Black Gap-- any one been out there?

[Saintgunner74]

From what they said when I checked in the numbers are so low that they gave thought o canceling the hunts this year and unless they get significant rainfall soon they are not going to offer any hunts next year.

Its sorta a strange feeling to sit on a hill high over a huge flat and glass for hours and never so much as see a deer. You begin to wonder if those expensive binos maybe went to pieces and can't see deer anymore. Then if you do spot one and get on him or one walks into a water hole and you are there, is it even right to shoot him when apparently most of his kin folks are dead. They already only give one permit per 4,791 acres. So we all went knowing numbers are not great there. About the freshest track I saw around water was probably at least a few days old.

I'm curious if Koplin and his buddy the Warden even saw any deer. Pretty sad that the first 4 guys left without seeing a critter one...

Ovalo, did you know they killed 2 deer on the hunt you went on? He said last morning last guys to check out.

Steve

[Kolpin10]

We ended up seeing two does and one forkhorn buck but he stayed out at about 75 yards we saw them when we were pushing a narrow canyon. Had a bear come to a guzzler I was setting on, besides that did not see any other wildlife. It was still a great hunt, relaxing and fun. One guy on the hunt did draw blood but he did not get a solid hit don't know any details about what size buck it was.

[Limbwalker]

Got a buddy out there right now. Hope he at least sees something. 16 years ago, I can recall seeing plenty out there.

[Bilbo]

From what they said when I checked in the numbers are so low that they gave thought o canceling the hunts this year and unless they get significant rainfall soon they are not going to offer any hunts next year.

Its sorta a strange feeling to sit on a hill high over a huge flat and glass for hours and never so much as see a deer. You begin to wonder if those expensive binos maybe went to pieces and can't see deer anymore. Then if you do spot one and get on him or one walks into a water hole and you are there, is it even right to shoot him when apparently most of his kin folks are dead. They already only give one permit per 4,791 acres. So we all went knowing numbers are not great there. About the freshest track I saw around water was probably at least a few days old.

I'm curious if Koplin and his buddy the Warden even saw any deer. Pretty sad that the first 4 guys left without seeing a critter one...

Ovalo, did you know they killed 2 deer on the hunt you went on? He said last morning last guys to check out.

Steve

Yes, I left a business card for the pair camped next to me. It was an uncle/nephew combo. The nephew called me not long ago and told me they ended up shooting a small 8 and a small 6. One was the last evening and the other was the last morning. That was all the animals they saw.

I sat on a hilltop one day and could see 3 different watering holes from it and could easily see over 5000 acres of land. Not one animal was spotted bedded down or on the move. Pretty sad really.

I'm kinda curious as to why they don't use the river and some sort of irrigation system to plant some sort of food plot. Also, why not kill off some coyotes? I was told by the biologist himself that they don't do any coyote killing other than on the draw hunts. Many WMA's give a supplemental food source for the animals and with the river so close, I don't understand why they haven't.

It is without a doubt one of the prettiest places in Texas I've ever stepped foot on, but something should be done. Glad everyone had a safe trip.

[Saintgunner74]

I quizzed him pretty hard about why they don't supplement when it gets this dry. He said the basic reason is they can't get the funding to do it. They tried last year and it was voted down. Apparently hunting is not where they want to spend alot of money. Heard basically the same thing from the warden at Garner this weekend. They don't give them squat money wise to run hunts. He and the people that help end up pitching in to make the hunts happen. I wonder if we got alot of people to pitch in and had a truck full of feed sent out if they would use it. Semi load of alfalfa bought by the folks at the green screen... I pay enough taxes I sure wish more of my money went to places like Black Gap instead of the worthless moochers sucking the welfare teat.

The irrigation deal sounds awesome and I thought of it while out there, but the equipment to get it up and running would be expensive. I am brainstorming a letter to TPWD for out there to ask them to send more money that way. If any of you have any argument you would use to justify more spending on that place pm them to me. Maybe i'll put my BA in English to work since my job sure doesn't...lol

[tommyp]

we hunted unit 4 just north of the headquarters and were allowed to access part of #5 across the road from #4. more funding for the wma's would be nice.