands. http://tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/lands/

FP

[O.S.O.K.]

I have hunted Texas public lands for over 20 years and appreciate the opportunity to hunt in some GREAT areas. As with all public hunting, some area have more hunting pressure than others. As with all hunting, pre-hunt scouting is important and more so on public lands.

I believe that the curent permit is $48. See link to TWPD's info on hunting public lands. http://tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/lands/

FP

First off - thanks mods for the sticky!

And Premo - are you saying yeah? You're interested? Hope so - your experience would be most helpful.

I was thinking of avoiding the opening weekend - which can be quite crazy. Or maybe scheduling a first trip for bow season and then one for rifle season....

[RKrodle]

I up for it. I've hunted the Sabine and know my way around it a little bit but, not the others. I took a nice 10 point the year I hunted Sabine. I did alot of scouting and hunting to get it but they are there. I had some Topo maps for some of the areas but don't know if I still have them. I could make it over a weekend or maybe a long weekend depending when we do it. We may be able to do some car pooling to cut gas cost and I can bring my dutch ovens . The camping and cooking part is half the fun.

[O.S.O.K.]

Great!!

I like to cook too - can bring some of my mixes along - creole anyone?

And I google earth'd the Sam Houston National Forrest - and found some features that I knew nothing about - like a big tank with water.... this is a free download if anybody hasn't heard of it - really is slick. I can print sections of whatever forrest we settle on and bring multiple copies.

Sam Houston no longer has a range unfortunately - do any of the others? I don't think you can shoot during hunting season otherwise...

This will be a good time!

Oh, and I can usually get away on Friday morning or even Thursday evening to get a good camp spot saved for us... as long as there's a cell signal...

Anybody familiar with the Red Hill Lake camp area?

ETA - the Sabine NF covers over 160,000 acres in 5 counties. That should be big enough...

Here's some links for your information:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/texas/recreatio ... info.shtml
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/

[Premo]

OSOK,

Yea, I'm interested in a weekend in the woods, always! Much depends on the weekend and my fall hunting schedule already in place. I will help out any way that I can.

There is lots of info in the Public Hunting Land Map Booklet. East Texas has a plethora of hunting / camping opportunities. As time goes on and you have commitments, poll where all live and find a hunting area convent to all.


FP

[Tommy Reb]

O.S.O.K., count me in if the schedule we end up with does not conflict with the hunts I already have committed to. I would enjoy hunting with you, Ricky and other Lever Gunners again.

[O.S.O.K.]

O.S.O.K., count me in if the schedule we end up with does not conflict with the hunts I already have committed to. I would enjoy hunting with you, Ricky and other Lever Gunners again.

Great! Why don't you suggest some dates - I'll work around that myself.

[Tommy Reb]

O.S.O.K., I'm committed to another hunt Dec. 4-10. Also, right on top of Thanksgiving and Christmas would not be good for me. I expect that would likely not be good for others as well.

[O.S.O.K.]

OK - let me throw out a suggestion: November 1-3 (openning weekend) or November 8-10, December 6-8...

Hmm?

[jmatt]

I would be interested in this camp. I live near Canton, about 50 miles east of Dallas. I would not be able to meet Nov. 1,2 but any other time would be possible.

[Tommy Reb]

Welcome to the forum, jmatt. I live in Canton (Free State of Van Zandt) as well. If we are able to make this hunt happen, I will PM you. Maybe we could car pool, etc.

[RKrodle]

Welcome jmat, I live up near Greenville. There's a few of us around this area.

[O.S.O.K.]

Yes welcome! And so we now have a preference for Nov 8-10 and December.

Any other input on this?

Oh and once we set a date - would anyone have any problem if I went to 24 Hour Campfire and invited the TX guys there? I think many of us here are also on that board... Not trying to over complicate this, just think it would be cool have about 10 or 12 parties all together camping. Just makes for a fun time. Especially if we get around a central campfire and tell stories and such.

[RKrodle]

I'm can't make it until later in November or sometime in December. I have a hunt the first week of November. Inviting the 24 hr campfire fellows seems like a good idea to me. The Dec 8-10 would work best for me.

[O.S.O.K.]

Tom is booked that period... besides that's a Monday -Wednesday - no good for me....

How about that next weekend? December 12-14?

That work for everybody?

[ekrodle]

O.S.O.K

Count me in as well if nothing else is happening. I would love to get a trip in and meet new friends!!
Rick, lets get in touch if we can both make it and plan to ride together.
Eric

[RKrodle]

Tom is booked that period... besides that's a Monday -Wednesday - no good for me....

How about that next weekend? December 12-14?

That work for everybody?

That would work for me.

[O.S.O.K.]

OK - December 12-14 it is.

So who's in?

O.S.O.K.
RKrodle
and....... ekrodle? tomclink? jmatt? Premo?

That'd be great if we got all six - and I'm betting we get about the same from 24hrcampfire - they have a good Texas contingent..

A regular Texas rendeavous!

[shawn45]

I hunted the Davey Crocket NF as a teen and it was one of the most dangerous places I have ever hunted. I also met some individuals that thought our things looked very much like they were about to become thier's until we shucked off our coats and the saw we were all wearing revolvers. They suddenly remembered a need to be somewhere else quickly. Another time someone offered to sell me an illegal doe for 50 bucks. I declined. I am sure that there are some decent folks that hunt there I just never met them. Then there was the time someone shot at me. I never got a chance to shoot back, but I sure waited around (hidden) to see if anyone came to claim me.

[O.S.O.K.]

I hunted the Davey Crocket NF as a teen and it was one of the most dangerous places I have ever hunted. I also met some individuals that thought our things looked very much like they were about to become thier's until we shucked off our coats and the saw we were all wearing revolvers. They suddenly remembered a need to be somewhere else quickly. Another time someone offered to sell me an illegal doe for 50 bucks. I declined. I am sure that there are some decent folks that hunt there I just never met them. Then there was the time someone shot at me. I never got a chance to shoot back, but I sure waited around (hidden) to see if anyone came to claim me.

Wow. That sounds like the place I hunted south of the Pocanos in Pa about 15 years ago.

My experiences with Sam Houston have been fine.

I think we were looking at the Sabine NF.

And a big group of ugly and well armed leverguners should be a good deterant to just about anybody. Oh, and I'll most likely have a Sig 45 on my hip...

So, Shawn - you in?

[Bis]

Has it been decided that it is at Sabine and have you got a date set? I work at Lowe's so weekends are a stuff shoot, but will try my hardest.

[O.S.O.K.]

Well the best date has been December 12th weekend and Sabine is good. I've only hunted Sam Houston a little - others with experience (recent) with Sabine or Davy Crocket - please speak up.

The only thing wrong with the dates that I can see is there's a full moon so bambie will be frolicking all night and packing it in during the day...

But I see this more as a fun campout weekend than a pure hunting trip.

[Bis]

That sounds good to me.

[RKrodle]

I will probably be walking bowlegged from carrying so many guns . I've never had any problem out in the Sabine. All the folks that I've met in the camps were friendly and helpful, the same with the folks I came across in the woods. That don't mean that someone might have a different experience.

[O.S.O.K.]

Oh, I once had a negative experience in a national forrest- can't remember which one- but it was in Texas shortly after I moved here - I was living in the Dallas area - could have been the Davy Crocket come to think of it.... basically, some old codger told me that I was in "our section" - like he owned that whole area of the forrest. I remember him saying something about they "have it every year"... I just said "oh really" and ignored him - but kept an eye on the jerk anyway... but that was a long time ago.

I do expect that people that are local or close to the forrest and hunt it year after year probably do get possesive but they just need to get over it. It's a public area. I have no problem moving over if somebody is there already and giving them room - only polite, but they'd better be nice about it and not act like they own the place.

[jmatt]

Tomclink and Rkrodle send me an email so we can talk since we live in the same area. jackmattingly01@yahoo.com

[RKrodle]

but it was in Texas shortly after I moved here

WOW UP THERE NOW! You ain't born Texan?!?! Get a ROPE Boys . Just kidding, I would of never known, you make a good Texan .

[O.S.O.K.]

I'm kinda like John Cash - I've been everywhere man.... I was born in Cincinnati moved to St. Louis when I was 3 - lived there until 15 moved to Davenport, Iowa - stayed there until 21 and moved with my wife to Minneapolis (brrr) stayed there until age 27 and moved to Moline, Illinois - at age 30 moved to Plano, TX - moved to Easton, PA at age 31 and then back to Plano at age 34. At age 37 (10 years ago) we moved south to Lockhart and are in our third house here.

My Mamma is from Longbeach, Miss, so I grew up with a bit of a drawl naturally. It gets a little thicker around my buddy Smitty.

Thanks for the compliment

[RKrodle]

I'm kinda like John Cash - I've been everywhere man.... I was born in Cincinnati moved to St. Louis when I was 3 - lived there until 15 moved to Davenport, Iowa - stayed there until 21 and moved with my wife to Minneapolis (brrr) stayed there until age 27 and moved to Moline, Illinois - at age 30 moved to Plano, TX - moved to Easton, PA at age 31 and then back to Plano at age 34. At age 37 (10 years ago) we moved south to Lockhart and are in our third house here.

My Mamma is from Longbeach, Miss, so I grew up with a bit of a drawl naturally. It gets a little thicker around my buddy Smitty.

Thanks for the compliment

I didn't notice, Smitty has a drawl?

[O.S.O.K.]

[RSY]

I know the TPWD doesn't require it at all, but is hunter orange required on the federal lands? If so, how much

Scott

[O.S.O.K.]

Yes, I believe it is - something like a min of 400 square inches to a side or similar - basically a vest, but an orange/camo pattern that has that much orange in it is fine too.

[RSY]

Dang, that's just plain un-Texan. Don't know if I could bring myself to don such threads.

Scott

[O.S.O.K.]

Yeah, I know. I hunt with Smitty in Mississippi and its law there. No biggy

[JP_TX]

Is the camp all filled out or do you have room for another. I haven't hunted Texas before and have been waiting for a chance to hunt with some more experienced hunters that know the area. East Texas is fine with me.

JP

[O.S.O.K.]

JP, this is one of those "the more the merrier" things. We'll just scoot over a bit and make room for your tent.

Looks like we've got some interest here guys

Please post if you're interested or plan to attend.

And those with experience with the Sabine - please suggest some camp areas and hunting spots/areas.

[JP_TX]

Thanks OSOK, I look forward to it. To show my ignorance of the area we will be camping in, is there road access or do we have to hike in. The reason I ask is I would just as soon sleep in the back of my truck. I have a shell on it.

BTW, while considering work contributions, I am a pretty fair cook and don't mind sharing or assuming that duty as long as it dosn't cut into my hunting. While it is only a weekend camp, cold chili and instant coffee get pretty old pretty fast. Once we know the number of hunters and preferences, I can quartermaster food and drink to bring along though I am shy on camp utensils.

JP

[RKrodle]

I plan to attend.

JP_TX, you can drive to the camping areas, they are just off the forest roads. Really nothing more then clearings in the trees.

OSOK, I will have to look at the maps to remember which camp I have used in the past. We will want to remember to bring whatever fuel for fires that we want to use. You can only use wood you find on the ground and some times it's not very much.

When you buy your APH permit they will send the booklets to you showing the areas and camp sights.

[ekrodle]

Hey... Definitely count me in unless something drastic comes up. Especially if there are going to be so many willing to cook!!!! .... I am from the Greenville area as well and would be more than willing to ride share if needed. I will have to agree with you OSOK, that this will be also a camping and meeting as well as hunting and I am looking forward to every minute of it!!!!!

[O.S.O.K.]

Great! Looks like it's shaping up.

And Eric, remember that the cooks can get real thirsty when fixin the vittles

[Bis]

If you are in a Nat. Forest and don't want to hunt, can you just plink or do you need the orange and a license ?

[RKrodle]

If you are in a Nat. Forest and don't want to hunt, can you just plink or do you need the orange and a license ?

I'm not sure. I think if you are carrying a gun it would be best to have a license and hunter orange. If you don't want to hunt deer there is some great squirrel hunting. I'll probably bring a .22 and get in a little squirrel hunting. You can also jump ducks off some of the creeks. Then there's also the possibility for hogs.

[Bis]

You are probably right about the license and orange. I wasn't going to hunt, but just wanted to meet some of the good people on the forum, that is if I can ever get my work to tell me if I can get that weekend off.

[O.S.O.K.]

I'm pretty sure that you can't plink during hunting season. Not even sure if they allow it anymore period! I think I read in the rules about that...

But if you just want to come hang out and enjoy the camping, that'd be great!

I would suggest that if you got some CB's or Calibri (sp) rounds and shot those out of a rifle at cans and such that there'd be no problem as those are quite and sound like a pellet gun. Work fine in most lever guns and bolts.

[Bis]

It would probably better if I just passed on bring a gun, besides I can plink all I want off my back porch. I just thought it would be interesting to try shooting at a different place. I will try to get down there and bring the poor cheif some liquid refreshment and just say hi to everyone.

[O.S.O.K.]

I like the way you think

[chadbr]

This sounds like a good time -- I'm over in NW Houston.

I'll have to check with my better 1/2 on the dates. Would love to go camp before the season with the family and check out the grounds.

Can anyone suggest a good location in the park? Huxley? Isla?

Thanks, Chad

[O.S.O.K.]

Great! Yes, we do need some suggestions on camping areas. Hint hint...

[Griff]

Oh, man oh man... I've love to attend, but... I've just indentured myself for another year & ½. Ain't gonna be able to shoot much, let alone hunt, and what time the CFO lets me have off will be filled with honey-dos! Wish you fellars luck tho'! Take pics, its the next best thing to bein' there!