The new Grapevine lake regs..

[JvT]

I just wanted to hunt ducks there

I have killed my share of ducks out there. It is a shame they did not split ducks into a different category and allow more bowhunters. Duck hunting used to be a draw out there. It was first come first serve. If you where not in line a couple hours early on the day they started taking applications, you did not get a permit.

[Mitch914]

It is what it is.

If you are lucky enough to have multiple places to hunt that's awesome!

I have one choice and that WAS to hunt Grapevine. I know personally if I

had multiple areas to hunt....I certainly wouldn't put in for a lottery because

in my mind that would be selfish. That's my opinion...and it's not worth

much.

[justhrowit]

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

Nothing wrong with you, I gather its more directed at the Corp. I, as well as others, have very limited options to hunt. It would be nice if the corp realized this and made more permits available, or separated the duck hunters (even though I duck hunt the lake quite often) in order to give a few more opportunities to bow hunters.

[Larry]

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

Classic and fully expected reply from you, Bill. We all know that you are the ultimate authority on what's right and wrong. Jay hit the nail on the head, though. My comment wasn't directed at those that do have other hunting options and still put in for the Vine. I have friends. I share as much as I can...ask any number of guys on TBH that I've shared with. My point was it sucks that I felt it necessary to step aside to better the chances of those I know do not have any other options.

Deer numbers and quality are NOT in decline at Grapevine. Maybe that's the case in the over hunted parts that the majority trample around in. I have pics of three very good bucks from last season in a remote area of the Vine that I can almost guarantee are all still walking. One still makes my knees weak when I look at his pics. This is nothing about management of resources (deer). This is about trying to curb illegal activity by limiting the number of permits. It's not going to work. The idiots that Jay and I watched leave our area on an ATV one evening last season are not going to stop going out there just because there's a lottery system in place now. Get real.

[Larry]

I have killed my share of ducks out there. It is a shame they did not split ducks into a different category and allow more bowhunters. Duck hunting used to be a draw out there. It was first come first serve. If you where not in line a couple hours early on the day they started taking applications, you did not get a permit.

Curious what the brain trust at the Grapevine Office has to say about this. How hard would it be to give duck hunters a separate permit? Lumping them all together is all the proof I need that there was ZERO thought in this program. I guarantee you they will be slammed with criticism come late September.

[Larry]

Oh yeah, Denton County is an antler restriction county this season, as well. It's also a doe county all seasons combined. So they've gone from it being a one buck to two (antler restriction) and from doe only in archery season and first two weeks of general season to two doe all seasons combined. Definitely has to be a shortage of deer there, huh? ...or not.

[justhrowit]

Oh yeah, Denton County is an antler restriction county this season, as well. It's also a doe county all seasons combined. So they've gone from it being a one buck to two (antler restriction) and from doe only in archery season and first two weeks of general season to two doe all seasons combined. Definitely has to be a shortage of deer there, huh? ...or not.

Awesome! You know how many times in the past five years I was wishing you could shoot does out there past the 2nd week in general season? Twice last year alone!!!!!

Hey Larry... where the heck is my T-shirt?

J

[Larry]

I put it in your favorite tree. Not sure how you can get it if you don't get drawn, though.

[justhrowit]

Terrible Customer Service!

[bulletpusher]

I can prove that this was not thought out at all by ACE. When I was in the office I asked why so few permits, and why all lumped together? The answer was to to improve the overall quality of the hunting out there. So... I asked if I could see the animal survey reports done by a biologist that they based this on. I got a very deer in the headlights look, and they said that they have not done any surveys. So... how do they know that it needed to be improved?

My personal take on this:
1)That there are people in the Corps office that want to make this their own private game preserve, because they will always get a permit. Yes some of the key players that made these rules are bow hunters.

2) Last year approximately 300 water fowl permits were issued, and roughly 500 hunting permits. This year 75 combined permits with most listing a duplicate person as their buddy. Leaving the number not maxed out at 150 but closer to the original 75 (for first season)

3)Large percentage of the people that apply every year are out there for single game species. IE.. Doves, squirrel, ducks... So why lump every one together? That puts actual hunters for any one species way down low as far as competition goes.

4) When a person first hears that 800 total permits had been issued that is a lot of people. Yes it is, BUT I promise you I hunted out there a bunch (25+ days) each year for deer and I only see a hand full on the worst days and often none, or 1 or 2 guys any time I went out. This tells me that the majority of permits were applied for but just never got around to being used. So this is way they would lump everyone together to further reduce actual boots on the ground.

5) That issuing permits all season long (like in the past) was a big pain in the rear, doing it once a year means that they will only have to deal with the public for a month and a half.

6) Hogs will ruin this place in no time with reduced control by hunters.

7) Poachers and trash will only get worse, because the eyes and ears of the woods will be gone.

The Corps office needs to have accountability for their actions, not just impose any kind of rules they want with out public hearings or justification.

[Mitch914]

"The Corps office needs to have accountability for their actions, not just impose any kind of rules they want with out public hearings or justification."

You said it all right there!

[Texas Grown]

I remeber the days when no permits were required for huntig anything. And finding a place ot duck hunt was sometimes a challenge. Shot my first and only Golden Eye out there in '87.

[ttujason02]

sucks. Won't get to look like a crazy Indian chasing off a guy riding a dirtbike this season.. I spent alot of time out there sneaking around over the last 2 years. Maybe next year. I wish they would have allowed a permit for hogs only but considering that the place is hardly ever checked on would make it hard to enforce.

[Guest1]

When are they going to notify people?
Have they already done this and I was unlucky?

[justhrowit]

When are they going to notify people?
Have they already done this and I was unlucky?

I called them this week, and they said they would notify people in two weeks