The new Grapevine lake regs..

[StickShooter]

I was just reading over the new regs and I have mixed feelings about it..

For one it is good they are trying to limit the amount of people they are allowing in there. On the other end though people who still want to go in there and run hogs at night or do other illegal hunting or non hunting activities will still continue to do so. Also people who do put in for the drawing and want to deer hunt may get stuck with the 2nd season. Now you get stuck with a permit to hunt that will not be used because you only wanted to hunt deer. Or somebody that wants to just hunt hogs and not deer. I think you should be able to pick what season you want to hunt. If you don't get it, then it is what it is.

One of my good friends hunted the vine because it was close to home and couldn't afford a lease.. Now he has no where to hunt.. I too was interested in poking my nose in there and learning a little bit about it.. I just think a lot of the scum bags out there are the reason for the new regs

[bowhuntntxn]

where did you find these new regs?

[StickShooter]

Right here.. http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/gra...on/Hunting.asp

[JvT]

If I remember when I applied. There were check boxes for the two seasons. You had the option of applying for only the first, the second or both drawings.

I do hope they up the enforcement. Even if it is just being positioned to check the returning hunters and giving tickets to anyone with a bow, shotgun, or rifle(not allowed anyway) who does not have a permit.

[JvT]

Right here.. http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/gra...on/Hunting.asp

The drawing should have been done Monday. I guess those who where in on it did not want to post about it and lessen the draw chances.

[Larry]

Yes, drawing was held this past Monday. Yes, it's been on the down low to increase chances of getting drawn. I know we've made a conscious effort to keep it hush hush for that very reason.

I could write a 10,000 word essay on how much the new Grapevine regs infuriate me. I chose NOT to enter the lottery drawing this year because I know of a couple of people that rely on the Vine as their only place to bow hunt. I'm fortunate to have a couple of other places to hunt. If I would have been drawn for Grapevine when someone who didn't have another place to hunt wasn't drawn, I would have felt horrible about it. Things that tick me off...

1. The 75 spots for Season 1 (archery/general season) INCLUDES those only wanting to duck hunt. Why not have a separate duck hunting permit if the only thing someone's going to do out there is waterfowl hunt?!

2. No change to the permanent stand thing. If you're going to a limited lottery drawing, relax the stand rule a bit and allow someone to place a marked stand out there for the season.

3. No improvement to the parking areas. Finding points of entry has always and will always be a problem out there. The majority of the people that hunt the Vine park and walk along side mountain bikers. Something about that just seems odd to me.

4. Mark my words...there will be NO additional enforcement, patrolling, etc for those hunting without permits or with rifles. The areas we hunt are too remote and I guarantee USACE rangers have never set foot in those areas as evidenced by the numerous permanent stands, bait stations, illegal rifle toting hunters, ATVs and such that we have encountered over the past five years out there.

I could go on and on. I'm fortunate to have harvested a couple of Grapevine deer and hogs over the past five or six years. Grapevine is a very special place to me, and I know it like the back of my hand. There will be a lot of ticked off hunters that show up for their free permit the next month or so only to find that a lottery drawing was held this past Monday. As of Friday, there were 150+ entries...most of which I would bet were vying for the 75 season one spots. There has always been issues with Grapevine and the people that run it...regs not matching on the various items they give you when you sign up, conflicting information depending on who you get on the phone there, etc.

I fully expect some of the Vine homeys to hop on here and tell me I'm suffering from a case of sour grapes. It's nothing like that at all. The Vine is a great place to hunt close to a fairly large population. It's going to have it's issues with poachers, non-permit hunters, etc...some knowing they are breaking the law and others clueless that permits/laws/regs exist. I'm good with all that. I've seen it first hand and know it's part of public hunting. I see ZERO benefit in the lottery system at Grapevine considering all of the illegal activity was rampant when permits were FREE and endless. It will only make a difference if there is a constant vigil by the USACE Grapevine Office, and that's NOT going to happen...period. I was personally told by a USACE ranger that Grapevine was second to Lewisville and there just wasn't enough man power to patrol the Vine. They come over here a few weeks prior to season to check/mend fences, replace signs, haul off whatever permanent/illegal stands/feeders they can find and then they DO NOT RETURN...and the locals know this. A wonderful public hunting area being run by non-hunters...gotta love it.

[justhrowit]

Well put, Larry!

I just called the vine offices this morning. Tried to call all day yesterday and Monday, but the line was busy most of the day. For those that get drawn, they will notify you within 2 weeks!

J

[Larry]

I hope you appreciate the sacrifice I made for you, Jay. If you get drawn, it's all because of me.

[justhrowit]

I do appreciate it, Larry! Many others do as well. I wonder how many people still put in despite having leases. In years past many people got permits and never hunted or only hunted a few times a season. It's discouraging knowing this may be the case this year.

J

[dr730]

I'm gonna forward this to the Corps office so they can get a clue.

[DFWarcher]

As one other forum member explained, the deer hunting quality has been on a steep decline out there since the "big" one was taken out there a few years ago. I've explained this on the lewisville thread but we put too much pressure on these animals. Same thing is happening at corp lakes all over north texas, too many folks that want to hunt but not enough public land to go around. I agree, it sucks but the lottery is the fairest way for at least some of the population to enjoy that area, the only other option would to be to require a fee for permits (I think this would cut down on some of the trouble makers out there, but I could be wrong). And I have inquired about this as I would not not mind if the money went to improving parking areas and cleaning up trash etc., but the corp has informed me the cannot gain a profit due to federal regs even if the money is used to improve the lake, whether this is true or not I do not know but this is what I am being told. However I feel most hunters would prefer a lottery system rather than paying a hundred bucks or more for a permit. Regardless I don't feel they issued enough permits this year, they could have offered more.

[JvT]

I got my permit for the other lake today which unfortunately don't allow deer hunting.
I was only the 35th person to get one. Definately a big draw to grapevine due to the deer hunting.

[Texas Grown]

I just wanted to hunt ducks there

[Mitch914]

Larry
X2 with EVERYTHING YOU SAID.

Thank you Larry! I guarantee there are guys who have other areas to hunt that did put their name in the lottery. Thank you for thinking of others!

If by some chance stroke of luck I get drawn...I have a pretty good relationship with one of the Rangers...I have him on speed dial and rest assured he will get calls from me this coming season if I'm out there!

[BillfromFtWorth]

I guarantee there are guys who have other areas to hunt that did put their name in the lottery.

Yeah, I was one of them, whats wrong with that?