Originally posted by Limbwalker
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"Longer than 72 hrs" If hog hunting...every 2 days...I think that excludes me. Ive also seen metal spikes, climbers, PERM. STANDS NAILED IN with 2x4. All since Sept 1st of this yr. Weve counted over a dozen of stands along the Yegua will scouting......Keep your head up, and not on the ground and youll see them also.
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Don't get caught in the perminet stands. It is a ticket regardless who put them up.Comment
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I will say the game warden asked me last year if I had one up. She told me to make sure it is not perminant of they would ticket or confinscate. Dont want to fight that battle, the book says this or that. Good luck to everyone this weekend.Comment
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So what would be the official ruling? Could you leave a lock-on stand up season long? I wouldnt imaging setting up a lock on in the dark let alone by yourself? I would think PERMINANT would exclude ladder stands,climbers and lock ons as they can easily be moved.Anyone like to chime in who has better information that I dont?Comment
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I would talk to the game warden or the manager. They could clarify. I know that I, like you have seen numerous stands out there, some for atleast two years in the same spot. I would call that permanent.Comment
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Tri-pods , lockons, ladder stands, nailed on platforms or spikes in the tree can be concidered permanet stand if left out over 72 hours. If you don't haul it out someone will, be it the game warden or wild life manager or the thiefs. Basicly brush blinds and climbers are the way to go.Comment
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The rules are just as they read. Only very few folks ever read them...Originally posted by Hoggwild View Post
I use a lightweight hang-on stand and nylon strap-on steps and regularly hang stands in the dark with a red head lamp. It's something you need to practice, but it's not impossible if you're in good shape. The hang on stand opens up 3-4 times more areas for me to hunt than a climber or ground blind, and it's much more effective. I harvested one doe and had easy shots at several others last Oct. because of quality stand locations and the ability to get into areas that nobody else could get a stand into.
I always pre-scout my trees, and usually look for trees with plenty of branches to climb up in so I don't have to hang more steps than I need. My most productive tree last year didn't even require any steps. I had plenty of branches to use to get to my stand height.
The hang-on I use is a small aluminum Gorilla and weighs only about 9 lbs. My backpack with 6 nylon strap-on steps is another 8 lbs. I can tote that combination in as far as I feel the need, and set up in about any tree.
There are more climbable trees on Sommerville than you might think if you have a climbing stand though. Many of the cedar elms don't have branches on them up to about 17 feet. They are a good option. Occasionally you'll find a water oak that is the same way.
Ground blinds in areas like Sommerville (that are hunted hard) are almost totally ineffective unless they are well concealed. The deer just know the areas so much better than we do that the blinds stick out like a sore thumb to them.
My recommendation to anyone hunting Texas public lands in forested areas is to get comfortable with a lightweight hang-on stand and strap-on steps or climbing sticks, and always use a lineman's belt and harness. Done 10-15 times, it really does become quite simple.
I can find a tree I've never been in, and go from standing on the ground to sitting comfortably in my stand, bow in hand, in less than 10 minutes. Without sweating. But it takes practice.
Be safe.
John.Comment
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John you gave out our secret. Just playing. But I agree with John thats the way to go. I actually have that same stand and got some lone wolf climbing sticks and you can have it set up in minutes. I've done that without worrying about making noise and seen deer with in minutes of setting up and deer never new I was there (of course you got to play the wind). Thats were if you can't scout has much a gps comes in to play. You can have all the trails and trees saved so you can have a back up tree to your back up tree.
But good luck to all whose going out this opener. I'll be there with the crowd. So get there early.Comment
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Those of you that have hunted at the WMA.. whats ya'lls success rate there?Comment
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Hunted there last year...goose egg. Scouted Sam Houston a little so I think I will mix it up a little this year.Comment
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Hey kornsqueezer, you join a lease this year or just trying a different public area?Comment
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I hunted Somerville almost 20 years ago when I worked near Victoria. It was the closest public land I had available at the time. Saw a few deer back then, but only got one long shot in a couple seasons.Originally posted by Hoggwild View Post
Things are MUCH better now. Many more deer than I used to see back then. But I'm also a better, more experienced hunter now too.
This past season I consider my best on public land in Texas. Shot a nice doe with my recurve the second weekend and a few weeks later shot a spike buck. Then just minutes after shooting the spike, a heavy 8 pt. walked under my stand and bedded down literally beneath my feet. I just couldn't decide whether he was 13" or not (pretty sure he was, but not sure enough) and he eventually moved off to live another day. I got pictures of him on my phone he was so close. That was a long 2 hours in the stand! ha, ha. But fun.
Once the gun season came in, I switched to the Sam Houston NF since I had a doe tag there and was trying to fill the freezer.
There are deer there at Somerville, but you have to be smart about how you hunt and very patient. You won't get a lot of opportunities, so you have to take advantage of the ones you do get.
#1 rule is get off the roads. I can't tell you how many guys I saw within sight of one of the roads. One was even rattling up a storm within view of his pickup truck!!! ha, ha. That's just not going to work man. Those deer are SMART.
If you kill a deer with your bow on Somerville, it's a trophy. No matter what it's wearing on it's head.
John.Comment
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Great post..and way to keep my high hopes Limbwalker!
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Zero for me after 2 seasons. This will be my 3rd season hunting with a bow. But you cant be successful with missing your target. Thats me being a bad shot but getting better. Hopefully I can connect this season.Comment
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2 bad season Villa I take it!?Comment
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